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Peggy Rudd has asked that I share this communication with you . This
memorandum is being sent to all TexShare library directors. I would like to
add my appreciation to the TexShare membership for their professional and
personal support through these economically difficult times.
MEMORANDUM
DATE: 24 July 2003
TO: TexShare Member Library Directors
FROM: Peggy D. Rudd, Director and Librarian
RE: TexShare Database Fees
It's hard to believe that it has only been six months since the 78th Texas
Legislature began on January 14, 2003. In the course of those six months,
we've faced serious state budget shortfalls and many changes in services
provided by Texas government, in addition to the local funding cuts and a
sluggish economy that has affected each of us on a personal level.
We've all been challenged in many ways, the TexShare program included.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission and TexShare member
libraries have met the challenge. TexShare libraries have collaborated with
TSLAC to develop a strategy that protects the integrity of the TexShare
database program through the 2004-2005 biennium. Through your direct
feedback and your representation on the TexShare Task Force on Database
Fees, the TexShare Advisory Board, and the Electronic Information Working
Group, you've ensured a strong future for TexShare.
An important part of this strategy is implementation of a database fee
schedule. The Task Force on TexShare Database Fees has worked very hard to
develop a fee schedule for the upcoming year. We are instituting fees for
TexShare members during the fall of 2003 to help pay for database
subscriptions for the period of July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005. The
fees member libraries will pay in FY 2004 do NOT affect the current set of
databases that are available to librarians now. The Task Force on TexShare
Database Fees will continue to review the fee schedule and produce a
long-term fee schedule to be implemented in FY 2005. Please refer to the FAQ
appended to this message for more details on the fee schedules.
TexShare provides vital services to all Texans regardless of geographical
location, age, education, or financial status - now and in the future.
TexShare provides libraries with access to a greater pool of resources than
any single library would otherwise be able to provide. Because of the
partnerships forged by TexShare member libraries, more services reach a
greater number of Texans. We are committed to working with member libraries
to implement this fee schedule so that no library is left out. We encourage
members to work within their libraries and communities to continue their
support of the database component of TexShare.
While TexShare has become identified increasingly with the wealth of online
information made available through the databases, I urge you to remember
that the backbone of TexShare is the people-the librarians and library staff
members who are committed to interlibrary cooperation and resource sharing.
Our reliance on one another is our true strength.
My heart-felt thanks go to the members of the Task Force on TexShare
Database Fees, the TexShare Advisory Board, and the Electronic Information
Working Group. They faced difficult challenges and gave selflessly of their
time, energy, and expertise.
(FAQ also available online at
http://www.texshare.edu/generalinfo/about/feesfaq.html)
FAQ on TexShare Database Fees
How much will my library pay in fees?
A long-term fee schedule for TexShare member libraries has not yet been
developed.
Libraries will be invoiced in August to help pay for database subscriptions
for the period of Jul. 1, 2004, through Jun. 30, 2005, based on the
following interim fee schedule:
Group 1 = Academic and Research Libraries (ARL) $15,000
Group 2 = Population served over 1,000,000 (public);
Over 750,000 volumes or over 10,000 enrollment (academic - excluding ARL)
$13,000
Group 3 = Pop served 500,000 - 999,999 (public) $
11,000
Group 4 = Pop served 250,000 - 499,999 (public);
200,000-749,999 volumes or 5,001-9,999 enrollment (academic)
$ 8,500
Group 5 = Pop served 100,000 - 249,999 (public);
100,000 - 199,999 volumes or 2,001 - 5,000 enrollment (academic)
$ 6,500
Group 6 = Pop served 50,000 - 99,999 (public)
$ 4,500
Group 7 = Pop served 40,000 - 49,999 (public);
Under 100,000 volumes and 2,000 or less enrollment (academic);
health science lib. & lib. of clinical medicine
$ 2,500
Group 8 = Pop served 25,000 - 39,9999 (public)
$ 1,000
Group 9 = Pop served 12,000 - 24,999 (public)
$ 500
The fee schedule is also available via the TexShare Web site at
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/texsharefees.2004.html>.
Why is this an interim schedule?
The Task Force on TexShare Database Fees wants to review the following
information in looking at a future fee structure:
* Per capita income/budget for both academic and public libraries
* Population served and/or FTE number for both academic and public
libraries
* Effect of recent budget cuts in Texas State Library and Archives
Commission (TSLAC) programs that have traditionally supported public
libraries
How was this fee schedule determined?
In January 2003, at the request of the Legislative Budget Board, TSLAC took
a survey of a random, stratified sample of TexShare member libraries to help
determine the amount member libraries could be expected to pay in support of
the TexShare database program. (For survey results, see
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/feesurveyresults.html>.)
TexShare Advisory Board Chair Eva Poole appointed a task force to craft a
proposal for a fee schedule. Following is the task force charge:
A Task Force on TexShare Fees is formed in order that the
TexShare consortium
* Insures the continuation of the crucial TexShare
database service.
* Insures that responsibility for and access to the
TexShare databases is appropriately shared among TexShare member libraries.
The task force is charged with making recommendations to the
TexShare Advisory Board and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
in response to the following questions:
1) How much should TexShare member libraries be assessed in fees for
the TexShare database service if TSLAC is appropriated the full amount of
funding for that service as set forth in its revised FY04-05 LAR?
2) How much should TexShare member libraries be assessed in fees for
the TexShare database service if TSLAC is not appropriated any of the
general revenue - dedicated (TIF) funds requested in the FY04-05 LAR?
