TexShare Advisory Board Meeting

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

1201 Brazos, Room 314

December 12, 2003

This was a special meeting to address the protests of the TexShare Database Program Fee Invoices.

1. Things the board will consider open to discussion in relation to the appeal request:

· The library’s financial situation

· Number of libraries in the population group that have already paid

· Alternate population – county vs. city

· Where the library falls in the group assignment

· Library’s usage of the database service

· Materials budget/expenditures of library

· Cost avoidance

· Would the library have bought the databases itself? (value)

· If there was an appeal or just an informational document

· Signature on appeal – is it official?

· Value of keeping everyone in TexShare vs. exclusion of some

· The citizens of Texas are the first concern

· Precedent

· The bottom line – ability to buy databases for the consortium in the upcoming year

· What fees will look like next year, under the long-term schedule

· Deferred payments as a means of helping libraries meet their assessments

· Factual errors/extenuating circumstances

· State Library policies, rules, and procedures

· School libraries have lost Texas Library Connection databases, making public library access to   databases critical to the school children of the community.

2. Things the board will not take into consideration:

· Library’s budget cycle

· Libraries that did not file an appeal

· Changing the criteria that was presented to the library community (keeping extenuating

   circumstances in mind)
 

3. Recommendations of the Advisory Board

A. Cameron Public Library request to waive fee

Vote was 5 to 1 to deny

B. Killeen City Library System request to lower fee

Vote was unanimous to deny

C. Marshall Public Library request to waive or lower fee

Vote was unanimous to deny

D. East Parker County Library request to waive fee

Board requested verification of accuracy of population count

E. Clint ISD Public Library request to waive fee

Vote was unanimous to deny

F. Austin College request to lower fee

Vote was 5 to 1 to deny

G. College of St. Thomas More request to lower fee

Unanimous decision to create a new group, 9A, for academic institutions with fewer than 100 FTE’s and a specialized/narrow focus. Libraries assigned to group 9A pay $500

H. Oblate School of Theology request to waive fee

Included in group 9A and lowered fee to $500

I. Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary request to waive fee

Included in group 9A and lowered fee to $500

J. Austin Graduate School of Theology request to lower fee

Included in group 9A and lowered fee to $500

K. Dallas Baptist University request to lower fee

Vote was 5 to 1 to deny

L. East Texas Baptist University request to lower fee

Vote was 5 to 1 to deny

M. Hardin-Simmons University request to lower fee

Vote was unanimous to deny

N. Jacksonville College request to lower fee

Vote was unanimous to reduce the fee to $500 due to extenuating circumstances

O. Ranger College request to waive fee

Vote was unanimous to reduce the fee to $500 due to extenuating circumstances

P. Southwestern University request to lower fee

Vote was unanimous to deny
 

4. Next Step

Letters will go to each of the libraries from the director and librarian’s office with her determination based on these recommendations.

Present:

TexShare Advisory Board Members:

Eva Poole, Denton Public Library, Chair

Maurice Fortin, Angelo State University

Rhoda Goldberg, Harris County Public Library

Darryl Tocker, Tocker Foundation

Martha Tandy, Weatherford College

Eileen Altmiller, St. Edward’s University

Texas State Library and Archives Commission:

Peggy Rudd, TSLAC Director and Librarian

Beverley Shirley, Library Resource Sharing Division

Ann Mason, Library Resource Sharing Division
 

Next TexShare Advisory Board Meeting is Thursday, January 22, 2004