TexShare Advisory Board Meeting
10:15 AM until 2:45 PM on July 8, 2005
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
1201 Brazos Street, Room 314
Austin, TX
1. Ms. Rudd recognized the departing board members
Eva Poole and Darryl Tocker.
2. Approved minutes from April 22, 2005 meeting
3. No public comment
4. Legislative Update & Sunset Review Update:
Ms. Rudd reported that TSLAC’s legislative appropriation
for the upcoming biennium includes restoration of the 5% budget
cut that state agencies were required to make. The money restored
does not redress previous cuts. Restored LRS funds go entirely
to databases. The database program will receive additional
funding as part of an exceptional item appropriation of approximately
$1.25 million. TSLAC was appropriated money for renovation
of the Lorenzo de Zavala building -- $15.3 million from bonds
with a goal to have work completed by the agency’s 100th
anniversary in 2009.
All state agencies undergo a Sunset Review process every
twelve years. Part of the process is a self-review, which
TSLAC will complete in August. There will also be comments
solicited from outside sources, including TLA. This is a good
opportunity to get feedback, and improve TSLAC. TSLAC hopes
to resolve the issue of the possibility of merging with other
cultural agencies during this process.
5. K-12 Plan: Ms. Shirley presented a plan
for soliciting input and developing recommendations on K-12
participation in TexShare group purchasing services. The plan
outlined information gathering from a variety of sources including
the regional education service centers, the Texas Education
Agency, the TexShare Electronic Information Working Group,
and K-12 public school librarians. The board was asked for
reactions to the plan. A focus group session was held to discuss
two questions: “What would be the best process for providing
K-12 libraries group database purchasing services?”
and “How should K-12 libraries participate in the database
selection process?”
6. Task Force on Database Fees Recommendation:
Ms. Tandy reported for the task force about the conference
call that was held on June 1, 2005. The task force was asked
to consider altering the fee structure in order to lower fees
to colleges that have very small collection budgets. The task
force recommended that fees continue at the same level, and
still allow appeals. They recommended that the appeals process
require more documentation. The board unanimously approved
the task force recommendations.
7. Multi-Institutional Libraries Recommendation:
Mr. Brown reported that the committee on multi-institutional
libraries reached consensus that institutional membership
for academic institutions is the correct unit of membership
in conformity with the letter of law. The task force agrees,
however, that the statute does not reflect the true complexity
of library organizations. The task force recommends a review
of statute during TSLAC’s Sunset process. Voting members
of the board unanimously approved the recommendations (Ferrier
abstaining).
8. Database Partnerships & Consortia Directory
Demo: Ms. Juergens and Ms. Waukechon reported on
a joint project (TSLAC and Amigos) to assist Texas librarians
looking for group database pricing or other consortium services.
The target date for project completion is September 2005,
with January 2006 as a fall-back date.
9. Working Group Reports:
a. Card Program: Ms. McAnna reported on
the last working group meeting on Friday, April 8, 2005. The
Group discussed its charge and priorities. Its charge is “The
TexShare Card Program Working Group reviews and recommends
policies and procedures for the Card Program, and provides
input from member libraries.” The Group defines its
priorities as: monitoring the Card Program, reviewing policies
and procedures and revising as needed, and promoting the program.
A tie-in between the TexShare Card and the Library of Texas
was discussed. It might consist of printing the LOT user ID
and password on the Card. Ms. Mason agreed to take this suggestion
back to TSLAC for consideration.
To support prompter reporting of annual statistics, the group
suggested (a) a review of the card email list to determine
if card liaisons (those collecting and reporting the statistics)
are all on the list; and (b) that announcements say explicitly
that libraries should submit a report even if no TexShare
activity occurred.
The working group members expressed a willingness to make
personal contacts with libraries that have not added their
lending policies to the web.
Issues related to people whose home libraries are not TexShare
members were discussed. The group recommends a web page explaining
what the Loan Star Library level 1 grant recipients can do
for Texas residents.
b. Courier Program: Ms. Hawkins reported
on the last working group meeting on April 5, 2005.
Working group members contacted the 12 libraries that failed
to report statistics for the previous quarters.
Working group members are not aware of any problems resulting
since the change in policy allowed materials checked out on
a TexShare card to be returned via courier.
The group conducted a turn-around time study. Results:
- Average turnaround was 1.9 days (excluding weekend days)
- 44% of deliveries were received within one business day
- 80% of deliveries were received within two business days
- 94% of deliveries were received within three business
day
Baylor University staff can generate TExpress labels from
within ILLiad. The group recommended sharing Baylor’s
process for using the ILLiad shipping labels in an appropriate
forum. This information was distributed to participating libraries
via the Spring 2005 issue of the Express Gazette.