3) How should these assessments be shared among TexShare member
libraries of various types and sizes?
4) What are the options for collecting fees?
The task force reviewed a great deal of information, including:
* Information on Academic and Public library collections and
expenditures
* List price of major databases by library type and size
* Database use statistics by library type
* TSLAC budget information
* Past history of database fees
* Recommendations of Task Force on Fees, FY2000
* Results of survey on fees
* Other states' multi-type database funding
Summaries of task force meetings were provided to the TexShare membership
using the TexShare electronic discussion lists and Web site.
(<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/taskforce.4.22.03.html>,
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/taskforce.5.05.03.html>,
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/taskforce.5.05.03.html>,
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/taskforce.7.07.03.html>)
The task force developed a draft fee schedule, which was sent to the
membership for comment on June 14, 2003. The comments that were received on
this draft were compiled and shared with the task force. At its subsequent
meeting on July 7, 2003, the task force voted to amend the fee schedule
slightly and issue it as an interim schedule. A long-term schedule would be
generated after additional review and deliberation. This recommendation was
approved by the TexShare Advisory Board at its July 9, 2003, meeting.
For a roster of members of the TexShare Task Force on Database Fees, go to
<http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/feestaskforce.html>.
For a roster of members of the TexShare Advisory Board, go to
<http://www.texshare.edu/memberinfo/advisoryboard/advisory2002.html>.
When will there be a new, long-term fee schedule?
A new, long-term schedule will be in place for fees to be collected next
year (invoices to go out in summer 2004).
When will TSLAC invoice libraries? When are payments due?
TSLAC will invoice libraries in late summer/early fall 2003. Every effort
will be made to send invoices in August to provide libraries with maximum
budgetary flexibility. All fee payments must be received by December 31,
2003, to allow the Electronic Information Working Group to finalize the
database choices for the period July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005.
What if I can't afford the fee assessed to me?
TSLAC hopes that libraries will explore as many options as possible for
funding to meet their fee assessments. Some potential sources for funds
include:
* Public library Loan Star Libraries grants
* Collection development money
* Money from Friends groups, donations, corporate sponsorships
However, if a library has explored all possible sources of funding and still
is unable to pay the fee assessed to them, there will be an appeals process
that may result in a library receiving a lower fee assessment or a waiver of
the fee assessment for this year.
What is the appeals process?
The process for appealing a fee amount has not yet been established. We will
include information on the process for requesting a lower fee or fee waiver
and the criteria for being granted a waiver or lower fee at the time
invoices are issued.
Why are academic libraries assessed based on volumes owned in addition to
enrollment?
Before TSLAC received a Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) grant
to expand the database program, academic libraries paid fees based on
volumes and FTEs in accordance with a tier structure that was recommended by
the TexShare advisory groups and formalized in administrative rule (13 TAC
8.3). At the time that this tier structure was established, the combination
of volumes and FTE count served to put libraries that had small enrollments,
but healthy income from tuition, foundations, and other sources on equal
footing with libraries that had large enrollments, but limited funding. The
task force will review this structure in light of the current economy in
generating a long-term fee structure.
How much revenue will be generated by this fee schedule?
This fee schedule will generate almost $1.5 million.
How does this compare with other sources of revenue for TexShare databases?
This $1.5 million supplements the $3 million in state funds from the
Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund assessment and $1 million in federal
LSTA funds that will go to the TexShare database program in FY 2004.
What databases will the fees buy?
The collection of fees this fall does not impact the databases currently
available to TexShare member libraries. For the current list of TexShare
databases (subscriptions running July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004), please refer
to <http://www.texshare.edu/programs/academicdb/databases2004.html>).
The combination of state money, federal money, and fees will support the
TexShare statewide core databases for the subscription period of July 1,
2004, through June 30, 2005. The Electronic Information Working Group will
make recommendations for next year's purchases. The working group has set
the following priorities:
EBSCO:
o Academic Search Premier
o Applied Science & Technology Abstracts* (all titles from
Applied Science & Technology Abstracts appear in other EBSCO files; back
files are not identical in coverage)
o Business Source Premier
o Computer Source: Consumer Edition
o Encyclopedia of Animals
o ERIC
o Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
o Health Source: Consumer Edition
o Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
o MaterFILE Premier
o MAS Ultra: School Edition
o Medline and MeSH
o Middle Search Plus
o Military Library Fulltext
o Newspaper Source
o Primary Search
o Professional Development Collection
o Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
o Regional Business News
o Religion & Philosophy Collection
o Sociological Collection
o TopicSearch
GALE:
o InfoTrac Newspapers
o Biography and Genealogy Master Index
o Business and Company Resource Center
o Health Reference Center Academic
o Health and Wellness Resource Center
o Informe
o Literature Resource Center - LRC (Contemporary Authors,
Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, Dictionary of Literary Biography)
o Student Resource Center - Gold
o Texas Almanac
o What Do I Read Next?
OCLC:
o OCLC ArticleFirst
o OCLC Electronic Collections Online (A&I)
o OCLC Union List of Periodicals
o OCLC PapersFirst
o OCLC ProceedingsFirst
o OCLC World Cat
o ERIC
o GPO Monthly Catalog
o MEDLINE
o World Almanac
I need more information. Who can I contact?
Contact Ann Mason, TexShare Coordinator, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
512-463-0188.
Beverley Shirley, Division Director
Library Resource Sharing
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
(512) 463-5433 FAX (512) 936-2306
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
