Mountain West Digital Library (MWDL) provides a central search portal to over 800,000 digital resources from memory institutions in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and Hawaii. MWDL partners typically work with one of approximately 30 MWDL hosting hubs. Hubs assist partners by providing digital collections training, digitization services, and repository hosting services. Through the hubs model MWDL supports a distributed digital collections network around the Mountain West and works to expand digital library services to additional memory institutions in the region. In this webinar, Sandra and Rebekah will provide background on the hubs model, explain the different kinds of MWDL hubs, and discuss the need to update the current model of service. Time will be allotted for questions and discussions about the needs of both hubs and partners, and for ideas about how MWDL can modify the hubs model in the future.

1. Hosting Hubs Update:
Services, Pricing, and Highlights
Sandra McIntyre, Director, and
Rebekah Cummings, Assistant Director
January 7, 2014

2. MWDL Distributed Network Infrastructure
BACKGROUND

3. Partnership
Agreement
•
Available here at mwdl.org

4. MWDL Partnership
Agreement
• Created March 14, 2008
• Not a legal contract but a
“statement of intent.”
• Outlines responsibilities of
partners, hubs, and MWDL as
well as goals, governance,
and guidelines.

5. Infrastructure
Three tiered model
• Collections Partners Tier (“Partners”) –
Own and manage collections
• Hosting Tier (“Hubs”) Host the digital materials
• Central Aggregating
Server Tier (MWDL) –
Harvest metadata from hubs

6. Hub Levels
Three levels of Hosting Hubs (Tier 2)
• Level 1: Contributing Institutions –
Host their own collections and share at least
one collection with MWDL.
• Level 2: Regional Hosting Hubs –
Host material from at least one other
institution.
• Level 3: Full-Service Hosting Hubs –
Provide digitization services as well as
hosting services to partners.

7. Model 1: Contributing
Institutions
Contributing Institution:
•
•
•
•
•
Curates own content
Assigns own metadata
Digitizes own material (or contracts privately)
Has its own server and DAMS
Opens up its own collections for harvest

8. Model 2: Regional
Hosting Hub
Partners:
Regional Hosting Hub:
• Curate collections
• Assign metadata
• Digitize own materials
• Hosts the digital collections
of at least one additional
partner
• Trains partners in using DAMS

9. Model 3: Full-Service
Hosting Hub
Partners:
Full-service Hosting Hub:
• Curate collections
• Assign metadata
• Hosts digital collections
• Provides digitization services
• Trains partners in using DAMS

10. MWDL Tiered
Infrastructure

11. Services provided
Collection
Partner
Level 1:
Contributing
Institution
Level 2:
Regional
Hosting Hub
Level 3:
Full-Service
Hosting Hub
Curation of materials
✚
Metadata assignment
✚
✚
Digitization
✚
MWDL:
Aggregating
Tier
✚
Hosting in DAMS
Training
✚
✚
✚
✚
✚
✚
Harvesting metadata
✚
Central search portal
✚
Standards
✚

12. Currently harvested:
• University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott
Library, CONTENTdm Repository
• BYU, CONTENTdm Server Repository
• BYU, Finding Aid Repository
• UNLV, CONTENTdm Repository
• Idaho State Historical Society, CONTENTdm
Repository
• Arizona Memory Project
• UNR Libraries Digital Conservancy
• Utah State University, Digital Commons
• Utah State University, Digital Library
• Utah State Digital Archives
• Utah State Archives and Records Service
Indexes
• Southern Utah University, Sherratt Digital
Library Collections
• Weber State University Stewart Library
Digital Collections
• Utah Valley University Digital Archives
• Salt Lake Community College Digital
Collections
• Utah Digital Archives Finding Aids
List of hosting hubs/
repositories
In Progress/Not yet harvested:
• UNLV Digital Commons
• University of Idaho Digital Collections
• Northern Arizona University Cline Library
Special Collections and Archives
• Montana Memory Project
• Utah Division of Arts and Museums Digital
Repository
• Utah Education Network College eMedia
• Family Search International
• LDS Church History Library
• Stacks: The Idaho Digital Repository
• Boise State University
• Snow College Digital Repository
• BYU Howard W. Hunter Law Library
• Highway 89
On hold due to technical issues:
• Utah Government Publications Online
Digital Library

13. Benefits of
Tiered Network
• People who are closest to the materials
curate collections and assign metadata
• Provides flexible, scalable infrastructure
• Consolidates equipment and expertise
• Reinforces standards and policies
• Creates a platform for collaborative work

14. Standardized
Price List

15. Metadata Standards
for Interoperability
• Created by a 12member task force of
UALC Digitization
Committee
• Qualified Dublin Core
• Metadata mappings to
QDC from other
systems
• 8 required fields; 2
other mandatory-ifapplicable fields

16. Training
• 2008: tied to Hub-Partner relationship
• Other options:
– MWDL centralized training – webinars and
workshops
– MWDL staff on-site training at Partner sites
– Third-party training organizations

17. MWDL Distributed Network
GOVERNANCE AND FUNDING

18. Governance
• Selection of materials is up to Partners.
• Hubs are independent and self-managing,
select services to offer to Partners.
• MWDL is governed by UALC
Council, with policies recommended by UALC Digitization
Committee.
– In-person Committee meetings semi-annually
– Virtual meetings of task forces, ongoing

