Recipients

Allen Public Library  
$23,790
The Allen Public Library is requesting funds to continue the Allen American newspaper digitization project, for newspapers printed between 1997–2002. The library successfully applied for TexTreasures grant funding between 2022–2024 to digitize physical issues of the Allen American newspaper printed between 1972–1996. The three-year project ended, but there are additional print issues to be scanned and uploaded to the newspaper archive. The newspapers will be scanned and uploaded to the Portal to Texas History by the University of North Texas Digital Libraries Division.

Cooke County library
$40,000
The Cooke County Library is requesting funds to digitize the Gainesville Daily Register, beginning with issues published in 1958–1970. The digitized issues will be added to the collection of Cooke County Newspapers accessible through the University of North Texas Libraries’ Portal to Texas History. This is a multiphase project that will result in the digitization and free accessibility of all issues of the Gainesville Daily Register, the oldest surviving newspaper in Gainesville and Cooke County, providing an invaluable resource to those researching events and individuals in North Texas.

Moore Memorial Public Library  
$40,000
The Moore Memorial Public Library seeks funding to digitize the Texas City Sun newspaper microfilm from 1972 to 1978, representing the third phase of an ongoing digitization project supported by previously received TexTreasure awards, FY 2025, and FY 2026. This period captures a dynamic era in the newspaper's history, when publication shifted between daily and weekly frequencies under alternating titles, The Texas City Sun and The Daily Sun, reflecting evolving production and distribution models. This project advances the goal of making the complete Texas City Sun freely accessible online.

Southwestern University 
$39,582
Southwestern University’s Distinctive Collections & Archives seeks funding to digitize rare materials documenting the Texas German Mission Conference of the Methodist Church, including six handwritten ledgers and issues of the German-language newspaper Der Mission Freund. The project will include transcription, enhanced metadata, and new finding aids to improve discovery and use. By providing statewide online access through established digital platforms, the project preserves fragile materials and expands research opportunities in Texas history, immigration, and religious studies.

Texas State University
$40,000
Texas State University Libraries seeks a second year of funding to digitize 24,000 pages of the Hays Free Press covering the years 1946–2009. Texas State University received a FY 2026 TexTreasures award to digitize 24,000 pages of the Hays Free Press, with materials provided by the publisher and digitized by the University of North Texas Libraries. This newspaper documents the life and history of Hays County, a central Texas region that remains underrepresented in the digital record despite its location between San Antonio and Austin. This project will make the remaining collection accessible to the public while ensuring its long-term preservation for future researchers, community members, and lifelong learners.

University of North Texas  
$39,788
The University of North Texas Libraries requests funding to digitize issues of the El Paso Herald-Post from 1941-1958. The Portal to Texas History hosts issues of The El Paso Herald and the Herald-Post up to 1940. Making these issues of the El Paso Herald-Post freely available in The Portal to Texas History will help researchers learn more about historical inventions, events, and people that have piqued Americans’ curiosity in popular media, as well as provide first-hand knowledge about the individuals who shaped those events.

Arlington Public Library System 
$25,386
Arlington Public Library System seeks funding in partnership with University of Texas at Arlington Libraries and the Arlington Mayor's Committee on People with Disabilities to address  a gap in accessible, community-based programming for neurodivergent adults, a population estimated to represent 15-20 percent of the community. The project will offer inclusive programs across seven library locations and will include three focus areas: structured educational programs, low stress creative programs, and all-abilities adult programs. The library will also invest in accessibility tools such as circulating sensory bags, portable adaptive lighting, staff training, and accessible marketing. This initiative establishes a model for inclusive adult services that can be replicated by public libraries across the region, strengthening access and lifelong learning.

Dallas Public Library  
$14,497
The Play With Me (PWM) program is a 12-week parent-child program that promotes strong parent-child relationships and early literacy skills and is run by bilingual staff from The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Center for Children and Families (CCF) and assisted by students from UTD. Dallas Public Library hosts PWM in Spanish at branch libraries in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, with low literacy and school readiness scores. This project will also include the addition of a PWM program site in Mandarin. Additionally, CCF staff will train library staff in early literacy so that DPL can offer high-quality early literacy workshops and programs at all locations.

Fort Bend County Libraries 
$72,365
Fort Bend County Libraries' Sienna Community TechHub is a new library-based technology and multimedia learning space designed to promote access to digital tools, creative resources, and workforce-relevant skills for community members of all ages. Modeled as a project-based, collaborative environment, the TechHub will provide free access to graphic design software, audio- and video-production tools, coding platforms, 3D printers, and digital-fabrication technologies. Through tiered instruction across multiple age demographics, guided exploration, and hands-on workshops, the program will enhance digital literacy, promote creativity and innovation, and support career and workforce readiness. 

Hillsboro City Library  
$65,000
Hillsboro City Library seeks $65,000 in funding for the continuation of the Language Coordinator position and English and Spanish as a Second Language programs at the Hillsboro City Library (HCL), which was previously established through Round One of the TSLAC Special Projects Grant. The Language Coordinator has the responsibility of addressing the ever-growing demand for ESL and SSL classes in the community, as well as community outreach to underserved populations. The goals of the initiative are to enhance workforce mobility and improve access to essential services to individuals who are learning English.

Houston Public Library
$73,200
The Houston Public Library (HPL) recognizes that libraries offer a safe, structured, and engaging environment for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Libraries are often the first contact for someone experiencing a personal, mental health, or wellness crisis, especially as many organizations are reducing services due to funding cuts. HPL’s Community Resource Center (CRC) provides consistent support to customers in need at HPL’s Central Library location; however, the need for additional in-house social services is increasing. HPL requests grant funding to expand social services at HPL Central, to provide professional training to library staff, and to better support customers in crisis at all HPL Neighborhood Libraries.

