UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Giving People What They Want: A Case Study at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Vicki L. Tobias, Digital Services Librarian / Lisa M. Saywell, Research Services Planning Coordinator and Scholarly Communications Librarian /

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Who are we? The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center (UWDCC)  Digitizes, provides access to, and maintains digital projects. The UWDCC develops and implements technologies to enhance digital collections, and partners with a variety of content providers to create illustrative and valuable digital resources.  Serves: 13 Four-year campuses 13 Two-year campuses  Employs: 7 full time staff student staff

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center What are we?  Collection strengths include: decorative arts, ecology, literature, history, music, natural resources, science, social sciences, the State of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center (UWDCC)  Digital resources: 8,965 books & journals 1,409,227 pages 43,710 images 16,049 audio minutes 223,177 citations 1,609 finding aids

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 Survey Criteria  Targeted to UW-Madison faculty  Web-based survey Knowledge of UWDCC and its resources and services Use of digital resources in teaching and research  76 respondents / 1,000 s  Goal: to inform collection development decisions and marketing and outreach work

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 What our Users Said:  General awareness  “Tell me more!”  Instructional use  Self-created digital resources  The “Google factor”

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 General Awareness  Most respondents had no prior knowledge of UWDCC or its resources and services use digital resources in teaching but were unaware that UWDCC creates and hosts digital resources  LESSON: Get the word out! Direct marketing to faculty, to raise awareness

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 Tell Me More!  Most respondents were enthusiastic to know more about UWDCC, its resources and services: Updates about new resources How to complete a digitization project with UWDCC  LESSON: Information pertinent to their field, departmental newsletters & presentation, campus presentations and campus-wide media

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 Instructional Use of Digital Content  LESSON: Collection development focus on image-rich texts and multimedia content

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Instructional Use of Digital Content  Many respondents wanted to know how to use UWDCC- created content in their teaching Lectures Course management system  LESSON: Need for instruction regarding UWDCC collections  Online tutorials  Workshops UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 Self-Created Digital Content  Some respondents created their own digital content for research and instruction  LESSON: Make faculty aware that UWDCC can assist with this process  Digitization services  Project suggestions  Project consultation

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 The Google Factor  Most respondents found digital resources through a Google search an already known collection  LESSON: Need to make our collections “Googleable”  Reprioritize technical developments  Explore other ways of exposing and presenting our content

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center UWDCC User Survey – Spring 2006 Conclusion  Marketing  Communication  Collaboration  Reprioritization  Flexibility  Continual assessment

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Giving People What They Want: A Case Study at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center Vicki L. Tobias, Digital Services Librarian / Lisa M. Saywell, Research Services Planning Coordinator and Scholarly Communications Librarian /