Statewide Database Inventory & Needs Assessment Study Final Report Released

As a direct response to library community conversations on potential uses for the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) grant program, the DPI Library Services Team contracted with the library consulting firm CDygert Solutions to complete a Wisconsin Statewide Electronic Resource Database Inventory & Needs Assessment Study.

The study’s goals were to:

1. Address the lack of consistent and comprehensive data about existing databases offered by public and K-12 public school libraries.

2. Determine whether any gaps exist between databases provided statewide through BadgerLink and those provided through public and K-12 public school libraries.

In April 2022, designated contacts from public library systems, public libraries, and K-12 public school libraries were asked to voluntarily submit an inventory of locally licensed databases. Between May - June, those same libraries participated in a voluntary needs assessment survey and multiple interviews and focus groups.

The Final Report, which includes both data and recommendations, is also available in the Project Highlights section of the Libraries Grants & Funding page on the DPI website.

Next Steps

The Library Services Team will use the Final Report data and recommendations to:

1. Work alongside the BadgerLink Advisory Group to inform potential changes or updates to the BadgerLink Procurement Collections, based on the general selection principles as outlined in the BadgerLink Collection Development Policy. Additional factors like database usage will also be used to determine final Collections for 2024.
2. Build awareness of BadgerLink as a service and the individual resources provided.
3. Support future opportunities for increased collaboration between public library systems, public libraries, and K-12 school district libraries.

Thank you to the libraries who participated in this study; your input is vital in this work going forward! We are, however, keenly aware of the study’s limited scope. Discussions will continue with other stakeholders on how the report intersects with trends and needs in those communities. Stay tuned for additional updates as this work continues.

See more posts on the WI Libraries for Everyone page.