Leon Valley Public Library 
$75,000
The Leon Valley Public Library proposes to establish a structured workforce development and adult education service to support employment, education, and skill development. Grant funds will support a part-time coordinator, instructional materials, training resources, and limited testing assistance to transition informal support into a sustainable library service.

Lewisville Public Library  
$73,350
The Lewisville Public Library seeks to significantly expand library services to members of the community, particularly community members who experience barriers when accessing the library and its resources due to distance from the library building through the purchase of a book locker machine and RFID-enabled smart return bin. Giving the residents of east Lewisville a convenient pick-up and return location for physical library materials. 

Midlothian Public Library
$50,318
The Midlothian Public Library seeks funding to address time-based and mobility-based barriers to library access.  Limited staffing and building design prevent further extension of staffed hours, while high commuter rates and population growth increase demand for flexible access. This project will install secure, self-service holds pickup lockers, allowing patrons to retrieve materials outside regular hours without additional staffing. The project expands access, supports working adults, caregivers, students, and others with schedule-based access restrictions, and aligns with the library’s long-range plan. 

Nicholson Memorial Library System  
$67,235
The Library Outreach Vehicle Project will enhance accessibility and engagement by providing a transport vehicle to deliver materials, provide Wi-Fi, and support mobile library services. Building on the library’s outreach program established in 2021, this initiative addresses growing demand for expanded services. With the support of the Special Projects Grant, the purchase of an outreach vehicle will bridge the digital divide and foster learning, focusing on families in multifamily housing and seniors in residential facilities. Focusing on promoting literacy, connection, and community engagement, this project will also support school readiness through caregiver-focused early literacy programming for young children.

North Richland Hills Public Library
$73,500
The North Richland Hills (NRH) Library is seeking to improve customer service to multiple underserved populations through the expansion of the hold lockers program. The Library Express Project will include two locations for self-service book lockers and returns that will allow patrons to check out library materials when the library is closed or when in-person services do not meet patron needs. This will help serve a variety of patrons, including individuals who have difficulty utilizing traditional library services.

Nueces County Public Library
$51,063
The Nueces County Public Libraries seeks funding for the Nature Sensory Cove. The project will integrate environmental literacy, nature play, and community engagement into the library’s goals and services. The development of an all-inclusive sensory playground outside of library grounds increases the library visits and incorporates nature into library services. Funding supports nature sensory-based programming, as well as the circulation of Nature Sensory Cove Backpacks for library programs. The grant will help facilitate partnerships and collaboration to deliver workshops and overall positive community impact. 

Pottsboro Area Public Library  
$32,418
 The Pottsboro Library is requesting funding to expand the library’s mobile outreach program, which launched in FY 2025, to support early literacy. This next phase, Pottsboro Library Around Town (PLAT), will extend services to older adults, people with disabilities, residents without transportation, and those who are homebound in rural Grayson County. The program will bring library services directly to senior centers, events, and residences. By meeting people where they are, PLAT reduces barriers, addresses isolation, supports aging in place, strengthens emergency response capacity, and moves the program from a pilot into a sustainable outreach model that ensures access to information, technology, and human connection for all residents.

Rowlett Public Library  
$21,552
In an increasingly digital world, Rowlett Library has observed a critical gap in community infrastructure—the lack of private, sound-isolated spaces for essential life tasks. The Privacy for Progress initiative seeks to install three high-quality, acoustic-grade individual study pods within the library’s footprint. Adult library cardholders will be able to check out a study pod for an hour at a time. If there are no other requests for the study pod, the patron may extend their checkout. 

Texas Tech University 
$20,743
Texas Tech University’s Student Disability Services (SDS) currently supports more than 2,000 students with documented disabilities. As one of the most frequented spaces on campus, the University Library plays a critical role in ensuring access to resources and learning environments. However, without a dedicated assistive technology space, students who rely on specialized tools face unnecessary barriers to success. This proposal seeks funding to create a dedicated Assistive Technology Room within the University Library. The space will provide students registered with SDS an accessible, quiet, and purposefully designed environment equipped with specialized assistive software and devices. By providing high-cost tools that many students cannot afford individually and placing them in a supportive library setting, the project will increase academic independence, reduce barriers to learning, and serve as a replicable model for inclusive library services across campus and beyond.

Aledo Public Library  
$32,150
Aledo Public Library will install and equip one single- person conferencing pod and one larger, ADA-compliant pod for use by up to four people. These pods will provide community members, namely rural residents of Parker County, with dedicated, sound insulated, accessible spaces to complete online learning; participate in online job training, remote interviews, and work teleconferencing; and participate in telehealth appointments.

Allan Shivers Library & Museum  
$54,500
This project will upgrade the library’s technology infrastructure by updating the WiFi network, replacing outdated routers, outdated switches, and installing new Ethernet cables and the renovation of the existing study room and hallway desk area into multiple smaller, sound-insulated rooms designed for individual and small-group use to support remote learning, tutoring, job interviews, and basic telehealth sessions. These improvements will expand internet access, increase network reliability, and enhance the library’s ability to serve the evolving needs of our rural community.

Alpine Public Library  
$16,645
Alpine Public Library has been working to improve IT infrastructure for several years. Internet speeds have increased from 50 Mbps to 1GB. Old computers have been replaced. A recent library expansion added nearly 3,000 square feet of library space and included significant upgrades to IT equipment. The goals were to meet and exceed FCC requirements and provide satisfying patron experience. The recent improvements have increased security, but more is needed. Apollo Information Systems Corp, engaged by TSLAC, completed an IT assessment of the library and suggested that the library would benefit from a server to support Active Directory and on-site file storage. Additional endpoint protection was also recommended to achieve a healthy, compliant, and secure environment.

