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2.9 The institution, through ownership or formal arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and faculty access and user privileges to adequate library collections as well as to other learning/information resources consistent with the degrees offered. These collections and resources are sufficient to support all its educational, research, and public service programs.

NARRATIVE/JUSTIFICATION FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

The institution, through ownership or formal arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and faculty access and user privileges to adequate library collections as well as to other learning/information resources consistent with the degrees offered. These collections and resources are sufficient to support all its educational, research, and public service programs.

Library Physical Facilities
The Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Killam Library comprises four floors of the east side of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library Building. There are over 42,000 square feet of public space, including lobbies, reference and instruction space, federal documents, microforms, periodicals, and special collections on the first floor; media, curriculum collection, juvenile collection, and Texas state documents on the second floor; general collection stacks, five group study rooms, and the Great Room (the library’s main reading room) on the third floor; and more general collection stacks and five more group study rooms on the fourth floor. There is seating space for 555 library users and 44 computer workstations available for public use. Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment is another support unit, including a writing lab and computer lab, which is located within the library, but the square footage, seating and computer figures cited above refer exclusively to the library.

Observation indicates that seating and workstations are sufficient for present needs. Over the last four years, an average of 58% of respondents on the annual library survey (Killam Library Institutional Questionnaire Results) have indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the number of computer workstations and printers (66% in the most recent survey). During the same time period, an average of 76.5% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with library organization and signage (78.5% in the most recent survey).

In the collections area detailed above, Killam Library contains over 27,000 linear feet of book shelving. On average, the bookshelves are filled to a little over 80% of maximum working capacity (treating 85.7% full as maximum working capacity). The General Collection (main stacks, third and fourth floors, 22,298 shelf-feet) is at approximately 82% of maximum working capacity, with space for a little more than 40,000 additional book volumes. The Special Collections room on the first floor (262 shelf-feet) is at approximately 80% of maximum working capacity, with space for fewer than 600 additional volumes. The Media Collection (second floor, 245 shelf-feet) is at approximately 84.5% of maximum working capacity. Other areas (reference, documents, periodicals, curriculum, and juvenile) have much more growth space.

The Killam Library can demonstrate how collections support the educational, research and public service programs of the university. Library collections can be compared to a peer group using the Standards for College Libraries 2000 Edition published by the Association of College and Research Libraries.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics Peer Comparison (NCES) the University’s Books, Serial Back files, Other Paper Materials per Person Enrolled (FTE) was 76.29, which is above the average of 73.01 reported by the 10 peer institutions. The peers, located in nine states, are all accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and are of similar size. Usage of the collection in comparison to peers is another indicator of support of the library for university programs.  According to NCES data the University’s 2002 Circulation Transactions (Including Reserves) per Person Enrolled (FTE) was 14.97, which is above the average 9.42 reported by the peer group with nine of the10 institutions in the peer group reporting circulation information.

Another means of determining the adequacy of the collection is to consider the distribution of holdings by academic area. The following table shows the portion of the print book title holdings that correspond directly to the academic departments, colleges, or school:

The table above is presented in much greater subject detail in the Killam Library Print Book Holdings by Academic Area.

Library acquisitions are linked to the educational and research programs by the materials budget allocation formula which determines the annual book and audio/visual budget for each academic department or college. The formula addresses research requirements by assigning greater weight to graduate semester credit hours. (Killam Library Book Budget Allocation Formula) The formula was developed and is reviewed periodically by the University Library Committee, which consists of faculty representing each academic department. Members of the University Library Committee are:

Due to the bilingual nature of the student body and community, the number of titles in Spanish is being reported to emphasize that over six percent of the collection directly supports the Spanish Language and Literature, Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies programs.

Another important means of determining adequacy of the collections to support university programs is by collecting library user opinion. On the most recent survey (Killam Library Institutional Questionnaire FY2002-2003), 80% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the library's book collection, 76% indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the library's periodicals collection, and 85% indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the library's electronic database collection.

