Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) Home Page

Making Information Work For All Texans

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Welcome to the Texas State Library
and Archives Commission

The mission of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission is to preserve the record of government for public scrutiny, to secure and make accessible historically significant records and other valuable resources, to meet the reading needs of Texans with disabilities, to build and sustain statewide partnerships to improve library programs and services, and to enhance the capacity for achievement of individuals and institutions with whom we work. Explore TSLAC

TSLAC NEWS

TSLAC receives $8 million grant to enhance computer connectivity statewide
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has received an $8 million federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as part of its Federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. The grant will be matched with $3.7 million in funds from participating libraries and library systems, and will go toward providing new or upgraded computer centers at libraries, community colleges, public schools, recreation centers and health facilities. The money will also fund three mobile learning labs that will be used to provide computer training throughout the state. Read more about it here. To find out which libraries and library systems will receive funding, and how much, click here.

No display cases? No problem!

photo: Banners in the lobby of the de Zavala building

While putting finishing touches on our renovation of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, we found ourselves with four gaping holes in the lobby where old display cases were removed to make way for new ones. The replacement cases won’t be ready for a while, so we needed a quick solution.

Our graphic design staff quickly came to the rescue, creating four banners in just a few days. They look so terrific, we just had to show them off. Take a quick peek at the slideshow below, and get a closer look when you stop in to visit the library and archives. Please let us know what you think!

And wait till you see what’s coming next … the new cases, purchased with funds raised by the Friends of the Libraries & Archives of Texas, will feature a changing panorama of dynamic displays, including rare artifacts from our collections, programming highlights and other tangible representations of our work to preserve, inform and inspire the Texans of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building Renovations Completed
The nearly $20 million renovation of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, a two-year project, has been completed and all staff and materials are back under the historic building’s roof. Visitors to our expanded archives area or genealogy and government document collections will find a more comfortable and easily navigable environment staffed by helpful, knowledgeable reference experts. For information about our collections, please check our About Texas, Archives and Manuscripts and Genealogy pages. For more information about visiting this National Literary Landmark building at 1201 Brazos St. (across from the State Capitol), and to make your research efforts as fruitful as possible, we recommend checking our visit us page or calling (512) 463-5455 before you arrive.

TSLAC Joins The Commons on Flickr
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has joined The Commons, a collaborative project between Flickr and The Library of Congress to showcase and increase access to publicly-held photography collections. TSLAC's first submission is four sets of drawings created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. These are the results of the work of the architects, engineers and draftsmen employed by the Corps, a U.S. federally funded New Deal program. View TSLAC's page at the Commons.

New Online Exhibit Available
"Fear, Force, and Leather: The Texas Prison System's First Hundred Years, 1848-1948" is a new online history exhibit from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Drawing from the Archives' extensive collections of historic penitentiary records, the exhibit documents in words, photographs, and archival images the evolution of the Texas prison system from humble beginnings with little money or public support into a self-supporting network of sugar and cotton farms wrought with scandal. Go to the exhibit