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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For 100 years, the people of Texas have benefited |
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from the outstanding materials and resources of the Texas State |
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Library and Archives Commission; and |
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WHEREAS, On March 19, 1909, a bill was signed into law by |
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Governor Thomas M. Campbell that officially established the |
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commission for the purpose of aiding and encouraging public |
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libraries and collecting materials related to Texas history; in |
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addition to books, the agency houses thousands of government |
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records, private papers, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and other |
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materials that document the history and cultural heritage of the |
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state; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of its director, Peggy D. Rudd, |
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the agency conducts its important work through five major divisions |
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and programs; the archives and information services division |
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collects and preserves valuable government records and provides |
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reference services for the Texas State Archives, the Genealogy |
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Collection, and the Reference/Documents Collection; the agency's |
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library development division supports the 540 public libraries and |
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10 regional public library systems across the state and provides |
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continuing education to library professionals; the library |
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resource sharing division oversees services that provide |
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information and library materials through networks of Texas |
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libraries and through Internet resources such as TexShare and |
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TexNet Interlibrary Loan; the state and local records management |
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division supports Texas state agencies and local governments in |
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their efforts to comply with records management laws and provides |
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training and consulting services to nearly 9,000 Texas local |
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governments; TSLAC is further distinguished by the Talking Book |
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Program, which provides thousands of Texans who are unable to read |
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standard print with free access to more than 80,000 titles in audio, |
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large print, and Braille formats; and |
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WHEREAS, The agency's home since the early 1960s, the Lorenzo |
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de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, is currently |
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undergoing a $15.5 million renovation to update its infrastructure |
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and to improve the quality of public and staff spaces; moreover, a |
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capital campaign is under way to fund an additional $10 million for |
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specialized library and conservation equipment, as well as for |
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compact archival shelving that will allow the library to |
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accommodate its growing archival collection; and |
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WHEREAS, TSLAC headquarters are augmented by the Sam Houston |
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Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty on a site donated by |
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former governor Price Daniel and his wife, Jean; the center |
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features exhibits on a variety of Southeast Texas topics and houses |
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a number of special collections; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its founding, the Texas State Library and |
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Archives Commission has upheld its mission to safeguard and make |
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accessible historically significant records and resources and to |
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provide information services that inspire and support research, |
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education, and reading, and it is indeed fitting to honor this |
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venerable institution for a century of service to the Lone Star |
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State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Texas |
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State Library and Archives Commission and extend sincere best |
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wishes for continued success to the agency's commissioners and |
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staff; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |