Texas A&M Health Science Center Alliance of Libraries
Mission Statement
To assure information access for all Texas A&M University System Health Science Center affiliated students, faculty and staff, as well as the librarians serving them.
Goal Statements
Identity
The Alliance will be recognized by the TAMUS-HSC administration and by the individual component institutions and their clients as the group responsible for making a comprehensive array of information resources easily accessible to all individuals in the participating institutions.
Consistency of Service
Excellent service to users underlies all the efforts of the Alliance. The members will regularly evaluate services within the individual libraries according to standards established by the Alliance to ensure consistency in the level of services provided across the Alliance. The meetings of the Alliance will systematically provide opportunities for discussion of new and desired service initiatives.
Resource Sharing
The resources owned by the libraries of the Alliance will be available to all those in the component institutions for direct loan to individuals, through interlibrary loan or by other means. Some restrictions may apply to accommodate the needs of each library's primary institution. Reciprocal interlibrary loan agreements among the member institutions will provide transfer of documents without charge for most transactions.
License Agreements
Electronic access to databases, full text journals, and other information resources that have significant value to most of the TAMUS-HSC institutions will be made available to all. When access is not provided through institutional, multi-institutional, or other consortial agreements, the Alliance of TAMUS-HSC Libraries will seek ways to add HSC institutions onto existing licenses or negotiate new HSC-wide licenses. The goal is access, not a uniform route to achieve that goal.
Links to IT Departments
Participating libraries will develop and maintain a strong connection with their respective institution's Information Technology department to ensure technical support for any shared resources. The Alliance will develop an infrastructure by which IT professionals from participating institutions can communicate regarding library-related IT issues. Possibilities include developing a discussion list and inviting IT professionals to Alliance meetings.
Uniform Access to Library Systems and Electronic Resources
The Alliance of TAMUS-HSC Libraries will seek ways of providing uniform access to the library systems and shared electronic resources of the group. This will be most readily accomplished through a cooperative effort among the web services staff of each library/institution. Whenever feasible, the infrastructure of HSC-affiliated networks will be "seamless" to users. Ideally, the address books and resources of member institutions will be accessible to all, with limits to use based on necessary security restrictions and local licensing agreements.
Educational Program Coordination
Alliance members will share information about educational programs and collaborate on the development of educational programs when such collaboration benefits members. The development of distance education programs will offer increased opportunities for the member libraries to coordinate efforts, and Alliance members will monitor the development of these programs.
Funding
The Alliance will use its collective bargaining power to seek and obtain funding to support joint initiatives that will benefit the members and their users. Fundraising activities of the Alliance will not conflict with similar activities sponsored by the agencies and institutions with which the member libraries are affiliated.
Faculty and Staff Development
The Alliance of TAMUS-HSC Libraries will seek to provide staff and faculty development opportunities that are inclusive of the entire group.
