Library Data Domain

Data Domain Scope

The Library data domain encompasses bibliographic description, acquisitions data, the library circulation transactions and usage data, public service data and patron data. The library data domain covers campus both campus library and archival collections and the data that describes library patrons and users, primarily in the form of circulation transactions or appointment reservations.

The library data domain encompasses the following major data types:

• Bibliographic description: the data that describes library collections for both physical/print and electronic materials
• Digital collections: content and metadata (administrative, descriptive, technical) for digitized library materials hosted on the computer infrastructure managed by a campus library (i.e., this does not include vendor content licensed by the libraries but hosted by vendors) where most of the canonical copies are stored and created in the libraries, derived from library holdings or deposited into one of the libraries digital content repositories
• Acquisitions data: financial data for the budgets/funds used to purchase library collection materials
• Circulation and usage transactions: the records that track use of library materials by patrons
• Public services data: reference/correspondence interactions with library patrons, physical entrance to some libraries and data about the Libraries’ information literacy instruction program
• Patron data: data about the people who are considered to be library patrons with library use privileges and/or donors who contribute information materials to the collection; while mostly a data set derived from campus systems, HRS and SIS in particular, it also includes records of “community patrons” for which the Libraries are the sole record keepers of the person information.

Data Trustee

Data Trustees are university officials with authority over institutional data, as designated by Data Governance Council. Data trustees are accountable for managing, protecting, and ensuring the integrity and usefulness of institutional data and for upholding UW-Madison policies, UW System policies, state laws, and federal laws applicable to the institutional data.

The Library Data Trustee is Erla P. Heyns, Dean and Vice Provost for Libraries.

Data Stewards

Institutional data stewards, who are assigned by and accountable to Data Trustees, help define, implement, and enforce data management policies and procedures within their specific data domain. Institutional data stewards have delegated responsibility for all aspects of how data is acquired, used, stored, and protected throughout its entire lifecycle from acquisition through disposition.

The Library Data Domain Steward is Steve Meyer.

Data Systems

Data Stewards identify and classify the systems where data from their data domain resides. System classification level is determined by the highest classification level of data associated with a system but does not indicate that all data associated with the indicated system are necessarily classified at this level. The name and classification of the data systems where Libraries data resides are:

Data Classification Rationale

Data classification policy requires that data be classified according to its risk. Within the Library data domain, the classification rationale is:

High Risk Data

Circulation data is classified as High Risk (legal) because it is governed by the Wisconsin Legislature, Chapter 43 (43.30 Public Library Records) and the UW-Madison Libraries qualify as a “library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds.” A breach of circulation data would expose the Libraries to legal risk. 

Public services instruction data is High Risk (legal) when it includes graded assignments from our information literacy instruction program. Graded assignments are considered data protected by FERPA. A breach of graded assignment data would expose the Libraries to legal risk.

Patron data is High Risk (privacy) because the Libraries have a copy of full contact information for all library patrons and this information includes home addresses and campus ID numbers. A breach of home address and other PII data would expose the Libraries to legal risk.

Public services correspondence data is High Risk (reputational) when it constitutes direct, personal correspondence between library patrons and library staff because it may reveal the sensitive research inquiries being carried out on campus. A breach of the trust by the Libraries to the confidentiality of patron research inquiries would cause researchers to lose faith in the Libraries ability to serve as a partner in the teaching and research enterprise.

Additionally, these data assets are considered High Risk (professional values) because the primary U.S. professional organization, the American Library Association, declares in its Library Bill of Rights, “All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.” Failure to adhere to these principles would put the UW-Madison Libraries at odds with the professional standards and ethics of the profession of librarianship. 

Moderate Risk

Acquisitions data is classified as Moderate Risk (operational) when it includes credit card or other payment information used by the Libraries. A breach of our credit card information would cause moderate operational harm due to the way new information would need to be integrated into our payment systems and accounts, thereby slowing down the operational procedures.

Low Risk

Acquisitions data is generally considered Low Risk (public records) because it describes the operational division of the Libraries budget into funds used to track purchases. This data is and should be available for inspection by campus units and the public as a matter of open governance transparency. 

Usage data that does not include PII that could connect to individuals (e.g., COUNTER statistics, anonymized digital collection download counts, or circulation data with no patron information) is classified as Low Risk (assessment). This data is simply a statistical measurement or description of how library materials are used, a valuation of the materials and assets owned or leased by the state of WI.

Administrative and technical Digital Collections data are Low Risk (operational) and used for management purposes. Some portions of this data will change their classification to Moderate Risk, typically in response to a content takedown request for materials when individual library patrons identify sensitive information within the data.

Bibliographic description data is Low Risk (operational) because it forms the list of library holdings made available to the campus community as well as the broader, international research community to whom we would lend our materials. Digital collections data is Low Risk when it is content or descriptive metadata provided in open access form so that any individual (UW campus community or otherwise) can use the materials.