TexQuest X-Press

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has partnered with TeachingBooks to help educators efficiently document the titles in classroom and library collections. The tools, support, and training provided through this initiative are made available to all Texas teachers at no cost. Please join TSLAC for a webinar to learn more:

Introduction to the Texas Collection Analysis Initiative

Thursday, August 8 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time – 45 minutes

Session Summary:

Learn how the Texas Collection Analysis Initiative can provide classroom and library staff with personalized support and an effective, sustainable opportunity to assist in addressing the School Library Program Collection Development Standards (13 Texas Admin. Code §4.2). TeachingBooks will walk through how to upload the books in a collection to TeachingBooks' Collection Analysis tool and immediately receive a shareable listing of all titles and authors. There will be a Q&A at the end of the demonstration. All participants must be verifiably present either in-person or virtually to receive CE credit hours. The use of artificial intelligence to attend is not allowed.

• Webinar Registration Link for August 8 webinar
• Registration Link for access to the Texas Collection Analysis Initiative (this step is required as TeachingBooks will need to assign access to the requesting educator)

If you haven't already heard, the passwords used when accessing TexQuest resources via the Navigator pages on our website have changed effective July 2024. Instead of one password for all levels, there are now three (3) separate passwords, plus a staff password. Please see your campus or district librarian for password guidance.

TexQuest quotes and participation summaries went out in June to district leaders. TSLAC Accounts Receivable will send invoices in September. If you have questions about either, contact k12@tsl.texas.gov.

The TexQuest Support Center will be making changes to the training model we currently have in place. In the past, ESCs have hosted the majority of training sessions, with minimal statewide sessions taking place. Beginning September 2024, the Support Center will be hosting at least two statewide sessions per month. Our ESCs will still be hosting sessions, but not as many as they were responsible for in the past.

This is what you can expect:

• Each ESC will host a total of six (6) training hours per fiscal year (September 2024-August 2025). All sessions hosted by ESCs will be available within their respective ESC registration system.
• Statewide sessions will be 90 minutes or less.
• All statewide sessions will be available in Connect20 from ESC Region 20 where you will be able to register for sessions and receive CE credit hours for attending.

As always, sessions are to remain free of charge to attendees and will always award CE credit hours for attending. Educators can attend any session, hosted by any ESC, even if it is not their ESC.

We have a tentative calendar of statewide sessions that will be offered, with registration links coming soon.

Reach out to texquest@esc20.info with questions.

Exciting news coming from Britannica as they once again make their already fantastic product even better! Britannica will very soon launch interface updates to their Elementary, Middle, and High School resources. A preview of these upcoming changes will be revealed during the webinars scheduled below. Be sure to attend to view what's coming!

What's New with Britannica School?

Tuesday, August 13th at 4 PM CT

Wednesday, August 14th at 10 AM CT

Thursday, August 15th at 10 AM CT

Get ready to engage with LearningExpress! They have boosted their content library with additional new content as well as updated current content.

Content that has been recently added:

• English Language Arts Skills Center
• Twenty (20) verbal skills flashcards covering ELA language conventions, usage, and key verbal terms
• Math and Science Skills Center
• Thirty (30) math skills flashcards on concepts such as fractions, lines and angles, measurement, percent and decimals, word problems, and more.
• Digital SAT Preparation
• Twenty (20) Math flashcard decks
• Ten (10) Reading and Writing flashcard decks
• Four (4) Math practice tests
• Four (4) Reading and Writing microlessons
• Four (4) Math microlessons
• Advanced Placement Preparation flashcards on Biology, Calculus, European History, and World History.
• STAAR Grade 3 Reading
• Two (2) practice tests have been added

Be sure to visit LearningExpress for more details!

Gale trainers have taken a few of the premade activities available in the Gale Support site and created a Virtual Gallery Walk with links to some of the fantastic resources available for our Texas educators.

Gale Literature Resource Center

Additional improvements have been made to the Gale Literature Resource Center product. They recently added primary sources to the Works Portal Sets. The bolded titles on the list are available NOW, and the non-bold titles are coming soon. This is a fantastic addition to an already great resource.

If you are needing a list of full-text novels available in this resource, our Gale team has you covered: Full Text List. The full-text novels offer prime opportunity to utilize the Highlights and Notes feature to practice annotating text! And don't forget about about the ability to use the listening tool as well as the display options that support all learners.

If you have never looked at the Infobase blog be sure check out these math, science and history blogs! The blogs on Infobase highlight Topic Centers, interactive lessons and content related printables.

• Help Students Master Math with Infobase
• Explore Space with Infobase
• Support Your History Instruction with Curated Multimedia Content

Did you know that Learn360 also has Quarterly newsletters?

• Spring 2024
• Winter 2024

These newsletters are contain videos, quizzes, blogs, and so much more you don't want to miss out!

ProQuest has been busy updating their collections! Be ready to ignite curiosity with over fifty (50) new biographies! Explore the fascinating lives of Charlie Chaplin, Neil Gaiman, Nat Love, and so many more.

Plus, dive deeper into STEM with six (6) new Brown Bear Books:

Key Concepts in STEM: Engineering and Technology series

1. Air and Space

2. Buildings and Structures

3. Land and Water Transportation

4. Medicine and Health

5. Military and Security

6. Power and Energy

Finally, don't forget to check out the seven (7) new exciting Dorling Kindersley titles:

1. Leaders Who Changed History

2. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Adventures

3. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals

4. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs

5. My Encyclopedia of Very Important Oceans

6. My Very Important Earth Encyclopedia

7. Scientists Who Changed History

We are so excited to let you know that TeachingBooks has added Early Childhood & Science of Reading Reinforcement material to extend Science of Reading/phonetic instruction! Perfect for PreK-2nd grade! Be sure to explore the Title collections, Concept Books collections, Phonics & Phonological Awareness collections, Printables, and so much more!

Be sure you attend the webinar listed above about the Texas Collection Analysis Initiative that will provide classroom and library staff with personalized support and an effective, sustainable opportunity to assist in addressing the School Library Program Collection Development Standards. This tool also includes enhancements to TeachingBooks’ custom reading lists feature—watch this tutorial to learn about custom reading lists.

TexQuest is a statewide digital resources program that provides anytime, anywhere access to high quality, authoritative digital resources to all educators, students, and students' immediate families in Texas K-12 public schools and open enrollment charter schools. Supported, in part, by appropriations from the Texas State Legislature, Texas districts pay a small per student membership fee to gain access to TexQuest resources from the providers listed on this page.

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission administers all aspects of the TexQuest program and is responsible for the selection and coordination of all TexQuest resources, as well as district invoicing.

Education Service Center, Region 20 serves as the TexQuest Support Center and is responsible for help desk, technical assistance, outreach, communication, and training to support the program.