Latest News Archive

July 2007

License Agreements Fiscal Year 2008

TexShare Databases License Agreement information for FY 2008 is now available on the Web site. The page includes product name, vendor name, and renewal date. For more information about the license agreements, contact the TexShare Coordinator at texshare@tsl.state.tx.us

November 2006

License Agreements Fiscal Year 2007

TexShare Databases License Agreement information is now available on the Web site. The page includes product name, vendor name, and renewal date. For more information about the license agreements, contact the TexShare Coordinator at texshare@tsl.state.tx.us

July 2006

New Core Set of Databases Available July 1, 2007

TexShare database contracts have been signed. Changes continue to be made throughout the month of July on our database page to reflect the new changes in content in our database program. We've updated our Database Menu page used by public libraries that do not maintain their own links to the databases. For FY07 TexShare will be providing access to 50 electronic resources. There will be no pledge drive for HeritageQuest database and Sanborn Maps of Texas this year. There were enough funds in this budget to pay for the subscription this popular resource. Thanks to the decisions made by the members of the Electronic Information Working Group the databases for FY07 beginning on July 1, 2006 will be:

Ebsco:
Academic Search Premier (with free Upgrade to Academic Search Complete as soon as it becomes available)
AGRICOLA
Alt Health Watch
Bibliography of Native North Americans
Business Source Complete
Computer Source
Consumer Health Complete
Economia y Negocios
Encyclopedia of Animals
ERIC
Fuente Academica
Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia
Health Source: Consumer Edition
Health Source: Nursing/Academic
Information Science & Technology Abstracts
Internet & Personal Computing Abstracts
Legal Collection
MAS Ultra: School Edition
MasterFILE Premier
MedicLatina
MEDLINE
Middle Search Plus
Military & Government Collection
Natural & Alternative Treatments
Newspaper Source
Primary Search
Professional Development Collection
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
Regional Business News
Religion & Philosophy
Science & Technology Collection
Texas Reference Center
Serials Directory
TOPICsearch
Vocational & Career Collection
World History Collection

Gale:
Health and Wellness Resource Center with Alternative Health module
Health Reference Center Academic
InfoTrac Custom Newspapers
Literature Resource Center
Twayne's Authors Series
Scribner Writers

NetLibrary

OCLC's World Cat

ProQuest:
20th Century English Poetry
20th Century American Poetry
Heritage Quest
Sanborn Maps
ELibrary Curriculum

TDNet

May 2006

Announcement of Databases for Core Package

Many TexShare member librarians were at the Texas Library Association Conference where we were pleased to announce the results of the TexShare database selection process. An impressive array of content will be available this year. You will find the list at the bottom of this message.

But WAIT!

Before you skip down for the list of databases, there are a few important pieces of information you need to know:

1) It takes a while to complete contracts. Awards are not made until contracts are completed. We have only awarded one contract to date, to EBSCO Industries, Inc. Below in the link are listed the databases approved in open meeting by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission at its April 26, 2006 meeting. But until contracts are signed, the purchasing process is not complete.

2) For the first time ever, we welcome K-12 public school library partners to the TexShare program. The EBSCO database package is available for public school libraries to purchase through our partnership with ESC-20. For more information on the program for public school libraries, see www.texshare.edu/k12 or www.esc20.net/texshare.

3) For TexShare member libraries that want to update their Web pages to include the new content, we are developing an updated list of links to all theTexShare databases. This will be available to you prior to the subscription start date of July 1, 2006. Stay tuned!

4) We will continue to make a wide variety of databases available for libraries to purchase at discounted rates through the TexSelect program. For a list of databases currently available, go to http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/selectdbinfo.html

5) Contact us at databases@tsl.state.tx.us for additional information.

Part of award (executed contract) to Ebsco:
Academic Search Premier (with free Upgrade to Academic Search Complete as soon as it becomes available)
AGRICOLA
Alt Health Watch
Bibliography of Native North Americans
Business Source Complete
Computer Source
Consumer Health Complete
Economia y Negocios
Encyclopedia of Animals
ERIC
Fuente Academica
Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia
Health Source: Consumer Edition
Health Source: Nursing/Academic
Information Science & Technology Abstracts
Internet & Personal Computing Abstracts
Legal Collection
MAS Ultra: School Edition
MasterFILE Premier
MedicLatina
MEDLINE
Middle Search Plus
Military & Government Collection
Natural & Alternative Treatments
Newspaper Source
Primary Search
Professional Development Collection
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
Regional Business News
Religion & Philosophy
Science & Technology Collection
Texas Reference Center
Serials Directory
TOPICsearch
Vocational & Career Collection
World History Collection

