UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO LIBRARY SERVICES AND INFORMATION RESOURCES
The strength of a university as a community of scholars is
directly dependent upon the accessibility of scholarly information.
Scholars, both faculty and students, must have timely, convenient
access to a wide variety of information.
Information is obtainable in a variety of forms and from
numerous sources including traditional sources such as books,
journals, and audiovisual materials, and newer sources such
as electronic databases of bibliographic, full-text and image
documents.
UT System librarians envision a future in which faculty,
students, and staff can obtain the information they want,
when and where they want it, and in the format most appropriate
to their need, regardless of where that information is physically
located.
UT System librarians hold the philosophy that information
is a strategic asset for all academic institutions and should
be made available to all users as equitably as possible. Technology
is rapidly changing not only the way information is obtained
and disseminated, but also the way institutions must budget
for information resources. Every effort should be made to
resist shifting the burden of the cost to the individual user
as the first solution to managing available financial resources.
Each UT System library's primary responsibility is to its
local constituency. Cooperative activities among UT System
libraries and other Texas university libraries will leverage
the resources available to a level which individual libraries
could not achieve alone.
PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES
To achieve the goal of universal access for UT System libraries,
four major priorities have been identified:
- quality resources and services
- cooperative initiatives
- information technology/infrastructure
- funding
These four priorities emerge from a strong sense of shared
vision, building on past strengths, but looking forward to
new ventures.
1. QUALITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
Goal: Ensure the development of quality collections and
services appropriate to local program needs
Resource sharing and access are based on both locally owned
physical collections and remote electronic databases. Each
UT System library must define a service plan that responds
to the needs of its parent institution. The plan should include
basic levels of services and resources at each library.
Strategies:
Define basic levels of services and core collections
and identify methods for correcting deficiencies at each UT
System library
Provide incentives for UT System libraries to share
their combined resources and services to enrich the scholarly
environment for all UT System institutions
Facilitate the development of state, regional, national,
and international linkages for the sharing of resources and
services
Develop training, compensation, and incentive programs
for staff
Develop performance monitoring and evaluation system
to measure efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction
2. COOPERATIVE INITIATIVES
Goal: Plan the future development of all UT System libraries
within the framework of unified resources and services
UT System libraries have participated in a wide variety of
cooperative activities over the years to maximize resources.
These activities range from participation in national networks
to local consortia to specific arrangements between as few
as two libraries. These collaborative enterprises by UT System
libraries constitute a strong record of accomplishment and
provide an excellent foundation for system-wide library enhancement.
Strategies:
Enhance automated linkages between UT System libraries
and other major information service providers
Provide rapid access to and delivery of library
materials system-wide
Use automated collection analysis to determine relative
collection strengths and weaknesses
Participate in cooperative relationships with both
UT and non-UT System institutions that expand available resources,
especially for specialized disciplines such as the health
sciences
Participate in cooperative purchase and use of expensive
information resources
Adopt collaborative collection preservation activities
Improve professional staff recruitment and retention
system-wide
3. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/INFRASTRUCTURE
Goal: Enable libraries to connect to computer networks
and make use of their resources
A comprehensive library program must include a state-of-the-art
telecommunications network, infrastructure, connectivity,
and gateways in order to achieve its goal of universal access
to information. There is a serious need to prepare the technological
infrastructure to meet the needs that libraries will place
upon it. Support must be given to libraries to facilitate
the delivery of information in this rapidly changing environment.
Strategies:
Develop a methodology that allows UT System libraries
to influence technology decisions at their local institutions
Develop information technology policies, procedures,
and resources to support UT System-wide use of library resources,
both internal and external to the UT System
Adopt standards and guidelines to ensure necessary
connectivity among all UT System components
Develop a state-of-the-art telecommunications network
that is accessible from within each UT System campus
Establish research and development mechanisms to
continuously improve the infrastructure
Establish a method for recapitalization of equipment
4. FUNDING
Goal: Enhance funding for resources, services, and access
for all UT System libraries
All UT System libraries must have a dependable, ongoing,
and adequate source of funding to support the principle of
universal access to information. Cooperative inter-institutional
programs and new technologies will not reduce library expenditures,
nor will they eliminate the need for an increasing investment
in library resources. Cooperative inter-institutional programs
and new technology will ensure a maximum return on the investment
through vastly improved access to and utilization of library
resources throughout the System.
Strategies:
Index library funding to institutional education
and research budgets, taking into consideration the differences
among academic disciplines in publication volume, the cost
of materials, and service requirements
Seek development funds and endowments actively at
the local institution level to support the growth of library
collections, programs, services, and the development of library
staff skills
Allow flexibility in the use of budgets for the
"acquisition of services": rather than the "acquisition
of documents"
Provide funding at the UT System level to support
System and state-wide initiatives, such as the UT System libraries'
Electronic Reference Center File Server and Tex-Share
Establish institutional transaction fees for the
provision of specialized services and resources and allow
for these fees to be recoverable inter-institutionally
Establish the use of incidental fees for libraries
to ensure the continuation of library services vital to students
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