Priorities

The Texas Library Association’s legislative vision is to empower Texas libraries to build essential community infrastructure by focusing our efforts on the following areas:

Access

• Support Broadband Development Office funding and program initiatives related to digital inclusion, access, and affordability.
• Support Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC) funding and programs related to digital inclusion and digital literacy.
• Support TSLAC funding and programs to provide increased support and training to Texas libraries related to technology and digital inclusion.

Education

• Protect the right to read, intellectual freedom, academic freedom and first amendment rights of Texans in school, public, and academic libraries.
• Support TSLAC funding and access to affordable e-resources for work and study (TexQuest and TexShare).
• Support Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) funding for grants to develop Open Educational Resources (OER).
• Support THECB funding to support the use and expansion of OERTX, Texas’ digital repository of open educational resources (OER) for Texas students and educational institutions.

Economic Development

• Support TSLAC funding and programs to provide increased support and training to Texas libraries related to workforce and economic development initiatives.
• Support Broadband Development Office funding and programs for initiatives where libraries can play a key role in program development, and implementation (i.e., telehealth, workforce training, etc.).

TLA will closely monitor all legislative proposals in these areas and will actively advocate in favor of those which would positively impact libraries, and strongly oppose those that would have a negative impact.