Electronic Information Work Group Conference Call
Friday May 22, 2009
9:30 AM – 10:20 AM

1. Introductions
Kerry started the meeting by thanking Karen for joining the group.

2. Review of draft minutes, March 2009 meeting
Comments regarding the minutes from the March 6 meeting: none.

3. Discussion of plan for reducing core databases costs
a. Review use, and cost-per-use data
The group began a discussion of how to reach an acceptable financial target. Russlene pointed out July 1st of 2010 was the intended target date. The conference call took place two weeks before the final decision from the legislature. The group was to make plans as if they had funding to renew the suite as it stood today and then proceed for the next two years. If the group didn’t make a cut of a substantial database and if they didn’t keep their percentage increases low, they would be looking at a shortfall in 2011 by $200,000.
b. Databases which will result in cost-savings
EIWG chair Kerry Keck requested having a ranked list to see which databases could be cut soonest. The following strategies were discussed:

• ELibrary curriculum is the most expensive database per search
• InfoTrac Newspapers because it carries only two Texas newspapers.
• Unbundling EBSCO databases and dropping those databases that are subsets of Academic Search Complete
• Sanborn Maps is tied to genealogy and was thus unlikely to be cut.

c. Timeline.
Next steps: Russlene was going to check with Beverley to find out what the group’s timeline was. She summarized that the group is interested in dropping e-Library for 2011 and exploring savings with dropping InfoTrac Newspapers.

4. Wrap up.
One group member suggested that if there were any money left over that the group considers purchasing Tumblebooks as an alternative to ebooks. Russlene also suggested that the group also think about resources for the academic library partners. She mentioned training as one of the new things the group should consider funding. One member of the group asked about the bid process, if the group would get the same price for each year or if there were inflationary surprises. Russlene noted that the state library has a set amount of money and they built in an inflationary increase.

In attendance:
Kerry Keck, chair
Karen Blankenship
Kristen Cook
JoAnn VanSchaik
Susan Smith
Martha Knott
Karen Locher
Gayle Gordon
Todd Humble
Sue Phillips
Russlene Waukechon
Julie Hughes, recorder