Rachael Reads

Rachael Welsh is a passionate educator, advocate, and storyteller. Over her 18-year career in education, she has taught English and Theater on the high school level and has been a librarian in elementary, middle, and high school programs. She currently works at Sablatura Middle School in Pearland ISD, where she leads an award-winning library program focused on student voice, creativity, and inclusive access to information. Known for her innovative approach, Rachael developed the “Adopt a Shelf” initiative, which empowers students to design and manage their own themed book displays. This program earned a 2025 Branding Iron Award from the Texas Library Association and has become a model for student engagement in school libraries.

Rachael began her teaching career in 2008 at the Pace Center, the DAEP campus in Pearland ISD, where she taught all four levels of high school English. As a proactive approach, Rachael spearheaded a bookmobile initiative in response to the school library closure, insuring that students had access to books during their disciplinary placement.

In 2014, she began her career in school librarianship, working at Southside Elementary School in Angleton, where she transformed the library program by focusing on student autonomy in the library space when she genrefied the library collection and created monthly reading challenges to encourage a reading culture across the campus. As the librarian of Brazoswood High School in Clute, Texas, she continued her support of students by sponsoring student groups, including the National Honor Society, the Gay Straight Alliance, and a student-led book club. Her library was known through the school and the community as a safe space as she worked with the school LPCs to support student social emotional wellness with activities and programming.

Rachael holds a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Texas A&M University. Her professional leadership includes serving on multiple Texas Library Association committees, including as Chair of the Social Media and Teacher Day @ TLA Committees, a member of the Legislative and Advocacy Committee, and Chair of the Queers and Allies Round Table. In 2025, she won the Texas Association of School Librarian's Media Virtual Presence Award and the TLA Branding Iron Award for School Library Reading Programs for her digital programming and advocacy through her social media channels.

In 2024, Rachael was selected to participate in the TALL Texans Leadership Institute, joining a cohort of library leaders from across the state. Beyond her work in schools, she is active in local community theater through Brazosport Center Stages, where she brings her love of storytelling to the stage as both a performer and director (and of course, as performing as Marian the Librarian in "The Music Man"). Through her social media presence, and professional advocacy, Rachael continues to champion the vital role of libraries in fostering equity, creativity, and community.