Thank you for standing with your Texas library community through these last 18 months of pandemic, social unrest, changing market conditions and many other challenges. Our relationships with you have endured over many decades of trials and we are stronger as a collective community for what we have achieved during this most recent one.
We are so excited to be once again planning a robust in-person conference experience in Fort Worth in April 2022! With that hope comes a sense of caution as we look at all the factors required to provide a safe and responsible environment for our 5,000 plus participants.
We are firmly committed to a safe and responsible approach for all TLA in-person events and want to share our guidelines to help you make the best-informed decision about your participation in 2022:
- TLA will require advanced submission of proof of complete vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours of badge pick-up through a third-party, HIPAA compliant service.
- Masks will be strongly encouraged throughout contracted conference facilities.
- We are working closely with our City of Fort Worth partners to ensure the highest levels of safety available.
- The conference will be fully in-person. A separate, different virtual event will take place June 2, 2022. There will not be a hybrid option for the Annual Conference.
Should local and state health factors change significantly as we get closer to April, we may consider relaxing some of these guidelines, but any decisions will be based on CDC guidance and will be made in consultation with the TLA Executive Board and our legal team.
We all want and need to be able to come back together safely in-person and we are going to do everything in our power to ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable.
An additional note about the political climate in Texas. Many new and challenging laws and policies have been enacted in the state that are outside of TLA’s core values and the Library Bill of Rights. We are working hard to support our members who are being affected on the front lines by the challenges in their classrooms, public libraries, and campuses. We are providing educational support and advocacy through numerous channels and are utilizing our voice to empower members to find the strength to navigate this environment in their communities.
TLA needs our allies in the industry to continue providing support, resources, and access to ideas and voices that will help to lift us up and move us forward. We value our partners as you stand with us in promoting library excellence in Texas.
Sincerely,
Shirley Robinson, CAE
TLA Executive Director