19. Current Task Forces
Active:
• Geospatial Discovery
Task Force
• DAMS Interest Group
• Outreach Task Force
• Training Task Force
• Pioneers in Your Attic
Forming/re-forming:
• Institutional
Repositories Task
Force
• Digital Preservation
Task Force
• Data Curation Task
Force
• Linked Data Task
Force

20. Governance
19
repositories
11
repositories
UALC UALC UALC UALC UALC
UALC UALC UALC UALC UALC
Hub Hub Hub Hub Hub
Hub Hub Hub Hub Hub
New New New
New New New
Hub Hub Hub
Hub Hub Hub
UALC UALC UALC UALC UALC
UALC UALC UALC UALC
Hub Hub Hub Hub Hub
Hub Hub Hub Hub
New New New
New New
Hub Hub Hub
Hub Hub

21. Funding
• LSTA: Start-up funds in early 2000s for four
hub servers and training
• Partners: discounted fees to Hubs for
services; no fees to MWDL
• UALC: $116,000 in 2009 for Ex Libris Primo
“piggyback” license
• UALC: approx. $90,000/yr. in Utah State
funds
– Director position
– Outreach supplies and travel

22. Funding
• In-kind support from J. Willard Marriott
Library at University of Utah
–
–
–
–
–
–
Discovery Services support (Primo)
Other IT support: servers, systems, etc.
Offices, computers, and telephones
Financial Management services
Human Resources services
Librarian appointments

23. Funding
• Digital Public Library of America: Grants
– 3 other staff positions through Dec. 2014
– 1+ position part-time through Aug. 2015
– Direct costs for program activities through
Aug. 2015

24. 2008-2013
CHANGES

25. Changes
•
•
•
•
Growth in network
New funding
New staff and capacities
Changes in digital environment

26. New infrastructure
options
• No hosting hub: Partner works directly
with CONTENTdm Quick Start program
• No regional digitization center: All local
digitization with inexpensive scanners
• No scanning required, with intense
metadata work: EAD finding aids
• No work by Partners: centralized projects

27. Continuing Change
• Need for digital preservation services
• New standards needed, e.g., geospatial
metadata and preservation metadata
• Additional collaboration opportunities

28. Upcoming Challenges
•
•
•
•
Increased numbers of partners
Proliferation of service models
Training gaps
Lack of sustainable funding for MWDL
core services

29. Collection
Partner
Level 1:
Contributing
Institution
Level 2:
Regional
Hosting Hub
Level 3:
Full-Service
Hosting Hub
MWDL:
Aggregating
Tier
Services provided
Curation of materials
✚
Metadata assignment
✚
✚
Digitization
✚
✚
✚
Training
✚
✚
✚
Hosting in DAMS
✚
✚
Harvesting metadata
✚
Central search portal
✚
Sharing with DPLA
✚
Standards
✚
Platform for collabora’n
✚
Digital preservation
?
?
?
?
?

30. Hubs Survey
• Informally interviewed 20 hub
representatives from 18 different
institutions.
• Three main questions:
– Would you prefer an in-person
or virtual hubs meeting?
– What would you like to
get out of a hubs meeting?
– What topics would you like to
discuss?

31. Hubs Survey:
Question 1
Would you prefer an you prefer an inperson or virtual hubs meeting?
• 100% of respondents said that some inperson element was necessary to
accomplish our goals.

32. Hub Survey:
Question 2
What would you like to get out of a hubs
meeting?
1. Networking with colleagues
2. Continued training
3. Clarification on the responsibilities of hubs and hub
status
4. Forum to talk about what people are doing and
possible collaborations
5. An updated price list

33. Hub Survey:
Question 3
What topics would you like to discuss?
1.
2.
3.
4.
CONTENTdm and other alternatives
Best practices
Geospatial and rights metadata
Background of MWDL and where we are going
(including partnership with DPLA)
5. Partnership Agreement

34. Questions for
consideration
• Does this infrastructure still work?
• Is there anything that isn’t clear?
• How do we feel about the current definition
of “hub”?
• If we were to take on many more small
partners, would this system still work?
• Are there additional services that you would
like to see MWDL provide? That hubs should
provide?

35. What will work for the next 5-6 years?
LOOKING FORWARD

36. Looking forward
• We’ve looked at…
– our current
infrastructure
– important
developments since
2008

37. Hubs Meeting
•
•
•
•
March 2014 (exact date TBD)
Salt Lake City, UT
Doodle poll for 1½ days
MWDL decision-making
–
–
–
–
Partnership Agreement
Digitization Price List
Future services models
Future funding models
• Opportunity to connect with regional hub managers
– Share best practices
– Find out what other digital libraries are doing
– Discuss important digital library topics

38. Hosting Hubs Update
Webinar #2
• February 13, 2014
• Hosting Hubs Discussion: Evaluating the
Infrastructure of the MWDL Network

39. Revising MWDL
Partnership Agrmt
• Shared Google Doc to record ideas,
suggestions, and proposed language
• Partnership Agreement Draft

40. Questions?
• Sandra McIntyre
Director
(801) 585-0969
sandra.mcintyre@utah.edu
• Rebekah Cummings
Assistant Director/Outreach Librarian
(801) 587-8893
rebekah.cummings@utah.edu