Increasing Student Attendance at Library Workshops: What the Data Tells Us

Abstract

With attendance rates at library workshops and events in decline, the authors looked to data from practice to help the field move forward. Using survey responses from providers of 161 library workshops across Canada and the United States, the authors examined 10 key variables that are widely believed to impact attendance rates (topic, month, time, duration, advertising, location, target audience, series status, buy-in, and incentives). Analysis of the responses highlights several trends in attendance and offers a better understanding of what students are looking for from extracurricular educational opportunities like those provided by libraries.