Thursday, February 22, 2024
This past August, information was shared about the updated BadgerLink Procurement Collections, however some of the finer details may have been missed in that article. To ensure the greatest transparency possible, the Library Services Team at the Department of Public Instruction wants to give the library community notice that we intend to no longer procure a collection area specifically for Job Skills and Test Preparation. LearningExpress Library is currently the product making up this collection area. Therefore, it is likely libraries will no longer have access to this resource effective July 1, 2024, unless libraries choose to subscribe individually.
LearningExpress is one of 60 resources available to Wisconsin libraries as part of the BadgerLink collection. If the contract ends in July 2024, LearningExpress will no longer be available through your library’s individual account, via the BadgerLink website, or on any platforms you may have integrated this resource at your own institutions. This decision does not affect current subscriptions to other resources.
This decision was based primarily on changing priorities communicated to us by the library community during 2022's Statewide Database Inventory and Needs Assessment, additional feedback and data gathering, and our planning process to create our Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) 2023-27 Plan. While academic and career resources are undeniably valuable, its usage statewide is much lower compared to other BadgerLink resources.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We will continue to engage with the library field and intend on releasing future Requests for Information (RFI) to gather fresh details on what may be available in the marketplace to meet the varying needs of Wisconsin residents.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns.