Making Access Possible

The Human Impact of Digital Initiatives

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of digital initiatives on access services workers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and draws on the expertise and experience of non-librarian titled staff operationalizing “digital first” policies. Digital initiatives have been strongly prioritized by libraries to promote equitable access, cost-effectiveness, and technological growth at many libraries in California. The term digital initiatives commonly refers to efforts that support the creation, preservation, access, discovery, and use of digital library resources. This term can encompass multiple interpretations and a variety of tasks.

This paper includes a literature review, an examination of statistics regarding demand and adoption of digital materials in public and academic libraries in California, and a summary of the impact study of non-librarian staff at UCSD. The literature review suggested that the term digital initiatives encompasses a broad scope of meanings and types of tasks, California State Library data suggest that a pattern of increased investment in digital initiatives adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing, and the information collected through the research at UCSD library suggests that non-librarian library workers play a growing role in managing, maintaining, and supporting these growing digital collections.