The Texas State Library has shared some powerful images and media with information from their Return on Investment 2017 Study. Share these resources widely to let your communities know the true value of your public library.

Image from Katelyn Patterson

Texas Library Association statement, reprinted with permission

Remembering Christine McNew

Christine McNew, youth services coordinator in the Library Development and Networking Division at the Texas State Library and Archives passed away this week. Over the years, Christine made remarkable and highly visible contributions to the services offered to Texas libraries. She was a widely respected statewide expert on the topic of library services to children, and was a veteran of many workshops, webinars, and conference presentations on the subject.

Christine was always a tireless advocate of the power of summer reading programs and recently added important groundbreaking work encouraging summer nutrition programs at libraries. Christine will be long remembered for her substantial contributions over her entire career to excellence in library services to children. For decades to come, many thousands of children in Texas will benefit from her work.

~~~~

The Texas Library Association put together a resolution in memory of Christine McNew.

She will be missed by all.

From the Texas State Library and Archives Commission:

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and Reach Out and Read-Texas (ROR), a program of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, share a mission of encouraging a love of books and reading and supporting preschool children in school-readiness. To enhance their success, the TSLAC and ROR formalized a Collaboration Agreement to encourage local Texas public libraries and local ROR participants to collaborate. This is a wonderful opportunity to promote your Family Place programs and additional programs for preschool children.

The mission of Reach Out and Read-Texas (http://reachoutandreadtexas.org/index.aspx) is to give young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into pediatric care and encouraging families to read aloud together. Since 1991, the Reach Out and Read model has been studied by academic investigators in a variety of settings, providing an extensive body of peer-reviewed research on the effects of the program.

Key Findings

•  Parents served by Reach Out and Read are up to four times more likely to read aloud to their children.
•  Reach Out and Read reaches the child through effectively teaching the parent to start lifelong learning in the home.
•  During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests. These early foundational language skills help start children on a path of success when they enter school.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission invites Texas public libraries to initiate collaborations with local ROR programs, and to provide:

1. Library card applications that local ROR programs may share with participating families.

2. Library calendars of events with early literacy, parenting, ESL, GED, and other library information that local ROR  programs may distribute to children and families to inform them about public library services and programs.

3. Information about the library’s online resources that local ROR programs may provide to children and families.

4. Parent/child, parenting, and literacy programs at ROR program locations, or read to children at the sites, if outreach staff is available.

5. Information about ROR to library patrons in the library and through social media.

For more information about establishing ROR partnerships, please visit the Texas State Library’s website at https://www.tsl.texas.gov/www.tsl.texas.gov/ldn/youthservices/ROR or contact Christine McNew, Youth Services Consultant, at cmcnew@tsl.texas.gov.

In 2017, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission will again be providing the Collaborative Summer Library Program‘s Summer Reading manuals to Texas libraries. However, instead of providing it on a DVD, the manual will be available to your library on a flash drive OR online with a password. Please take a moment to take this survey to let TSLAC know which way you prefer to get your SRP materials.

Next year’s theme is Build a Better World and we have already started collecting ideas on Pinterest. Have a wonderful summer, everyone!

Check out this post from the Texas State Library & Archives on participating in the Texas Public Library Speed Test. Sounds easy to participate! Please help them gather this data.

For just a couple more weeks, the Texas Public Library Speed Test will remain up and running – and NOW is your chance to conduct this quick, easy test and have your library’s voice represented in this state-wide snapshot of the amount of Internet speed available to patrons in public libraries.

So far we’ve received results from about two-thirds of main libraries and we’d love to get the remaining third in the state!

Want to participate but don’t have the invitation or link?    Email TSLAC for the invitation!

The automated process takes less than 2 minutes and can be done via any browser on one of the library’s public access computers.

So far we’ve received a range of speeds:  from 462 kilobytes downloaded per second all the way to above 1 gigabit downloaded per second.

As it stands now, about half of libraries serving populations below 25K have reported download speeds of 10 Mbps and below.
Here’s how it currently breaks down:

Below 25K: 48% report 10 Mbps or below
25K to 99K: 19% report 10 Mbps or below
100K and above: 10% report 10 Mbps or below

What’s your Internet speed and how do you fit in to this? Take the test and join in!

