Sharing Digital Navigators Among Public Libraries

What Are We Learning about Client Needs

The digital manager who developed the data points for the Regional Navigator Sharing Plan, Thomas Rooney, wanted to dig deep and be able to compare and contrast client needs by age group, income level, location, device ownership status, and many other characteristics so that future programs could better anticipate the tasks of a good navigation program.

Rooney broke down assessment and progress measuring questions (DPI) into four categories: 

• Infrastructural
• Digital Literacy
• Disengagement
• Technological Stress

These categories were further broken down into subcategories that Rooney felt, due to experience of reviewing previous navigator-supplied data, captured the most common issues encountered in the field. In approving these data points, the collaborators also believed that it would be easier for navigators to note stasis or progress from intake through two or three or more appointments. The subcategories gave navigators a controlled vocabulary to work with both when analyzing data for our reports and keeping track of clients during the program. They have contributed to more detailed reports that he believes will help prepare future navigators for the types of problems that these sorts of programs are likely to encounter.

Below is one table derived from this Digital Participation Issues (DPI) data. Issues that make up each of the Digital Participation Issue Subcategories are found on the subpage "Components of Digital Participation Skills Categories.  Additional DPI tables may be found in the attached IMLS Regional Navigator Sharing Plan Stats with DPI Tabs.