Engagement HubYear 12 Enterprise Computing · Library data case
Issued 21 Aug 2026

Section 1: Overview and Evaluation Framework

Task requirements

Verbatim · Assessment Task Notification
  1. Describe the four data tables: identify keys, data types, and relational links.
  2. Distinguish between what data fields measure and how stakeholders use them for decisions and subsidies.
  3. Identify key dataset stakeholders and their data needs.
  4. Define and justify 3 to 4 objective criteria to evaluate whether Penrith’s library service operates effectively.
Marking Criteria 1 · top band (9-10)

Explains comprehensively the relational architecture of the four tables, identifying keys and data types with thorough accuracy. Distinguishes clearly between what data fields measure and how stakeholders use that information for operational decisions and subsidies. Identifies and explains the specific operational data needs of diverse enterprise stakeholders. Defines and justifies 3 to 4 defensible, objective criteria to evaluate library service effectiveness.

Activities

1

Key terms

Start every lesson with these. Say each term aloud with a partner and use it in one sentence about a library.

peer groupThe councils you decide are fair to compare against — chosen for a stated reason, such as similar population.
medianThe middle value once figures are sorted. Extreme values move it less than they move an average.
benchmarkThe reference figure you position a council against. It comes from your peer group, so choose the group first.
per capitaPer resident: a total divided by population, so councils of different sizes can be compared.
measure vs useWhat a field records, versus the decision someone makes with it. Keep the two apart.
2

Keys, data types and joins

For each of the four tables in your data pack, record its key, each field’s data type, and which table it links to. Practise on the flat extract below first.

cessnock_band_extractPRACTICE DATA
counciltextPRIMARY KEY
population_2024integer
total_circulationinteger
total_expenditure_audcurrency (AUD)
members_65plusinteger
members_under65integer
members_young_adultinteger
members_juniorinteger
members_community_groupsinteger
total_membersinteger
total_stockinteger
library_visitsinteger
visits_how_collectedtext
Check yourself
  • Which field would appear in every one of your four tables?
  • Is total_members stored, or could it be derived from other fields? Why does that matter for checking?
  • Which fields are counts of events, and which are counts of people?
  • What does visits_how_collected tell you about how library_visits was measured?
3

Measure vs use

Field (practice extract)What it measuresWho uses it, for what decision
total_circulationLoans in a year. One member can borrow many times, so this counts loans; people are counted in the membership fields.Library Operations: collection purchasing
members_junior, members_young_adultRegistered members by age category, as the system records themYouth Services: whether programs reach teens
total_expenditure_audLibrary expenditure for the year, in dollarsCouncil Finance: whether funding is efficient
population_2024Residents in the council areaEveryone: the denominator for fair comparison
library_visitsyour turnyour turn
4

Stakeholders and their data needs

Director, Community ServicesCommissioned the audit: “whether the library service offered by Penrith adds value to the community for the given population and budget.”
Fields they would need______________________
Library Operations Manager“wants to increase the budget for book purchasing both physically and digitally along with extended weekend library hours.”
Fields they would need______________________
Youth Services Division“is calling for a youth program in order to increase the number of teens participating.”
Fields they would need______________________
Council Finance“notes that the $8.79 million in funding for Penrith's operation budget is a significant investment and needs to be proven efficient.”
Fields they would need______________________
5

Evaluation criteria

A criterion is a yardstick you can compute from the tables and defend to a stakeholder. The top-band sample opens with two:

Library performance is assessed on two criteria: community reach (loans per resident, relative to a justified peer group) and cost efficiency (operating cost per loan).

Test each criterionAsk
ObjectiveCould two analysts compute it and get the same figure?
AvailableCan it be calculated from the four tables alone?
Decision-linkedWhich stakeholder’s decision does it inform?
FairDoes it still make sense for a council of a very different size?
NextSection 2: Data Analysis
Go to Week 6