Approved by Commission at its open meeting on April 26, 2006; awards will not be made until contracts have been executed:

Gale:
Health and Wellness Resource Center with Health Reference Center Academic and Alternative Health module
InfoTrac Custom Newspapers
Literature Reference Center
Twayne's Authors Series
Scribner Writers

ProQuest:
20th Century English Poetry
20th Century American Poetry
Heritage Quest
Sanborn Maps
ELibrary Curriculum

(Renewed Through Standard Contracting Process:)
OCLC's World Cat

February 2006

TexShare Core Databases Survey

The reporting period for the 2005 Core Databases survey has ended. The survey was posted online during the month of October 2005 in order to receive input from TexShare member libraries about the most crucial type of content needed by their institution.

• View the survey along with survey results.

The survey asked to rank types of databases based on the importance of the content to the member institution. Members were asked to rank the content databases contain, not the database brand name or publisher.

This information helps the Electronic Information Working Group determine the types of databases to include in the bid for purchase for databases.

September 2005

Message from the Electronic Information Working Group on Hurricane Katrina evacuees:

The Electronic Information Working Group of TexShare (EIWG) encourages the libraries of Texas to open use of the electronic databases to those people displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding.

The electronic databases are currently available to the registered patrons of Texas libraries for use in both the library and at home. Database vendors such as Gale have already opened resources for evacuees. While use of the electronic databases may not be the resources most in demand by evacuees, we hope that libraries will be liberal in their policies if needed.

June 2005

Core Database Comparison List

View titles available in Fiscal Year 2006 alongside titles previously available from Fiscal Year 2005.

Special thanks to Bruce R. Schueneman from Texas A&M University-Kingsville James C. Jernigan Library.

May 2005

The South Texas Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers purchases 16 books for TexShare's NetLibrary collection

The South Texas Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers recently purchased 16 books for TexShare's NetLibrary collection. These 16 titles dealing with plastics and polymers are accessible to any registered patron of a Texas academic or public library. Mr. Wayne Derrick who serves on the Education Committee of the South Texas Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers approached TexShare about the idea of the Society purchasing ebooks and donating them to the state's largest library consortium.

TexShare is grateful for this donation and looks forward to other donations of ebooks from scholarly societies.

Titles purchased:

1. The UHMWPE Handbook: Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene
   in total joint replacement by Kurtz 2004
2. Adhesion aspects of polymeric coatings, vol. 2
   by Mittal, KL 2003
3. Polyimides and other high temperature polymers, vol. 2
   by Mittal, KL 2003
4. Repairing structures using composite wraps
   by Bathias, Claude 2003
5. Composite construction by Nethercot 2003
6. Fibers and composites, vol. 2
   by Delhaes 2003
7. Crystallization of polymers, vol. 1
   2nd ed. by Mandelkern 2002
8. Analysis and Deformulation of Polymeric Materials : Paints, Plastics, Adhesives, and Inks
   {Topics in Applied Chemistry} by Gooch, Jan W 1997
9. Water Soluble Polymers : Solution Properties and Applications
   by Amjad, Zahid 1998
10. Block Copolymers : Synthetic Strategies, Physical Properties, and Applications
    by Hadjichristidis, Nikos.; Pispas, Stergios,; Floudas, George 2003
11. Polymeric Building Materials
    by Feldman, Dorel 1989
12. Plastics Materials and Processes : A Concise Encyclopedia
    by Harper, Charles A.; Petrie, Edward M. 2003
13. Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Structures :
    Using Externally-bonded FRP Composites in Structural and Civil Engineering
    by Hollaway, L.; Leeming, M. B 1999
14. Mechanical Testing of Advanced Fibre Composites
    by Hodgkinson, J. M. 2000
15. Mechanical Evaluation Strategies for Plastics Materials
    by Moore, David.; Turner, S 2001
16. Fatigue in Composites : Science and Technology of the Fatigue Response of Fibre-reinforced Plastics
    by Harris, Bryan 2003

February 2005

Pledge Drive to Retain Statewide Access to HeritageQuest and Digital Sanborn Maps

The core package of TexShare Databases has been renewed for the July 2005– June 2006 subscription period by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in partnership with the TexShare Advisory Board, the Electronic Information Working Group, and TexShare member libraries. The core set of databases will continue to be available to serve eligible patrons of Texas libraries.

