The Liberty Municipal Library has undergone some changes recently thanks to many partners and staff efforts. New landscaping was installed thanks to the Liberty Garden Club. A Senior Room was created for ages 50-plus to connect with other members of the community. The Senior Room was created in part from a grant received by the Liberty Rotary Club and a generous donation from the Kaiser Family.
This past year the library purchased new computers for patrons thanks to funding by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through a grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The computers include new capabilities that the library’s former computers lacked, including built-in cameras for patrons needing to take online classes, participate in training, or telehealth services. Headphones with microphones, which are available upon request.
Microsoft Office products are included on each computer including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel programs. Several children’s programs are also installed on the children’s computers such as ABC Mouse.
New Silent Study rooms were also created in part to the Library Infrastructure Facility Improvement (LIFI) grant that the library received from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). A new dedicated Story Time area is also in the works. The new area will be ready for Story Time, on its new date and time Thursdays at 10 a.m., beginning Sept. 3. The Friends Book Sale area has also changed location. The new space will allow for more traffic flow and will be ready for the next book sale, which will be determined at a later time.
The teen area has also been rearranged for better aesthetic and teen only study areas. A small meeting room has been created upstairs for those needing a space to hold meetings for 4 or less people. A historical room is in the works with a small collection of historical materials relating to the library’s history and the town.
Staff have also been hard at work creating a new space for DVDs and Blu-Rays along with expanding our Large Print collection. The library has also worked on creating more ADA compliant spaces. The public restrooms are now equipped with automatic door openers. New print release station, card catalog, and two desks in the adult computer section purchased through the LIFI grant are now wheelchair accessible. The library also recently received a grant for books that are slowly coming in along with books purchased through POs, Trust, and Memorial funding.
Why all the changes? As the city develops, the Library also will follow improvements. One of the best ways to do that is to make sure that the Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center is fully utilizing the space that houses both the Liberty Municipal Library and the Humphreys Burson Theatre. New and increased programming should also be noted as the library hosts events throughout the year from holiday events including Halloween, Christmas, and Easter to scavenger hunts and to our biggest events throughout the summer for our Summer Reading program.
“We invite you to come and see the new changes. Or just relax with a book from our shelves. Or watch a movie on the computer from our SWANK movie license. The possibilities are endless at the Liberty Municipal Library. We’ve had a busy summer, come stop by and see the differences,” said Amber Ursprung, head library.
For more information, contact the library at 936-336-8901. Library hours are Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, 1-5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.