May Newsletter 2026

Dear Library Community,

April: A Month of Growth and Success at the Library!

April has been a remarkable month filled with achievements for our library! We were honored to be named Business of the Week by the Jarrell Chamber of Commerce, invited to participate in the American Legion's Award Banquet, and featured in an article about our programs and activities in the Temple Daily Times.

Gratitude and Community Support

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who believes in and promotes our library services and staff. An anonymous donor has recognized our efforts and challenged the community to contribute to our preparations for our upcoming move by June 30th. She has generously offered to match donations up until June 15th. We hope you will consider supporting our cause! So far, we have raised approximately $5,000 in April, which could be doubled to $10,000!

Flower Festival Success

We greatly appreciate all the support we received during our Flower Festival. We are thrilled to announce that we SOLD OUT of our plants, bags, and garden decorations! We have ordered additional bags and garden stakes that you can collect at the library for a donation.

Upcoming BBQ and Bounce House Bash

Mark your calendars! Join us for a BBQ and Bounce House Bash at our new property on May 30th from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM! Expect BBQ, bounce houses, giant yard games, and a fun-filled day for everyone! We invite you to celebrate our move to 130 Boatright Blvd with us!

To show our appreciation, we're offering a FREE Business Directory ad for a year to businesses that volunteer their services and bounce houses. A special shout-out goes to Nate Chessher of Parker Communications for lending his expertise in developing our site, utilities, and even donating MEAT for the BBQ! Barbara Barrett of BB Party Rentals will be providing yard games and treats, Heritage Broadband is donating hot dogs, Jose Leon of Mexicano Grille, Barry Cryer of Croaker Air and Bluebonnet Sheet Metal LLC donated funds for a new P.A. system, and Action Septic and Porta Potty has generously donated their potties once again. We are still in need of donations for beans, bread, meat, ice, drinks, potatoes, pickles, onions, BBQ sauce, chips, condiments, and large coolers. Help us celebrate in style! Please fill out the form to let us know about your sponsorship. Additionally, every BBQ plate purchased will come with a FREE bag of school supplies.

Exciting Raffle Items

Stay tuned as we finalize details for a raffle featuring exciting large items:

• **Raffle 1**: A gaming computer (donated by Fiber First,) a Yale Bluetooth door lock, an overnight stay at the Kalahari Resort, and 4 Round Rock Express tickets and gift card (donated by the Round Rock Express and Aneka Grandison).
• **Raffle 2**: A hand-made knife (donated by Wes Roach,) two Ruger AR 15 Harrier (donated by Nate Chessher,) and Six Month Membership to Lone Star Gun Range and Academy.

We will be posting details about the raffle items soon! The raffle will conclude at our Barn Dance during mid summer. We are still working on the details, but it is going to be spectacular!

As you can see, our Board, Staff, and Volunteers are working diligently to raise the necessary funds for our portable building, the road, and the parking lot!

Wishing you a wonderful end to your school year as we embrace the arrival of summer!

Sincerely,

Susan

Are you a visionary? Do you enjoy planning and developing projects? Do you enjoy seeking out funding for projects? We would like to invite you to join our Capital Campaign Committee. This group will develop the plans and implement the fundraising campaign for the new state of the art, 5,000 square foot library facility.

Our vision for the new facility includes a flexible library space where furniture can be moved to accommodate large community events, a green screen and podcasting room, a digital gaming room, quiet spaces, flexible rental spaces, a children's room to ignite the imagination, a teen gathering area, a cafe' space, and an outdoor activity space. This building will truly be a community space for everyone in the community.

Action Septic and Porta Potty has graciously donated porta a potties to our events in 2025-2026.

https://www.actionseptictx.com/

National Library Week draws attention to the vital services libraries provide, including free internet access, job-search assistance, literacy programs, and community spaces. It also highlights challenges such as book bans and budget constraints, reinforcing the importance of public support for libraries. Libraries serve millions of Americans annually, making this week a celebration of both access to knowledge and community enrichment.

Click on the link below to see one of the videos the Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center videos that we posted to help celebrate!