Databases cover all disciplines taught at the University. Vendors and aggregators embed some databases into larger databases. Most databases provide access to the full text and image of relevant articles while others are indexes and abstracts. This is a very dynamic set of information and is constantly changing. The databases can be consulted online from an authenticated computer by visiting the Killam Library Alphabetical Database List page. Authentication for database access is automatic from on-campus computers. However, off-campus access, which is restricted to users affiliated with the university, requires a log-on to the library’s proxy server.

Related to the online databases are more than 8,000 electronic journals. Most articles in these journals are accessible in either full text and/or image. A listing of all journals available electronically is accessible through The Texas A&M University System Libraries Online Journals.

Given the fact that the contemporary library collection draws upon a complex set of support factors such as technology infrastructure, staffing, software licenses, subscriptions, and book acquisitions, it is helpful to look at the total library expenditures and staffing to determine if adequate resources are available to provide acceptable library support for university programs.

Total library expenditures at the University in 2002 were $1,903,002, which is 20% above the average of the ten SACS-accredited peer institutions.  In terms of Total Library Expenditures Per Person Enrolled (FTE), the University’s $701.44 was significantly better than the average as shown on the National Center for Education Statistics Peer Comparison (NCES) table.  These data from NCES demonstrate that, in terms of staff and budget, the Killam Library is well within the norm among its peers and indicate that it receives financial support necessary to achieve its mission.

Library User Access Privileges
Killam Library is open for service 84 hours per week during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Peer institutions’ libraries average 86.4 service hours per week, with a range of 81.5 to 90 hours per week, with one much larger institution at 115 hours per week. (Killam Library Comparison of Library Service Hours with Peer Institutions) On the most recent library survey, 73.4% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the library’s hours of service. All basic services (circulation, periodicals, and reference) are available during library hours of operation.

Students, faculty, and staff have full access to all online databases and user aids described above from within the library, any campus computer, and any off-campus computer authenticated through the proxy server. This includes access to all electronic books and all electronic full-text journals. All print materials in the Killam Library are in open stacks except for the Special Collections which can be accessed by anyone making a request at the Reference Desk. Circulating materials (books in the General Collection, Curriculum Collection, Juvenile Collection, and federal and Texas state documents) have a three-week check-out period for students and 120 days for faculty and staff. Media Collection materials are checked out only to faculty for a three day period, but may be viewed or heard on site using equipment in the Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment division. Reference and Special Collections materials cannot be checked out. On the most recent library survey, 83.5% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with Killam Library circulation periods. This information may be found in the Killam Library Institutional Questionnaire Results. Both the Killam Library Access Policy and the Killam Library Circulation Policy documents provide additional information regarding library user access privileges.

Inter-Library and Consortial Agreements
The Killam Library maintains arrangements with a number of other institutions and organizations to supplement the local collections.  According to calculations prepared with NCES data, the University Total Interlibrary Loans Provided per FTE enrollment in 2002 (0.673) compares favorably with the average of interlibrary loans provided per FTE among the ten SACS-accredited peer institutions of similar size selected for comparison in nine states (0.583). (National Center for Education Statistics Peer Comparison)

As a member of TexShare (TexShare Membership List), a state-wide cooperative program for academic and public libraries, the University participates in the following programs:

• TexShare Card Program - state-wide reciprocal borrowing for patrons at other participating libraries
• TexShare Database Program - consortial subscriptions to bibliographic and full-text or full-image databases
• TexShare Interlibrary Loan Program - promotes resource sharing using a common protocol and offers free reciprocal interlibrary loans, and supports using Ariel software to transmit requested material via the Internet or using courier service to expedite interlibrary loans
• TexPress Courier Service - provides five day-a-week pickup and delivery service to participating libraries and interfaces with the Trans-Amigos Express courier service of the Amigos Library Services at no additional charge to increase the service reach

The Library is also a full member of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) through its regional affiliate, Amigos Library Services. OCLC offers WorldCat (OCLC WorldCat Union Catalog), a worldwide union catalog of 52 million online records of bibliographic and ownership information created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 member institutions.  OCLC hosts an electronic interlibrary loan system (OCLC Interlibrary Loan) to facilitate borrowing among the member libraries. 

