TexShare Advisory Board Meeting
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
1201 Brazos, Room 314
April 16, 2004
Rhoda Goldberg convened the meeting. Chairman Eva Poole was
absent and Vice-Chair J. J. Baskin was not present at the
start of the meeting.
1. Approve minutes from Oct. 10 & Dec. 12, 2003
October 10 minutes amended to correct spelling of Syma
Zerkow’s first name. December 12 minutes stand approved.
2. Public Comment
None.
3. New TexShare Database Fee Schedule Review –
Ann Mason
Reviewed data & formulas used to determine fees. All
public libraries will be required to pay something in FY05
(floor of $50) to assure buy-in to the program. The total
assigned to all public libraries is $375,000 (25%), and
academic libraries & libraries of clinical medicine
will pay $1,125,000 (75%) based on current usage. Within
each constituency, 30% of the fee will be based on the population
served (or student FTE), and 70% of the fee will be based
on the collections expenditures. The response from the library
community has been positive. The formula for new fee schedule
was unanimously approved.
4. Rule Change on TexShare Multi-Library Membership
Issues – Beverley Shirley
TexShare member institutions are defined in 13 TAC 8.3.
Several inconsistencies in the rules governing membership
were identified and discussed at the October 10, 2003 meeting
of the board. Since that meeting, TexShare staff have collected
additional information on these issues and on TexShare member
libraries that would be affected by changes in membership
definitions. Staff has also met with the Task Force on TexShare
Database Fees to review the implications of altered TexShare
membership status on fee assessments. Board members were
asked to review the information on membership issues and
discuss at this meeting. The membership issues discussed
were: 1) community college multi-campus memberships, 2)
academic law libraries, 3) academic institutions that share
a library or location, 4) partnerships with proprietary
(for-profit) institutions or organizations, 5) HAM-TMC and
its members, and 6) libraries of clinical medicine serving
multiple organizations.
As these are complex issues, it is anticipated that the
board will need one more meeting (July 23, 2004) before
making recommendations. A revised timetable for determination
of these issues:
April 16, 2004: TexShare Advisory Board discusses membership
issues and identifies areas where further information and
member input is needed.
July 23, 2004: Affected members are invited to be present
at the TexShare Advisory Board meeting. Board makes recommendations
regarding rule changes.
August 2, 2004: If rule changes are recommended, the Texas
State Library and Archives Commission decides whether to
post the proposed changes in the Texas Register for 30-day
comment.
October 15, 2004: TexShare Advisory Board discusses comments
received on rule changes and makes recommendations.
5. Report on Strategic Planning Session – Ann
Joslin, Facilitator
Ms. Joslin described the process and outcomes from the
Texas Statewide Resource Sharing Strategic Planning Session
held January 20-21, 2004 in Austin. At that meeting of resource-sharing
stakeholders, there was small group input from two different
sessions: 1) make recommendations on changes to the database
program and pick top two; and 2) make recommendations on
one existing program and on a new program to add to TexShare.
Recommendations varied from very broad to very specific.
There was some degree of overlap and duplication. The full
group studied the recommendations. The N/3 process was used
to prioritize recommendations. (Each participant got 9 dots
to put their priorities on 1/3 of recommendations.) Despite
some irregularities in use of dots, clear priorities emerged
-- 4 top ones and a distinct second tier. The top 4 are:
1) more flexibility in funding and administration of the
database program, 2) education and outreach to all libraries,
3) inclusion of K-12 libraries into TexShare - especially
the database program, and 4) creation of a communications
working group. The second tier is: 1) increase flexibility
in choice of databases, 2) Texas digitization program, 3)
need for an umbrella term that unifies all resource sharing
programs, and 4) need for better database statistics. Ms.
Joslin also reviewed the session evaluations.
6. Discuss Recommendations from Strategic Planning
Session & Determine Next Steps – Beverley Shirley
- Can we affirm the TexShare principles? Actions implied:
Board should review current vision & mission to determine
whether revision is required. If so, mission and vision
review committee should be formed to make recommendations
to the Board at its October 2004 meeting.
- How should we structure statewide database services and
partnerships to best meet needs? Actions implied: Discussion
points should be forwarded to the Electronic Information
Working Group (EIWG) for their consideration and further
exploration. Items that are better handled by other working
groups should be forwarded to those groups for their discussion.
Board should provide direction with regards to the focus
of the TexShare database program and its place relative
to other library consortia to which members belong. TexShare
staff should continue working toward collaboration with
K-12 schools. TexShare staff should continue to work with
other organizations to establish administrative partnerships.
