The DSTL Project is 

The data storytelling toolkit project aims to distill insights from the stories of public institution justification as a kind of folklore. So far, we have done four years of research with library staff to answer questions about the need for public library funding justification and the most successful stories for communicating public library impact. Using qualitative methods including interviews, surveys, workshops, and focus groups, the DSTL team has created this toolkit and website so that public libraries can justify and sustain their community services.

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The project started in 2020 with a Digital Revolution seed grant from the Center for Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It continued with a 2021-2024 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in the Laura Bush 21 Century Librarian planning category. We hope it will continue with an IMLS implementation grant, second version submitted in spring 2024. 

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We are a working team of volunteer library staff and university students, as research assistant and interns. Read more about our 2022-2023 Core Design Team and presentation at ALA Annual 2023.

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