TexShare Advisory Board Meeting
10:15 AM until 2:45 PM on January 01, 2006
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
1201 Brazos, room 314
Austin, TX
Minutes
1. Minutes from the September 30, 2005 meeting were
approved.
2. No public comment.
3. TexShare Database Program Fee Appeal: Jacksonville
College appealed their $2,500 database program participation
fee for FY06. The databases are highly valued at their institution,
but the $2,500 is 25% of their information resources budget.
They asked the board to reduce the fee to $500, which is more
in line with what they are able to pay. The board granted
Jacksonville College’s appeal to lower their fee to
$500 for FY06. The board asked the Task Force on Database
Fees to re-evaluate break the fee structure to accommodate
institutions with this type of budgetary concern.
4. TSLAC Update: Edward Seidenberg, Assistant
State Librarian, reported on the progress of the Sunset Review.
After public hearings, the Sunset Commission will issue a
report and draft Legislation to implement their recommendations.
The agency strategic plan and legislative appropriation request
must also be completed in this timeframe.
The House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism will
conduct an interim study of school library participation in
agency programs.
The Zavala Library and Archives building renovation is proceeding.
$15m was appropriated for renovations last legislative session.
The building is 40 years old, has never been renovated, and
the space is in need of re-organization. Bailey Architects
of Houston has been selected as the architect for the project.
The timeline calls for renovations to be completed in 2009
(100th anniversary of agency).
5. K-12 Transition Task Force Recommendations:
Carlyn Gray of the K-12 Transition Task Force presented draft
rules for participation in the K-12 TexShare Database program.
The task force intends these rules to allow broad participation
by Texas public school libraries while emphasizing that public
school libraries should aspire to meet the standards for Texas
school libraries. The criteria centered on two principles:
that an organized collection of materials is available at
the school and that this library is managed by or reports
to a certified librarian or other certified staff.
Ms. Gray also presented the Transition Task Force’s
recommendations for Roles & Responsibilities of public
school libraries participating in TexShare database purchasing:
Role: Participate in TexShare programs
Responsibilities:
- Participate actively in TexShare group purchasing programs
specified for K-12 designated public school libraries by
designating liaisons/representatives to Working Groups,
committees, task forces, etc. as appropriate; assisting
Commission staff in the selection of electronic databases
as applicable to public school libraries; and conducting
business by email, conference call, and meetings, as they
deem appropriate.
- Support staff participation in TexShare Working Groups,
committees, etc. applicable to public school libraries,
especially by paying travel expenses to attend meetings.
- Remit assessed participation fees at designated time
period.
- Provide information in response to requests from Commission
staff and/or Working Groups, committees, etc.; especially
contact information, database access information, and eligibility
information.
- Provide feedback to staff, TexShare Advisory Board, and
ESC-20 on program content and mechanisms applicable to designated
public school libraries.
- Provide resources to implement the database program within
the public school library (e.g. infrastructure, curriculum
integration, and training).<
Criteria and Roles & Responsibilities recommendations
were adopted by the board in separate motions.
6. Recommendation to Combine ILL and Courier Working
Groups: Jo Anne Hawkins reviewed the responsibilities
of both working groups and presented the new, combined working
group charge. A transition plan allows all current members
of the groups to serve out their terms while maintaining balanced
representation of all TexShare constituencies. The board approved
the recommendation that the two working groups be combined
immediately.
7. Working Group Reports
A. Card Program: Jay Clark reported that
the program grew 23% in the past fiscal year (Sept. ’04-Aug.’05).
The University of Texas at Austin continued as the program’s
major participant. Southern Methodist University was the largest
private university participant, and Fort Worth Public Library
was the most active public library participant. Public libraries,
with a 29% growth in participation, now contribute half the
use. The 352 TexShare Card participants loaned over one half
million volumes in FY05. Collection loss rate was low, at
one volume for every thousand volumes loaned. The program
continues to be an important information resource for Texans.