EIWG should reassess core databases in light of funding
limitations. EIWG should prioritize databases to be added
to the TexSelect program. TSLAC should develop partnerships
and/or programs to enable libraries to join together to
attain discounted pricing for database purchases. TSLAC,
in partnership with library stakeholders, should secure
funding for databases in FY06 and beyond. Education Services
Working Group and TSLAC staff should collaborate with regional
library system staffs to identify and implement best modes
of database training for library staff and patrons.
- How should TexShare programs move forward? Actions Implied:
Discussion points should be forwarded to the appropriate
working groups for their consideration and recommendations.
- Recommendations on potential new TexShare programs (Digitization
Plan & Collaborative Virtual Reference). Actions Implied:
The Texas Collections Working Group should participate in
the May 21, 2004 meeting for Texas digitization stakeholders.
The Texas Collections Working Group should represent TexShare
libraries in any statewide digitization planning effort
that results from the May 21, 2004 meeting. TSLAC staff
should continue to monitor developments in collaborative
virtual reference within Texas and at a statewide level
in other states. Texas librarians engaged in collaborative
virtual reference projects should develop channels of communication
to assist each other and to identify areas in which they
can work with each other.
- What are the priorities for statewide resource sharing
and TexShare over the next 5 years? Actions Implied: Working
groups discuss their charges and priorities for the next
two years and present priorities to the advisory board.
- What legislative action is needed to achieve these priorities?
How can this information best be communicated? Actions Implied:
Board members discuss and identify their roles vis-à-vis
the larger library community with regards to fulfilling
TexShare priorities. TLA, in partnership with Texas libraries,
identifies a legislative program and strategy. TexShare
member libraries work with TLA or other organizations to
promote the TexShare vision in the Legislature. The Communication
Working Group identifies specific objectives, tactics, and
timelines for FY04 – 05.
An update of activities and two decision points for the
board will be discussed at the July 23, 2004 meeting.
The Advisory Board requested that TSLAC staff develop
a one-page document that outlines TexShare needs over
the upcoming biennium. Dennis Michaelis, Maurice Fortin,
Douglas Ferrier, J.J. Baskin, and Sue Phillips agreed
to review a draft document.
7. Report on TLA Resource Sharing Task Force –
Rhoda Goldberg
The task force discussed critical funding needs for a K-12
library statewide database program and the impact of reduced
funding on TexShare libraries. The task force favored one
statewide database program that includes public, academic,
and school libraries, and discussed strategies for attainment.
The March 2004 preliminary report will be discussed at the
Task Force’s meeting at the TLA conference on March
17, 2004 at noon. This report will also be discussed at
the Task Force’s TLA program on March 20th at 10:00
am. A final report will be published in the Texas Library
Journal, Summer 2004.
8. Working Group Reports:
A. Card Program Working Group – Jay Clark
Primary issues: 1) encouraging non-participating libraries
to join the card program, 2) successfully integrating the
program into the courier system, 3) containing costs borne
by individual libraries for the program’s operation,
4) updating libraries about the program’s policies
and procedures.
The working group presented an educational program on March
20, 2004 at the TLA Conference in San Antonio. The program’s
purpose was to provide updates and suggestions for using
the Card program. A panel was presented with representatives
from medical, community colleges, small & large public,
and academic libraries. It was well attended and very informative.
The annual face-to-face meeting was held on March 19, 2004
at the TLA conference. The group discussed the following:
- Scheduled TLA program on the TexShare card.
- Encouraging the level 3 Loan Star Libraries to join the
card program.
- Making edits to the printed card.
- Working group priorities.
- The next face-to-face meeting (2005 TLA conference).
B. Courier Working Group – Lee Hilyer
- New members were appointed to the working group in March
2004:
- Joan Morris, Amarillo Public Library
- Sue Bennett, TSLAC Liaison
- Statistics: reporting remains around 75%, and gaps in
reporting by heavy users continue to be a concern. Several
initiatives to encourage compliance have been attempted
with some limited success. The largest cause of non-reporting
is staff turnover.
- Public relations: the working group wrote a story, which
appeared in the Trans-Amigos Express Gazette, encouraging
users to send non-ILL materials through TExpress. The group
also collaborated with the Card Program working group to
establish the policies and procedures necessary to enable
Texshare card-borrowed materials to be returned via TExpress.
