Research

Keith is available to lead or contribute to a wide variety of research projects that assess the social, economic, and educational impact of libraries.

His quantitative research skills include secondary analysis of available data, original research design, survey design, sample design and selection, and statistical analysis.
His qualitative research skills include designing and conducting focus group and key informant interviews.

Best known for his landmark studies of school library impact on standards-based test scores, he has also led or participated in studies on other topics including:

  • Cost-benefit analysis of specific library-related services;
  • Data collection for all types of libraries;
  • Diversity in librarianship (particularly related to gender and race/ethnicity);
  • Library leadership for the next generation;
  • Library labor force trends (retirement, retention, and recruitment);
  • Library networks, cooperatives, and consortia;
  • Literacy programs (based in libraries and elsewhere);
  • Outcome-based evaluation of all types of libraries;
  • Public library funding trends;
  • Return-on-investment studies of public libraries; and
  • School library staffing and funding trends.

Keith's research-related services include assistance in writing grant proposals and other funding requests to make the research possible.