Upcoming Opportunities
These opportunities are available for free unless otherwise noted. Descriptions are provided by host organizations.
Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) Conference Professional Development Award
June 15, 2026
The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Training Office and NNLM Region 1 are requesting Professional Development Award applications to attend the 202 ARSL Conference and participate in a pre-conference session on Health Information. The aim of the project is to prepare rural and small library staff to better address health information needs in their communities by offering professional development opportunities that focus on consumer health information and resources from the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Selected recipients will receive registration and travel support to attend a pre-conference training, which includes earning Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) continuing education credits. NNLM Training Office staff will provide ongoing support to awardees in their efforts to promote health literacy in their communities.
Raise the Bar. Raise Your People. High Expectations Don’t Have to Burn Teams Out
June 16, 2026 | 12:00 PM (Pacific)
Anyone can raise the bar. But it takes a great leader to raise people too. People don’t burn out from high expectations. They burn out from unclear direction, shifting priorities, and inconsistent leadership standards. Leaders are under pressure to deliver stronger results, faster execution, and higher engagement—all at once. But these outcomes aren’t separate goals. High expectations only work when people are deeply engaged and feel confident they know how to win. When that connection is missing, performance becomes unpredictable. Execution slows. Engagement drops. Burnout rises. The solution for burnout isn’t lowering expectations—it’s creating the alignment and engagement that position people to reach a higher bar. For more information, visit the event registration page.
TLA 2027 Conference Proposals
June 24, 2026
Have ideas, strategies, or experiences to share with fellow librarians? The Texas Library Association (TLA) invites you to contribute your creativity and expertise. Please note that individuals may submit up to two proposals, with a submission deadline of June 24, 2026. Poster session submissions for the upcoming Annual Conference will open this fall. To get started, visit the association’s Presentation Opportunities webpage.
Mentor Match
June 30, 2026
Mentor Match connects members across Texas to build meaningful, goal-driven mentoring relationships. Whether you are looking for guidance or ready to support others, this program provides a structured, flexible way to grow your professional network and develop your skills. For more information, visit the program webpage.
Join TLA on May 20 at 3:00 p.m. to learn how this benefit works, what to expect, and how to get involved.Register today to get started!
Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grants
June 30, 2026
This competitive grant program helps rural communities use advanced telecommunications technology to connect to each other – and the world – overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. Based on Fiscal Year 2026 appropriated funding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that approximately $27 million will be available. As permitted, it also will make available any unused appropriations from prior fiscal years, and can increase funding if additional appropriations become available. For more information, visit the program homepage.
Cross Timbers Library Collaborative Conference
July 30 – 31, 2026 | Online
The 2026 Cross Timbers Library Collaborative (CTLC) Conference provides the opportunity for libraries across the Cross Timbers Region to showcase activities, services, and technology happenings in their libraries related to this year’s theme: “The Next Chapter: Community, Creativity, and Collaboration.” The Cross Timbers region is a unique ecological zone of woodlands and prairies that stretches from Central Texas through Oklahoma and into southeastern Kansas. For more information, visit the event website.
Bookmobile Grants
August 15, 2026
The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation awards grants to organizations that operate a lending bookmobile that travels into neighborhoods populated by underserved youth. The grants are for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 8. Bookmobiles operated by charitable [501(c)(3)] and other non-taxable agencies, including public libraries or schools, are eligible. The Foundation provides grants to organizations that serve economically or socially at-risk children, have limited book budgets, and demonstrate real need. For more information, visit the bookmobile grants pages on the foundation’s website.
I Partner With My Public Library Award
August 31, 2026
Does your library do great things with community partners? Share your story in the Let’s Move in Libraries’ Fourth Annual I Partner with My Public Library Awards. The call for nominations will remain open through August 31, 2026. For more information, visit the award webpage.
Texas America250 Reading Challenge
December 31, 2026
The Texas Center for the Book and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission are inviting Texans statewide to log 2,500 minutes (about 41 hours) of reading, exploring Texas state parks, or giving back through service between January 1 and December 31, 2026. The Texas America250 Reading Challenge is self-reported, and readers who complete the challenge earn a special certificate. For more information, visit the event web page.
