Traci Reece, Reference Librarian
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) Archives and Reference staff are pleased to welcome researchers back to our research rooms on Second Saturdays and throughout the week at our Lorenzo de Zavala building in Austin! We have exciting changes to share and look forward to helping with your research needs.

New Titles at the Library
Our staff have been busy processing new books and adding them to the catalog and the shelves at TSLAC. While many may know us for our historical collections of original documents in the State Archives, we are also home to the Texas State Library’s book collections. We regularly acquire titles about Texas, family history, US government documents, periodicals, and more through state and federal depository programs, librarian selections, and donations. The books in our library collections are available for on-site research, with many titles also available for checkout from our library and through interlibrary loan (ILL). Contact your local library about ILL or contact the Reference Desk for availability. Typically, books that are not available for check-out will have a note in the catalog record that reads “non-circulating.” Our staff is happy to provide information about circulation procedures and other library services.
So, what’s new? Here’s a brief sample of some of the recently added titles currently on display in our Reference Reading Room:
Explore more new titles at TSLAC by browsing our online library catalog. The catalog includes a link to Newly Added Titles with a list of recent additions to the collections.
Second Saturdays
Beginning in January, TSLAC will welcome patrons into the Reference and State Archives reading rooms each second Saturday in 2022. Second Saturdays are a great opportunity to catch up on your genealogy or research projects, and our staff are here to help. Both reading rooms will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days:
2022 Second Saturday Dates |
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January 8 |
April 9 |
July 9 |
October 8 |
February 12 |
May 14 |
August 13 |
November 12 |
March 12 |
June 11 |
September 10 |
December 10 |
Reading Rooms
The State Archives and Reference reading rooms are open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and for our Second Saturday hours. Library materials and public computers with internet access are available in the Reference Reading Room. No registration or appointments are required, but we do appreciate advance notice and scheduling an appointment if you will be accessing archival materials. We have an FAQ on our website for standard questions about research at TSLAC and the Before You Visit page contains a lot of helpful information.

New Topics and Time for the Friday Research Webinars in 2022
Our Research Webinar series continues every fourth Friday of the month, with a new slate of topics for 2022 and a new time. Research webinars on newspapers, African American genealogy, maps, the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, the Texas Digital Archive, and the Republic of Texas will take place via Zoom at 3:00 p.m. on scheduled Fridays. The first webinar of 2022 will take place on January 28 on the subject of newspapers. Join our Reference staff as they present these 20-minute live webinars or view recorded sessions on our webpage and YouTube channel. Sign up in advance and come with your questions! Visit our Research Webinars page to preview the schedule, register to attend, or to watch past recorded sessions.
Robust Remote Services
If you are unable to visit us on-site, our digital collections and databases are available online 24/7. Reference staff are also available to provide remote reference services via phone at 512-463-5455 and email at ref@tsl.texas.gov. Many of the TSLAC resources available to you from home are listed on our website. An Out of the Stacks blog post from 2020 offers a closer look at our remote services with the article, Reference and Research Assistance at the Ready: Remote Services Are Here for You.
Visit our website for information about reference services at our library. Check our Agency Calendar for special events and dates our building will be closed.
We look forward to seeing our visitors in person!
ref@tsl.texas.gov / 512-463-5455 / www.tsl.texas.gov/reference