Outgoing members of the working group were thanked for their
years of service. Jeff Steely agreed to serve a second year
as chair of the Working Group. The next meeting will be conducted
via conference call after September.
There was additional discussion indicating that the Express
Gazette may have had an error in the number of packages going
astray. Board members expressed concern about the high rate.
Ms. Juergens replied that this would require discussion, and
action by the working group.
c. Education Services Program: Ms. Loranc
reported the working group now provides on-line access to
free educational resources, and a list of locally prepared
database training resources to be posted on the TexShare web
site as soon as possible. Joan Alcott has also agreed to participate
in a panel discussion focusing on available educational resources
at the Texas Library Association (TLA) conference in April
2006.
TexShare training has been highly successful this year. Approximately
120 people have attended vendor training, almost 600 participants
have attended TexShare reference training, and over 100 people
attended three videoconferences about the Library of Texas.
A pilot program designed to use library school students to
design and delivery TexShare training has really taken off,
and will be expanded to include both UNT and TWU in FY06.
This program is responsible for database web guides, face-to-face
training, and several web resources including the “Bridge
to TexShare for Small/Rural Libraries” found at www.ischool.utexas.edu/~bridge.
The working group plans a survey to help establish educational
priorities for FY07. In addition to demographic information,
the questions will cover preferred class formats and information
about the Library of Texas.
The terms of service for Jerry Hoke, James Karney, Janna Lawrence,
Lisa Loranc, and Pam Spooner have all expired, and this was
their last meeting. Laura Heinz has agreed to act as Chair
starting in September.
d. Electronic Information: Ms. Zerkow reported
that the pledge drive for HeritageQuest was successful. The
purchase of Stat!Ref worked as a new “purchasing group”
pricing model.
e. Interlibrary Loan: no report
f. Texas Collections/THDI: no report
g. Communications: Mr. Tramel reported that
the group gave away many cd’s of TexShare materials
at TLA Conference. He also reported that the anecdote map
is updated (see http://www.texshare.edu/map/anecdotes.html).
h. Library of Texas: Ms. Mosey reported
on the online meeting in May. Items discussed included:
1) Software enhancements
a. Options to limit searches to online catalogs only or
to databases only
b. A link to solicit questions and/or enhancements
c. Links to virtual reference services
d. Interlibrary Loan
2) Prioritizing non-TexShare databases to be available
via LoT
3) Using an online Bulletin Board for discussion
by LoT WG members
10. Strategic Partner Reports
a. University of Texas at Austin: no report
b. Amigos Library Services: Ms. Juergens
reported that Amigos explored alternative courier service,
but the potential vendor showed little interest. Current
vendor is improving service. Satisfaction survey showed
very few complaints in 3rd quarter. Once again, overall
satisfaction with TExpress is high. Compared to 2004, responses
in the “excellent” category decreased, but responses
in the “good” category increased. As noted in
the comment section, most libraries are impressed with the
service. Consistent delivery and pick-up times could improve
the level of satisfaction. Also, an increase of membership
among libraries would please current subscribers.
11. Administrative Report: Ms. Shirley reported
a. TexShare Database Fees: We have collected
slightly over $1.5 million for the FY05 TexShare database
program. 651 libraries have paid (99%).
b. TexShare Databases: Based on recommendations
of the TexShare Electronic Information Working Group, we have
completed database contracts. The number of databases in the
TexSelect program has grown, and we have used creative funding
approaches to offer the lowest possible prices on Stat!Ref
and First Search block searches.
A collaborative effort with the UT School of Information
has made a series of database searching aids available to
TexShare libraries.
NetLibrary no longer allows new categories of TexShare members
to access existing e-book collections. Should the legislature
authorize new categories of TexShare members, we would need
to develop policy regarding e-book purchases for that new
constituency.
NetLibrary does not support the Safari browser, which is
a default browser for Apple products. Since other browsers
are available free of charge to Apple users, NetLibrary e-books
are still available to persons using Apple hardware.
The Electronic Information Working Group expressed concern
that some institutions may want to exclude certain NetLibrary
e-books from their collections or from computers in various
locations in their libraries. We are encouraging NetLibrary
to work towards a technical solution of this nature. Libraries
have the option of excluding e-books from their collection
through use of Internet filtering software.
SB 483 allows TSLAC to negotiate database licenses for the
K-12 library community. This legislation comes without funding.
