GIS Interest Group Charter

Owned by Lea DeForest (Unlicensed)
Last updated: May 12, 2023 by GISIG
3 min read

MISSION

TDL’s GIS Interest Group (GISIG) seeks to support a Community of Practice around geographic information systems (GIS) and serve as a source of expertise for all consortium members.

MEMBERSHIP

The GIS Interest Group is open to all non-commercial parties who would like to learn, contribute to, or discuss GIS. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All chair, vice chair, and subcommittee chair roles are open to GISIG members who are affiliates of TDL member institutions. For the initial full calendar year, 2021, the original group organizer will serve as chair. The vice chair will be selected through a process of nomination and election by members of the GISIG. Once elected, the vice chair will be expected to serve for a full calendar year as vice chair before officially assuming the chair role for the following calendar year. The present chair will step down from their role at the end of the calendar year to yield the position to the vice chair. If a vice chair is unable to continue in their role, the procedure for selecting a new vice chair for the remainder of the current calendar year will be determined by the chair. Elections to determine the vice chair for the upcoming calendar year will be held in the fall semester of the preceding year. The vice chair election will require a quorum of four TDL member institutions. 

Subcommittee chairs will be selected for each calendar year by members of the corresponding subcommittee. If a subcommittee chair is unable to continue in their role, the members of the subcommittee can elect a new chair.

 

The chair will:

  • Set regular GISIG meetings and establish meeting agendas

  • Lead GISIG meetings

  • Guide the Interest Group in determining priorities/projects/initiatives for the year

  • Ensure tasks have been assigned to relevant subcommittees

  • Facilitate communication within the GISIG through email as necessary for the establishment and/or completion of initiatives

  • Act as a liaison between the GISIG and the Texas Digital Library

  • Submit a report on the group’s activities annually

  • Be the point of contact for GISIG members for the purpose of inquiries, adding agenda items to planning committee meetings, suggestions, and other issues

  • Mentor and advise the vice chair to prepare them for serving in the chair role

 

The vice chair will:

  • Take on responsibilities of chair if chair is unavailable for any reason

  • Record and publish meeting minutes

  • Organize process of electing next incoming vice chair

  • Follow-up with subcommittee chairs to ensure that subcommittee tasks have been completed

 

Subcommittee chairs will:

  • Set regular GISIG subcommittee meetings and establish meeting agendas

  • Lead GISIG subcommittee meetings

  • Report about subcommittee progress at each GISIG meeting

  • Ensure that meeting minutes are recorded and published

  • Create and maintain subcommittee documentation

 

Subcommittee members will:

  • Regularly attend subcommittee meetings and participate in subcommittee tasks

 

GISIG members will:

  • Attend and participate in regular GISIG meetings as set up by the chair and vice chair

  • Help determine priorities/projects/initiatives for the year

  • Sign up for and accept subcommittee tasks as they are able and complete those tasks in a timely manner

  • Communicate and respond to communications with the GISIG chair and vice chair through email as necessary for the establishment and/or completion of initiatives

 

TDL will support the GISIG in the following ways:

  • Make available collaboration tools such as Zoom meeting links, TDL Community Slack, Confluence wiki, Listserv via UT Lists

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

  • Promote meetings in TDL communications and on website (based on information provided by the chair)

  • Have a TDL representative in attendance at meetings when possible

SUBCOMMITTEES

  • Survey & Outreach

    • Creates and maintains a survey and dashboard of the GIS environment in Texas academic libraries and develops outreach strategies to assist with recruiting new members

  • Events & Social Planning

    • Organizes regular GIS events (webinars, GIS Day events, social events, etc.)

  • Data Collaboration

    • Coordinates geospatial data sharing initiatives among TDL member institutions

SERVICE & INITIATIVES

  • Attend monthly meetings (virtual).

  • Subcommittees meet separately and report back to the main group.

  • Support TDL members with GIS questions and training.

  • Create shared resources.

  • Report back to TDL consortium, partners, and GIS communities in Texas.

CHARTER AMENDMENTS

The charter will be reviewed annually during a GISIG meeting in the fall semester to discuss and vote on amendments to the document. At any time members may propose amendments to the charter during a regularly scheduled meeting. Any proposed amendment will be discussed, voted on, and approved with a majority vote of those in attendance. 

 

 

Charter established and ratified: 1/27/2021

Last review date: 3/24/2023

Contact Texas Digital Library with any questions or suggestions at info@tdl.org.