Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Library Development Division

The Texas Conference on Library and Information Services (TCLIS) was one of more than fifty conferences held in the states and territories in preparation for the White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS) held in Washington from October 28 to November 2 of 1979. The call for the conference was contained in Public Law (PL) 93-568 that was a joint resolution passed by the 93rd Congress on December 31, 1974. The stated purpose of the White House Conference was ...to develop recommendations for the further improvement of the Nation's libraries and information centers and their use by the public. This legislation authorized the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) to make technical and financial assistance available to the states and territories to enable them to organize and conduct conferences and other meetings as needed in preparation for the White House Conference.

Town Hall Meetings were held throughout Texas on September 12, 1978 to gather community input and recommendations for the 200 TCLIS delegates to consider at the conference held in Austin November 16-18, 1978. From the 200 delegates to TCLIS, 19 delegates and 8 alternates were selected to attend the WHCLIS. Final resolutions were drafted at the TCLIS to be brought by the Texas delegation for consideration at the WHCLIS.

The Library Development Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission was created to expand public access to the resources of all libraries, to assist libraries in supplying quality information services, and to encourage Texans to utilize libraries. Libraries may receive training and technical assistance, loans of professional materials, and state accreditation. Grants to library systems support collection development, automation and networking, circulation of materials to users of other libraries, production of public information materials, cooperative reference services, and loans of films, books, and other media. The Library Development Division coordinates and supports information services among all types of libraries in the state: public, academic, special, and school. Other services provided directly by the Division include consulting, continuing education, circulation of library science materials, the production and distribution of publicity materials for library reading clubs, and developing and maintaining electronic library services.

In accordance with criteria established by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas public libraries are annually accredited for membership in the Texas Library System. Public libraries must meet minimum requirements regarding expenditures, collection size, hours of service, staffing, and service policies. Persons seeking employment as county librarians must be certified by the State Library based upon requirements that vary according to the population of the county. To further assist libraries and their staffs, the Division helps to sponsor a variety of workshops, ranging from grant writing to storytelling, and members of regional public library System Advisory Councils attend conferences to acquaint them with the Texas Library System. Librarians, trustees, and other individuals may receive further assistance on all aspects of library development, programming and operations from several consultants employed by the Division.

The Library Development Division awards state and federal grants for a variety of services, representing approximately 93 percent of the operating budget for the Statewide Library Development program. In 1969, the Texas Legislature authorized the organization of library systems to improve library services and to make resources accessible to all residents of the area that the member libraries collectively serve. Thus, the State Library designated the public libraries in Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio as Major Resource Centers to provide services to libraries within a specific region. Each year these Resource Centers are awarded grants to provide a variety of services for member libraries, such as purchasing library materials and equipment, training staff, supporting automation and networking, offering consulting services, and loaning films and rotating and extension collections.

The Division also manages the interlibrary loan program, with centers in public libraries in Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio. The Library Science Collection provides current information on librarianship and library and information services while staff provide reference assistance and consultations to support the needs of librarians, library staff, trustees and other interested individuals. The Division's publications program includes directories and statistical reports of public and academic libraries, as well as guides, manuals, bibliographies on selected topics, and a bi-monthly newsletter. The Texas Reading Club offers an annual program for children and sends libraries free promotional materials, a manual suggesting activities and crafts, and books and audiovisuals appropriate for the year's theme. Separate handbooks help librarians and volunteers to organize, market, and manage a reading club.