Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Austin, TX – The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has announced the release of a series of videos highlighting the work Texas public libraries are doing to advance digital opportunity statewide. The videos are available to view on the TSLAC YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/tslac, and show the many ways that libraries are critical community drivers of digital literacy, skills and access, as documented in TSLAC’s 2023 report, Texas Public Libraries: Serving Communities to Enhance Digital Literacy.

TSLAC traveled more than 2,000 miles across Texas to meet with librarians, support staff, volunteers, community partners and the people they serve. The resulting video project explores the depth and breadth of library resources in this key area, from hands-on training in crucial software skills to the importance of investment by municipal and county authorities.

“Libraries have a great opportunity right now to provide information from a digital standpoint,” said Judge Mike Campbell, Clay County Judge. “To me, the library is critical—even in Clay County, where there are only 10,230 of us, and we cover 1,100 square miles. In a perfect world, we’d have a library in every community; a public library is critical for public discourse, and it’s critical for public education.”

The first four videos, released June 24, focus on Maud Public Library (serving a community of 975 people), El Paso Public Libraries (nearly 700,000), Edwards Public Library in Henrietta (10,000) and Plano Public Library (more than 280,000), with additional videos to follow over the coming weeks.

The transformational projects featured at these four diverse libraries include:

• Maud Public Library provides comprehensive digital programs, including not only internet access and free WiFi for this population of less than one thousand in rural Bowie County, but also one-on-one assistance with accessing government and community services for students, parents, veterans, entrepreneurs, job seekers and more. One librarian oversees a staff of dedicated daily volunteers who provide vital services to the small community, including basic to advanced computer literacy, classes for senior citizens, telehealth and online application instruction, research assistance, laptop and hotspot lending, graphic design tablets, weekly youth programs and technology support for public and home school students, printing services and a community 3D printer.
• El Paso Public Libraries and the EPPL Literacy Center, which opened in 1989 in a branch location and will soon reopen in a new, dedicated downtown facility at the renovated Main Library, provides bilingual digital literacy education, computer classes, software and job training, small business and employment resources, English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, citizenship classes, General Educational Diploma (GED) classes, volunteer opportunities and social services while serving as a hub for community engagement.
• Edwards Public Library in Henrietta is an example of the benefit of having strong digital literacy leadership and dedicated advocacy by a prominent local elected official. This collaboration has led to improved technology access and education for the whole county, including encouraging staff to apply for grants to acquire more digital resources, speaking in favor of the library’s efforts before the commissioners’ court, searching for instructors, securing laptops for computer classes, helping the library to obtain its own internet connection and polling the community to learn about its internet needs.
• Plano Public Library excels in the area of partnerships to increase digital literacy, using a staff pool to meet programmatic and site needs. Digital literacy services are provided through community programs with both local nonprofit organizations and corporate partners, balancing the needs of varied user groups, including ESL learners, older adults, teens, adults and seniors, and offering training programs on software, 3D modeling and printing, database use and research skills, small business creation and development, job readiness and employment, cloud tools, social media and more. Many participants in these digital training programs obtain library cards and become regular patrons.

“Digital literacy is all the technology that we’ve seen advance within the last 25 years or so,” said Armando Salais, Library Information Specialist at the El Paso Public Library. “There has been a divide between those who have access to technology and those who don’t, which has created a need to teach people how to use digital equipment, digital programs and everything that has gone virtual. We are striving to make sure no one in our community is left behind.”

TSLAC’s Library Development and Networking division works to support the ongoing investment in broadband expansion by State of Texas alongside the Broadband Development Office (BDO) at the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Texas Legislature has appropriated $1.5 billion, with an additional $3.3 billion from federal sources. Meanwhile, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Digital Equity Act (DEA) of 2021 funds projects that ensure Texas residents and communities have the technology and training needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy. The BDO has been allocated $55.6 million for statewide digital equity capacity grants designed to increase availability and affordability of access to broadband technology, digital literacy, cybersecurity, consumer devices and technical support, with TSLAC as a named partner.

These are some of the ways the State of Texas is working to implement multiple programs across various agencies to administer these funds toward programs that fund research and data collection, digital literacy training and workforce development across all sectors and levels of employment, infrastructure and digital access projects including installation of and upgrades to high-speed internet and community partnerships, including with the private sector.

Watch the videos now at www.youtube.com/tslac.

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The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to the information they need to be informed, productive citizens by preserving the archival record of Texas; enhancing the service capacity of public, academic and school libraries; assisting public agencies in the maintenance of their records; and meeting the reading needs of Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.