Calling all Digital Inclusion organizations, practitioners, and enthusiasts! Libraries, that means YOU! Join us for a virtual convening to connect with other organizations doing digital inclusion work in Texas and learn about upcoming convening and policy opportunities. How to get involved: Register for and attend the virtual meeting: Tuesday, December 6 from 10:00 -11:00 AM…
The Public Library Association (PLA), in partnership with AT&T, has announced a new grant opportunity to support public libraries in providing digital literacy workshops. The application window is now open, and a webinar will be held on May 19 to provide more information to interested libraries. If you cannot attend the live webinar, you’ll be…
Spurred by a great idea from Misti Rudloff, library worker and technology trainer of the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library, we’re hosting our first informal and interactive online technology chat for Texas public library staff! The pandemic underlined the importance of technology in all of our lives and library workers are essential in assisting community…
With the explosion of the use of Chrome OS (Chromebooks) in libraries thanks to recent funding, Google has put together a roundtable event to discuss the deployment, challenges, and use cases of various libraries. The event is this Thursday, April 14 at 12 PM CDT. For more details, speakers and to register, see the event information…
The Broadband Development Office needs your help to get the word out about their broadband access survey by May 5! In conjunction with their listening tour, the Broadband Development Office is collecting feedback via an online survey of Texans’s connectivity needs. Findings will be used to inform the Statewide Broadband Plan which will guide strategy…
There are almost 3.2 million Texas households that do not subscribe to home broadband service (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019), and about 165,000 Texas households that do not even have access to infrastructure to support broadband speeds (Connected Nation Texas, 2022). Libraries are well versed in the connectivity inequity in our communities and have always played…
As you may have recently read in State Librarian Gloria Meraz’s recent Director’s Report blog post, TSLAC has begun work on a number of historic initiatives to meet the digital equity needs of Texans. One that requires your assistance most importantly is a study to better understand digital literacy in Texas public libraries entitled Texas…
Public librarians are often a trusted source of information on subjects that have a huge impact on patrons’ lives. This can include aspects of everyday life that intersect with the law, like landlord disputes, child custody issues, gun ownership, end-of-life planning, and more. If you are a public librarian with little experience researching what the…
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission invites your library to participate in a new peer-learning program from January 2022 to June 2022. This program is designed to build public libraries’ capacity and skill to collect, analyze, and communicate data and demonstrate the vital role of public libraries in advancing digital equity in their communities.…
The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.…