However, even with the money collected from fees, the state budget will not stretch far enough to renew the HeritageQuest and Digital Sanborn Maps databases. Help is needed to retain statewide access to these databases. Digital Sanborn Maps is included as part of the HeritageQuest contract, so each single pledge will apply to both databases simultaneously. More information about the pledge drive.

February 2005

Information on Renewal of Ebsco Contract

On July 1, 2005, the contract with the vendor Ebsco will be renewed.

What TexShare will retain:

Core database information:
TexShare will retain access to 15,944 full-text publications (Excel spreadsheet- 2.6MB) accessible through the databases listed below. We will continue to have access to the following Ebsco databases with a minimal loss of 762 full-text publications (Excel spreadsheet). Most of this content will be in books, pamphlets and TV transcripts and Newspapers. The databases we will retain are:

• Academic Search Premier
• Business Source Premier
• Masterfile Premier
• Medline with MESH
• Regional Business News
• Military and Government Collection

A listing of titles lost from TexShare Ebsco databases along with corresponding titles from TexShare Gale databases is available (Excel spreadsheet).

Subset Interfaces Information:
TexShare will no longer have access to special subject specific collection interfaces such as Religion and Philosophy, Sociological Collection, etc. We will retain access to all journal indexing and journal content, but the searching will be done through Academic Search Premier rather than the
subject-specific interfaces. Subject-specific interfaces provide added valued searching features and target specific subjects when searching a larger database such as Masterfile Premier or Academic Search Premier. After July 1st, 2005 you will no longer have access to the following Ebsco subset interfaces, but you will retain access to the majority of the content searched via these interfaces.

Database Subset Interfaces:

• Computer Source: Consumer Edition- 100% overlap with a combination of
  Masterfile Premier and Academic Search Premier
• Health Source: Consumer Edition- 100% overlap of journal coverage on
  Masterfile Premier and Academic Search Premier
• Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition- 100% subset of Academic
  Search Premier
• MAS Ultra- 100% overlap of journal coverage in Masterfile Premier
• Middle Search Plus- 100% overlap of journal coverage on Masterfile
  Premier
• Primary Search- 100% overlap of journal coverage on Masterfile
  Premier
• Professional Development Collection- 100% subset of Academic Search
  premier
• Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection- 100% Subset of Academic
  Search Premier
• Religion and Philosophy Collection- 100% Subset of Academic Search
  Premier
• Sociological Collection- 100% Subset of Academic Search Premier

Databases not being renewed:

The following databases and their content will not be available after July
1st, 2005:

• Clinical Pharmacology
• Encyclopedia of Animals
• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
• Eric (available for free on the Internet; Ebsco was only providing
  an interface for this database.)
• Newspaper Source
• TopicSearch

Please send any questions, concerns, or suggestions to:
TexShare Database Coordinator
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
512.463.7402
512.936.2306(f)
rwaukchn@tsl.state.tx.us

August 2004

Content Changes in the STAT!Ref Database Library

PIER, the American College of Physicians evidence based - point of care tool, has been added to STAT!Ref title list. This tool is cross-searchable with all the current content.

If you are not familiar with PIER, the content includes disease modules with information presented in a drill down format, where a recommendation is given, with specifics, rationale, and evidence supporting that recommendation.

For more information about STAT!Ref, please send e-mail to databases@tsl.state.tx.us

June 2004

For the month of June 2004, TexShare will be hosting an open trial of Gale's Opposing Viewpoints database.
What is Opposing Viewpoints?

OVRC draws on the acclaimed social issues series published by Greenhaven Press, as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan Reference USA sources, including selections from Bioethics for Students. The result is a dynamic online library of current event topics--the facts, as well as the arguments, of each topic's proponents and detractors. OVRC's unique features include Topic Overviews -- frameworks which allow students to explore each topic's many facets -- and exclusive electronic access to Gale's Information Plus reference program of statistics, government data, legislation and more.

The trial period has ended.

Opposing Viewpoints will be a TexSelect option for this next contract year (2004-2005). We will have TexSelect ordering information available to the membership soon. In the meantime please explore the Opposing Viewpoints database. I know you will find it very interesting and I hope it meets your information needs.

