TexShare Databases Authorized Access
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) through the TexShare program provides licensed electronic resources to TexShare member institutions. The groups that are eligible for TexShare membership are established by statute and administrative rule (see https://www.tsl.texas.gov/texshare/eligibility.html).
Eligible groups are:
- Accredited Texas public libraries
- Texas academic institutions (public and private not-for-profit 2 and 4 year institutions)
- Libraries of Clinical Medicine
Participation in the TexShare Databases Program is optional for TexShare member institutions and requires payment of an annual member fee. By payment of the fee, members may choose to enable all or selected electronic resources for their patrons. Patrons of participating member libraries may access TexShare resources at the library and through remote access.
Member institutions are responsible for selection of the specific electronic resources to make available to their patrons and students. Electronic resources offer curation tools that allow member institutions to respond to community concerns and requests for reconsideration of books, journals, and articles included in the electronic resources. Member institutions are empowered to curate specific content within electronic resources in line with the local institution’s policies and procedures, including removing content the member institution does not want to make available to its patrons.
Standard TSLAC Terms and Conditions for TexShare and TexQuest electronic resources, including the list of authorized users by type of institution, are available for download. Libraries should be aware that vendor-specific changes to the Terms and Conditions may exist in the full contract. Restrictions on interlibrary loan and other uses may also exist; most restrictions of this type are also clearly marked in the item-level metadata in the resource itself.
Participating libraries may not publish their login credentials in any newspaper, or other publication except those distributed directly by the library to its patrons. Participants may not publish their login credentials on their website, course management system, or library catalog unless access to the credentials is protected by some other form of authentication.
K-12 libraries (public or private) are not members of the TexShare Consortium and are not eligible to participate in the TexShare electronic resources program. As a result, school libraries are not authorized to provide access to TexShare resources. Public K-12 libraries and open enrollment charter schools may participate in TSLAC's TexQuest electronic resource program: www.texquest.net.
K-12 students may use the TexShare electronic resources at their local public library or remotely using authorization credentials provided by the public library.
K-12 students enrolled in dual-credit programs and/or Early College High School programs through community or 4-year colleges and universities are also students of the college or university and may be given access to TexShare resources through the college or university only. K-12 school teachers, librarians, staff, and volunteers who are directly involved in an Early College High School or dual-credit course may also be given access to TexShare resources by the college or university, as well as Texas Education Service Center staff involved in these programs. Their access will stop upon completion of the course or program.
TexShare member institutions may not enter into agreements with school districts or individual K-12 schools to give all students automatic access to TexShare electronic resources at school, and TexShare electronic resources should not be incorporated into K-12 curricula or classroom instruction, except in the case of dual-credit classes and Early College High Schools. Programs to offer library cards to students for homework help and other library services are not affected by this restriction as long as no special provision for access to TexShare resources is included.
Failure to abide by these restrictions could result in a breach of contract between TSLAC and its vendor(s) and loss of resources statewide.
If you have questions please contact the TexShare program at: texshare@tsl.texas.gov