Welcome to District 8! Our district’s membership includes librarians, staff, trustees, full-time library students, and other interested individuals representing school, public, academic, and special libraries.
Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer with TLA/ District 8, please fill out this volunteer form.
We are located in Southeast Texas, including the counties of Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, and Wharton. That’s 28 counties in all!
Upcoming Events
TLA District 8 Fall Conference
Saturday, November 4, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
University of Houston, Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion, MD Anderson Library – 4333 University Drive, Houston, TX 77204
Join us for our District 8 Fall Meeting & Conference, hosted at the University of Houston M.D. Anderson Library. The theme of this year’s conference is Find Your Voice, Tell Your Story. We are excited to feature Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton as our keynote speaker, along with a full day of programming from presenters across the District for a full day of programming, professional development, and networking. Refreshments in the morning and lunch will be provided.
- Registration deadline: October 27
- Registration: $35 Members / $40 Non-members / $25 Student & Retiree Members
- Parking: $10
Keynote & Book Signing: Deborah D.E.E
.P. Mouton
Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally-known writer, educator, activist, performer, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, Texas. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Performance Poet in the World (PSI), her poetry collection, Newsworthy, garnered her a Pushcart nomination, was named a finalist for the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas Book Award, and received honorable mention for the Summerlee Book Prize. Its German translation, under the title “Berichtenswert,” was released in Summer 2021 by Elif Verlag. The opera, Marian’s Song, for which she wrote the libretto, debuted in 2020 to roaring reviews.
Honored by Houston Business Journal as a part of their 2021 40 Under 40 class, D.E.E.P. has been a finalist for Texas State Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat. Her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany. She performed as a part of the Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America event. Named a Houston Artist Commissioning Project award winner by the Society for the Performing Arts Houston, her second book, Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and Myth, was released in March 2023 by Henry Holt & Co. A storybook opera, entitled “Lula, the Mighty Griot,” which reinterprets one of the stories from Black Chameleon debuted in Spring 2022 with the Houston Grand Opera. Currently, she is a Resident Artist at the American Lyric Theater and Rice University. She lives and creates in Houston, TX. For more information visit www.LiveLifedeep.com.
A book signing hosted by Kindred Stories will follow D.E.E.P.’s talk! Copies of Black Chameleon and Newsworthy will be available for purchase.
Pre-order your copies for pickup the morning of the event!
Call for Proposals
The Call for Proposals is now closed. Check back soon for more information about the program!
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Contact us!
2023 – 2024 District 8 Officers
Chair: Kate McNally Carter, University of Houston
Chair-Elect: Celeste Bleu, Harris County Public Library
Past Chair: Monica Babaian, Fort Bend ISD
Secretary: Heather Swanner, Houston ISD
Treasurer: Cheryl Loewen, Moore Memorial Public Library
Councilor: Katie Smith, Brazoria County Library System
Councilor-Alternate: Jennifer Holland, University of Houston
Web Administrator: Allison Dominguez, Katy ISD
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to us on TLA Engage, or email the Chair.
Operating Procedures
District 8 Operating Procedures
Recent Meeting Minutes
- April 3, 2023 – Annual Conference Business Meeting Minutes
- November 12, 2022 – District 8 Fall Conference Business Meeting Minutes
- June 24, 2022 – Annual Assembly Business Meeting Minutes
Join or Renew Your TLA Membership!
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