TexShare Electronic Information Programs Working Group
Meeting Notes
February 27, 1997

Members present: Bonnie McNeely (UT Pan American), Virginia Andrews (Texas Tech), Roberta Pitts (Texas A&M-Kingsville), Greg Pratt (HAM-TMC), Ellen Safley (UT Dallas), Rajia Tobia (UT Health Sciences Center-San Antonio), Tommie Wingfield (UT Arlington), Paul Dumont (Dallas County Community College District), Sue Phillips (UT Austin), and Mark McFarland (UT Austin). Member Karen Wielhorski (S.F. Austin State University) was unable to attend.

Sue Phillips updated the Working Group on the current status of TexShare and other TexShare projects: the TexShare Card, TexShare Courier Group, and the Regional Acquisitions Councils. The HB997, sponsored by Rep. Bob Hunter, which is currently being reviewed by the legislature would provide funding for consulting services to determine how TexShare, the Texas Library Connection, and the State Library Project Link could be combined to provide a Texas State Electronic Library.

Sue Phillips reviewed the process that has been developed for the first TexShare contract for commercial databases and noted that a new contract would need to be negotiated and in place before the expiration of the current contract with UMI/Ovid which expires August 1, 1997. The current funding request which is in The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board budget continues funding at the current level and specifies that 3/4 of the funding will be provided with the university libraries funding 1/4 of the costs.

Members discussed their satisfaction with the current databases and search software. Mark McFarland discussed the need for better statistical data (processing logs are in place to record data but reports do not produce needed data) and the need for Ovid to time out sessions. Members recognized the need to look at the current marketplace to determine what is available and usable for TexShare.

Members discussed whether an RFP or RFI should be developed. Members agreed that the subject areas for databases should be: 1) General Academic and 2) Business. A number of vendors and products were discussed. A web interface as well as a telnet session (or basic VT100 terminal emulation) should be available for any services purchased. Full text databases (number of journal titles indexed and full text) is important. Vendors should be asked about providing training materials. The current 100 simultaneous users is sufficient for current members, however the contract should be scaleable if others can later join (such as the community colleges). Vendors should be asked to provide a training database. Some sites might also be interested in imaging databases. Also, it is important that vendors allow in the library use for all patrons not just valid users. Sue Phillips will draft an RFI and a list of possible vendors then send it to members for comments.

TexShare Select which was a program recommended by members at the June 6, 1997 meeting was discussed. Databases available under TexShare Select would be paid for by the TexShare members choosing to participate in each database. Costs would also include leasing of needed equipment and management services of Amigos (billing). Currently UT-Austin is offering a number of databases to UT System University Libraries including: Medline, ERIC, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Sue Phillips suggested that these plus Dialog@CARL, LION, and Britannica Online could be investigated as offering for the first group of TexShare Select databases. Pricing per database would be based on the number and size of libraries participating. The community colleges and Texas private universities could also participate since all costs will be paid by the libraries. This recommendation will be forwarded to the TexShare Management Team.

Members will receive a copy of the RFI and list of vendors from Sue Phillips to review. Comments should be sent immediately so that the RFIs can be mailed as soon as possible.

The next meeting will be held in Austin after vendors have responded to the RFI. Vendors will be asked to demonstrate their products and answer questions.