*Note: The drink is tea. 😄

May 4: MEXICANO MONDAY All Day

May 9: Paint and Sip with Deb 11:00 am

May 30: BBQ and Bounce Houses for a Building Party 10:30 am-2:30pm

Magic the Gathering: Mondays at 5:00 pm

Senior Games Group: Tuesdays 1:00 pm

Seniors That Sew: Wednesdays 10:00 am

Crochet for Charity: Wednesdays 5:30 pm

Dungeons and Dragons: Fridays 5:00 pm

Wellness Through Music Exploration: 1st Monday of the Month 5:00 pm

Veterans Support Group: 3rd Monday of the Month 6:00 pm

Crafting with Deb: 2nd Tuesday of the Month 4:30pm

Grief Support for Adults: 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the Month 6:00 pm

ASL - American Sign Language Community Coffee Social: 3rd Friday of the Month 6:00 pm

Green Thumb Gardeners: 2nd Saturday of the Month 10:30 am

Visit the website for updated calendar events: https://jarrellcommunitylibrary.org/

We are excited to share the new Ebook Library App. Download to your device today and begin reading!

Exciting Classes Scheduled by Marquita Fagan, Our DigitalLift Navigator

Marquita Fagan, our DigitalLift Navigator, has organized a series of engaging classes for the community. Be sure to mark your calendars and sign up to participate!

We will be providing a lite lunch for participants who sign up for the classes.

Come join the fun! Deb will be providing a Sip and Paint Class on May 9th from 11:00-1:00. Sign up as seats are limited. Bring your own beverages and join in on the fun!

As we wrap up a wonderful school year together, we invite you to join us for our final Homeschool Meetup on May 13th from 3:00–4:00 PM. It’s been such a joy learning, connecting, and growing alongside each of you.

We’ll be taking a short summer break, but don’t worry, we’ll be back and ready for another great season starting on September 9th!

Come celebrate the end of the year with us, enjoy time with friends, and send off the season on a high note. We can’t wait to see you there and again in the fall!

As the school year comes to a close, we will be taking a short break for the summer.

Our final Storytimes for the season will be:

• PreK Storytime: May 12
• Books & Babies: May 14
• Bilingual Storytime: May 15

We are so grateful for all the families who joined us this year! It’s been a joy sharing stories, songs, and smiles with you!

We’ll be back and ready for more fun this fall:

• PreK Storytime resumes: August 18
• Books & Babies resumes: August 20
• Bilingual Storytime resumes: August 21

We hope you have a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you again soon!

During Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a good reminder that support doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be present.

• Be there. You don’t need the right words, just show up.
• Listen without judgment. Let them feel heard and accepted.
• Check in. A simple message can mean more than you think.
• Encourage support. Gently suggest extra help if they’re open to it.
• Take care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

  At the Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center, we believe that connection, compassion, and community are at the heart of mental wellness. Whether it’s through a conversation, a shared story, or simply spending time together, we all have the ability to make someone feel seen and supported.

  This month and every month let’s continue showing up for one another.

As April transitions into May 2026, it is the perfect moment to transition from spring cleaning to spring blooming - refreshing your physical health and mental clarity. This period marks a shift towards warmer weather, increased outdoor activities and a focus on sustainable, gentle wellness.

JCLR&C offers much more than books, providing free access to tools, technology, and specialized services.

Specialized Kits & Games: Check out board games, puzzles, and specialized Stay Sharp activity kits for children and adults.

Classes & Workshops: Attend support groups & social clubs, financial literacy, enterpreunership 101, Self-Care education, Digital Access and Awareness to Gardening, plant and seed workshops.

Educational & Creative Software: Access to creating art and music, or learn using our language translation reader devices, ADA friendly equipment/devicesw, magnifiers & lamp accessibility, digital media to movies, to include podcast & filming devices (Ring Light).

Technology: Check out laptops, tablets and more.

Thank you for your continuous support! Keep Reading & Supporting as every cent counts towards Sailing our Way to Boatright Boulevard!

The Friends of the Jarrell Library Group is the fundraising branch of the Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center's library system. This group's mission is to engage with the community to gather sponsorships, generate fundraising ideas, and spearhead initiatives to secure the funds necessary for the library's continued operation. If you would like to request a volunteer form, please contact jarrellfriends@gmail.com.

We're calling on passionate and dedicated individuals like YOU to help us create unforgettable events and raise essential funds. Whether you can lend a hand with event logistics, help spread the word through marketing, or bring fresh and exciting ideas for new events, we need your talents!

Every bit of help counts, and your support will directly impact our success. If you're ready to make a real difference, we’d love for you to be part of our amazing team.

Sign up today and help us create something special! 💫