New members to the working group are: Faye Nichols, Director
of the Gatesville Public Library and Diane Gwamanda, Head
of Access Services at the University of Houston. The next
meeting is scheduled for April 28 at TLA.
B. Courier Service Program: No report.
C. Interlibrary Loan: No report.
D. Education Services Program: No report.
E. Electronic Information: Syma Zerkow reported
a new member joined the working group: Todd Humble, Supervisor
of Technical Services and Acquisitions at the North Richland
Hills Public Library will be replacing Jane Dillon, Public
Services Manager, Carrollton Public Library, who retired.
The group held a telephone conference call on December 14,
2005 to review and discuss the results of the survey of TexShare
members. This survey was posted online during the month of
October in order to receive input from TexShare member libraries
about the most crucial type of content needed by their institution.
Results of the survey can be viewed at: http://www.texshare.edu/surveys/archive/electronic/coreDBsurvey_2005.html
A subcommittee of the Working Group was formed to assist
Russlene Waukechon in the development of the Request for Offers
(RFO) document that will be issued for new database contracts.
The RFO is in its final stages of review and should be issued
shortly. A two-day meeting of the full Electronic Information
Working Group is tentatively planned for April 3 & 4 at
which there will be vendor demos. The EIWG will then evaluate
the responses to the RFO and submit their recommendations.
F. Communications: Greg Tramel reported
that the working group is preparing a Communications Plan
workbook for the TLA program it is sponsoring. The group is
also working with Mike Avila to update the TexShare Web site.
A new banner has been designed by our K-12 partners to bring
to K-12 conferences when discussing TexShare, reflecting the
partnership between TSLAC and ESC-20.
G. Library of Texas: Beverley Shirley reported
the LoT working group met in December. There are currently
140 libraries and 15 core databases represented in LoT. Recent
upgrades include providing external links to non-Z39.50 compliant
resources such as netLibrary and Heritage Quest. The software
has been upgraded to allow linking to local subscriptions
that are Z39.50 search-compliant. Kevin Marsh will be implementing
these as time allows. The Working Group discussed forthcoming
upgrades relating to interlibrary loan and an option to search
only libraries or only databases, a MARC permissions form,
usability studies, and the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative.
TSLAC provided 18 training sessions on LoT in the fall, reaching
318 librarians – 93 academic, 218 public, and 7 hybrid
librarians. A program, “Federated Searching –
A View from the Trenches” was sponsored on January 20th
by TSLAC preceding ALA Midwinter at the San Antonio Pubic
Library. Two sessions are planned for TLA at Houston in April:
a free pre-conference, “A Lot to Lot” will be
Tuesday, April 25th, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm; and a program,
“Promoting the LoT” is scheduled for Thursday,
April 27th from 12:00 – 12:50 pm.
8. Strategic Partner Reports
A. University of Texas at Austin: Sue Phillips
will host demos of databases for the RFO.
B. Amigos: Bonnie Juergens reported that
her staff will work with TSLAC to update payments for service.
Courier program statistics show that only 8% of participant
contacts (14 total) related to complaints, indicating that
performance problems have generally been resolved. There is
an ongoing need to educate staff library staff on correct
labeling of packages. New enhancements to the Amigos Web site
enable libraries to report their courier statistics in real
time.
9. Administrative Report: Beverley Shirley
introduced Danielle Plumer, THDI Coordinator.
A. TexShare Database Fees: As of January
23, 2006, we collected $1,461,041 of the TexShare FY05 Database
Program fees (96%). 592 libraries paid fees (89%). One academic
library is appealing its fee. Two public libraries are on
a trial period and three public libraries have opted out of
the program. Eighty-two public libraries are using their Loan
Star Libraries money to pay their fees.
B. TexShare Databases: TexShare Database
RFO: The TexShare core database collection is going out for
bid this year. Public school libraries will be included in
the bid for the general content periodicals database. Two
representatives of the public school library community have
been added to the EIWG. These representatives will only vote
on matters pertinent to selection of the general content periodicals
database. We expect to issue an RFO the first week in February.