Amarillo Public Library  
$349,547
This program seeks to provide dedicated fiber internet access with minimum speeds of 100/100 mbps to all five branches of the Amarillo Public Library. Additionally, it will upgrade two meeting rooms and a conference room at the downtown library, and it would provide equipment for The Studio @ APL, which will be a recording studio and digital media production and editing lab located at the downtown library.

Arthur S Temple Memorial Library  
$100,000
This project will equip Arthur Temple Sr. Memorial Library in Pineland to serve as a broadband hub. It includes a wireless extension to Broaddus, free public Wi-Fi expansion, and upgrades to create a private library space for virtual health care and remote learning. A digital literacy program will help support the Sabine County community.

Austin Memorial Library  
$49,301
The library will provide laptops for use in lieu of desktops and provide a private room for usage with webcams and microphones. Laptops will be mobile in the building allowing patrons to access various areas of the library including the private room for employment, tele-med, and educational use.

Brownsville Public Library  
$285,477
The Lit and Learn initiative transforms the library into a digital engagement hub designed to support hands-on learning and seamless community connections. Upgrading internet infrastructure and integrating cutting-edge technology, the library becomes a center for innovation. Upgrades to critical IT security infrastructure will further enhance digital safety and resilience. With a growing city workforce of more than 1,200 employees, Brownsville faces increasing cybersecurity challenges. This upgraded facility will support monthly cyber-awareness workshops and ongoing professional development for both city staff and the public.

Brownwood Community Library 
$94,592
Brownwood Library will increase access to training in design software and 3D technology to allow rural, disabled veterans to create work from home opportunities, as well as to train our rural community—especially those new to the job market—in digital design skills that are fundamental in many remote jobs as well as at many local manufacturing plants.

Burnet County Library System  
$60,000
The Arlington Public Library will use funding to revitalize its 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, an initiative designed to foster a love of reading in young children. The library will update and expand its book-filled backpack collection and address key barriers to program completion by increasing awareness, expanding availability, and strengthening outreach.

Centennial Memorial Library  
$35,285
This grant is to enhance digital access for the library’s rural community. This project will address critical technology gaps by improving internet speed, updating aging computer equipment, and installing a two- person privacy booth. These upgrades will enable patrons to more effectively access workforce education, apply for jobs, and participate in essential telehealth services. By modernizing its technology infrastructure, the library will strengthen its role as a vital hub for lifelong learning, economic opportunity, and health support in Eastland and the surrounding areas.

Cross Plains Public Library 
$33,266
The Cross Plains Public Library currently has an excellent fiber optic internet service with WiFi access. The library has seven laptops available for public use. This funding will allow for improvements to the library’s facility for disabled patrons that are ADA compliant and areas for privacy. The library will widen and replace two exterior doors and widen two interior doorways, as well as adding an electronic push button opener to the front door and securing two Shushbooths for privacy.

Cuero Public Library  
$13,971
The Cuero Public Library will upgrade its digital infrastructure by acquiring new computers to replace outdated models that are more than 10 years old. This initiative aims to improve access to information and support digital literacy, especially in areas critical for work, education, and telehealth. By upgrading our technology, we can better serve low-income families and the entire community, enabling them to access vital online resources and services.

Decatur Public Library  
$290,812
The Decatur Public Library hopes to work with a contractor to install 200 Mbps fiber-optic internet in its facility to better serve its current and future patrons and support needed virtual services like telehealth visits, proctored exams, job interviews, educational tools, and information sharing. In addition, the library would like to purchase modular quiet rooms that provide a private space for individuals to conduct the activities listed. The library is designed to support the 8,000 residents of the city of Decatur, along with a portion of the surrounding communities within Wise County.

Dublin Public Library  
$251,073
In response to long-standing disparities in healthcare access, digital connectivity, and educational opportunity, the library is launching a two-part initiative to upgrade library connectivity infrastructure. First, the library will create a technology room and replace cables from the mid-nineties. Second, it will renovate and repurpose a 750-square-foot building into a multi-functional space that meets the health, learning, and workforce development needs of its rural community. The project combines critical infrastructure upgrades with targeted service enhancements, creating a digitally connected classroom and telehealth hub that will serve residents of all ages.

Euless Public Library  
$33,816
Euless Public Library requests funding to install six soundproof privacy booths to create quiet, enclosed spaces for patrons needing privacy for telehealth, remote learning, job interviews, testing, and focused study. The open layout of our library cannot meet current demand for private space, especially from patrons in underserved and high-need groups. This project aligns with the library’s mission to provide access and digital opportunities for all.

Euless Public Library  
$48,195
Euless Public Library requests funding through to reimburse the non-discounted portion of our E-rate Category 2 project approved for FY 2025 and fund critical infrastructure enhancements. The project replaces outdated network systems with modern Fortinet equipment, aligning with a citywide move from Cisco to Fortinet. This request covers our $21,815.72 local E-rate share, $9,000 for rack replacement and remodeling, and $3,000 for structured cabling—ensuring full implementation and long- term sustainability.

Friona Public Library  
$182,980.
The Friona Public Library will build a dedicated 1 Gbps leased lit fiber circuit in the library facility and the Redeemer Literacy Center, an off-site facility owned and operated by the City of Friona for workforce development and educational services. The network will ensure uninterrupted access for online learning, telehealth, workforce development, and community enrichment for rural patrons.