- Amigos’ 2003 satisfaction survey for TExpress showed
92% of respondents rated the service “good”
or “excellent.” 89% rated the value of service
compared to price (before the increase) as “good”
or “excellent.” The response rate was 70%.
- To date, we haven’t received any additional notice
of price increases, but the group expects to discuss a possible
price increase at the April 23rd meeting.
- During one week in July each working group member library
is going to conduct a weight study to more accurately determine
cost-avoidance numbers.
C. Education Working Group – Lisa Loranc
The working group held a meeting on Monday, Jan. 12, 2004
at the State Library. The following issues were discussed:
- TexShare Education issues for next 5 years:
- greater education of the public (especially teachers)
& library staff,
- strong need for distance education as primary
conduit for TexShare education initiatives,
- ongoing needs assessment.
- “Library Instruction Materials on the Internet”
(now on the TexShare Web site).
- TexShare Vendor Training project
- Upcoming TexShare Reference project (to begin fall
2004) and CD project.
- Future of Education Services working group –
reasons to continue as an advisory body:
- conducting needs assessments,
- fair representation for academic libraries, and
- focus on training issues.
- Next working group meeting will be July 22, 2004.
D. Electronic Information Working Group –
Syma Zerkow
The working group met in Austin on February 17, 2004.
Barry Bishop, Spring Branch ISD, joined them to discuss
the strategic planning recommendation to add K-12 libraries
to TexShare. With the end of TLC, various consortia have
been formed to fill the gap for schools. K-12 database
vendors ended up with about the same amount of money as
with the statewide contracts, but the K-12 children in
the school districts that didn’t have the funds
to participate in these consortia are the ones who suffer.
With the addition of the database fees collected, TexShare
will be able to renew the EBSCO and Gale databases, as
well as TDNet. The OCLC databases were renewed last year
for 2 years, so funds weren’t needed this year for
OCLC. There are no funds leftover to renew HeritageQuest,
Sanborn Maps, and Stat!Ref. TexShare is running a pledge
drive to appeal to libraries to contribute towards the
statewide renewal of these databases. A webpage has been
created to track the pledge drive.
The top recommendation from the strategic planning session
in January dealt with the need for TSLAC to be more flexible
in how the TexShare databases are made available and administered,
reflecting a desire for greater selection. TexShare staff
is working with Amigos to address this issue. Amigos will
be handling the HeritiageQuest and Stat!Ref billings.
An online survey is currently being conducted to determine
which additional databases TexShare members would like
to see offered as TexSelect titles.
Results of the first online user survey of the databases
have been posted on the TexShare web site. Of particular
interest was over 68% of the respondent’s access
the databases from home. This had been one of our goals
– to reach out to our users, and it seems that we
are succeeding.
E. Interlibrary Loan Working Group – Sara
Lowman
No report
F. Texas Collections Working Group – Ellen
Safley
TSLAC is helping to sponsor a meeting on May 21st concerning
the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative. This meeting
is being held to determine what are the needs to be addressed
by creating a statewide digitization plan for the preservation
and enhancement of cultural heritage materials in Texas.
The meeting participants will represent the major players
including libraries, museums, archives, and other organizations.
At the end of the meeting, which will include speakers
such as Marsha Semmel, director of collaboration from
IMLS, and Liz Bishoff from OCLC (formerly with the Colorado
Digitization Project), a small group will write a digitization
plan.
The Texas Collections Working Group has a complete roster
of members including Cathy Hartman from the University
of North Texas and Deborah Halsted from Houston Academy
of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. We are extremely
pleased to have these talented professionals join our
Working Group.
9. Strategic Partner Reports:
A. UT at Austin – Sue Phillips
No report
B. Amigos – Bonnie Juergens
Reported that Texas libraries will have to pay a higher
price next fiscal year for TExpress. TAE libraries outside
of Texas are already paying more.
10. Administrative Report – Beverley Shirley
Library Resource Sharing Staff: Library Resource Sharing
Division is pleased to welcome Sue Bennett as TexNet Center
(ILL) Coordinator.
TexShare Database Fees: To date $1,449,500 in database
fees have been collected from the TexShare membership in
support of subscriptions to be renewed on July 1, 2004.
