Library Stats on Autopilot
I help libraries replace the monthly scramble for statistics with a streamlined system built on Google Forms, Google Sheets and AI. Staff submit once. Totals, graphs and reports update themselves.
| Department | Status |
|---|---|
| Circulation | ✓ via form |
| Adult programs | ✓ via form |
| Youth services | ✓ via form |
| Reference desk | ✓ via form |
| Door count | ✓ via form |
| Board report graphs | ✓ auto |
No follow-up emails. No retyping. No corrections.
AUTOMATEDSound familiar?
Finally, all the monthly stats are in. Time to check that task off the list.
Then come the staff files, plural. Each in its own format.
The follow-up emails. Then the emails correcting the emails.
Someone still has to compile all of it into one report by hand.
How much time is left to actually use those numbers?
From manual and scattered to automatic and reliable
Then Manual
- Each department keeps its own spreadsheet and emails it in
- Someone retypes every number into a master file
- Errors and missing data mean rounds of follow-up
- Graphs for the board are rebuilt by hand each month
Now Automated
- Staff submit one short Google Form each month
- Answers flow straight into a central Google Sheet
- Totals, comparisons and graphs calculate themselves
- Built once, then it runs every month
A complete, end-to-end stats system, built around how you already work
Department forms
Custom Google Forms for circulation, programs, reference, outreach, room use and whatever else you count.
The stats engine
A linked Google Sheet that collects every response and does the math: monthly totals, year-to-date and year-over-year.
Live dashboard
Graphs that update as staff submit, ready to drop into board reports, annual reports and grant applications.
AI assistant prompts
Ready-to-use prompts so your team can use AI to troubleshoot formulas, add new stats and adjust the system later.
Testing and launch
Every form and formula checked against numbers you already know before it goes to staff.
Staff training
A short walkthrough for the people submitting and the people reporting, plus a simple how-to guide.
Eight steps from define to launch
The same process from my presentation, done with you or for you.
- Step 1
Define
Who reports, what you count, when it's due and why it matters.
- Step 2
Tool box
Choose the right mix of Google Sheets, Google Forms and an AI assistant.
- Step 3
AI prompt
Write a clear prompt describing your library, your data and the result you need.
- Step 4
Upload
Bring your existing spreadsheets into Google Sheets so history isn't lost.
- Step 5
Create forms
Admin, adult and teen, circulation, outreach and youth services forms.
- Step 6
Linking
Connect every form to the master sheet so responses land in the right place.
- Step 7
Testing
Check results against known answers. Use AI to troubleshoot anything off.
- Step 8
Launch
Pilot with one department, refine, then roll out to everyone.
Clear stats make the case for more support
When usage trends were easy to see and easy to explain, our library was approved for $10,000 in additional e-book funding. Good data shows the demand, explains the need and makes a specific ask.
How much time do stats cost your library?
Move the sliders to match your library. This is a rough estimate of the hours spent each year collecting, chasing and compiling numbers.
Pick the level of help that fits your library
Every library counts things differently, so each project is scoped after a free discovery call.
Discovery call
- 30 minutes over video
- Walk through how you collect stats today
- Identify the biggest time drains
- Get a recommended plan and quote
For any library curious about automating its reporting.
Done-for-you build
- All eight steps, built for your library
- Custom forms for every department
- Stats engine and live dashboard
- Historical data migrated in
- Staff training and a how-to guide
For libraries that want a working system without taking time from staff.
Coaching and workshops
- Guided sessions through each step
- AI prompt templates for libraries
- Review of your forms and formulas
- Group workshops for staff or systems
For teams that want to learn the skills and own the build.
Lauren McLaughlin, MLIS
Library Consultant, FEM Global
- Experience20+ years in public libraries
- BackgroundAdult services & marketing
- RoleOperations Director, FEM Global
- SpecialtyStatistics + storytelling
Built by a librarian who lived the monthly scramble
I've spent more than twenty years in public libraries, leading adult services and library marketing. Like a lot of you, I watched good staff time disappear into chasing numbers every month.
So I built a better way at my own library, using tools most libraries already have: Google Sheets, Google Forms and an AI assistant. Now I help other libraries do the same, so their stats are ready when the board, the budget or the next grant needs them.
Common questions
Do we need to buy new software?
Usually not. The system runs on Google Sheets and Google Forms, which many libraries already have through Google Workspace. We'll confirm what you have on the discovery call.
Do we need technical staff?
No. Staff only fill out a short form. The person who reports the stats gets a dashboard and a plain-language guide, plus AI prompts for making changes later.
Where does our data live?
In your library's own Google account. You own the forms, the sheet and every response.
Can you work with our existing spreadsheets?
Yes. Step 4 brings your current files into the new system so you keep your history and year-over-year comparisons.
Do you work with library systems and consortia?
Yes. The same setup scales across branches, and workshops can be run for groups of libraries.
Let's put your library's stats on autopilot
Fill out the form to book a free 30-minute discovery call, or email me directly. We'll look at how your library handles stats and marketing today and where automation can help.
Prefer email?
lauren@fem-global.com
Email