Friona Public Library  
$80,124
The City of Friona will perform network upgrades and install enterprise-grade WiFi, install modern workstations for public access, and offer a bilingual digital navigator for training and support to patrons. This initiative future-proofs the city’s public technology for 10–15 years, builds digital skills, and ensures that low-income, Spanish-speaking, and senior populations can fully engage in a digital economy.

Giddings Public Library and Cultural Center  
$73,113
The Giddings Public Library, known locally as the “biggest little library in Texas,” serves a small, rural community of less than 6,000 residents, 20 percent of whom lack reliable Internet access. To address the rural-urban digital divide, enable workforce development, and bolster the local economy, the library will use LIFI funding to upgrade technology access points.

Harris County Public Library  
$250,000
Harris County Public Library will bridge the digital divide in an underserved community by expanding high-speed fiber connectivity to potential satellite library locations and enhancing the computer lab at Aldine Branch Library. Fiber access will transform satellite sites into digital hubs for remote work, digital access and education. The lab expansion will offer improved resources for workforce training, distance learning, and community programs. Partnering with local organizations and contractors, this initiative will strengthen digital access, support economic growth, and promote community engagement.

Hewitt Public Library  
$122,350
The Hewitt Public Library will enhance digital access, workforce development, and health connectivity by upgrading its technology infrastructure and facility access. The project includes a LaptopsAnytime kiosk for broadband-enabled laptop lending, 25 hotspot devices with service, three private study booths for telehealth and job interviews, a new server, 10 data ports, and 24 updated laptops for education and skill development. These improvements will strengthen equitable access to essential online services for underserved residents.

Honey Grove Library and Learning Center 
$36,890
The Honey Grove Library & Learning Center's "Improving Your Access at the Library" project will address the present and future community needs for access, equipment, spaces, and training in the use of workforce development, remote learning, and telehealth services. Grant funds will be used for facility access improvements, including the purchase and installation of three privacy pods, the installation of electrical outlets, and computer equipment.

Houston Public Library  
$100,000
The Houston Public Library (HPL) seeks a grant to support the HPL Network Cabling Improvement Project, which will upgrade IT network infrastructure at five neighborhood libraries identified as most in need due to their under-resourced communities, aging infrastructure, and the lack of city funds to afford timely network upgrades. HPL will install new IT cabling, racks, and panels at each location, increasing network reliability and cybersecurity. These branches will be able to better support the ever-evolving digital needs of library customers.

Hutchinson County Library  
$283,000
Hutchinson County Library will use grant funding to address unreliable internet in its rural Borger, Fritch, and Stinnett branches caused by frequent fiber cuts, disrupting vital community access to online learning, telehealth, and job resources.

Jennie Trent Dew Library  
$44,331
The Jennie Trent Dew Library intends to create a private space by re-imagining its workroom. The library will provide patrons with access to a computer terminal equipped with a camera and microphone. The space could be utilized for workforce training, interviews, telehealth location, and education. The private space may be made available to social workers or psychologists to meet with clients. Additionally, construction of a door connecting library to museum to provide increased access to patrons.

Liberty Municipal Library  
$39,450
The Liberty Municipal Library will implement a project to increase digital access by fostering community engagement and outreach by promoting and implementing technological upgrades. The project will focus on affordability, access, and improved engagement through library utilization. Grant funding will replace the much-needed technological upgrades to patron computers and allow for investment in adaptive technology.

Maud Public Library  
$74,250
The Maud Public Library will expand upon and enhance digital literacy services and community access to resources by correcting the library facility's foundation issues, leveling the building, adding a semi-private booth for telehealth access, upgrading computers, and providing staff and volunteers with training and development opportunities.

Nicholas P Sims Library and Lyceum  
$43,980
This project will fund the installation of a TalkBox soundproof booth, creating a private and quiet environment for library patrons needing space for telehealth appointments, virtual job interviews, remote learning, and confidential consultations. This facility improvement directly enhances digital equity, accessibility, and patron well-being, particularly for under-served community members without access to private spaces at home.

Pottsboro Area Public Library  
$51,700
This project will create a solar-powered outdoor workspace with reliable WiFi and charging access, delivering 24/7 broadband connectivity for remote work, online learning, and telehealth. The space will serve residents who lack home internet, providing critical access beyond library hours. Positioned on the library grounds and fully ADA-compliant, this project directly addresses rural broadband gaps, advancing digital opportunity while reinforcing the library’s vital role as a hub for workforce development, education, and health in the Pottsboro community.

Reeves County Library 
$250,000
Reeves County Library will use grant funds to upgrade broadband infrastructure. This project will deliver 1 gigabit-speed fiber internet, managed Wi-Fi with six access points, network servers, upgraded internal cabling, and new phone systems. These upgrades will modernize technology access, expand digital literacy, support telehealth, remote learning, and workforce development, and close the digital divide.

Rio Grande City Library  
$250,000
The Rio Grande City Public Library will upgrade its broadband infrastructure and renovate library space to enhance digital access services for the community. The comprehensive project includes replacement of the outdated internet system, fiber extension, and expansion of a modern digital learning center with telehealth capabilities. Upgrades will support education, workforce development, and virtual healthcare through enhanced infrastructure and new technology.

Round Top Family Library  
$87,000
The Round Top Family Library is launching a Classroom Expansion and ADA Compliance Initiative to expand classroom space, improve broadband connectivity, and ensure ADA compliance to meet critical infrastructure needs. Serving rural Fayette County, where access to education, broadband, and healthcare is limited, the library aims to increase educational programming, support telehealth, and provide job readiness training.

