Minutes

TexShare Card Program Working Group Meeting
April 15, 2008
Texas Library Association, Dallas, Texas

In attendance: Diane Bruxvoort, Martha Hood (for Jay Clark), Jackie Isenhower, Ann Mason, Tom Moran, Faye Nichols, Katie Prentice, Sharon Wion

New members were introduced and welcomed.

The chair reported that a new chair of the TexShare Card Program Working Group will be needed soon. All members were encouraged to volunteer.

The Statewide Resource Sharing Summit held in February 2008 identified several priorities for the TexShare programs:

• Provide database access for K-12 libraries
• Leverage the buying power of K-16 libraries for joint purchasing
• Create a marketing/branding plan and program for TexShare
• Create a personal/customizable web space for TexShare users -- "myTexShare"
• Leverage Library of Texas for federated searching and enriched ILL

Future inclusion of hospitals and K12 libraries in TexShare Card program was discussed. Discussion focused on security, sharing, and fiscal responsibility of participants.

Discussion progressed to outreach and recruitment of libraries to the TexShare Card program. 150 of 540 public libraries are not (yet) participating. Only 8 academic libraries are not in the Card Program. Working Group participants agreed to discuss options for recruiting participants, possibly calling the libraries. Ann Mason will send out the list to working group members.

The Annual TexShare survey was also discussed. Many Card program comments focused on use of the program and the cards themselves. The Working Group discussion supported the idea of finding a computerized way to make cards for individuals. TexShare staff will look into this possibility.

The Working Group again discussed the issue of suspended cardholders. Discussion emphasized the need for participant libraries to be careful about their issuance of cards only to good-standing patrons to prevent many issues.

The possibility of a program at the 2009 conference in Houston was discussed and then decided not really necessary. Most of the people who need information about the card program are likely not to attend the TLA meeting.

Final discussion focused on the possibility of changing the meeting date/location to Austin in the Fall. Due to lack of attendance by working group members at TLA (several came to Dallas only to attend this meeting), and the central location of Austin, members felt that it might be easier to get more members to attend if the face-to-face annual meeting was in Austin.