Electronic Information Working Group
Minutes of February 26, 2007
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Present:
Laura Alfaro
Kristen Cook
Todd J. Humble
Kerry Keck
Martha Knott
Karen Locher,
Carolyn McCown
Sandra Munger
Sue Phillips
Tracey Pineda
Susan Smith
JoAnn VanSchaik
Russlene Waukechon

Meeting convened at 9:30 a.m. with discussion lead by Russlene on the issue of creating a collection development for Texas K12 public school libraries.

Following the written agenda:

I. Collection Development Policy for K-12

A. Collection Development Policy & Content Alignment

1. It was recommended that the Transition Task Force develop a Collection Development policy for the K12 public school library community
   
2. It was recommended that 3 databases be removed from the Searchasaurus interface: Middle Search Plus, TopicSearch and Newspaper Source to make this interface more distinct from KidSearch and to make the content more relevant to grades PreK-3, the market this product was developed for.

II. Renewals for FY08

A. Core Collection Database Renewals for FY08

1. No changes were recommended for the core menu for FY08. Most contracts could be renewed with a letter of renewal this year instead of issuing complete new contracts for FY08.
   
2. Poetry usage statistics were reviewed and it was decided to renew this resource. Even though usage stats were low for these 2 resources because TexShare owns the poetry databases it was considered a prudent use of the TexShare money to pay the annual access fee, which is a nominal amount.
   

III. TexSelect

1. StatRef! will be available as a TexSelect option because this has proven to be a very popular database title and the group purchase method has been a successful subscription model for this title.
   
2. Facts on File will become an additional offering as part of TexSelect. The EIWG was particularly interested in offering Facts on File because of the science and forms resources available in the package that will be available through TexSelect.
   
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica will become an additional offering as part of TexSelect. The EIWG wanted to offer TexShare members the chance to subscribe to a quality encyclopedia and by offering EB through TexSelect it would provide member libraries the ability to subscribe to this resource if they did not belong to another consortia or have another option for purchasing an encyclopedia.
   
4. A discussion followed on the American Chemical Society renewal and the Society’s new subscription pricing model for consortia. Beverley Shirley joined the group to lead the discussion and review what information TexShare had on the new pricing model. Beverley shared the latest information the TexShare staff had gathered at the recent ICOLC (International Coalition of Library Consortia) meeting on this issue.


• The value of TexShare managing the ACS contract for the consortia was discussed
• The advantage of having Amigos handle the billing for consortia members
• More questions were raised to take back to ACS when we next meet with them


5. It was decided not to add Sage publications to TexSelect but to encourage one of our strategic partners, Amigos, through their A+ program to market the Sage publications for the state of Texas.

IV. Strategic Planning

1. Beverley reviewed the topics that will be and goals that would probably be discussed at the next TexShare Strategic Planning session that would be held in the Spring of 2008. Topics that could be covered include:


1. Expansion of TexShare


2. oNew Programs


3. Extending Membership to the K12 community and con-profits


4. Partnerships


5. Identifying main issues


6. Growing TexSelect


2. Beverley also reviewed the budge for the next 2 fiscal years.

IV. Weeding NetLibrary

1. The weeding committee decided to use the CREW method (Boone, 1995) for small to medium-sized libraries and then adjust the policy as the proceeded with the project to recommend the best method to weed titles from the NetLibrary collection. The purpose of weeding is to suggest to libraries, which titles they may no longer want to display in their catalogs. TexShare is not getting rid of any NetLibrary titles only working on suggestions for removing titles from catalogs.

IV. Menu

1. The group discussed any advantages for patrons or librarians if the current TexShare menu was changed.

2:12 meeting was adjourned.