TSLAC must work with the K-12 library community and TexShare
member libraries to determine the best way to implement this
project. TSLAC staff, representatives of the K-12 library
community, and representatives of the TexShare community will
meet on July 11, 2005.
One of the top recommendations of the January 2004 Statewide
Resource Planning Session was to increase the diversity of
discounted databases available to the TexShare community through
cooperation with other consortia and independent database
buying groups. LRS staff, in partnership with Amigos Library
Services, has developed a prototype application to attain
this goal.
c. Library of Texas: Recently the Houston
Public Library dropped their subscription to a commercial
metasearch service in favor of using the Library of Texas
for multi-database searching.
We are engaged in a pilot program with the El Paso Area Library
Consortium, a multi-type cooperative. The libraries in the
consortium will use LoT to provide them with a virtual union
catalog.
d. Administrative Rule Review: The rule
review of 13 TAC 8.1 et. seq. (TexShare) was completed. No
comments were received, and Chapter 8 rules were readopted.
e. TexShare Communications: We launched
TexZine, an online newsletter that showcases database features
and updates (http://www.texshare.edu/newsletter/texzine/).
f. Legislative Issues: TexShare will be
directly impacted by legislation in two areas:
o New Statute: SB 483 gives the Texas
State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) the authority
to negotiate group-purchasing agreements on behalf of K-12
public school libraries. The bill does not make public school
libraries eligible for TexShare membership. However, this
legislation is a positive first step toward accomplishing
that objective. Staff at TSLAC is scheduling meetings with
stakeholder groups in order to discuss how to implement
services to K-12 libraries.
o Funding: The legislature did not make
the expected 5% reduction to the TSLAC budget and, in addition,
added $1.25 million per year more for TexShare databases.
However, the legislature also took general revenue funding
out of the TSLAC capital budget and made some unfunded changes
that impact all state agency budgets. This means that the
overall budget for the library resource sharing operations
will continue to be stretched thin. We are in the process
of identifying economies that can be implemented with minimal
impact to the services we provide to TexShare member libraries.
g. Digitization Planning: On March 21, 2004,
70 persons came to Austin to attend the second meeting of
the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative. The meeting focused
on a review of the draft strategic plan to guide the efforts
of the group over the next year.
TSLAC submitted an IMLS Leadership Grant proposal as part
of the THDI. The application proposes to develop a seamless,
integrated access to primary resource materials through the
federated search capability of the Library of Texas (LoT)
and to demonstrate the feasibility of the Open Archives Initiative
(OAI) and the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol. Additionally,
the grant would fund development of a handbook of best practices.
h. TLA Programs: TSLAC staff presented two
programs related to the databases at the Texas Library Association
Annual Conference: "Halt! Who Goes There? Authenticating
Patron Access to Databases," and "Proxy Servers
in Your Library." A total of 38 persons attended these
programs. Two programs on TexShare were presented at the Texas
Library Association Annual Conference: "TexSharing -
Just Do It!" and "TexShare: Looking Back, Reaching
Forward." At total of 108 persons attended these sessions.
One program on LoT was presented at the Texas Library Association
Annual Conference, "Connecting to the Library of Texas,"
with 25 in attendance. One program was presented on THDI at
the Texas Library Association's Annual Conference.
Present:
TexShare Advisory Board Members:
Nancy Anderson, Howard Payne University
Steve Brown, North Richland Hills Public Library
Doug Ferrier, UT Brownsville/Texas Southmost College
Maurice Fortin, Angelo State University
Kathy Hoffman, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Eva Poole, Denton Public Library
Martha Tandy, Weatherford College
Darryl Tocker, Tocker Foundation
Texas State Library and Archives Commission:
Mike Avila, Library Resource Sharing Division
Dave Hardy, Library Resource Sharing Division
Ann Mason, Library Resource Sharing Division
Peggy Rudd, Director and Librarian
Beverley Shirley, Library Resource Sharing Division
Russlene Waukechon, Library Resource Sharing Division
Working Group Chairs/Liaisons:
Jo Anne Hawkins, UT Austin, Courier WG
Lisa Loranc, Pasadena Public Library, Education WG
Suzanne McAnna, UT Austin, Card WG
Jeanette Mosey, Austin Community College, LoT WG
Greg Tramel, Montgomery County Memorial Library System, Communications
WG
Syma Zerkow, Houston Public Library, Electronic Information
WG
Strategic Partners:
Bonnie Juergens, Amigos Library Services
Sue Phillips, UT Austin
|
