Texas State Library and Archives Commission
November 12, 2012

Minutes

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission met on Monday, November 12, 2012, in Room 215 of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, 1201 Brazos Street, Austin, Texas.

Commissioners Present:

Michael C. Waters, chairman

Sharon T. Carr, vice chairman

Martha Doty Freeman

Larry G. Holt

Wm. Scott McAfee

Sandra J. Pickett

 
Commissioners Absent:

F. Lynwood Givens

 
Staff Present:

Peggy D. Rudd, director and librarian

Edward Seidenberg, deputy director

Manuel Alvarez, director, Information Resources Technologies

Jelain Chubb, director, Archives and Information Services

Craig Kelso, director, State and Local Records Management

Deborah Littrell, director, Library Development and Networking

Donna Osborne, director, Administrative Services

Ava Smith, director, Talking Book Program

Cesar Garza, communications officer

Tracy Kuhn Lash, executive assistant

 
Guests Present:

Gloria Meraz, Texas Library Association

Jim Crowson, Office of the Attorney General

 

Chairman Waters called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and introduced Jim Crowson who attended the meeting for the agency’s attorney, Joe Thrash, who was out of town.

  1. Approve minutes of October 24, 2012, meeting of the Commission.

Commissioner Carr moved to approve the minutes of the October 24, 2012, commission meeting. Commissioner Pickett seconded. Motion passed.

  1. Conflict of interest disclosure.

No commissioner disclosed conflicts of interest at this time.

Donna Osborne asked commissioners and staff to read and sign a Conflict of Interest form pursuant to Texas Government Code Title 10, Subtitle D, Section 2155.003.

  1. Introductions. There were no introductions at this time.
  1. Public Comment.

Gloria Meraz informed the commission that the Texas Library Association requests inclusion of an advisory board selected from the library community in the selection process for the Director and Librarian position. The association would also like to see an aggressive increase in the State Librarian’s salary. Ms. Meraz noted that the State Auditor’s Office recommended an increase in the State Librarian’s salary in a recent summary of executive pay at Texas state agencies. She also noted that head librarians in the largest Texas cities and other state librarians receive higher salaries than the State Librarian.

  1. General announcements, including discussion of future meeting dates.

Chairman Waters noted that the commission has not set a date for the August meeting and said a late July meeting might be possible.

Responding to a request from Chairman Waters, Gloria Meraz informed the commission that the Texas Library Association Legislative Committee met on November 8, 2012, to discuss election results and strategies for requesting library funding during the 83rd Legislature.

  1. Review of the job description of the Director-Librarian, including the statutory requirements.

Donna Osborne provided the statutory requirements for appointment to the Director-Librarian position and the current job description for the position for comment and questions from the commission. Chairman Waters said he would appoint a subcommittee to work on the job description and that these issues would be discussed during executive session.

  1. Discussion of the recruitment of the next Director-Librarian, including the process, timeline, costs, and other administrative details, including the use of an executive search firm.

Donna Osborne presented information on the state mandatory procedures for posting vacancies and reviewing applications. She said using a consultant or search firm during the search process would require following the state procurement process which would add additional weeks to the process as well as considerable cost. Most entities conduct the search without a search firm, she said. She also presented a possible timeline for the process.

  1. Discussion of the interim administration of the agency.

Donna Osborne informed the commission that the process for selecting an interim outside the agency would be the same as the selection process for the Director-Librarian.

  1. Executive session, as authorized by Texas Government Code 551.071 and 551.074, regarding consultations with attorney and personnel matters, respectively.

At 11:20 a.m., Chairman Waters, as authorized by Government Code 551.071 and 551.074, called the commission into executive session regarding consultations with attorney and personnel matters, respectively. Joe Thrash was present during the executive session.

The commission returned to open session at 12:37 p.m.

Vice Chair Carr moved to appoint Edward Seidenberg as interim director for the agency effective January 1, 2013. Commissioner Holt seconded. Motion passed. Edward Seidenberg accepted the position.

Commissioner McAfee moved to request a salary of $136,809 for the Director-Librarian position, based on the recommendation of the State Auditor’s Report on Executive Compensation. Commissioner Pickett seconded. Motion passed.

Vice Chair Carr moved that the commission not hire a search firm. Commissioner Freeman seconded. Motion passed.

Commissioner McAfee moved that the chairman appoint a three-person committee to review and craft a job description for the Director-Librarian. Vice Chair Carr seconded. Motion passed.

Commissioner McAfee moved that the chairman appoint an applications process committee of three persons. Vice Chair Carr seconded. Motion passed.

After further discussion on the job description and process, Chairman Waters asked for discussion to set a commission meeting date in December. Friday, December 14, 2012, at 9 a.m. was determined to be the next meeting date.

Chairman Waters adjourned the meeting at 1:00 p.m.

 

Submitted by,

 

Peggy D. Rudd

Director and Librarian

 

Page last modified: December 27, 2012