Coordinating Committees
Progress Report to CUWL, October 30, 2007
Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee
DICC Members - Joshua Ranger, Chair UW-Oshkosh; Paul Beck UW-La Crosse; Michael Doylen UW-Milwaukee; Michael Edmonds Wisconsin Historical Society; Peter Gorman UW-Madison; Carol Hagness UW-Stout; Mark Rozmarynowski UW-Baraboo; Vicki Tobias UW-Madison; Tony Gulig UW-Whitewater, Faculty; Patrick Wilkinson CUWL; Paul Moriarty UWSA
Meetings
The DICC has held two meetings since organizing in July 2007. The first meeting was held in Madison on August 23rd and the second on October 17th via teleconference. The DICC has agreed to meet every two months alternating between in-person meetings and teleconferences.
The July meeting was spent largely establishing the priorities of the committee (see below). Three UWDC projects were approved (Gay Peoples’ Union, Indian Treaties, and UWM Finding Aids). Terms were set for DICC members.
The August meeting was spent finalizing our Action Items for the year.
Communication
Because DICC work so far has been limited to administrative and planning, the group has used only the DICC members-specific list to transact its business. The group has plans to distribute finalized Action Items and drafts of future documents to the wider list.
Proposal to Change Approval Process:
It was discussed at the August meeting that the UWDC approval process has, at times, proved too lengthy and complicated. Delays in getting approval through the various bodies (UWDC Advisory Committee, CUWL Executive Committee and CUWL) and the need for re-approval after projects have been modified, have frustrated staff and project proposal initiators.
In an effort to streamline the approval process for UWDC projects, the DICC respectfully requests that CUWL waive its need to approve most projects, relying solely on the discretion of the DICC to make decisions in routine matters. This acknowledges that CUWL has never disputed a recommendation by the UWDC Advisory Committee in the past. The DICC will, however, continue to bring proposals that diverge from past practices and experiences to the attention of the CUWL Executive Council.
The DICC also wishes to authorize the UWDCC to be able make minor changes to approved MOUs without the need for DICC re-approval. Only changes that amount to a 20% or greater increase in costs or substantially change the character, content or format of the original project will require re-approval by the DICC. The UWDCC staff will inform the DICC chair of all modifications to MOUs regardless of what changes were made, however.
Action Items:
Through an on-line survey and discussions at meetings, the DICC identified various priorities from the group’s charge as well as the strategic directions document that it would like to work on in the next one to two year period. Additionally, the group took part in a “Big Ideas” brainstorming session that identified other specific activities of interest that were not included in the CUWL documents. From these priorities, the DICC agreed on a four Action Items for CUWL to consider for the year 2007-2008. They are as follows:
- Develop best practices guidelines for the digitization and preservation of “off-lined” digital content delivered to CUWL in April 2008.
- Develop user focused assessment and research and development program for the
UWDC. First report on progress to be delivered to CUWL July 2008. - Develop a comprehensive digital plan delivered to CUWL October, 2008.
- Develop a multi-part strategy for the enhancement of the MINDS@UW
program to be delivered to CUWL October, 2008.
The DICC respectfully requests CUWL to approve these Action Items by inserting them into its strategic direction document. See appendix to this report for greater detail regarding Action Items.
Special Request regarding Action Item 2:
The DICC acknowledges that, in the past, CUWL financial support of the UWDCC was directed (or was perceived directed) to support digital production activities. To maximize the success of the UWDC, the DICC believes that a portion of these System resources need to be shifted toward assessment and--based on the acquired data--to research and development of new technologies and services. To simplify this process, the DICC recommends proposing an assessment project AS A UWDC PROJECT on an equal footing as a digital production project. The DICC and UWDCC will create a project with a estimated budget and this will be paid for through the same funds that go to pay for production projects. UW Madison will also pay for a portion of this project out of their own funds. As this is considered an unusual project proposal, it will be brought to CUWL’s Executive Council for approval.
If approved, this project will limit the amount of new projects the UWDCC will be able to accept this year. Also, as the UWDCC production is at capacity for the next 12-18 months, some projects currently scheduled may need to be delayed to free up staff time. UWDCC staff do not foresee this being a problem for several clients. The LSTA funded projects through DPI will not be affected, however. The DICC will also investigate outsourcing some assessment activities. It is assumed that a proposal for research and development activities (based on assessment data) would be treated similarly in the future.
