The Texas Library System

Contact Information | Budget Information | Library Systems Act and Rules for Administering
Library Systems Act Advisory Board | Other Resources | Systems Negotiated Grant (SYNG)

The Texas Library System is comprised of ten regional library systems across the state funded by contract with the Texas State Library. Nearly every public library in the state is a member of the system. Member libraries receive many benefits from the system including consulting and continuing education services, and support for such projects as literacy, English as a Second Language and automation.

Contact Information

• Texas Library System Offices
• Texas Regional Library Systems
• Texas Libraries’ Home Pages

Budget Information

Texas Library Systems Act and Rules for Administering

• Texas Library Systems Act and Rules for Administering [pdf] Updated April 2008
  [This .pdf file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader]
• Texas Library Systems Act [html]
Updated April 2008
• Rules for Administering the Texas Library Systems Act [html] Updated November 2007
Minimum Standards for Accreditation of Public Libraries in the State Library System [html]

County Librarian Certification
On May 25, 2007, Governor Rick Perry signed into law S.B. 913, the sunset legislation that reestablishes the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for twelve years, through 2019. One of the key provisions of S.B. 913 eliminates the agency's certification of county librarians. The State Library no longer has the authority to certify county librarians and we are no longer issuing certificates effective immediately. If you have any questions please contact Deborah Littrell, deborah.littrell@tsl.state.tx.us, 512-463-5456.

Library Systems Act Advisory Board

Library Systems Act Advisory Board
The Library Systems Act Advisory Board advises the Commission on any matter related to the Texas Library Systems program.

Update - Recommendation of the LSAA Board Meeting on February 23rd

View Comments on previous Library System
Funding Formula Process

Other Resources

Long-Range Plan Guidelines for 2010-2011

• Guidelines [.doc]
• Directions [.doc]
• Budget [.xls]

Additional Explanation and Official Legislative Budget Board Performance Measures [.doc]

Fiscal Year 2009 Legislative Budget Board (LBB) Reporting Form [.xls]

Fiscal Year 2010 TANG Program Reporting Form [xls]

State Plan for the Library Services and Technology Act in Texas

State Plan for Library Services and Technology Act (FY1998-FY2002), Proposed State Plan for Library Services and Technology Act (FY2003-FY2007), and Evaluation Study of FY1998-FY2002 Texas Plan.

Plan of Service Guidelines

System Plan of Service Guidelines for 2011

System Plan of Service Guidelines for 2010

System Orientation Manual

Basic information about the Texas Library System, including the history of the systems, key principles of system management, and a timeline for annually and biennially recurring system activities (currently under revision).

TLA Annual Conference 2003, Multi-type Regional Cooperation [.ppt]

PowerPoint slideshow on "Multi-type Regional Cooperation" presented by Karen Hyman at the 2003 TLA Conference in Houston.

[Download a free viewer for Microsoft Powerpoint files]

TLA Annual Conference 2003, Multi-type Regional Cooperation: The Florida Model [.ppt]

PowerPoint slideshow on "Multi-type Regional Cooperation: The Florida Model" presented by Diane Solomon of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium at the 2003 TLA Conference in Houston.

[Download viewers for Microsoft Word and Excel files]

Systems Negotiated Grant Program (SYNG)

The first awards for the SYNG program were made for FY2010. Three systems received grant awards totaling $662,600. The funding is utilized to provide continuing education and consulting assistance on topics not covered under the Library Services & Technology Act. It is also utilized to address the statewide needs of early childhood literacy, family literacy, and workforce development.

Summary of FY2010 grant awards:

1. Lead applicant: Big Country Library System
Systems Participating: BCLS
Total Amount Requested / Awarded: $21,863 / $21,863

Administration Project Summary – total project budget: $2,340 (11%)
BCLS is requesting $2,340 to cover the staff costs for managing the project. This includes 5% of the time for the current library assistant.

Family Literacy Project Summary – total project budget: $19,523 (89%)
BCLS is requesting $19,523 to cover subscription costs to a Live Homework Help service for member libraries to address the educational and literacy needs of the 84,050 students in the 85 ISDs in the BCLS region. $17,000 of this cost is for the subscription to the online service, $1,752 to cover 2.50% of the current coordinator’s time, $300 for postage, and $50 for supplies. BCLS will focus on outreach to school personnel, library staff, and other community or educational organizations to facilitate usage of the service. The LBB target for Persons Served is 3,520. It is estimated that 43 libraries will receive services through this project.

2. Lead applicant: Central Texas Library System
Systems Participating:
Workforce Development project - Alamo Area Library System (AALS), Central Texas Library System (CTLS), & South Texas Library System (STLS)
Continuing Education project - Alamo Area Library System (AALS), Big Country Library System (BCLS), Central Texas Library System (CTLS), Northeast Texas Library System (NETLS), South Texas Library System (STLS), Texas Trans-Pecos Library System (TTPLS) & West Texas Library System (WTLS).
Total Amount Requested / Awarded: $292,313 / $292,313

Administration Project Summary – total project budget: $15,579 (5%)
CTLS is requesting $15,579 to cover the staff and related costs for managing the grant. This includes 24% of the time for the current office coordinator ($10,391) and 5% for the current administrative assistant’s time ($1,108). Also included are $400 in telecommunications costs, $250 in office supplies, $200 in postage, and $3,230 for office space.