Ongoing Tools
These tools are available for free unless otherwise noted. Descriptions are provided by host organizations.
Relationship Intelligence: How to Build and Rebuild Relationships at Work
Thanks to technology, we’re more connected than ever. Ironically, many of us also feel more disconnected than ever. Loneliness, disengagement, and conflict are eroding collaboration, productivity, and well-being. Despite investments in engagement and culture initiatives, many organizations overlook the most powerful driver of team performance: the quality of personal relationships. Strategy rarely fails on paper. It fails in the space between people. Join Justin Hale and Emily Gregory in this free webinar as they explain how to better understand the motives and personalities of your team and the skills you need to re-establish healthy, productive relationships that boost engagement and better results. For more information, visit the event webpage.
Victims and Villains: How to Stop Your Thoughts from Sabotaging Your Crucial Conversations
In crucial moments, the stories we tell ourselves shape everything—our emotions, our actions, and ultimately our results. So often we author victim, villain, and helpless stories about ourselves and others to justify our strong emotions. But what if those stories aren’t as accurate as they feel? In this free webinar, Scott Robley will share research-backed skills to help you slow down your thinking and separate fact from the stories you’re telling yourself. Through practical tools and real-world examples, you’ll discover how to reduce defensiveness, increase clarity, and show up more effectively in high-stakes conversations. For more information, visit the event webpage.
Practical Project Management (course)
Accomplishing a specific outcome within a specific time frame has always been an objective for organizations. The use of project management tools and techniques to effectively manage resources is key in the ever changing landscape of resource limitations, technological enhancements, and shifting policies. But also key is using project management to determine how best apply these tools and techniques to the size and type of project, to ensure efficient project planning and implementation. In this tutorial, Kirsten Clark provides opportunities to explore how right-sizing the effort to the project and organizational needs provides a more sustainable approach to project success. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to work through project planning and implementation that also fits the individual organizational project needs. For more information, visit the course webpage.
Establishing a Hiring Budget and Timeline (course)
Sometimes you need to add or replace employees, and hiring costs can add up quickly if you are not careful. Establishing a hiring budget can help you plan and track expenses—as well as monitor results—to make your hiring process more efficient. And, setting clear hiring timelines can help you stick to the budget! For more information, visit the course webpage.
The Counterintuitive Secret of Leadership (TED Talk)
Control is an illusion — and the leaders who chase it are holding their teams back. Workplace culture expert Jessica Kriegel explores the tactic that leaders who want to achieve extraordinary results should try instead. For more information, visit the event webpage.
Tech Chats
On the last Thursday of most months, the Innovation and Technology Round Table (ITRT) of the Texas Library Association hosts a series of FREE half-hour Zoom “Tech Chats” featuring the innovative, award-winning work of Texas libraries and some quick overviews of the latest emerging technologies through a library lens. All Texas library staff are welcome to attend any of the 30-minute Zoom chats. The upcoming schedule and archive of previous sessions is available via the round table website. To attend, complete the online registration form.
TSLAC Consulting Services: Youth Services
Need to talk through youth programming or outreach ideas? Not sure how to improve your library’s teen engagement strategies? Gabriella Trinchetta, the Library Development and Networking division’s Youth Services Consultant, is ready to help! Schedule some time with Gabriella via her bookings page.
Embracing neurodiversity (webinar)
Work environments that are made up of people who think differently bring more ideas and perspectives to the table. In fact, research consistently shows that diverse teams are better at problem solving, are more innovative, and are more effective. As our workplaces become more diverse, it becomes everyone’s responsibility to learn how to embrace differences. In this webinar, gain an understanding of the term ‘neurodiversity’ and learn about the strengths of those who are neurodivergent. In addition, attendees will learn about ways they can support inclusion of neurodivergent colleagues to help create a more supportive and welcoming environment for all. For more information, visit the event webpage.
Need more support?
Resource Archive
Wish you had access to a repository of all the tools that are featured in the monthly Library Management Updates? Check out our Resource Archive for more information.
Continuing Education
In addition, be sure to peruse our continuing education offerings. Our resources are constantly updated, so check back often.
Questions?
For more information, visit our management services page or contact Christina Taylor at ctaylor@tsl.texas.gov.
