The Friends of the Kountze Public Library hosted a Recognition Reception in honor of Elaine Allums at the library on February 25, 2019. Allums served as Building Committee Chairperson in 1999 and spearheaded plans for the construction of a new library. The facility was completed in 2002. Allums has performed as a loyal president of the Friends since that time. Today the library serves 7,143 registered borrowers and has 21,350 materials in the library for checkout with an additional 14,483 electronic materials available online. As a retired teacher and dedicated community servant, Elaine Allums is an exceptional role model and her contributions to the City of Kountze and the library are sincerely appreciated.

The Fayette Public Library’s StoryWalk opened on November 17th! After much planning they were finally able to install the feature outside of the library. Children and families can complete the book, How Rocket Learned to Read, and enjoy the park located outside of the library. Children that complete the StoryWalk will receive a special Rocket Reading Certificate. Library staff scanned all of the book pages and worked with a graphic artist on the final layout. La Grange High School welding students built the posts and a sign company was used to print the attached removable aluminum signs. The library hopes to have more stories printed. Allison Shimek, the Library Director, thanks fellow CTLS member, Melissa Uhlhorn, at the Schertz Public Library for sharing information about their StoryWalk. Melissa answered all of Allison’s questions and provided an excellent model to work off.

Congratulations to  Jennifer Coffey, Director of Pflugerville Public Library, for receiving the 2018 TLA Librarian of the Year award.