Inside the Archives and Information Services Division (ARIS) at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin, preserving history is often a race against time powered by scanners, film machines, forensic computers, and enormous amounts of digital storage. From fragile Civil War-era documents and aging cassette tapes to born-digital government records, ARIS uses a…
Younger Texans don’t always think about a library as a destination for a good time. They might think of them as a quiet place to study or check out a book. But for Alexzandra Stroud, libraries have become something much bigger: community spaces filled with creativity, technology, learning, and connection. We first heard about Alexzandra…
Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year was slop, as in AI slop, and it’s easy to see why. Increasingly, AI has seeped into everything, our phones, our work, our entertainment, and it’s not all good. Merriam-Webster defines AI slop as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial…
Through the Library Infrastructure Facility Improvement (LIFI) grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), libraries across the state are transforming into essential spaces for life’s most important moments. These aren’t just upgrades. They’re quiet revolutions. Inside newly installed privacy booths and study rooms, patrons are attending telehealth appointments, participating in legal depositions,…
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is made up of four divisions, Library Development and Networking (LDN), State and Local Record Management (SLRM), Archives and Information Services (ARIS), and the Talking Book Program (TBP). For this blog, we wanted to dive deeper into the technology the Talking Book Program uses for their programming and…
It’s been a year since I stepped into the role of Digital Literacy Consultant at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. It’s been a year of growth, discovery, connection, and deepening appreciation for the thoughtful and selfless care librarians put into their work as they serve their communities. A year ago, I was traveling…
At Texas A&M University–San Antonio, even defining what it means to have the title of “AI librarian” is a work in progress. Kim Grotewold stepped into the role on September 1, 2025, but like many emerging positions tied to artificial intelligence, the scope is still evolving. “AI librarian” is only one part of her job.…
Since opening its doors in March 2023, Frisco Public Library has quickly established itself as one of the most innovative library spaces in Texas. Housed in a transformed 150,000+ square foot former rocket factory, the facility reflects the city’s investment in the future of learning. From maker spaces and VR equipment to a towering T-Rex…
At San Marcos Public Library, STEM programming is no longer about one-time workshops or isolated topics. Instead, it has evolved into something much more powerful. It is a model rooted in families learning together, sustained over time, and supported through a unique partnership with Texas State University. For Ashley Schimelman, Division Manager of Programming and…
Back in early February, digital opportunity leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago for Net Inclusion 2026. The sessions covered broadband legislation, AI literacy, disaster response, tech distribution, and the uncertain future of federal funding. But one message rang clear above all others: Digital opportunity is local work. And libraries are uniquely positioned to…