Galveston Bay Information Center Vision, Mission, and Goals

VISION: Collect, organize, preserve and make available any information pertaining to Galveston Bay, watershed and coastal region.

MISSION: The Galveston Bay Information Center's (GBIC) mission is to serve as a repository for information and as a resource for research on Galveston Bay, its watershed, and the coastal region for all members of the Galveston Bay Community and anyone interested in the coastal community. GBIC provides a clearinghouse for information about this vital resource.

GOALS:

1) Customer Service - Provide high quality and timely assistance to anyone trying to find information on Galveston Bay via our physical collection, self-service on our web site, or by providing educated staff to assist them.

1.1 Maintain trained professional staff

Actions

a) Hire needed staff
b) Designate backup for critical positions
c) Assign secondary responsibility for each position
d) GIS and ARCIMS training for system administrator

1.2 Establish and maintain standards

Actions

a) Scan new documents in searchable format whenever possible (OCR)
b) Respond to Requests for Information in 5 days or less

• Train new workers in this process
• Keep paper record that goes into file system of new requests, pending requests, and complete requests
• File completed requests in appropriate topic binder
• Keep example responses and common questions on file
• Enter completed requests into Excel chart by quarterly period
  

1.3 Web site

Actions

a) Provide local search capabilities via FrontPage or other suitable search engine
(b) Convert all internal absolute links to relative to provide portability
(c) Repair / remove dead links
• check & repair regularly (~once/week)
d) Design new sites to be easily portable (via relative coding of internal links)
(e) Annual web site update (homepage, organization, etc.)

2) Information Storage (In Traditional and Electronic Format) – Make accessible or obtain, catalog, preserve and make available all relevant information on Galveston Bay.

2.1 Develop and implement process for publications

Actions

a) Organize process for new documents

• Decide if needed in collection
• Create worksheet
• Accession number
• Make original
• Create electronic reference
• Proof
• Post to database
• Decide if needed in library collection
• OCLC record
b) Document process
c) Train all appropriate personnel
• Library training

2.2 Process publications in a timely manner

Actions

a) Determine process to deal with existing backlog
• Organize backlog
• Schedule & process
b) Consider outsourcing scanning / OCR to College Station
• Quality
• Cost

2.3 Actively search for new material

Actions

a) Electronic searches via internet, list-servers, newsletters, etc.

• HGAC newsletter
• Government websites (like EPA, GLO, etc.)
• Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN)
b) Paper searches via reference searches, journals, etc.
c) Communication with Galveston Bay partners

3) Expand Services – Identify new ways to serve by providing additional information, services, and serving new needs and groups related to our core mission. Utilize existing and new services to provide a broader and more solid funding base for GBIC.

3.1 Hire full time director focused on providing new services / funding sources

3.2 Establish GIS server and expertise


Actions

a) GIS training for system administrator
b) ARC-INFO training for system administrator
c) Load and test data in collaboration with Galveston Community Network
partnership
d) Investigate submitting or hosting metadata

• Submit to central clearing house
• Become local metadata node


3.3 Convert more holdings to searchable electronic format


Actions

(a) Obtain funding
(b) Select and convert materials
(c) Post to web and link materials

4) Promote Services – Educate groups that will gain benefit from GBIC information and services about GBIC's existence, information available and services offered.

4.1 Maintain involvement with Galveston Bay environmental affairs community

Actions

a) Calendar of events

• Peruse internet, email, and newsletters
• Post events on webpage
b) Attend appropriate conferences / meetings (~ 4 / quarter)

• Public Participation and Education
• Monitoring
• Natural Resource Uses
• Galveston Council
• State of the Bay
c) Promote GBIC
• Flyers, business cards, etc.
• Booth for presentations

4.2 Educate the general public

Actions

a) Attend public functions

• Trash Bash
• Bay Day
• Marsh Mania
• Moody Gardens

4.3 Educate K-16

Actions

a) School presentations
• Sea Camp
• Sea Campus Kids

4.4 Maintain a presence in academic research and activities

Actions

a) University classes
• College classroom presentations
• College field trips
b) Focus on Galveston Bay research
• Display unit in library
c) Present GBIC capabilities for classroom presentations to academic department meetings
d) GBIC host faculty luncheon to familiarize faculty with GBIC capabilities for classroom presentations
e) Present GBIC capabilities for classroom presentations at other Universities