Decorative logo for library management services at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Library Management Update: September 2024

Upcoming Opportunities These opportunities are available for free unless otherwise noted. Descriptions are provided by host organizations. Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Newsletter The most recent edition features information about opportunities for member input, families needing libraries, the call for program manual submissions, and library success stories. Read the CSLP newsletter online or subscribe and receive it in…

3 children of visibly different ethnicities reading while laying in the grass. Image is labeled Youth Services next to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission logo

Youth Services Update: September 2024

Upcoming Events and Training Opportunities Texas Youth Services Listening Sessions I will be hosting a series of Listening Sessions for library staff serving youth. I will quickly share some announcements but want most of the time to be hearing from you! Please come prepared to brag on your accomplishments and workshop how to handle the challenges. These…

Decorative logo for the tomorrow's tall tales series

T3-Notes from the Field: Waltz Across Texas, Second Dance

As if spurred by the August heat, the tempo picked up for the second number—a dizzying duo of days in which I visited small public libraries, toured their spaces, and chatted with their leadership about how the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) could best support them. Workforce Development Consultant Maria Freed stepped up…

Logo for TSLAC's Library of Digital Opportunity Office

Pottsboro Library Takes Charge of Community Broadband Planning

The Broadband Development Office (BDO) established the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to provide additional resources to communities that need help with broadband planning. The program aids local governments and communities by providing assistance to identify local broadband development opportunities and prepare for forthcoming state and federal funds. Greg Conte, director of the Texas Broadband Development…

Logo for TSLAC's Library of Digital Opportunity Office

How Harris County Public Library Gave Out a Whopping 70,000 Hotspots and Chromebooks and Won the Nation’s Top Library Award

Devices and internet accessibility are two crucial necessities to help close the digital divide. As difficult as it can be for libraries to pull together those resources, it’s often still not enough, as patrons often lack the digital literacy skills to use the devices or connect to the internet. TSLAC’s Library Digital Opportunity team recently…

Decorative logo for the tomorrow's tall tales series

T3 – Notes From the Field: Across the Libroverse – 2024 North Texas Teen Book Festival

As I watch the sun set from the train’s window seat and the gently rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country are replaced by the flatter terrain of the Prairie and Lakes Region, I mentally inventory my utility belt in preparation for the adventure ahead—serving as a moderator for the Get Graphic track at the…

Broadband and Technology

Digital Navigator Interview – Pottsboro’s Mark Revolinski

Lately, digital literacy has become a trending topic of discussion. Digital literacy can have a lot of different meanings, but the most common definition is “the ability to use digital devices, like smartphones and computers, to evaluate, and communicate information.” It’s a combination of technical and cognitive skills that allow people to use information and…