Education and Outreach
Join us in celebrating 250 years of the United States with a Texas twist throughout 2026
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Introduction Video – Coming soon!
Texas America250 through 2026
Group Tours
Interested in a guided tour of the Texas State Library and Archives? We are happy to arrange a tour for your group. The standard group tour is a 45-minute to one-hour walk through our public service areas, the lobby exhibit, and a behind-the-scenes view of the closed stacks. Tours provide an overview of the collections and services available from the Archives and Information Services Division and may highlight specific subjects by request. Please allow a two-week lead for preferred dates. For more information about tours at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library building in Austin, click on the link below.
Education
The Archives and Information Services Division at TSLAC offers presentations and resources suitable for teaching and learning about history. Follow the links below for online resources.
Educator Resources (K–12):
Primary Resources Online
Texas documents
Themed exhibits
Texas Digital Archive
Online collections
National History Day/Texas History Day:
Educators and students may find TSLAC’s resources helpful for National History Day (NHD) research projects. Each year, reference staff compile a list of collections related to the NHD’s annual theme and makes these available online at the link below. Feel free to link to our site!
Class Visits
The Education Outreach Coordinator will visit your classroom in person (Austin area) or virtually and speak with your students about archives, Texas history topics revealed through primary sources, how to access State Archives collections and resources remotely, what to expect on a research visit, and more. Consult with the Education Outreach Coordinator to design your visit.
Class visit topic examples:
Texas Revolution
World War I
New Deal
- For questions about class visits or education resources, email: ARIS Education and Outreach Coordinator
Exhibits
Visit free exhibits on display in the lobby of the Lorenzo de Zavala Archives and Library building Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibits are related to Texas history and highlight select items pulled from the State Archives and Library collections. Recent exhibit themes have included Texas foods, major headlines from the state, and interesting artifacts. The lobby also features a mural depicting Texas history on view any time the building is open. Find out what is currently on display and view past exhibits at the links below.
Lorenzo de Zavala Lobby
Online Exhibits
Texas Moves Toward Statehood – lobby mural
Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center Museum (Liberty)
Traveling Exhibits – Texas America250
- For questions about TSLAC exhibits, contact: ARIS Education and Outreach Coordinator
Research Resources
Reference librarians and archivists at the State Archives offer helpful guides and access points to search the collections at TSLAC online and will also assist patrons via email at ref@tsl.texas.gov, telephone at 512-463-5455, and in person in our reading rooms. See Before You Visit for more information.
- Sign up for TSLAC scholar updates: ARIS Education and Outreach Coordinator
Helpful links for researchers:
Topical Research Guides: Common Research Topics
Digital Resources Online: Find digital versions of original materials housed in the library and archives collections.
Reference Tools: Search catalogs, indexes and guides that describe library and archives holdings. Some tools may include digital versions of original materials.
Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO): Search finding aids across participating Texas repositories, including TSLAC.
Research Webinars: presentations on researching a variety of topics and formats at TSLAC, such as newspapers, military records, family history, and more. Recordings are also available on the Archives and Information Services playlist on the TSLAC YouTube channel.
Research Projects:
- Transcribe documents from the State Archives
Volunteer to transcribe documents from our collections and make them available online for researchers through our partnerships with From the Page. Visit the TSLAC section for more information: https://www.fromthepage.com/tslac
Research Fellowships:
TSLAC Research Fellowship in Texas History: The Texas State Library and Archives Commission Research Fellowship in Texas History is awarded annually for the best research proposal utilizing collections of the State Archives in Austin. Funded by the Texas Library and Archives Foundation, the award amount is $2000 for research to be conducted on site during the award year. For more information, click on the link below.
Programs and Events
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission divisions offer programs and events online and in person throughout the year. Keep up with the activities by subscribing to the TSLAC events newsletter or checking the calendar on our website.
Calendar of Events
TSLAC events email list – subscribe
Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center (Liberty) – subscribe
Publications and Social Media
Learn more about our historical collections, services, and programs through bimonthly articles in Out of the Stacks, in addition to regular posts on social media. Subscribe to receive Out of the Stacks articles via email and check the link on the top of the TSLAC homepage to find the blogs and more online. Find more information about our work through blogs, videos, social media, and various brochures. Curious about publications that reflect research conducted at the State Archives? Current lists are available through the library catalog.
Out of the Stacks (blog)
Brochures (pdfs)
Videos (YouTube)
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram)
Titles citing the State Archives (library catalog)