One System—One Library
UW campuses join together to provide access for research

By Ken Frazier

The UW System libraries have joined together to develop a bold new plan for access to research. The old approaches to managing a university library system no longer work. The costs of library materials—particularly scientific and technical journals—have become unaffordable even for the largest academic libraries and universities.

Most people, including faculty members, are stunned to learn that common journals, in paper or online, can be so astronomically priced-some costing many thousands of dollars.

Rather than seeing the situation as hopeless, the UW System libraries took it as a challenge. Librarians on every campus knew they could gain control over their destiny, if they leveraged their buying power through cooperative efforts among all of the UW System libraries.

A systemwide strategic plan was developed for the libraries that mandated unprecedented collaboration to share resources and improve services to students. Subsequently, with support from members of the Board of Regents, the UW System libraries received the first state-funded increase for library resources in a decade. Total funding for library acquisitions increased by nearly $5 million during the 1999-2001 biennium. The majority of the new funding was earmarked for cooperative purchases of electronic databases that would benefit all UW System faculty and students.

Members of the Board of Regents acted as champions for the strategic plan by explaining the goals of the plan and the needs of the libraries during the legislative process. The goals were straightforward:

• Operate as a single library system across the UW System rather than as individual libraries;
  
  
• Purchase library resources cooperatively, especially costly electronic databases, but also book and journal collections;
  
  
• Improve library-resource sharing by creating faster delivery systems and more user-friendly services;
  
  
• Renew the vision of the Wisconsin Idea by committing libraries to better public access for citizens, businesses and other educational institutions.

The UW System Libraries are experiencing growth in use through increased cooperation and access. (UW-Madison Libraries)

The plan turned out to be exceptional, especially when viewed with the benefit of hindsight. Both library users and staff at every UW institution say the changes in the UW System libraries have been transformative and long lasting.

"I hear constant comments from students and faculty about how much better the library is today," said Joyce Huang, director of the UW-Whitewater libraries.

The strategic plan has also committed the UW libraries to an improved approach to assessment. Traditionally academic libraries measured their quality by comparing their size-the best library had the most volumes, the largest number of subscriptions and the biggest staff. Libraries are now beginning to measure their effectiveness by evaluating services using some of the same quality assessment tools that service industries use to evaluate customer satisfaction.

In addition, the libraries have become national leaders in measuring such things as the cost effectiveness of purchasing expensive journals and databases.

Library services to UW students have greatly improved with increased collaboration. (UW-Madison Libraries)

The growth in library use created by the additional cooperation and access is noteworthy. Database use for the entire UW System is in the millions. Interlibrary loan traffic is rapidly expanding with continuing improvements in access and delivery systems. UW-Madison libraries have already doubled the number of interlibrary loan transactions and other system libraries are experiencing similar rapid increases.

With the beginning of the 2001-03 biennium the UW libraries returned to a flat budget with no increases for collections or databases. As prices continue to rise, the libraries will have to cut back further on the resources available to students and faculty.

The beneficial changes, however, that resulted from the UW System libraries cooperation are considerable. There is an excellent core collection of electronic resources available to all UW students. The Library Express article delivery system for researchers and faculty is state-of-the-art, and other new services are being implemented, including an enhanced book delivery system for UW System campuses and distance learners.