TexShare Courier Service Working Group Minutes
November 28, 2000

TexShare Courier Working Group Minutes Conference Call November 28, 2000

Participants: April Bennington (Chair), Jackie Crinion, Victoria Duff, Jo Anne Hawkins, Lee Hilyer, Gerard Mittelstaedt, Connie Moss, Rachel Robbins, Mike Robinson, Carolyn Thorne, Jerilynn Williams, Deborah Littrell (State Library), Rebecca Linton (State Library), Susie Thompson (Amigos liaison)

1.April welcomed the group and thanked the members for their participation.

2. Carolyn Thorne volunteered to be secretary for this meeting.

3. Minutes of the October 17th meeting were approved.

4. Recommendations for appointments to this WG for 2001 Deborah noted that State Library Guidelines for TexShare require the membership of the working groups to consist of five members from academic libraries and five members from public libraries. Further, there should be representatives from all constituencies: Academic libraries: public and private institutions and junior/community colleges Medical libraries Public libraries: large, medium, and small. All geographic areas represented Since our working group will be losing the academic position now filled by Rachel Robbins (UTA), this will give us six academic and five public members. Following the consensus from our last meeting to reappoint both Lee Hilyer and Mike Robinson, our group will be consistent with the State Library profile for working groups.

5. Outcome of one week pilot study on TExpress turnaround The Group agreed that our study provided useful information and allowed us to sample methodologies that could be useful in future surveys. The data show that of the total 545 packages in the study, 335 (61.5%) were received within two days and 90% were received within 3 days. It was suggested that with the current number of hubs, it might be more realistic to expect a 3 to 4 day turnaround than the 24 to 48 hours for which we had hoped. Susie reports that Marquis plans to add additional hubs in the Panhandle area on Jan 2, 2001. These hubs should provide faster service to that part of the state. Jerilynn commented that we might further analyze the data from the survey just completed. Suggestions were made for changes that might enhance future surveys. Among those suggestions were to time the study to coincide with the busiest times for ILL activity and to wait until after Jan. 2 when the new hubs will be operating.. For details of the survey, see attached Excel file or contact Rebecca Linton at rlinton@tsl.state.tx.us.

6. TExpress Users' Guide Lee reported that the revised TExpress Users' Guide will be completed and distributed in paper form in the next week or so. It was agreed that the grammatically correct title would be TExpress Users' Guide.

7. Other business Deborah updated the group on the status of the bid process for the courier service. None of the bidders met the minimum requirements so a new bid process is necessary. The State library will pay the courier cost for January and February. Marquis will continue to provide the service for these two months. When the bid process is finalized and the courier service provider is in place, the State Library will then invoice TexShare libraries for courier service for January through August 2001. Jerilynn commented that TexShare libraries' fiscal years vary. Therefore , the libraries need to know the cost of courier service as early as possible so they can budget properly for the service. Deborah Littrell begins in her new position at Texas State Library on Friday December 1. Our WG may be working with Michael Piper and Rebecca Linton until the TexShare Coordinator position is filled. Gerard reported that ten public libraries in Hidalgo County will be joining TExpress soon. The TexShare Advisory Board meets December 7, 2000. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission meets February 5, 2001. Thanks expressed to April for serving as Chair of the WG for a year and a half Rachel for her three years of service Deborah for her time with us as TexShare Coordinator

8. Next meeting? Courier Working Group conference call on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 AT 1 PM. 9. April adjourned the meeting AT 2:55 PM.