enielsen-air
commented
1 year ago The original intent of that language was to avoid counting programs for kids ages 4-9 as general interest because they didn't fall cleanly in one of the two new children's categories, which would affect trend analysis with the old KIDPRO and KIDATTEN.
Your example of a program where teens are working with children does seem like something that should be categorized as "general interest" so I agree that we should consider some clarification to these elements. However, I think testing this change will require several hypothetical scenarios since many library staff may not be familiar with an actual program like your example.
Name: Kathleen Sullivan
State/affiliation: Washington State Library
Description of change (include existing data element defitions and explain which terms/parts should be updated):
Revise 605 to allow combinations of any age groups.
Current element 605 Number of Synchronous General Interest Program Sessions (GENPRO) A general interest program session is any planned event that is appropriate for any age group or multiple age groups. Include all-age, all-library, family, and intergenerational program sessions. Examples of these types of program sessions include, but are not limited to, family game nights, holiday events, storytelling programs, or chess clubs. Include all programs here that do not fit into the other age category elements. Each program session should only be counted in one age category based on its primary target audience; do not include program sessions here that have already been counted in earlier age category elements. Avoid including program sessions that are targeted at more than one non-adult age category (and are not targeted at adults); these should be counted in the child or young adult age category that best represents the target audience. This figure is a subset of the Total Number of Synchronous Program Sessions (data element 600). See Synchronous Program Session definition for more information about counting program sessions
[Proposed revision removes the sentence "Avoid including program sessions that are targeted at more than one non-adult age category (and are not targeted at adults); these should be counted in the child or young adult age category that best represents the target audience."]
605 Number of [Synchronous] General Interest Program Sessions (GENPRO) A general interest program session is any planned event that is appropriate for any age group or multiple age groups. Include all-age, all-library, family, and intergenerational program sessions. Examples of these types of program sessions include, but are not limited to, family game nights, holiday events, storytelling programs, or chess clubs. Include all programs here that do not fit into the other age category elements. Each program session should only be counted in one age category based on its primary target audience; do not include program sessions here that have already been counted in earlier age category elements. This figure is a subset of the Total Number of Synchronous Program Sessions (data element 600). See Synchronous Program Session definition for more information about counting program sessions
Justification for revision of existing data element:
Multiple library systems in Washington state expressed frustration with counting multi-age-group programming and specifically noted programs such as teens reading or working with early learners, which is aimed equally at both age groups.
The category's current exclusion of multi-age-group programs for non-adults simply leaves certain programs orphaned, which leads to inconsistent categorization and therefore less reliable counts.
If known, potential methodological issues related to the change (e.g., data unreliability/bias, potential data collection challenges): Removing the exclusion from the definition should provide a home for genuinely multi-age non-adult programs, and make counting more consistent and reliable.