Baylor alumna named Texas State Librarian

Librarians are the heartbeat behind education, research, and exploration through reading. Texas recently announced a new state librarian — and she’s a Baylor grad!

On September 1, Gloria Meraz (BA ’90) began her new role as director of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and Texas State Librarian. Notably, Meraz is both the first person of color and the first Hispanic woman to serve as State Librarian of Texas since the position was created in 1909.

TSLAC supports the reading, learning, and historical preservation needs of Texans. The commission accomplishes its mission by preserving the archival record of Texas; assisting public, academic and school libraries across the state; helping public agencies maintain their public records; and supporting the reading needs of thousands of Texans with disabilities.

Meraz’s interest in libraries began when she was a student docent at Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library as an undergraduate; she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in museum studies from Baylor in 1990, then a master’s in library and information science from UT four years later. She then served 17 years as director of communication for the Texas Library Association before spending the last five years as assistant state librarian at TSLAC.

For Meraz, this is a professional honor of a lifetime. “The agency provides vital information services to our partners in libraries, archives, educational institutions, and state and local government,” she says. “I can think of no finer mission.”

Sic ’em, Gloria Meraz!