FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, TX – The Texas Library and Archives Foundation (TxLAF) has announced that it has awarded the 2026 Martha Wong Scholarship to Rachel Stout of Houston and the 2026 Mark Smith-Gloria Meraz Scholarship to Megan Greaves of Celina. These scholarship opportunities support students enrolled in a Texas library/information science or school library certification program with a reimbursable grant of $2,000 for tuition and/or textbooks for the semester starting in January.

Rachel Stout is a library science student at the University of North Texas with a concentration in children's and young adult librarianship. She also serves as a Senior Trainer with the Houston Public Library's Community Engagement Team, delivering programs from robotics to rockets at HPL’s “classroom on wheels.” She’s passionate about working with tweens, teens and technology. Rachel’s areas of expertise include STEM, astronomy, ESL and knowing the answer to your random question.

Megan Greaves is library science student at Texas Woman’s University and pursuing a school librarian certification. A former elementary educator, she currently serves as Assistant Librarian at the Frisco Public Library and volunteers at the Light Farms Elementary Library. Whether in a classroom or behind the reference desk, Megan views libraries as gathering places where every person matters, every question deserves attention and every interaction presents an opportunity to make someone feel valued.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer Rachel Stout the Wong Scholarship and Megan Greaves the Smith-Meraz Scholarship,” said TxLAF President Andrea Lapsley. “Supporting the development of professional librarians throughout the state is a key priority for the Foundation, and we are so looking forward to seeing their careers unfold.”

Through these awards, the Foundation encourages Texans to pursue a degree from a Texas library/information science graduate program or school library certification program. The scholarships have been generously funded by Dr. Martha Wong, Chair of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Funds will be used for the January 2026 semester. Eligible applicants must live in Texas or work in a Texas library and should have the intention of pursuing a professional library position in Texas after obtaining their degree.

Wong, of Houston, has served on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission since 2015 and was appointed chair by Gov. Greg Abbott in January 2020. A longtime educational leader in Texas and the greater Houston area, she is a former educator and administrator. Wong, a community volunteer, former state representative and Houston city council member, is a member of the Houston Association of Retired Teachers and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her master’s and doctorate degree in educational administration from the University of Houston.

Smith was the Director and Librarian of TSLAC from 2013 until his retirement in 2021. His career, spanning more than 40 years, included managing public library services in various communities in New Jersey, California, Oregon and Texas. Smith currently serves on the boards of directors of the Tocker Foundation and Amigos Library Services. 

Meraz is Director and State Librarian at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, serving as head of the agency since September 2021. Before joining TSLAC, she served as director of communications for the Texas Library Association for 17 years, where she directed government relations, publications and public relations and served as the editor of the Texas Library Journal.

For more information about these scholarships and the work of the Texas Library and Archives Foundation, and to get involved, visit www.txlaf.org.

   
Rachel Stout                                                                                                  Megan Greaves

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The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to the information they need to be informed, productive citizens by preserving the archival record of Texas; enhancing the service capacity of public, academic and school libraries; assisting public agencies in the maintenance of their records; and meeting the reading needs of Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.