Celebrating 250 Years Through Texas Stories

In this episode, host Michelle Chan Santos, coordinator for the Texas Center for the Book, welcomes Susan Floyd of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to explore how Texas is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary through reading, history, and community engagement. Floyd shares details about the Texas America 250 Project, a statewide initiative bringing traveling exhibits, digital resources, videos, and a yearlong reading challenge to libraries, schools, and communities across Texas. The conversation also highlights the 2026 Texas Great Reads, honoring beloved Texas author John Erickson. This year’s selections include The Case of the Poison Toad for young readers and Erickson’s autobiography, Small-Town Author, for adults. Together, the initiatives offer Texans of all ages new ways to connect with the stories, people, and history that have shaped the state and nation.

Libraries Transform Texas is produced by Association Briefings.