This amount represents 98% of the dollar amount invoiced
and 96% of the libraries invoiced. 15 libraries (12 public
libraries and 3 academic libraries) have not yet paid their
FY04 assessments. This amount, when added to GR-dedicated
and federal funds, will cover our subscriptions to the Ebsco
and Gale databases. Our subscription to the First Search
base package will be continued as part of the two-year contract
we signed with OCLC last year. Databases slated for non-renewal
include Heritage Quest, Stat!Ref, and Sanborn maps. In partnership
with the Electronic Information Working Group, we are sponsoring
a “pledge drive” to collect enough money to
renew the statewide subscriptions to these databases. We
need to have sufficient pledges returned to us by May 1,
2004 in order to proceed with our renewal of these resources.
Protest Process for Fees: We proposed revisions to Cultural
Resources Code 13 TAC 8.3, affecting the way in which TexShare
members are assessed fees in the October 24, 2003 Texas
Register. The rules were posted for a thirty-day comment
period and were adopted by the Texas State Library and Archives
Commission at its January 30, 2004 meeting.
Participating TexShare member libraries that disagreed
with the FY04 fee assessed to them were offered the opportunity
to protest their assessment, following procedures specified
in13 TAC 2.55. Of the sixteen protests filed and reviewed
by the TexShare Advisory Board and Peggy Rudd, Director
and Librarian, only one library, Cameron Public Library,
appealed to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
After many discussions with Cameron Public Library, Ann
Mason (TexShare Coordinator) recommended that the Cameron
Public Library FY04 fee assessment be reduced to $112 (what
it will be in FY05 based on the recommended revision to
the fee schedule) and that payment be deferred until Cameron
receives its FY05 Loan Star Libraries allotment. At its
March 19, 2004 meeting, the Commission agreed with this
recommendation.
Strategic Planning: The Statewide Resource Sharing Summit
was held January 20 – 21, 2004.
New Working Groups: Calls for nominations for two new TexShare
Working Groups have been issued.
The Communications Working Group will 1) plan and engage
in activities that will promote the visibility of TexShare
and increase public awareness of its mission, function,
programs, activities, and needs; 2) work with other TexShare
Working Groups and TexShare stakeholders to successfully
implement plans; and 3) work with constituency groups to
assess needs, gather input, and disseminate resulting outreach
materials and activities.
The Library of Texas Working Group will 1) advise TSLAC
staff on development and implementation priorities for the
Library of Texas software and service; 2) assist with planning,
development and delivery of training and awareness-raising
materials; and 3) identify future directions and long-term
goals for the Library of Texas.
Digitization Planning: Under the leadership of the University
of North Texas, in partnership with the Texas State Library
and Archives Commission, representatives of organizations
interested in digitizing Texas heritage materials will meet
on May 21. Members of the TexShare Texas Collections Working
Group are invited to participate in this formative meeting.
Resource Sharing Programs at TLA: The Texas State Library
and Archives Commission sponsored several resource sharing
programs at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference
held March 17 – 20, 2004.
Library of Texas (NetFair)
A-B-C’s of Electronic Licensing
TexShare Update
TexShare Card Tips
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: The International
Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC), of which TexShare
is a member, has issued a Call for Action to fund the Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy for continued and sustained open
access. While TexShare administration is sympathetic with
the intent of this project, the method through which funding
would be collected cannot be accommodated by Texas state
governmental agencies.
Next TexShare Advisory Board Meeting is Friday, July 23,
2004
Present:
TexShare Advisory Board Members:
Eileen Altmiller, St. Edward’s University
Nancy Anderson, Howard Payne University
J.J. Baskin, Southwest Educational Development Labs
Douglas Ferrier, UT Brownsville/Texas Southmost College
Maurice Fortin, Angelo State University
Rhoda Goldberg, Harris County Public Library
Dennis Michaelis, McLennan Community College
Peggy Rudd, TSLAC
Elaine Wells, UT Health Center at Tyler
Texas State Library and Archives Commission:
Michael Avila, Library Resource Sharing Division
Dave Hardy, Library Resource Sharing Division
Ann Mason, Library Resource Sharing Division
Beverley Shirley, Library Resource Sharing Division
Ted Wanner, Library Development Division
Russlene Waukechon, Library Resource Sharing Division
Working Group Chairs/Liaisons:
Jay Clark, San Jacinto College
Lee Hilyer, HAM-TMC
Lisa Loranc, Pasadena Public Library
Sara Lowman, Rice University
Ellen Safley, UT Dallas
Syma Zerkow, Houston Public Library
Strategic Partners:
Judye Glick, Amigos Library Services
Sue Phillips, University of Texas at Austin
Guests:
Patricia Hayes, ICUT
Ann Joslin, Idaho State Library (Strategic Plan facilitator)
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