Tex Share - History

History

The idea of a statewide resource sharing project in Texas was first proposed by Texas academic library directors in 1988. The original group of TexShare members consisted of 53 publicly supported four year academic and medical libraries, with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board providing funds starting in fiscal year 1994.

The beginning years of TexShare were devoted to planning and starting cooperative resource sharing initiatives such as funding for Internet connectivity and interlibrary loan workstations, creating protocols, leveraging costs for online resources, fostering a statewide library card program, and offering grants. Administrative duties were contracted out to Amigos Library Services and the University of Texas at Austin.

Between 1997 and 1999, legislative statute expanded TexShare membership to include independent academic institutions, community colleges, and public libraries. In 1999 the Texas State Library and Archives Commission assumed full administrative responsibility for TexShare, with Amigos and University of Texas at Austin continuing to provide vital logistical and technical support as Strategic Partners. Legislative statute again expanded TexShare membership in 2001 to include libraries of clinical medicine, and in 2005, another legislative statute granted the Texas State Library and Archives Commission authority to negotiate group purchasing agreements on behalf of Texas K-12 public school libraries.