Texas Digital Library fosters a community of library and archives workers that support each other, their
institutions, and the mission of TDL. We support collaboration amongst community members through
coordination of various types of groups.

This policy defines types of groups that TDL convenes and supports; it also documents practices and
procedures that:

• Make this coordination work sustainable for TDL staff;

• Set expectations of TDL support levels for different types of groups; and

• Establish membership policies that clarify the value of this work for TDL Members, while creating opportunities for participation for non-members and potential members.

On this page:

Summary of Group Types

 Group Policies and Procedures

User Groups

User Groups convene users of a particular TDL service or associated technology for the purposes of mutual support, open communication between TDL and its users, and input on future development.

User Groups are chaired by a member of the TDL Community. A TDL Staff member (typically the relevant TDL Service Manager) serves as a liaison and co-facilitator.

Membership in User Groups 

• All TDL User Groups are open to any individuals from TDL’s Regular Member institutions. 

• Affiliate members are eligible to join the user group that is aligned with the service to which they are subscribed.

• Chairs of User Groups must be from a TDL Regular Member institution or Affiliate Member subscribed to the relevant service.

• User Groups may choose to invite others to participate in User Group activities, with TDL approval.

Meetings and Activities

User Groups should meet at least once per year, either in person or virtually. Most user groups meet more frequently, either monthly or quarterly.

Meetings should at minimum provide opportunities for:

• Updates from TDL about the service

• Open time for:

  • Discussion about issues/questions

  • Sharing resources, success stories, tips & tricks, etc.

  • Institutional or community announcements

User Groups may commission Working Groups to accomplish specific work on behalf of the consortium. For example, a User Group may charge a working group with conducting a survey, developing requirements for new development, creating a shared resource, or assessing the success of the service. User Group Meeting should allow time for reports from relevant working groups when necessary.

Chair responsibilities

• Set and share out meeting agendas and preside at meetings.

• Share minutes and/or other resources with TDL and the community

• Promote engagement and foster an inclusive meeting experience.

• Work with TDL to identify priorities for the service and user group.

• Work with TDL to commission working groups or committees and to recruit individuals to serve on working groups and committees.

• Provide an annual report of the group’s activities to the TDL board. (ANNUAL REPORT TEMPLATE)

TDL responsibilities

• Ensure appointment of chair

• Assign a TDL staff co-facilitator to the group, typically the person designated as Service Manager for the relevant TDL service

• Maintain calendar invitations for meetings and/or set up Zoom meetings

• Allow time at the TCDL annual conference for an in person user group meeting if requested

• Work with chair to determine and guide work of the User Group.

Continuation and Dissolution of a User Group

User Groups are permanent groups within TDL. Under rare circumstances, TDL may choose to dissolve a group: for example, if the consortium ceases to provide the service associated with the group, or no longer has the resources to provide support and coordination for the group.

Working Groups

Working Groups are formed and charged by TDL with accomplishing defined tasks or projects. 

Working Groups may form within User Groups at the direction of the community, or TDL may commission a working outside of a User Group to take on a project.

Membership in Working Groups

Working Groups are commissioned by TDL and membership is open to individuals from TDL member institutions (Regular or Affiliate). The method of determining membership (open call, by invitation, etc.) varies depending on the needs of the Working Group. TDL may at its discretion invite individuals outside of the TDL membership to serve on working Groups.

Continuation and Dissolution of a Working Group

Working Groups are ad hoc groups that form for a specific purpose or project and dissolve when the project is completed. The term of the commitment made by Working Group members should be outlined clearly in the Working Group’s charge and objective.

TDL may extend the existence of Working Groups beyond their initial term in order to complete the work of the group. Members will have the opportunity at that time to renew their commitment or roll off the group.

Meetings 

Working Groups should meet as often as needed to accomplish the objectives set out in the initial charge and objectives of the group.

Chair responsibilities

• Make arrangements for meetings and notify members of date, time and place of meeting(s), in collaboration with TDL.

• Use the working group’s charge and objectives to guide work of group

• Determine work plan to complete project.

• Set and share out meeting agendas and preside at meetings.

• Delegate responsibilities to working group members.

• Share minutes and/or other resources with TDL and the community.

• Involve all members in decision making.

• Foster an inclusive meeting experience.

• Serve as point of contact for TDL staff.

• Report work of committee to TDL as needed.

• Provide annual report on the Committee’s activities to TDL. (ANNUAL REPORT TEMPLATE)

TDL responsibilities

• Determine a clear and realistic charge for the group.

• Ensure appointment of chair.

• Assign a TDL staff liaison to the group.

• Maintain calendar invitations for meetings and/or set up Zoom meetings if needed.

Committees

Committees are established by TDL’s board and/or executive leadership to address specific needs of the consortium. Many TDL Committees are defined in the TDL Bylaws (e.g. Conference Committee, Executive Committee).

TDL has several standing committees -- the Conference Committee; the Vireo Users Group Steering Committee, and the TDL Executive Committee. A TDL Awards Committee operates as a subcommittee of the Conference Committee. 