The Killam Library has signed special interlibrary loan agreements with the following organizations:

• Amigos Library Services
• Bibliographical Center for Research (BCR), another regional OCLC affiliate
• Libraries Very Interested in Sharing (LVIS), a national group of OCLC members

These agreements facilitate interlibrary loans by offering free services among participating institutions. The Killam Library has acquired perpetual access to thousands of ebooks by participating in Shared Resource Collections (SRCs) through the auspices of Amigos Library Services. The SRCs include cataloging records, which have been added to the local public access catalog with links to the online full text of the works.

The Killam Library cooperates with Texas A&M University (TAMU)  in College Station, Texas (Current Intrasystem Cooperation Contract) to subscribe to databases acquired collectively for participating libraries of The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS).  The Library also belongs to the TAMUS library automation group that shares an integrated library management system called Voyager.

The Killam Library also maintains a reciprocal borrowing agreement with the Yeary Library of Laredo Community College (Laredo Community College Library Cooperation Agreement). 

Other Learning and Information Resources
Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment (PASE) are academic support programs that have been physically and administratively organized so that students can access both advising and instructional support from a centralized location. Most of these academic support services are delivered on the second and third floor of the Killam Library. The PASE administrative and classified staff advise students for the Texas Success Initiative and the University Writing Assessment (UWA). (The University Writing Assessment Preparation Guide)

PASE includes six units: Writing Center, Center for Advancement of Scholastic Achievement (CASA), Testing & Computer Lab Center, TRIO Student Support Services Program, and General University which includes Developmental Studies and First Year Experience. All departments evaluate the use and effectiveness of their services. These are documented in PASE’s annual reports.

• The Writing Center, open 56 hours a week, supports the instructional goals of the academic programs by providing a variety of writing support services for both undergraduate and graduate students. These include individual and group tutoring, workshops, peer review sessions, literary events, and access to publications and resources (print and on-line). The Writing Center, located on the second floor of the Killam Library, also provides an inviting physical space where students can seek academic advising and preparation for the University Writing Assessment (UWA), a requirement for all undergraduate students. Assistance is available through the internet via the Writing Center’s web page. The Writing Center supports faculty as well through class presentations or writing resources for classroom projects. The Voices in the Monte Series, a writer’s speaker series, showcases national, state, and locally recognized writers who speak about their craft and provide support to University and community writers.
  
• The Center for Advancement of Scholastic Achievement (CASA), located on the second floor of the Killam Library, is open 62 hours a week. CASA supports the instructional goals of the academic programs by providing individual and group tutoring and workshops that support mathematics, sciences, social sciences, and other disciplines. CASA offers instructional material for test preparation and skill building in reading and mathematics in particular.
  


• The Testing Center, located on the second floor of the Killam Library, supports the academic programs by providing centralized testing services. These include the administration of national and state test offerings (GRE, TExES, THEA, COMPASS, CAAP, etc.) as well as local University-wide tests such as the University Writing Assessment and the Comprehensive Exam for the Masters programs. The PASE Computer Lab is open during library hours and is a drop-in student computer lab offering a wide array of software programs that support academic instruction.
  


• The TRIO Student Support Services Office manages a federal grant program that provides academic support for qualifying first generation, low-income, and disabled students. Individualized tutoring, academic and career counseling, and student development are some of the services provided. The TRIO office is located on the third floor of the Killam Library.
  


• The General University Department oversees developmental studies and first year experience classes as well as the administrative management of the Texas Success Initiative, the Texas state mandate related to college readiness. The University has a Developmental Education Plan which has been filed with the state and is available on PASE’s web page. This plan describes the course placement, advising, and instructional sequence for developmental studies. Faculty and administrative staff are located on the third floor of the Killam Library. Developmental Studies’ application for national accreditation through National Association of Developmental Education (NADE) is in process and should be finalized by 2005.
  


• The Language Proficiency Program manages the academic advising, testing, and evaluation of the University Writing Assessment (UWA) required of all undergraduate students. To meet this requirement, students must demonstrate competency through an argumentative essay taken after completion of their freshmen English core. Students have multiple opportunities to test and are encouraged to use the services of the Writing Center to prepare for the UWA. Academic support for preparation is also delivered through ENGL 3301, Writing for the Professions, which is offered through the Department of Language and Literature.

