Texarkana's Wildest Radio Station!
Texarkana's Wildest Radio Station!
July 14, 2026
TEXARKANA, Texas — Manga fans, comic readers and graphic novel devotees will soon find more to love at the Texarkana Public Library.
The library has been awarded a 2026 Texas Book Festival Library Grant, which will be used to expand its collection of manga, comics and graphic novels. Public Service Librarian Morgan Chance accepted the grant certificate on the library's behalf.
The Texas Book Festival has been putting books on Texas library shelves for three decades. Since 1995, its library grants program has funded more than 1,500 grants totaling over $3.9 million to public libraries across the state, with the goal of helping collections reflect what each community actually wants to read. Only Texas public libraries are eligible for the awards.
Graphic novels and manga have been among the fastest-growing sections in public libraries nationwide, particularly for drawing in younger readers — making the collection a natural target for growth at the downtown library.
It's the latest win for a library that has made a habit of punching above its weight. Last summer, the library marked the city's centennial by shutting down its block for a community party that drew more than a thousand people, and it continues to offer Wi-Fi hotspot lending, free computer classes, and a job-seeking kiosk for patrons.
The 2026 Texas Book Festival takes place November 14–15 in Austin.