If you have questions about TexShare, TexSelect or the open trial please contact the TexShare Database Coordinator at 512-463-7402 or e-mail at rwaukchn@tsl.state.tx.us.

August 2003

Guidelines on K-12 SCHOOL LIBRARY ACCESS to TexShare Databases

Public and school libraries are ideal working partners in a number of ways. They share a common education goal—to provide users with the tools and information they need. They also share a common constituency of library users—K-12 students. It is important that school and public libraries take advantage of their opportunities to set up partnerships for resource sharing and collaboration. Never before has this need been so crucial than in today's information-driven society.

Due to budgetary cuts during the 78th legislative session the Texas Education Agency (TEA) lost funding for the Texas Library Connection (TLC), which provided database access to the K-12 library community. While committed to providing quality information resources to Texas library users, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s (TSLAC) TexShare program cannot supply online database access to the K-12 libraries. Due to statutory eligibility requirements, membership in TexShare is not available to K-12 libraries. Also, the limited budget appropriated to TSLAC and the high cost of licensing statewide databases do not allow for the purchase of open access for all K-12 libraries in Texas.

Schools have several options for offering online database access. They may purchase subscriptions to databases on their own or they may take advantage of a program offered by ESC 20 known as Digital Knowledge Central. K-12 librarians may also become involved in determiningTLA’s legislative agenda for K-12 database funding.

It is also important for K-12 libraries to understand how they can promote the appropriate use of the TexShare databases among their students and faculty. Issues involving electronic licenses of the TexShare databases must be reviewed by K-12 librarians. What do the TexShare databases offer the K-12 library community? How can students and faculty take advantage of these research tools?

School librarians may refer students to the public library for additional information on research topics to supplement and enhance materials available through the school library. Cooperation between the local public library and the school library is critical for the successful use of the TexShare databases by the K-12 community. The online databases provided through the TexShare program currently are available to public and academic libraries. K-12 students and their parent(s) as public library card holders can also take advantage of these resources to aid them with their schoolwork through remote access from their public library.

Because TexShare databases are not licensed for use in K-12 schools, use of the databases from within K-12 institutions is restricted. It would violate TexShare licensing agreements to use the databases for any activity that would normally be coordinated by or come under the purview of the K-12 librarian.

Unauthorized use of these databases could jeopardize everyone’s access to these valuable resources. Use of a public library card or login to the databases from a school setting in lieu of purchasing a school library subscription to these databases would be considered a breach of the contracts TexShare has entered into with its database vendors.

For more information please contact:

Russlene Waukechon
TexShare Database Coordinator
512.463.7402
rwaukchn@tsl.state.tx.us

January 2003

HeritageQuest Online
The name index (and images) for the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, plus the images for the 1850 and 1880 Federal Censuses are now available in HeritageQuest Online.

Millions of families and individuals throughout the world immigrated to the United States during the early 1900s. The 1910 Census often offers the very first glimpse of these families, complete with their ages, birthplace and race.

The 1850 and 1880 images are available by browsing by location only (not searching by name). When you click "Search Census," you need to click the "Browse" button on the toolbar to view 1850 and 1880 since they are not yet searchable by name. These series will be in the selection box with the other decades available. Now you can browse every image from every state of 1850 and 1880 in HQO.

November 2002

Proquest Training
The ProQuest training staff is providing a series of one-hour web conference training sessions on a wide variety of ProQuest products.

Registration is simple. Library staff or faculty at your institution can sign up online. Simply select a product and choose from one of the times listed on our site: http://www.il.proquest.com/pqtraining

We are limiting sessions to 10 participants to allow plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion with your trainer and fellow customers. Participants will need a PC or MAC with Internet access as well as a telephone. Bookmark our site and visit periodically for a list of current offerings!

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Cardwell-Copenhefer
Account Developer--West Region
ProQuest Information and Learning
http://www.proquest.com
502/637-3451

STAT! Ref - Electronic Medical Library
The latest acquisition to the TexShare suite of databases is STAT! Ref. Available since September of 2002, this database is a quick, easy to use medical reference that cross references medical texts from numerous publishers. Full color images and drug information are just a small part of what is available in this information rich source. This database is available at no cost to participating TexShare member academic and public libraries and their patrons. Please note that the above link is intended for libraries that have their I.P. addresses registered with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. For further information on access questions, please send an e-mail to: databases@tsl.state.tx.us