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G2S Project Code: 2020-DE-86519
State: Delaware
Fiscal Year: 2020
Grantee
Delaware Division of Libraries

Project Director
Director Name: Annie Norman
Director Phone: 302-257-3001
Director Email: annie.norman@delaware.gov
General Information
Title: Delaware Library Consortium
State Project Code:
Start Date: 10/01/2019
End Date: 09/30/2021
Abstract: The purpose of the Delaware Library Consortium is to provide seamless statewide access for all Delawareans to physical and electronic collections and other resources through a single integrated library system (ILS), a single discovery platform for digitized materials, a centralized online library card application, a Delaware Library Consortium mobile app, and a shared statewide calendar. A single statewide ILS allows all public and multi-type libraries in Delaware to streamline processes, use collaborative collection development, and easily access books, eResources, databases, emerging technologies, and other resources statewide.
State Goal: Information Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$559,219.60
$1,842,580.52
$0.00
$2,401,800.12
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.
Library Infrastructure & Capacity
Systems & Technologies
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Delaware Library Catalog
Narrative:

The Delaware Library Catalog (DLC) has been statewide since 2010. It encompasses all 33 public libraries, 2 bookmobiles, 6 academic libraries, 17 school libraries, and 10 special libraries, as well as the Delaware Division of Libraries.  Patrons have access to the holdings of these 70 libraries through their local library.  A statewide transit system distributes physical holdings to meet patron demand. OCLCs interlibrary loan service provides materials not available in the collaborative DLC.  The DLC provides Delawareans with seamless access to a variety of eContent including OverDrive and hoopla eBooks, eAudiobooks, and streaming video.  There are currently over 3.2 million items in the DLC, which uses high-quality, standardized OCLC MARC records. 

The shared DLC infrastructure is used as a platform to roll out other services, such as Delaware Collections online content, and provides libraries with an excellent branding opportunity that improves consistency in communications and public awareness of library services.  An online account application form, implemented in 2019, allows previously unserved Delawareans to create accounts and immediately begin accessing materials; 8,451 accounts were created this year, bringing the overall total to 12,329.  The online account application form continues to be a popular method for providing access to Delawareans as residents are just starting to venture out and return to “normal” in-person activities.  The Delaware Library Card Campaign, launched in 2018, was established to promote literacy among Delawareans, especially the 67% of Delaware fourth-graders who are not proficient in reading.  In spite of the challenges this fiscal year, the campaign issued 620 children’s library cards, bringing the total for this campaign to 16,593.   And, when libraries and schools closed due to COVID-19, this campaign shifted online, with educators recommending use of the online library cards to provide students with access to books.  Another initiative to meet the needs of students learning remotely was issuing 10,678 virtual library cards in a pilot program with three school districts.  To support safety and consistent messaging, Delaware Libraries face masks were distributed to all member libraries for staff and the public. The graphic design team supported this campaign with the masks as well as a sticker for books distributed through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program to encourage Delawareans to “check out more” through the Delaware Library Catalog.


Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Description
Format: Combined physical & digital


Quantity
Number of items made discoverable to the public: 289,195
Number of collections made discoverable to the public: 73
Number of metadata plans/frameworks produced/updated: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 33
Academic Libraries: 6
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 10
School Libraries: 17
Other: 2
Activity Details
Title: Delaware Heritage Collection
Narrative:

The Delaware Heritage Collection (Delaware Collections) represents a collaboration of the Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) and cultural heritage organizations throughout the state. Organizations are invited to contribute archival quality digital files, including artwork, maps, photographs, audio/video, and other important items documenting Delaware’s unique history and culture. The Delaware Collections portal allows participating organizations to reach out to new audiences and at the same time provides the public with a single access point to research materials in Delaware repositories. This year, Delaware repositories continued collaborations with New Jersey repositories for the establishment of a joint DE/NJ hub for the Digital Public Library of America.  There is a grand total of 81,430 items in Delaware Collections.

 

DDL provides:

 

1. Guidance in digitization practices or metadata creation, including use of the Delaware Heritage Metadata Supplement (Best Practices)

2. Access to and training in CONTENTdm, the high performance storage and retrieval software for multimedia collections

3. Storage in the OCLC Digital Archive for all files contributed to the Delaware Collections


Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items digitized: 910
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 910
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 1
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 0
Number of plans/frameworks: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 5
Academic Libraries: 2
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 3
School Libraries: 0
Other: 11
Activity Details
Title: Network
Narrative:

The purpose of the Delaware library network is to allow every Delawarean access to fast, reliable Wi­Fi and to support the statewide technology infrastructure that includes the Integrated Library System (ILS). The Delaware library network enables every public library in Delaware to participate in one of the fastest high speed broadband and Wi­Fi networks in the nation. All public libraries in Delaware are now at 1Gbps, with 4 backbone circuits at 10Gbps. A single network infrastructure allows equity and consistency of service among all public libraries in the state, economies of scale, and greater technology reliability.

In Delaware, state funding is used for the technology infrastructure, and LSTA is used for technical expertise. High-speed networks are vitally important to library patrons; well over 1 million public PC sessions are recorded annually.  The single network enabled expedited installation of Library Parking Lot Wireless throughout the state in response to COVID. Wireless will next be expanded throughout library properties.


Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Planning & Evaluation
Mode: Prospective
Format: In-house


Quantity
Number of evaluations and/or plans funded: 9
Number of funded evaluation and/or plans completed: 9


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 33
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 0
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0
Activity Details
Title: North Wilmington Needs Assessment
Narrative: The Delaware Division of Libraries engaged the services of a design firmto conduct a needs assessment of the North Wilmington branch of the WilmingtonLibrary to enable the branch to better engage the community in an efficient androbust manner.  This needs assessment hasresulted in plans for a North Wilmington Library Campus – renovation andexpansion of the existing facility and a complimentary adjacent facility.  The current library will foster family learningand the adjacent facility will foster economic opportunity through career and passion-basedlearning.  The project will contribute toneighborhood revitalization efforts.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Planning & Evaluation
Mode: Prospective
Format: Third party


Quantity
Number of evaluations and/or plans funded: 1
Number of funded evaluation and/or plans completed: 1


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
For what age groups: All Ages
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: Yes
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: North Wilmington Branch Library
Address: 3400 N Market Street
City: Wilmington
State: DE
Zip: 19802
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:

Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:

Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:

Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeThe Delaware Library Consortium gives libraries greater visibility, as well as a reputation as a technology leader. Benefits of a single, statewide library catalog include enabling a Delaware library card to be used at all of the participating libraries, providing more convenient access for users, and providing access to a broader, more extensive collection of library materials. Purchasing decisions for local collections are made collaboratively with the larger collection in mind, extending the power of local library budgets. Collaboration with school, academic, and special libraries provides additional support for research projects, independent reading, and self-directed learning for students of all ages. Consolidation of library technology infrastructure and support enables economies of scale and provides Delawareans with equitable access to library resources and information throughout the state. The infrastructure of the Delaware Library Catalog also allows for implementation of statewide calendaring software to link collection and program use. Statistics based on the Dewey Decimal System are helping the Delaware Library Consortium to see what patrons are trying to do, so collections and programs can be tailored to better serve them, and to begin to link services to community impacts.
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