Sammy Brown Library  
$11,305
Sammy Brown Library strives to provide access to modern technology as part of our mission to improve the lives of the people of Panola County through free resources. With the recent FCC recommendations for an increase in internet speeds, the library is seeking to provide faster internet service and better connection access to the internet for our rural population. A meeting hub for many local associations, social clubs, and civic groups, the library will provide a smartboard for presentations, training, and online conferences.

Schulenberg Public Library  
$9,279
The goals of Technology Opportunities for Schulenburg (TOPS) are to provide free access to reliable high-speed internet for library patrons, add three WiFi access points, upgrade wiring meeting rooms, and purchase meeting room technology. The library has identified the need for the internet to access digital material for educational attainment, for work, business and to find a doctor in network.

Silsbee Public Library  
$36,890
The project involves the design and installation of soundproof booths intended for use in educational institutions and public areas to provide a quiet, private space for our community to access technology to use for job interviews and testing, conduct telehealth meetings, tutoring, attend online meetings and classes. By offering access points outside of the building, the library can meet the needs of those not able to come during our hours of operation.

Texarkana Public Library  
$207,993
The Texarkana Public Library will bridge critical gaps in digital equity by installing a fiber-optic broadband connection, resolving current reliability and speed issues, and ensuring future-proof connectivity up to 1 Gbps. Facility upgrades include Framery pods designed for telehealth services, private job interviews, digital literacy instruction, and small business support, alongside new desktop computers and laptops for public use. These enhancements directly address the significant technology access and workforce readiness challenges faced by our economically disadvantaged community, promoting inclusive growth, digital access, and expanded opportunities.

The Library at Cedar Creek Lake  
$33,923
The Broadband and Learning Expansion project will significantly upgrade the library’s broadband infrastructure, modernize public access computers, and improve the functionality of the library’s community room. Broadband speeds will increase from 10/1 Mbps to 1 Gbps download and 50 Mbps upload. All networking equipment and aging public access computers will be replaced. Chromebooks will be added for in-house use by patrons and for use in educational and workforce programming. The community room’s functionality will be expanded through the addition of two portable sound-absorbing room partitions that will allow concurrent use of the room for literacy, ESL, and GED classes, workforce programming, and civic meetings.

Victoria Public Library 
$67,200
The Victoria Public Library will launch an initiative to introduce soundproof booths with a goal of supporting workforce development, educational attainment, and telehealth consultations. This project will significantly improve access to online services that require speaking and video conferencing. The demand for quiet, private spaces for job interviews, training, studying, and telehealth services was intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to increase every year. By adding modular, sound-proof spaces to the library, citizens of Victoria County will benefit from access to computers, high-speed internet, and the support of trained staff to help them become adept digital navigators.

W Walworth Harrison Public Library 
$11,490
This grant is to allow us to purchase a double Shushbooth. This is a larger enclosed booth that is soundproof and will be available during library hours for users’ private meetings. It will also create a quieter space for library users to be able to concentrate on work they may be doing or to study for school.

Arlington Public Library System 
$7,000
The Arlington Public Library will use funding to revitalize its 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, an initiative designed to foster a love of reading in young children. The library will update and expand its book-filled backpack collection and address key barriers to program completion by increasing awareness, expanding availability, and strengthening outreach.

Balch Springs Library – Learning Center 
$9,971
The Balch Springs Library – Learning Center's Unearth a Story Summer Reading Program will bring the prehistoric world to life with a dynamic dinosaur, archeology, and paleontology theme. Designed to spark curiosity and foster a love of learning, this program will engage participants of all ages with interactive story times, hands-on science activities, creative crafts, and thrilling adventures into the world of ancient creatures and the scientists who study them.

Bryan+College Station Public Library System  
$3,500
The Bryan+College Station Public Library system seeks funding to keep the momentum of the 2026 Summer Reading Program Unearth a Story going throughout the summer, to provide the opportunity for the entire community to view the Dinosaur George Traveling Museum Exhibit and to promote the love of reading.

Centennial Memorial Library  
$5,438
Centennial Memorial Library will develop and support community wide, small group book clubs for adults. Funding will help to supply book club kits to book clubs so that all people can afford to be a part of one. Program participation will increase opportunities for social connection, improve cognitive and emotional health, provide exposure to different reading genres and cultures, and provide opportunities to share.

El Paso Community College  
$10,000
El Paso Community College will use funding to develop the "Tech-Driven Literacy: A Library’s Blueprint for Early Readers " program. This reading program aims to create life-long reading habits for children using interactive technology and print books early on. This will be achieved by creating a “train the trainer program” for families to replicate the program at home to promote early literacy.

El Paso Public Library  
$10,000
The El Paso Public Library will use funding to support early literacy efforts to increase participation in the Little Star City Readers (1000 Books Before Kindergarten) program during the 30th anniversary of the Día de los Ninos/Día de los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) event. 

Farmers Branch Manske Public Library  
$7,646
Funding will used for  a Braille Enhanced Bilingual StoryWalk® along the Rawhide Trail to promote literacy and community engagement. The project will feature bilingual storytelling, along with braille enhancements for individuals with visual impairments. In collaboration with Envision Dallas, the initiative will provide braille and NFC Speech Tags for audio accessibility, enhancing participation for the blind community. The library will partner with local schools and organizations to ensure widespread community involvement.

Helen Hall Library 
$4,703
Helen Hall Library’s Teen Reading Resource Bags program expands access to library resources for teens in League City and Galveston County by providing curated materials that introduce them to personalized reading recommendations, digital tools, and reading programs. The program targets teens, ages 12-18, including proficient, struggling, and reluctant readers as well as those unfamiliar with library services. This initiative addresses barriers to reading, such as time constraints and lack of awareness, ensuring that teens can access reading opportunities in ways that fit their lives.

