As youth librarians, we know how important it is to collect our statistics. If it can be counted, there is probably a library collecting it. We count program attendance, track circulation, tally summer reading participation, document outreach visits, and much more. The numbers are entered, the spreadsheets are filed, and another reporting cycle begins. When we take the time to reflect on the data, it can guide us to meaningful action. Good data helps us ask better questions, understand our communities more deeply, and make more informed decisions about our services. REFLECT: If attendance at a long-running program drops, do we simply note the decline, or do we investigate what the numbers are telling us? Maybe the program content needs to be refreshed. Looking at data through an equity lens also means asking who is participating, who is missing, and what barriers may exist. ACT: If outreach data shows that…
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