Scholarship applications deadline set for September 15

The Texas Library and Archives Foundation has today announced its annual Martha Wong Scholarship opportunity, as well as the new Mark Smith–Gloria Meraz Scholarship, for students in a Texas library/information science or school library certification program. Both scholarships will award a reimbursable grant of $2,000 that may be used for tuition or required textbooks.

Through these awards, the Foundation encourages Texans to pursue a degree from a Texas library/information science graduate program or school library certification program. These scholarships have been generously funded by Dr. Martha Wong, Chair of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Funds will be used for the January 2026 semester. Eligible applicants must live in Texas or work in a Texas library and should have the intention of pursuing a professional library position in Texas after obtaining their degree.

For full grant details and to apply online, visit the Foundation’s website at www.txlaf.org/scholarship. The deadline to apply is 12:00 midnight (central) on Sept. 15, 2025. 

Applicants will be notified by Oct. 15. Questions may be emailed to txlafinfo@tsl.texas.gov.

Wong, of Houston, has served on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission since 2015 and was appointed chair by Gov. Greg Abbott in January 2020. A longtime educational leader in Texas and the greater Houston area, she is a former educator and administrator. Wong, a community volunteer, former state representative and Houston city council member, is a member of the Houston Association of Retired Teachers and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She has previously served as a board member for the Neuhaus Education Center and University of Houston Alumni Organization. Inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 1994, she has also been recognized as a Distinguished University of Houston Alumni by the UH Alumni Association and the College of Education. Wong graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her master’s and doctorate degree in educational administration from the University of Houston.

Smith was the Director and Librarian of TSLAC from 2013 until his retirement in 2021. His career, spanning more than 40 years, included managing public library services in various communities in New Jersey, California, Oregon and Texas, and as the director of communications for the Texas Library Association. Smith has authored three books and numerous articles on library topics and has been a long-time library advocate, a role that has continued after retirement. He served as a member of the Austin Library Commission—including two years as chair—from 2022-2025, and currently serves on the boards of directors of the Tocker Foundation and Amigos Library Services. Smith was named a Texas Library Champion by the Texas Library Association in 2024 and was California Library Association Member of the Year in 2003. He holds a BA and an MLIS from the University of Texas at Austin.

Meraz is Director and State Librarian at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, which provides support and programs for libraries statewide, oversees the State Archives, assists state and local government agencies in the management of their records and manages the Talking Book Program. Meraz has served at head of the agency since September 2021. Previous to her appointment, she served at the Assistant State Librarian, where she led communications and government relations for the agency. Before joining TSLAC, she served as director of communications for the Texas Library Association for 17 years, where she directed government relations, publications and public relations and served as the editor of the Texas Library Journal. She coordinated statewide efforts to promote library and information services, reading initiatives, secure funding for library programs and implement policies to support effective and open public access to information. She holds a BA from Baylor University and an MLIS with a specialization in Archives from the University of Texas at Austin.