Continuing Education Project Summary– total project budget: $87,952 (30%)
This project will provide continuing education opportunities to library staff in multiple systems. $79,730 of the request is for funding of continuing education workshops through an online vendor (LE@D = $21,000) and a variety of other contractual presenters for face-to-face workshops ($58,730). 602 library staff are estimated to be trained in the face-to-face workshops and 2,100 are estimated to be trained with the online workshop funds.
Other costs include travel costs ($3,400) and CTLS staff costs to manage the program ($4,822 for 8% of CE Coordinator position). The LE@D workshops will be utilized by AALS, NETLS, and STLS. The face-to-face workshops will be utilized by AALS, BCLS, CTLS, NETLS, STLS, TTPLS, and WTLS. It is estimated that 360 libraries will receive services through this project.

Consulting Project Summary – total project budget: $1,813 (1%)
CTLS is requesting $1,813 to cover the staff and travel costs to provide consulting to 35 CTLS libraries. This includes 2% of the time for the current youth specialist staff ($1,333) and $480 in travel costs. This consulting would cover areas that are not allowed under current guidance received from IMLS including facilities planning, personnel management, and fund raising activities.

Workforce Development Project Summary – total project budget: $186,969 (64%)
This project will provide training and equipment to library staff and services to patrons in three systems (AALS, CTLS, & STLS). $108,710 of the request is for funding of contractual costs including $16,900 for a job trainer position at San Antonio library locations, $39,000 for software for libraries, $20,800 for 4 JobView kiosks at Austin library locations, $15,000 for a contract trainer for basic computer skills, and $17,010 to conduct 7 workshops to provide skills to library staff to meet patron demands in the area of job seeking / workforce development. Requests for supplies include $1,000 for workbooks for basic computer skills classes, $1,860 for general supplies, and $15,265 for Microsoft Office and Fortress software. Travel costs total $4,802 and include staff travel to accompany workshop presenters and for computer installations. $52,800 in equipment funding is requested to purchase 48 computers to meet job search demands of patrons in libraries in the three systems. 5% of the existing Electronic Resources Specialist’s time has been budgeted to manage this project ($2,532). It is estimated that 179 libraries will receive services through this project. The project is also expected to provide services to 253,780 persons through the various electronic services.

Lead applicant: North Texas Regional Library System (NTRLS)
Systems Participating:
Workforce Development Project: Big Country Library System (BCLS), Houston Area Library System (HALS), North Texas Regional Library System (NTRLS), Northeast Texas Library System (NETLS), Texas Trans-Pecos Library System (TTPLS), & West Texas Library System (WTLS).
Continuing Education Project: North Texas Regional Library System (NTRLS)
Early Childhood Literacy Project: North Texas Regional Library System (NTRLS)
Total Amount Requested / Awarded: $361,168/ $348,424

Administration – total project budget: $3,455 (1%)
Request includes funding for staff costs and fringe for the executive director (3% = $1,980), accounting manager (3% = $1,075), and supplies ($400).

Continuing Education – total project budget: $15,000 (4%)
Request includes funding for a library supporters conference including facility rental and speaker fees ($6,100), funding to cover library staff registration in Public Library Association Certified Public Library Administrator courses and University of North Texas LEAD courses ($6,000), supplies ($2,100), and travel ($800). This funding is estimated to provide training opportunities to 390 library staff and supporters. 105 unique libraries are expected to receive services through this project.

Early Childhood Literacy – total project budget: $41,680 (12%)
Request includes funding for assistant director personnel costs (10% = $7,404), consultant services to deliver training programs ($4,360), library training materials ($28,835), and travel costs ($1,081). The materials are Babygarten early literacy resource kits for 73 libraries. 73 unique libraries are expected to receive services through this project and provide training to 500 parents and caregivers in early literacy skills.

Workforce Development– total project budget: $288,289 (83%)
Request covers the personnel costs related to a 0.5 FTE project coordinator position ($21,000) for the workforce development project, funding for consultant services to deliver programs ($35,200), website design ($13,000), subscriptions to web-based services ($62,256), materials and supplies ($11,641), travel costs ($11,200) to cover vehicle rentals for transporting mobile labs and staff travel, and equipment for mobile computing labs ($131,149). The equipment list includes laptops, projectors, accessories, and software for each of the systems involved. The project is also expected to provide services to 10,700 persons through the various electronic services, 600 persons for face-to-face training, and 460 library staff trained. 180 unique libraries are expected to receive services through this project.

Budget summary by project category:

Budget summary by budget category: