The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is supporting the launch of the Presidential AI Challenge, a national initiative encouraging K-12 students and educators to harness the power of artificial intelligence to address local community challenges. This effort invites participants from all backgrounds to develop innovative AI-based projects while building skills and confidence in…
When Cynthia Soll and Rachel Kramer from McLennan Community College (MCC) Library in Waco began experimenting with AI, they weren’t intending to lead a tech revolution; their main focus was just trying to save time. Like many library staff across Texas, they wear a lot of hats. So when they saw an opportunity to use…
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) Library Development and Networking Division (LDN) is headed to Dallas for the 2025 TLA Annual Conference and several members of our staff will be presenting. We’ll be sharing some exciting updates on our programs and initiatives so mark these in your calendar. For in-depth session descriptions, just…
The Library Digital Opportunity Team (LDO) at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission recently heard about a sensory non-profit called KultureCity that was working with Texas libraries to make them more accessible to patrons with sensory needs. Grapevine Public Library has been using special equipment, like headphones, weighted lap pads, fidget tools, and other…
On the last Thursday of most months, the Innovation and Technology Round Table (ITRT) of the Texas Library Association (TLA) 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…
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…
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission, in partnership with the Translational Health Research Center (THRC) at Texas State University, invites the library community to join us on May 15 for a webinar that will share results from a pilot project that positioned librarians in two rural Texas communities to lead their communities in resiliency…
On Tuesday, May 7, TSLAC is providing a free 1-hour webinar about how robots can be used alongside read alouds. Hope you can join us! (Register here) Title: Robots and Read Alouds Presenter: Melanie Sowa-Li, Technology Teacher, Conroe ISD Description:This presentation will examine how robots can be used alongside read alouds to increase student engagement, literary…
Join us May 9, at 9:30 a.m., for a free, in-person event for anyone interested or involved in expanding digital access or literacy and the role that libraries can play in this effort, including librarians, civic leaders, broadband suppliers, and workforce advocates. We’ll discuss how to build and strengthen relationships to better serve our communities.…
Did you know that Texas was named Best State for Business 19 years in a row so far, and that according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2023 Small Business Profile, 99.8% of businesses in Texas are small businesses, which create opportunities for 44.5% of Texas employees (4.9 million workers)? As the chart to the…