A big Thank You! to the following libraries who’ve taken the Speed Test and had their results transmitted to us for this important project!

 

Abernathy Public Library	Ethel L Whipple Memorial Library	Motley County Library
Abilene Public Library	Eula & David Wintermann Library	Mount Calm Public Library
Alicia Salinas Public Library	Euless Public Library	Mount Pleasant Public Library
Allan Shivers Library & Museum	Fairfield Library	Muleshoe Area Public Library
Alma M Carpenter Public Library	Falls City Public Library	Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library
Alpine Public Library	Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library	Nancy Nail Memorial Library
Alvarado Public Library	Fayette Public Library	Natalia Veterans Memorial Library
Alvord Public Library	Ferris Public Library	Nellie Pederson Civic Library
Amarillo Public Library	Flatonia Public Library	Nesbitt Memorial Library
Andrews County Library	Flower Mound Public Library	New Boston Public Library
Archer Public Library	FM Buck Richards Memorial Library	New Braunfels Public Library
Arlington Public Library System	Foard County Library	New Waverly Public Library
Arthur Temple Sr Memorial Library	Forest Hill Public Library	Newton County Public Library
Atlanta Public Library	Fort Bend County Libraries	Nicholas P Sims Library & Lyceum
Aubrey Area Library	Fort Stockton Public Library	North Richland Hills Public Library
Austin County Library System	Fort Worth Library	Nueces County Keach Family Library
Austin Memorial Library	Franklin County Library	Palacios Library Inc
Austin Public Library	Friendswood Public Library	Paris Public Library
Azle Memorial Library	Friona Public Library	Pasadena Public Library
Bailey H Dunlap Memorial Library	Gaines County Library	Patrick Heath Public Library
Balch Springs Library-Learning Center	Gatesville Public Library	Pearsall Public Library
Bastrop Public Library	Genevieve Miller Hitchcock Public Library	Penitas Public Library
Baylor County Free Library	Georgetown Public Library	Pflugerville Public Library
Bee Cave Public Library	Gibbs Memorial Library	Pharr Memorial Library
Bell/Whittington Public Library	Giddings Public Library	Pilot Point Community Library
Bellaire City Library	Gilbreath Memorial Library	Pittsburg-Camp County Public Library
Benbrook Public Library	Gilliam Memorial Public Library	Plano Public Library System
Bertha Voyer Memorial Library	Gonzales Public Library	Port Isabel Public Library
BiblioTech	Grace Grebing Public/School Library	Post Public Library
Blanche K Werner Public Library	Grand Saline Public Library	Poteet Public Library
Blanco County South Library District	Grandview Public Library	Pottsboro Area Public Library
Bonham Public Library	Grapevine Public Library	Prosper Community Library
Bowie Public Library	Groesbeck Public Library	Quemado Public Library
Boyce Ditto Public Library	Groves Public Library	Quitman Public Library
Breckenridge Library	Gunter Library and Museum	Rains County Public Library
Bridge City Public Library	Hale Center Public Library Inc	Ranger City Library
Brownsville Public Library	Haltom City Public Library	Rankin Public Library
Brownwood Public Library	Harper Library	Reagan County Library
Bryan+College Station Public Library System	Harris County Public Library	Real County Public Library
Buda Public Library	Haslet Public Library	Red River County Public Library
Buffalo Public Library	Helen Hall Library	Reeves County Library
Bullard Community Library	Hemphill County Library	Rhoads Memorial Library
Bulverde/Spring Branch Library	Hewitt Public Library	Rhome Public Library
Burkburnett Library	Hidalgo Public Library	Richard S and Leah Morris Memorial Library
Burnet County Library System	Higgins Public Library	Richardson Public Library
Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library	Highland Park Library	Rio Grande City Public Library
Calhoun County Public Library	Hillsboro City Library	Rio Hondo Public Library
Callahan County Library	Hood County Public Library	Rita & Truett Smith Public Library
Cameron Public Library	Houston Public Library	River Oaks Public Library
Cameron-J Jarvis Troup Municipal Library	Hutchinson County Library	Roanoke Public Library
Canyon Area Library	Hutto Public Library	Robert J Kleberg Public Library
Caprock Public Library	Imperial Public Library	Rosenberg Library
Carl & Mary Welhausen Library	Iraan Public Library	Rotan Public Library