Hewitt Public Library  
$8,392
The Hewitt Public Library will use funding to develop and install a StoryWalk® in the City of Hewitt’s Warren Park. This interactive, outdoor literacy initiative will foster early childhood and family literacy by providing a unique reading experience combining physical activity and engagement with books. Targeted to families with young children, the project aims to promote a lifelong love of reading while encouraging community interaction in an outdoor setting.

Laredo Public Library  
$10,000
The program StoryScapes engages teens by exploring elements of literature through toy photography. By attending weekly workshops that build and consolidate their skills for one final project, teens will explore plot, conflicts, characters, and scenes along with photography components such as staging, photo composition, lighting, and editing. They will display their finalized photographic expressions in an exhibit hosted by the Laredo Center for the Arts, promoting books and encouraging others to read and share in their love for literature.

Round Top Family Library  
$10,000
The Round Top Family Library serves rural north Fayette County, where families often face barriers to accessing quality educational resources. Funding will support programs to bridge the educational gaps at home and in the summer to create lasting learning opportunities.  

Seguin Public Library  
$6,044
To address needs within the community, the Seguin Public Library has partnered with Seguin Independent School District to help promote early literacy and prepare children in Seguin to be ready to read by grade three. Seguin Ready to Read will provide funding for student library cards, outreach visit books, and materials for Library Visit Month, including books for the Easy Reader collection.

Cleburne Public Library
$39,999
The Cleburne Public Library will digitize the Cleburne Times-Review newspaper archives from 1970 to 1990, currently available only on microfilm in partnership with the University of North Texas Newspaper Project, ensuring the historical newspapers are preserved and made accessible online through The Portal to Texas History. Funding will enable the continuation of the newspaper digitization project, which began in 2020.

Dallas Public Library
$6,493
This grant continues the digitization of the Juanita Craft Collection at the Dallas Public Library in year two of this project. Juanita Craft, a civil rights activist, was the first Black woman in Dallas County to vote in the Democratic primary and to be deputized in the state as a poll tax collector. Second year funding will support the digitization of 191 items already displayed in the museum, allowing them to be shared online, making them widely accessible to the public beyond the initial physical display.

El Paso Public Library
$22,074
The El Paso Public Library’s Border Heritage Center (BHC) will use additional funds to continue digitizing the Trost Collection in year two of this project. The collection is comprised of rare architectural drawings, documentary photographs, and business correspondence. The library will hire a part-time contract position to aid in the digitization of 841 architectural drawings and 161 accompanying documentary photographs, with digital surrogates uploaded to BHC’s digital collections platform, cataloged, and published to our digital collections website, providing free digital access to the collection to users worldwide.

Kaufman County Library
$31,210
The Kaufman County Library in partnership with the Spellman Museum of Forney History, and The Portal to Texas History - University of North Texas Libraries will digitize 30,000 pages on microfilm of the Kaufman Sun (1880-1909) and the Forney Messenger (1962-1992) newspapers. Digitizing these newspapers will provide free digital access in one online location for researchers, genealogists, and others interested in Kaufman County history.

Moore Memorial Public Library
$49,538
The Moore Memorial Public Library will digitize the Texas City Sun newspaper microfilm from 1960-1971 in year two of this project. These newspapers will be added to the selection currently in The Portal to Texas History as part of a larger project that will encompass and eventually make freely available all Texas City Sun issues in The Portal, allowing greater access to the stories found within.

Rosenberg Library
$32,850
The Rosenberg Library will expand upon its past digitization projects of the Galveston Tribune newspaper. The library owns a nearly complete run of the newspaper, spanning the years 1885-1965. This round of funding would cover the digitization of at least 30,000 pages from 1924-1933, joining the 11,892 issues already accessible as a collection in The Portal to Texas History.

Texas State University
$31,274
Texas State University will digitize the first half of the archive of the Hays Free Press, 1926-1971. This newspaper is a record of the life, community, and history of Hays County, an area of central Texas that severely lacks representation in the digital space despite its situation between the metropolises of San Antonio and Austin. Texas State University Libraries will work with the University of North Texas Libraries and The Portal to Texas History to oversee the digitization of 24,000 pages of the newspaper and the hosting of the collection in the Portal, providing free, full-text searchable access to this important historical resource.

University of North Texas
$40,000
The University of North Texas Special Collections will prioritize two collections chosen for their parallel representation of Texas landscapes captured on still and moving images for this initiative: the Victor Oppenheim Papers and the Bill Woodside Lake Whitney Collection. This initiative will digitize a total of 3,000 still images and 20 moving images.

White Settlement Public Library
$31,000
The White Settlement Public Library, in collaboration with the University of North Texas Libraries and the White Settlement Historical Museum, will digitize the complete archive of the White Settlement Bomber News, 1957-2020, totaling 30,000 pages, and make it accessible statewide through The Portal to Texas History. This newspaper is rich in military, political, economic, and cultural history of the community.

Balch Springs Library - Learning Center (SP 25)
$23,840
The Balch Springs Library – Learning Center will partner with Mesquite ISD's Read Play Talk initiative that encourages families to engage with their children to foster early literacy and development through reading, playing, and talking together. Additionally, Balch Springs Library Senior Center will promote lifelong learning through the "Knowledge for Every Stage: Baby and Senior Kits Initiative." This project aims to provide learning kits tailored to two vital groups in our community: babies and seniors.

Elgin Public Library (SP 25)
$24,551
Elgin Public Library is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for all patrons, particularly those with sensory processing challenges, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurodivergent conditions. The library’s mission is to create a welcoming, sensory-friendly space equipped with interactive and therapeutic play materials, offering tailored programming and dedicated library hours to meet the unique needs of these individuals.

