The results are in! Compare your internet speeds to other libraries across the state and see the year-over-year trends. The good news is—efforts like those by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) to increase library internet speeds in Texas public libraries are working, though there is still much work to be done. More than 600 libraries, mains and branches, participated in this year’s speed test (a record!) and Data and Project Coordinator Promise Madu has compiled the data and created a new interactive dashboard map to display the results.

Promise, part of the Library Digital Opportunity team (LDO) at TSLAC had this to say, “By monitoring the internet speed trend, public libraries can advocate for better broadband in efforts to improve access and bridge the digital divide among underserved patrons.”

High-speed internet is vital for libraries to provide quality digital literacy services to their patrons and communities. The new dashboard analyzes year-over-year analysis of internet speeds and what LDO discovered shows the promising trend that Internet speeds are trending upward overall, with about half of libraries meeting or exceeding the FCC benchmarks. The benchmark for small libraries, with a service population fewer than 50,000, is 100 Mbps download. For larger libraries (over 50,000 service population), the benchmark has been set to 1 Gbps download. While all regions in Texas are showing improvement, South Texas is leading the way in high speeds.

Despite the upward trends, it still means that around half of Texas public libraries are not meeting the lowest possible benchmark of connectivity they should be bringing to their community.

LDO recently introduced a new grant called LIFI (Library Infrastructure and Facility Improvement) that is designed to improve internet services and digital access at libraries. There are two main goals for the grant. The first goal is to increase library internet speeds, and the second is to improve facility access to library technology services within the building to directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.

Goal 1 (Connectivity) Eligible Items:

• fiber, trenching and related construction
• internal connections
• networking equipment
• cabling
• electrical work (to improve internet)

Goal 2 (Facility) Eligible Items:

• light remodeling construction such as:
  • electrical work
  • moveable walls
  • expanded physical space including classrooms (education), job interview rooms (work), telehealth rooms (health monitoring)

The deadline to apply for the grant is April 28, 2025, so reach out to LDO@tsl.texas.gov with any questions and follow this link to check out the Trend Analysis Dashboard. Let’s keep trending upward, Texas!