Carrollton Public Library	Irving Public Library	Round Rock Public Library System
Carson County Public Library	Jackson County Memorial Library	Round Top Family Library
Cedar Park Public Library	Jacksonville Public Library	Rowlett Public Library
Centennial Memorial Library	Jasper Public Library	Rube Sessions Memorial Library
CF Goodwin Public Library	JH Wootters Crockett Public Library	Runge Public Library
Chambers County Library System	Joe Barnhart Bee County Library	Rusk County Library System
Chandler Public Library	John Ed Keeter Public Library	Salado Public Library District
Charles J Rike Memorial Library	Jones Public Library	Sam Fore Jr Wilson County Public Library
Charlotte Public Library	Judy B McDonald Public Library	Sammy Brown Library
Chico Public Library Inc	Keller Public Library	San Antonio Public Library
City County Library	Kendalia Public Library	San Marcos Public Library
City of Garden Ridge Library	Kendrick Memorial Library	Santa Anna Library
City of Presidio Library	Kenedy Public Library	Schertz Public Library
City of Wolfforth Library	Kennedale Public Library	Schulenburg Public Library
Claud H Gilmer Memorial Library	Kent County Library	Seagoville Public Library
Clint ISD Public Library	Kilgore Public Library	Seguin-Guadalupe County Public Library
Clyde Public Library	Killeen City Library System	Shackelford County Library
Cochran County Love Memorial Library	Killgore Memorial Library	Sherman County Public Library
Cockrell Hill Public Library	Kimble County Library	Shiner Public Library
Coldspring Area Public Library Inc	Krum Public Library	Sinton Public Library
Coleman Public Library	La Joya Municipal Library	Smithville Public Library
Colleyville Public Library	La Marque Public Library	Smith-Welch Memorial Library
Collingsworth Public Library	Laguna Vista Public Library	Springlake-Earth Community Library
Comanche Public Library	Lake Travis Community Library	Stella Hill Memorial Library
Comfort Public Library	Lake Whitney Library	Sterling County Public Library
Commerce Public Library	Lampasas Public Library	Sterling Municipal Library
Converse Public Library	Lancaster Veterans Memorial Library	Stewart C Meyer Library
Cooke County Library	Laredo Public Library	Stonewall County Library
Copperas Cove Public Library	Leander Public Library	Swisher County Library
Corpus Christi Public Libraries	Lee Public Library	Taft Public Library
County-City Library	Lena Armstrong Public Library	Taylor Public Library
Crandall-Combine Community Library	Leon Valley Public Library	Teague Public Library
Crane County Library	Lewisville Public Library	Temple Public Library
Crockett County Public Library	Liberty Hill Public Library	Texarkana Public Library
Crosby County Library	Liberty Municipal Library	The Colony Public Library
Crowley Public Library	Library of Graham	The Library at Cedar Creek Lake
Cuero Public Library	Live Oak County Library	TLL Temple Memorial Library & Archives
D Brown Memorial Library	Llano County Library System	Tom Burnett Memorial Library
Dallam-Hartley County Library	Lois Nelson Public Library	Tye Preston Memorial Library
Dallas Public Library	Lovett Memorial Library McLean	Tyler Public Library
Deaf Smith County Library	Lovett Memorial Library Pampa	Unger Memorial Library
Decatur Public Library	Lubbock Public Library	Upton County Public Library
Dennis M O Connor Public Library	Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library	Utopia Memorial Library
Denton Public Library	Lumberton Public Library	Val Verde County Library
DeSoto Public Library	Lytle Public Library	Valley Mills Public Library
Dickens County Spur Public Library	Madison County Library	Van Alstyne Public Library
Dickinson Public Library	Mae S Bruce Library	Van Horn City County Library
Dilley Public Library	Mansfield Public Library	Van Zandt County Library
Dimmit County Public Library	Marathon Public Library	Victoria Public Library
Dr Hector P Garcia Memorial Library	Marfa Public Library	Vidor Public Library
Dripping Springs Community Library	Marion & Ed Hughes Public Library	Virgil & Josephine Gordon Memorial Library
Driscoll Public Library	Marion Community Library	W Walworth Harrison Public Library
Dublin Public Library	Marshall Public Library	Waller County Library
Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library	Martin County Library	Ward County Library
Duval County/San Diego Public Library	Mason County M Beven Eckert Memorial Library	Waskom Public Library