The University provides the following technological resources to support student learning:

• High-speed campus network with a 1 Gbps backbone and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet network with Internet access to every workstation on campus
• Access to the Texas A&M Trans Texas Videoconference Network to deliver and receive classes to and from any campus in The Texas A&M University System
• Wireless Internet access
• WebCT to support courses taught on a traditional schedule as well as distance education
• An extensive audio/visual and computer equipment inventory to enhance classroom instruction and student learning
• Email for Life provides all students and alumni with a lifetime university email account
• Network access from on-campus residential facilities
• Access to computer workstations organized under a variety of labs with extensive hours of operation

Library and information technology and resources are sufficient to provide the necessary services to the University community.

SOURCE	LOCATION/Special Instructions
Killam Library Institutional Questionnaire Results	http://library.tamiu.edu/info/KLIQ/
Killam Library Electronic Book (eBooks) Collection	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/eBOOKS_support.pdf
Standards for College Libraries 2000 Edition	http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/ standardscollegelibraries.htm
National Center for Education Statistics Peer Comparison	http://library.tamiu.edu/sacs/NCES_2002_data.pdf
Killam Library Print Book Holdings by Academic Area	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/holdings_by_academic_area.pdf
Killam Library Book Budget Allocation Formula	http://library.tamiu.edu/sacs/ Book_Budget_Allocation_Formula.pdf
Killam Library Institutional Questionnaire FY2002-2003	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/KLIQ_02-03.pdf
Killam Library Alphabetical Database List	http://library.tamiu.edu/dbases/
The Texas A&M University System Libraries Online Journals	http://metalib.tamu.edu:9003/tamus-e-collection/e-journals-TAMIU--.html
Killam Library Comparison of Library Service Hours with Peer Institutions	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/hours.pdf
Killam Library Access Policy	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/access_policies.pdf
Killam Library Circulation Policy	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/circ_policies.pdf
TexShare Membership List	http://www.texshare.edu/generalinfo/about/programst.html Upon successful connection with link scroll down the list of member libraries to Texas A&M International University and “yes” should appear in the fields of the record indicating program participation in Card Program, Interlibrary Loan, Courier Service and Databases program.
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Membership Record	http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries/default.htm Scroll down and find search block labeled “OCLC Symbol” and enter the letters TLS and hit the enter key to retrieve membership record for Texas A&M International University. NOTE: Multiple records will be retrieved including the record for Texas A&M International University.
OCLC WorldCat Union Catalog	http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/
OCLC Interlibrary Loan Program Description	http://www.oclc.org/ill/
Amigos Resource Sharing Agreement List of Signers	http://www.amigos.org/interlibraryloan/f9167.html#T Scroll down to find TLS in left column to locate the record for Texas A&M International University.
Amigos/BCR (Bibliographical Research Center) Reciprocal Interlibrary Loan Agreement List of Signers	http://www.amigos.org/interlibraryloan/abcr.html#T Scroll down to find TLS in left column to locate Texas A&M International University
Libraries Very Interested in Sharing (LVIS)	http://www.oclc.org/common/cgi-oclc/pi.pl?Submit3=Start+ Search&all=TEXAS+A%26M+INT+UNIV
Current Intrasystem Cooperation Contract	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/System_agreement.pdf
Laredo Community College Library Cooperation Agreement	http://library.tamiu.edu/SACS/LCC_agreement.pdf
Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment	http://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/
Texas Success Initiative	http://www.tamiu.edu/catalog/current/pase.shtml#tsi
The University Writing Assessment Preparation Guide	http://www.tamiu.edu/writingcenter/uwa.doc
The Writing Center	http://www.tamiu.edu/writingcenter/
The Center for Advancement of Scholastic Achievement (CASA)	http://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/casa/
The Testing Center	http://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/testing_center/
The TRIO Student Support Services Office	http://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/student_support_services/
Developmental Education Plan	http://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/general_university/developmental/
Email for Life	https://dusty.tamiu.edu/
Computer Workstations	http://www.tamiu.edu/archives/comp_stations.pdf

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