Digital Repository Working Group
A working group has been created to develop Action Item 4. Dorothea Salo will serve as chair. Charge of group:
To improve coordination and communication across the UW System for matters related to the MINDS@UW project, and in response to the acknowledged difficulty of recruiting participants and developing content for institutional repositories, the Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee will sponsor a Digital Repository Working Group, to consist of the Digital Repository Librarian, one representative from the Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee, at least two representatives from four-year UW campuses, and one from the two-year campuses. Duties will include:
-Investigate methods of assessing user satisfaction with MINDS@UW services.
-Assist the DICC in developing content development and rights-management policies for MINDS@UW
-Build a library of MINDS@UW outreach and training materials
-Develop a process and promotional materials to raise awareness of
MINDS@UW within UW-System library communities
-Create a list of recommendations for software and service improvements that would encourage greater faculty participation in MINDS@UW
Respectfully submitted, October 23, 2007
Joshua P. Ranger
Chair, Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee.
APPENDIX A: 2007-2008 DICC Action Items
1) Develop best practices guidelines for the digitization and preservation of “off-lined” digital content delivered to CUWL in April 2008.
The DICC, working with appropriate System staff, will create a set of recommendations for the digitization of visual/audio/video materials that for various reasons cannot or will not be placed on-line. Best practices will include technical information as well as a list of trusted vendors and pricing estimates. This will also include discussion about the off-line storage and preservation activities.
- Covered by Charge:
- Analyze needs of the UW Libraries for additional digital initiatives.
-
With input from technical services and automation staff, develop policies and procedures to enhance access to UW System digital collections.
- Covered by Strategic Directions Objectives 1.4 and 3.2
DICC member currently assigned: Joshua Ranger, Paul Beck, Michael Doylen
2) Develop user focused assessment and research and development program for the UWDC. First report on progress to be delivered to CUWL July 2008.
The DICC will work with the UWDCC to create a program to determine user satisfaction with current system and content; to analyze the needs of System libraries and faculty regarding digitization efforts; and to investigate new technologies and approaches as well as the challenges of non-traditional formats. This will require CUWL to allow UWDCC to shift some resources from production to assessment and R&D. The DICC will also investigate out-sourcing some assessment activities.
- Covered by Charge:
- Analyze needs of the UW Libraries for additional digital initiatives.
-
With input from technical services and automation staff, develop policies and procedures to enhance access to UW System digital collections.
- Covered by Strategic Directions Objectives 3.1 and 2.1.
DICC member currently assigned: Vicki Tobias
3) Develop a comprehensive digital plan for shared digital collections delivered to CUWL October, 2008.
The DICC will review the mission and selection criteria for both MINDS@UW and UWDC; identify other System and extra-System cooperative digitization activities; map out the areas of responsibility and roles of all of these programs (especially MINDS@UW and the UWDC) ; and recommend where future resources might be spent. The plan will be informed, in part, by assessment work described in action item 2.
- Covered by Charge:
- Oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for shared digital collections within the University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- Refine decision-making benchmarks for additions to existing digital initiatives
-
Analyze needs of the UW Libraries for additional digital initiatives.
- Covered by Strategic Directions Objectives 1.2, 1.3.
DICC member currently assigned: Ranger, Repository Working Group, Michael Edmonds, Peter Gorman. Wilkinson (advisory role).
4) Develop a multi-part strategy for the enhancement of the MINDS@UW program to be delivered to CUWL October, 2008.
The DICC will create a working group to fulfill this action item. Their charge:
To improve coordination and communication across the UW System for matters related to the MINDS@UW project, and in response to the acknowledged difficulty of recruiting participants and developing content for institutional repositories, the Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee will sponsor a Digital Repository Working Group, to consist of the Digital Repository Librarian, one representative from the Digital Initiatives Coordinating Committee, at least two representatives from four-year UW campus, and one from the two-year campuses. Duties will include:
-Investigate methods of assessing user satisfaction with MINDS@UW services.
-Assist the DICC in developing content development and rights-management policies for MINDS@UW
-Build a library of MINDS@UW outreach and training materials
-Develop a process and promotional materials to raise awareness of
MINDS@UW within UW-System library communities
-Create a list of recommendations for software and service improvements that would encourage greater faculty participation in MINDS@UW
- Covered by Charge:
- Analyze needs of the UW Libraries for additional digital initiatives.
-
With input from technical services and automation staff, develop policies and procedures to enhance access to UW System digital collections.
- Covered by Strategic Directions Objectives 1.3, 1.4, 2.1 and 3.1.
DICC member currently assigned: Dorothea Salo (chair), Patrick Wilkinson, Michael Doylen, Carol Hagness, Mark Rozmarynowski.