Eagle Pass Public Library	Mathis Public Library	Watauga Public Library
East Parker County Library	Mayor Joe V Sanchez Public Library	Weatherford Public Library
Ector County Library	MB Noelke Jr Memorial Library	Wells Branch Community Library
Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library	McAllen Memorial Library	West Public Library
Edwards Public Library	McGinley Memorial Public Library	Westbank Community Library District
Effie & Wilton Hebert Public Library	Medina Community Library	Westworth Village Public Library
El Paso Public Library	Melissa Public Library	Whitesboro Public Library
El Progreso Memorial Library	Memphis Public Library	Whitewright Public Library
Electra Public Library	Mesquite Public Library	William T Cozby Public Library
Elgin Public Library	Midland County Public Library	Wimberley Village Library
Ellen Brooks West Memorial Library of Forney	Montgomery County Memorial Library System	Winters Public Library
Elsa Public Library	Moody Community Library	Wolfe City Public Library
Ennis Public Library	Moore Memorial Public Library	Yoakum County Library
		Yoakum County/Cecil Bickley Library

From the TSLAC website:

A very special three-part webinar series on patron privacy for Texas library staff kicks off on February 9.

Patron Privacy – What Texas Library Staff Should Know

(For Texas Library Staff Only)

Are you confident in your ability to handle requests for patron information from authorities? When is the last time you had a refresher on Texas laws related to library records? Do you have questions regarding privacy and the online environment, employees, volunteers, or serving minors? The Texas State Library & Archives Commission invites Texas library staff to attend this very special Webinar series on privacy, presented by Texas attorney Gretchen McCord.

During this three part series, Gretchen will provide guidance and training focused on privacy in the areas of constitutional law, federal law, Texas state law, and application of the law and ethics. She will discuss how to minimize the risk related to privacy issues in the library, and will address frequently asked questions. Attendees will also have ample opportunity to ask questions of this noted privacy expert, so this is a webinar series that you do not want to miss!

About the presenter: Gretchen McCord is an attorney licensed by the State of Texas, specializing in privacy and copyright.  Gretchen provides legal advising and training in the areas of copyright law, privacy law, licensing, and other legal issues associated with digital information and social media.  With a total of over twenty years of experience as a lawyer and a higher education librarian, her practice (Digital Information Law) focuses on assisting educational institutions and libraries, small and mid-sized businesses, and non-profit organizations as they transition into the digital world.

1.5 TSLAC CE hours per session

Attendees must register for each part of the series separately.

Part 1 – February 9, 2016 from 2-3:30pm CST — Register: http://bit.ly/23jpWay

Part 2 – February 16, 2016 from 2-3:30pm CST — Register: http://bit.ly/1RDvloU

Part 3 – February 23, 2016 from 2-3:30pm CST — Register: http://bit.ly/1nDDRrs

Questions? Please contact Naomi DiTullio, Distance Learning Consultant,  Library Development and Networking Division, nditullio@tsl.texas.gov or 1-800-252-9386 (toll free in Texas).

From the TSLAC website:

Has a book or DVD been challenged in your library? How should your library respond if someone challenges one of your books on social media?

The Texas State Library is hosting a 1.5 hour webinar at 1:30pm CST on Tuesday, February 2nd that will leave you better prepared to respond to challenges. Our speakers will be:

• Jeanette Larson, Larson Library Consulting. Jeanette will provide strategies for responding to challenges that can be used by any type of library.
• Kate Horan, director of the McAllen Public Library. Kate will discuss the library’s response to a DVD challenge and an informal challenge on Facebook.
• Courtney Kincaid, former director of the Hood County Library. Courtney will discuss the library’s response to a well-coordinated challenge to several picture books that made national news.

We’ll also allow time for questions. Please register for the webinar and join us on February 2nd!