Brightsail Research empowers libraries to use data to inform decision-making, support advocacy, and communicate impact.
Established in 2003, Brightsail Research is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to improving society through libraries.
We are committed to building evaluation capacity in the library sector and encourage libraries to integrate program evaluation and data management processes into daily practice. To this end, we provide clients with the tools and training to “connect the dots” between library activities and community outcomes.
“Advocates must have both data and stories, and be ready to insert them opportunistically. Stories of transformative impact are memorable; they give life to data. But data are fundamental to accountability, and they are more effective with some decision-makers than stories. As Kim Silk says, you need data and stories: data makes things real, stories make data human.”
Lankes, R. D. (2016). The New Librarianship Field Guide. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Kimberly Silk, Principal Consultant
Kim is the founder and Principal Consultant of Brightsail Research, a consulting firm dedicated to empowering libraries to use evaluation and data to measure progress toward strategic goals, improve operations, and demonstrate outcomes.
In addition to her training and consulting work, Kim contributes to the library profession through teaching and research. She is a sessional instructor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information and a Bowden Fellow at the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her M.L.S. at the University of Toronto and a Graduate Certificate in Evaluation from the University of Victoria. She lives with her family in Toronto, Canada.
Rachel Deitch, Associate
Rachel is a data-driven generalist and versatile project manager with broad expertise in operations, technology, and data-focused solutions. Her career has centered on driving innovation, streamlining processes, and enabling technology adoption. Rachel’s approach is grounded in pragmatism, clear communication, and empathy, ensuring that decisions are not only data-informed but aligned with the unique needs of organizations and their communities. She is committed to helping libraries and cultural heritage and research institutions optimize resources, enhance service delivery, and support and enrich their communities.
Rachel earned her Master of Science in Information Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
| The land on which Brightsail Research operates in Tkaronto (commonly referred to as Toronto), Canada has, for thousands of years, been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land. |