At the Statewide Resource Sharing Planning session held in
January 2004, we were encouraged to seek out partnerships
to establish and maintain services that are beyond the ability
of TSLAC to accomplish within its budget and administrative
structure. We suggest deliberation of this issue be scheduled
for later this fiscal year or early next fiscal year.
C. Public School Library Participation:
Library Resource Sharing (LRS) staff attended seven Texas
Library Association district meetings and meeting of the three
Texas Council of Academic Libraries (TCAL) components, presenting
information on the partnership between TexShare and K-12 libraries.
A 12-member K-12 transition task force has been appointed
to make recommendations regarding public school library participation
in TexShare group purchasing programs. Membership in the task
force includes balanced representation geographically, by
level (elementary school, middle school, high school) as well
as representatives of education service centers and district-level
library services coordinators. TexShare representatives on
the task force include one member of the TexShare Advisory
Board and one member of the Electronic Information Working
Group. Liaisons from TSLAC and Education Service Center, Region
20 (ESC-20) are working with the task force. The task force
has been charged with the responsibility to serve as representatives
of the K-12 public school library community in regards to
electronic information resources and future relationship with
TexShare, and to communicate interests and priorities of the
K-12 public school library community to the EIWG, the TexShare
Advisory Board (TSAB), TSLAC, and ESC-20.
Our partners at ESC-20 have worked with TSLAC and the task
force to identify and evaluate the options for implementing
SB 483. LRS staff recommends that ESC-20 be made a TexShare
strategic partner. The TexShare Advisory Board agreed to add
ESC-20 as a TexShare strategic partner.
D. Trademarking TexShare: The TexShare service
mark was accepted and is registered for the period November
29, 2005 - November 29, 2015. On January 13, 2006, the LRS
office was notified of the use of the TexShare name and logo
in what appears to be an Internet-based attempt to obtain
money under false pretenses. The Attorney General’s
office is investigating the matter.
E. TexShare Working Group consolidation.
At the September TexShare Advisory Board meeting, LRS staff
was asked to contact members of the TexShare working groups
to ask them to consider whether their work could be effectively
combined with that of any other working groups. The Courier
and ILL working groups have a recommendation for consolidation
(see item #6 above). No other working groups recommend consolidation.
F. Texas public school and post secondary standards
and programs. Executive Order RP 53 (http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/exorders/rp53)
was issued in December to address the importance of creating
college readiness standards and programs for Texas public
school students. Although no mention was made of library programs,
we encourage the TexShare Advisory Board to consider what
role, if any, TexShare plays in addressing the needs of Texas
students and the Texas economy in preparing these students
for college and other post secondary opportunities.
Next two meetings of the TexShare Advisory Board
are March 31st and June 30TH.
Present:
TexShare Advisory Board Members:
Nancy Anderson, Howard Payne University
Steve Brown, North Richland Hills Public Library
Cathy Dean, San Antonio
Doug Ferrier, University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost
College
Maurice Fortin, Angelo State University
Kathy Hoffman, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Larry Justiss, Tom Green County Library System
Dennis Michaelis, McLennan Community College
Loriene Roy, University of Texas at Austin
Martha Tandy, Weatherford College
Texas State Library and Archives Commission:
Mike Avila, Library Resource Sharing Division
Susan Bennett, Library Resource Sharing Division
Dave Hardy, Library Resource Sharing Division
Ann Mason, Library Resource Sharing Division
Danielle Plumer, Library Resource Sharing Division
Beverley Shirley, Library Resource Sharing Division
Edward Seidenberg, Assistant State Librarian
Russlene Waukechon, Library Resource Sharing Division
Working Group Chairs/Liaisons:
Jay Clark, San Jacinto College, Card WG
Kate Cordts, San Antonio Public Library, ILL WG
Jo Anne Hawkins, UT Austin, Courier Services WG
Jeff Steely, Baylor University, Courier 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, University of Texas at Austin
Guests:
Susanna Garza, ESC-20
Carlyn Gray, Round Rock ISD |