Irving Public Library (SP 25)
$25,000
To reach new users and provide vital services for all ages, Irving Public Library is launching a mobile outreach van program, custom retrofitting the vehicle to store programming equipment and materials. The outreach team will use the van to reach areas and communities underserved by library locations. Planned programming includes library card sign-ups, children’s and family programming, specialized programming for older adults, STEAM activities, and community-wide events.

Austin Public Library (SP 75)
$75,000
The Nature Smart Libraries Expansion Project aims to further embed environmental literacy, nature play, and community engagement into the library's core services. By expanding nature-focused initiatives, Austin Public Library will implement specialized staff training, circulate Nature Play Kits for library programs, and install StoryWalk® stations at three additional branch locations. Funding also supports nature-based programming and fosters collaboration with community partners to deliver workshops, citizen science projects, and sustainability events, with an emphasis on accessibility and community impact.

Dublin Public Library (SP 75)
$24,638
The Dublin Public Library is on a Mission to Mindfulness through a range of engaging activities and programs to encourage mindfulness as a daily practice. To achieve this, the library currently hosts monthly programming focused on different aspects of health literacy. The aim is to educate patrons on the benefits of mindfulness by incorporating culinary and health literacy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction into programming. Funding will allow the library to continue to address health literacy and mental wellness gaps in a rural community.

Hillsboro City Library (SP 75)
$75,000
This grant will create a Language Coordinator position at the Hillsboro City Library, aimed at addressing the growing demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) and Spanish as a Second Language (SSL) classes in the community. The Language Coordinator will be responsible for developing and teaching language programs tailored to the educational needs of residents. Programs will focus on promoting literacy, language acquisition, and language fluency. This role will involve instructional delivery and community outreach. This position will leverage existing community partnerships and build new ones to ensure the success of the program.

Hondo Public Library (SP 75)
$75,000
Through a mobile library service, trained library staff will deliver reading materials to seniors in their homes while also participating in school and city programs and events. This project aims to enhance literacy among underserved communities in Hondo, with a special focus on homebound seniors, individuals with disabilities, residents of nursing homes, and school-aged children and young adults in the city and neighboring towns. In addition to supporting literacy, this initiative seeks to combat depression, loneliness, and mental health challenges by providing direct access to books and other educational materials.

Pottsboro Area Public Library (SP 75)
$74,994
The Story Bites Literacy Outreach Program by the Pottsboro Library aims to close literacy gaps in underserved communities across Grayson County. The program features a mobile outreach vehicle to deliver books, educational resources, and interactive literacy activities to families facing barriers like limited transportation. Additionally, 5,000 literacy placemats featuring short stories, interactive prompts, and QR codes linking to library resources will be distributed in community spaces to promote parental engagement with literacy during mealtimes. Monthly literacy breakfasts will offer story time sessions, caregiver workshops, and free book giveaways to promote family reading habits.

Schertz Public Library (SP 75)
$74,475
The Schertz Public Library will use grant funds for a library outreach vehicle to provide access to library services to its existing patrons and to extend services to members of the community they haven’t yet met. In addition, the library will provide services to neighboring cities and to Guadalupe County. The outreach vehicle will be used to make scheduled deliveries of materials to the homebound, provide a means of community engagement and marketing of library services, and most of all, provide opportunities to non-patrons or patrons affected by factors limiting their use of the library.

Texarkana Public Library (SP 75)
$75,000
Texarkana Public Library will enhance digital literacy and workforce readiness by expanding access to technology and training for underserved populations. The project includes desktop and laptop computers, an RFID self-checkout system, and software to support learning. A classroom projector will facilitate instruction, while a large-format printer will aid small businesses, and a lab tech will provide one-on-one assistance and teach classes. Mobile training will be available to reach more community members. This initiative aims to serve more than 500 individuals annually.

University of North Texas (SP 75)
$70,266
The educational outreach component of The Portal to Texas History, Texas History for Teachers (TX4T), develops TEKS-aligned lessons, videos, virtual tours, and curates primary source materials for classroom use. This special project expands on efforts to provide accessible versions of these materials by producing English and Spanish transcriptions and translations, American Sign Language interpretations, audio descriptions of videos and audio-readings of text, as well as braille, tactile graphics, and 3D models of select materials so that all students can engage with Texas history.

Alvarado Public Library
$8,616
Alvarado Public Library will promote literacy, learning, outdoor family engagement, and physical activity by installing a StoryWalk® project. The StoryWalk® places a deconstructed children’s picture book along a walking path at a city park. Stories in motion will provide a unique opportunity to join both fitness and reading together while bringing awareness to the importance of literacy for audiences of all ages.

Arlington Public Library System
$10,000
Authors in Arlington is a new program for Arlington Public Library that will provide the local community with the opportunity to meet and engage with influential and popular children’s authors. This program will be a series of author visits which will include book talks, Q&A sessions, book signings, and meet and greets. Author visits are consistently requested by the local community but few of these opportunities exist due to their expense. The library plans to provide this opportunity to the public for free, opening the world of literature to those who might not otherwise get such a chance. Grant funding will be used specifically for speaker fees. The Arlington Public Library will use alternate funding to cover any additional costs.

Balch Springs Library - Learning Center
$9,989
The Luedeke Park Story Walk Program offers an innovative approach to community engagement and literacy promotion by combining the joys of reading with the beauty of nature. Situated in the heart of the community, Luedeke Park serves as an ideal setting for families, individuals, and groups to immerse themselves in the magic of storytelling while enjoying the outdoors.

