Media

Through the support of a two-year grant from the Mellon Foundation, TLA conducted research on the financial return on investment of Texas public libraries, analyzing funding trends against usage trends, and conducted a public opinion to assess public sentiment on Texas public libraries. The research outcomes not only contributed up-to-date information to state and national conversations around libraries, but they also surfaced new pathways for TLA members and supporters to raise awareness of the important work of libraries and librarians.

The results of the first project, a Public Library Public Opinion Poll were released in April 2026. The results of the second project, a Return on Investment Study of Public Libraries, was released in September 2026.

Public Opinion Poll Results  ROI Study Results

Libraries are places where everyone is welcome, where opportunity is shared, and where communities come together. That spirit—open, practical, and rooted in local values—is what makes them not just valuable, but unmistakably Texan.

Public libraries embody the values that Texans hold dear: independence, pride, and a deep commitment to community.

Libraries aren’t just in Texas. They are Truly Texas

Media Contacts

Primary:  ECPR Texas, Email

Secondary: Wendy Woodland, Texas Library Association, Email

News Releases 

• Texas Library Association Awarded $550,000 Mellon Foundation Grant
• Texans Strongly Support Public Libraries According to New Statewide Poll  April, 2026
• New Study Shows Texas Public Libraires Return Nearly $5 for Every $1 Invested  September,2026