Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Thursday, December 1, 2005 & Friday, December 2, 2005
Minutes

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) met on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Center of the Canyon of the Eagles, outside of Burnet, Texas for a strategic planning session.

Commissioners Present: Sandra J. Pickett
Sharon T. Carr
Diana Rae Hester Cox
Martha Doty Freeman
Cruz G. Hernandez
Sandra Holland

Commissioner Absent: Chris Brisack

Staff Present: Peggy D. Rudd, director and librarian
Edward Seidenberg, assistant state librarian
Manuel Alvarez, director, Information Resources Technologies
Beverley Shirley, director, Library Resource Sharing
Michael Heskett, director, State and Local Records Management
Ava Smith, director, Talking Book Program
Deborah Littrell, director, Library Development
Donna Osborne, director, Administrative Services
Chris LaPlante, director, Archives and Information Services
Erica McKewen, public information officer
Tracy Kuhn, executive assistant

Guests Present: Barry Bales, facilitator, LBJ School of Public Affairs
Joyce Sparks, facilitator, LBJ School of Public Affairs

The commission met with LBJ School of Public Affairs Facilitators Barry Bales and Joyce Sparks to discuss strategic directions for the agency. The morning work session included planning for increased agency relevance and vitality and to determine strategic directions and priorities for the next five years

Chairman Pickett said one of her primary goals for the end of the work session was to have strong points about TSLAC that can be used to get more recognition both inside and outside of Texas as a premier state library. It was decided to pursue discussion of the following four strategies:

1. TSLAC would have a grant program for state and local records.

2. We would help libraries fulfill their unique missions and be responsible to the changing needs of their communities.

3. TSLAC will lead in access, collaboration, preservation and innovation.

4. We would have the staff and financial resources to be proactive.

During the afternoon session, Ed Seidenberg reviewed the Sunset Review process for TSLAC and discussed the policy issues that other state agencies submitted. Policy issues were then brought up for review, discussion and planning purposes. These included discussion of combining the agency with other cultural state agencies, the licensing of librarians, new ways to assist public libraries, merging the Talking Book Program with a health and human services agency, the preservation of historical government records, assisting public school libraries, digitizing important historical documents, reviewing and modernizing the statutory language that enables the agency,

In the evening session, the group discussed new projects that included the Lorenzo de Zavala building renovation, fellowships for staff, how to tell the agency story to various audiences, doing outreach programs, and a campaign for Texas libraries

New services for the state library were discussed. Some suggestions were a “books on demand” program, serving school libraries, and creating a rotating collection of large print books for public libraries.

Chairman Pickett adjourned the planning session at 7:55 p.m.

Chairman Pickett reconvened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2005. The commission discussed disaster planning for the agency and the current regional depository system for records. Ed Seidenberg informed the commission that the Talking Book Program is on the verge of a technology shift that could free up some room at the Shoal Creek facility. However, the building has deficiencies that need to be corrected to protect the federal equipment and the Braille collection.

Chairman Pickett proposed that a study showing the economic impact that libraries have on their communities be done.

Commissioner Freeman discussed the possibility of creating an endowment for TSLAC. Other state libraries that have endowments were discussed. A subcommittee of Chairman Pickett, Commissioner Freeman, Director Rudd and the Texas Heritage Digitization Initiative Coordinator, Danielle Plumer, was formed and asked to report to the full commission at the next meeting, Feb. 13, 2006.

Sources of funding were discussed and strategies for creating a foundation and board.

Chairman Pickett adjourned the meeting at 11:50 a.m.

return to top