Burnet County Library System
$5,144
Bertram is a rural community in Central Texas where 62.75% of the population is economically disadvantaged. Access to valuable programs is extremely limited because of location and budgets. The proposed authors visit will help encourage literacy; improve the community’s reading culture; and will encourage writing, creativity and expression.

El Paso Public Library
$10,000
The El Paso Public Libraries will increase engagement in the annual summer reading program by providing books to participants and welcoming a very special guest illustrator in celebration of art and literacy. Goals include encouraging students to read for pleasure and increase comprehension skills, as well as becoming lifelong readers and library users. The proposed grant program aligns with objectives to enhance existing programming while adding additional programming that will help reach members of the community that may not be currently engaged with the library.

Harris County Public Library
$10,000
The ESL program is designed to support non-native English speakers in acquiring essential language skills for successful integration into the community. Expanding access to ESL programs In Harris County, Texas, is crucial to meet the needs of its immigrant populations and will enable the library to take a strategic approach centered on ease of access.

Hewitt Public Library
$10,000
The Hewitt Public Library invites its community to “Color Our World” alongside middle-grade graphic novelist Jason Platt and comfort fiction novelist Katherine Center during its 2025 Summer Reading Program. HPL will host Platt for a two-day event of presentations on storytelling and illustration. Center will visit for presentations on her creative process and the link between her writing, humor, and craftiness when creating her heartfelt reads.

Honey Grove Library & Learning Center
$7,645
Let’s Get Visual! is the eagerly anticipated 2025 Literacy Project for the Honey Grove Library & Learning Center. This project is designed to promote reading and visual literacy within the Honey Grove community by offering fun, engaging programs and materials focused on graphic literature.

Houston Public Library
$10,000
The Houston Public Library will expand the annual John P. McGovern Foundation Summer Reading Program by adding one contract hire to assist with the planning, implementation, and reporting of Summer Reading Program activities, thereby strengthening library staff capacity. The library will also increase participation by inviting speakers to present onsite as part of corresponding Summer Reading Program themes and activities. Houston Public Library will also increase participation by inviting speakers to present onsite as part of corresponding Summer Reading Program themes and activities.

Judy B McDonald Public Library
$9,543
The Little Read Nacogdoches is a literacy initiative focused on promoting reading and improving literacy among children. Aimed at addressing literacy gaps and supporting early development, the program encourages reading as a key to educational opportunities and personal growth. The Little Read collaborates with schools and community organizations to host various literacy events, workshops, and activities. The major effort is distributing free books to children, especially those with limited access to reading materials. The program also emphasizes the importance of parental involvement, providing resources and guidance to create literacy-rich environments at home. Through these efforts, The Little Read Nacogdoches will significantly impact children's lives, fostering a generation of readers and learners and enhancing the community's literacy culture.

Little Elm Public Library
$5,414
Little Elm Public Library will use funds for a StoryWalk® at Beard Park, which has 32,300 annual visitors. Program goals are to promote literacy and language development in young children, encourage physical activity and healthy habits, foster family bonding, and connect children with nature and the outdoors in a new and different way. StoryWalk® is an innovative literacy program that combines the joy of reading with the benefits of outdoor activity.

Nueces County Public Libraries
$9,869
Nueces County’s 2025 "Color Our World: Summer of Learning" program will provide several programs that incorporate art and literacy with instruction that could help our community with the development of motor skills, language and literary skills, social skills and enthusiasm for reading. These programs will include story writing, calligraphy, painting, drawing and printmaking. Books about the different art techniques and history will also be used to encourage continued learning at the library or at home. This grant funding will draw in more of our local community to our summer reading program with new and fun programs.

Rowlett Public Library
$10,000
Rowlett Summer Reading Program 2025 will provide educational performances to participants focusing on four different areas of literacy—cultural, ecological, digital, and visual. Providing these programs will create a love for visiting the library and, in turn, a love for reading. By offering enticing programs, the library hopes to encourage greater participation in the library’s reading challenge and result in more hours being read by more participants.

The Library at Cedar Creek Lake
$5,000
The library provides summer programming for area youth and adult populations in an effort to promote reading and educational programs hosted at the library. A major purpose of the library is to provide educational encouragement to a community characterized by low educational achievement and income. Utilizing volunteers, staff, educational programs, and reading logs, the library will offer programming five days a week during June and July. This programming emphasizes reading, learning, hands-on group activities, as well as educational fun.

Tyler Public Library
$9,447
Tyler Public Library will use grant funds to expand outreach programs to high-needs areas in the community and to establish educational and engaging family literacy programs. This project aims to foster literacy and a love of reading within the family unit and provide further educational opportunities for school readiness for children. Outreach programs will take place at four apartment communities. Library Youth Department staff and interns will lead an eight-week series of evening visits in fall and spring. Eight families at each apartment community (a project total of 64 families) with children from birth to high school may register to participate in activities focused on family reading and writing. In addition to family literacy nights, a Little Free Library will be established at each apartment community.

Partners Library Action Network (PLAN)
$75,000.00
PLAN seeks to provide a year-round set of practical training programs that will enhance the tactical and strategic knowledge and skills of 800+ librarians across the state. PLAN will target libraries and librarians that have a service area of less than 50,000 residents. In-person sessions will be held throughout the state, to meet librarians wherever they are. Virtual training options will also be available. 

Houston Public Library 
$26,569.00
The Houston Public Library will grow leadership from within the library by providing quarterly on-demand training for all current and incoming staff through live virtual training courses offered by Strategic Government Resources. This program will increase staff professional development to grow their customer services skills, and ultimately, their library careers.