Formation and membership 

Members are invited by TDL to serve on committees. By default, Committee membership is open to individuals from TDL member institutions (Regular or Affiliate). TDL may choose to invite non-members to serve on Committees.

Chair responsibilities

• Make arrangements for meetings and notify members of date, time and place of meeting(s), in collaboration with TDL.

• Use the working group’s charge and objectives to guide work of group.

• Determine work plan to complete project.

• Set agendas and preside at meetings.

• Delegate responsibilities to working group members.

• Share minutes and/or other resources with TDL and the community.

• Involve all members in decision making.

• Serve as point of contact for TDL staff.

• Report work of committee to TDL as needed.

• Provide annual report on the Committee’s activities to TDL. (ANNUAL REPORT TEMPLATE)

TDL Responsibilities

• Articulate a clear and realistic charge for each committee, and provide strategic oversight of its work.

• Ensure the appointment of a chair and other officers if needed.

• Assign at least one TDL staff liaison to the group, who will attend meetings and assist the committee’s work.

• Work with chair to determine and guide the work of the Committee.

• Maintain calendar invitations for meetings and/or set up Zoom meetings if needed.

Interest Groups

Interest Groups are community-organized and community-led groups that gather members around particular affinities, professional roles, or topics of interest. 

Forming an Interest Group

Any TDL member can propose an Interest Group, and the group can define its own membership and governance, within the guidelines described here.

To form a new Interest Group, the member should do the following: 

• identify a central topic which does not duplicate the focus of an existing TDL interest group, and which is relevant to the TDL’s work and mission; 

• formulate a founding statement that explains the goals of the group and any requirements for membership;

• establish a membership list that includes people from a minimum of three (3) TDL member institutions (Regular or Affiliate); 

  • By default, Interest Groups have open membership (i.e. membership in TDL is not required to participate, except in the role of chair or vice chair). However, interest groups may establish alternate membership models with TDL approval.

• select a name for the group that reflects the central focus;

• identify a chair for the proposed group;

  • Note: Group Chairs must come from a TDL member institution.

• outline any exceptional requests for TDL support; 

  • Please note that TDL may not be able to provide support beyond what is outlined in “TDL Support for Interest Groups” section below. 

• agree to adhere to TDL’s Community Agreement;

• complete and submit a web form that includes the information described above.

Review and approval of new Interest Groups

• TDL staff review petitions and present them to the TDL Executive Committee regularly for approval. Members who submit a petition should expect this review process to take approximately 3 months from the time of submission. Approval is based on (1) adherence to the criteria outlined in this policy and (2) availability of TDL Resources to adequately support the group.

• New Groups are commissioned initially for a term of one year.

Continuation and Dissolution of a Group

Interest Groups may request renewal for subsequent one-year terms by contacting TDL. To continue as an Interest Group, it must remain active throughout the year. Interest groups will automatically dissolve if no renewal request has been submitted and approved for 3 continuous years or if there is no activity in the group for 3 years.

TDL may dissolve an Interest Group at any time, if it appears that it no longer serves a need.

Interest Group Meetings & Activities

• Should meet at least once yearly at (or around) TCDL to hold business meeting and elect officer(s)

• Can meet other times of year as needed by the group

• Can propose a session at TCDL. If approved, the session will be noted in the program as from a TDL-sponsored group.

• Meeting minutes should be kept and shared openly.

• Groups are asked to submit a report to TDL annually  to be shared at the Member Board meeting held in September. (ANNUAL REPORT TEMPLATE)

• Create and submit a charter that includes group charge and rules for officer selection and succession. Charter should be submitted to TDL for inclusion in TDL Wiki.

• All Interest Groups must adhere to TDL’s Community Agreement and Code of Conduct.

Interest Group Chair Responsibilities

Each interest group shall have at least a chair. Other options include, but are not limited to, use of co-chairs (with overlapping or successive terms) or use of a chair and vice-chair officers, again with overlapping or successive terms. Officers will be elected at the annual business meeting for a term of one year. 

The chair will:

• Coordinate activities of the interest group

• Provide group and meeting information to TDL for promotion

• Schedule meetings (in consultation with TDL to avoid conflicts)

• Set agendas and preside at meetings

• Share minutes and/or other resources with TDL and the community

• Ensure the annual selection of officers, and report the names of those officers to TDL

• Serve as point of contact with TDL staff

• Submit a report on the group’s activities annually (ANNUAL REPORT TEMPLATE)

TDL Support for Interest Groups

TDL will support Interest Groups in the following ways:

• Make available the collaboration tools in the list below

• Send out calendar invitations for meetings and/or set up Zoom registration if required

  • All Zoom links for interest groups will have a passcode with no waiting room so that groups may start the meeting without a TDL/UT host required to be present

• Promote meetings in TDL communications and on website (based on information provided to us by the Group Chair)

• Have a TDL representative in attendance at meetings when possible

Available Collaboration Tools and Support

These tools are provided by TDL to Interest Groups upon request:

• Zoom meeting room link with passcode

• TDL Community Slack

• Confluence wiki

• TDL Institutional Repository

• Shared Google folder for collecting minutes/resources

• Listserv (via UT Lists)

• TDL Members email list

• Github (requires TDL approval)