June Newsletter 2026

Dear Library Community,

May has been an exciting month filled with activity and growth. We have been blessed in so many ways that it’s hard to keep track! From Home Depot in Hutto stepping up to help us with the final touches inside our soon-to-arrive building, to Hernandez Property Services generously volunteering to mow the grass as we adjust our plans for the BBQ and Bounce House event on Saturday, May 30th, from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM.

We are looking forward to our future, although we still seek many answers. We expect to vacate our current location by June 30th. Our new building is under construction and is anticipated to be finished by the end of June. However, we have been informed that we cannot move it onto the property until a Fire Marshal-approved road is in place. I have applied for multiple grants for this road but unfortunately did not receive any approvals. The estimated cost for the road, parking lot, and site pad is around $80,000. We are eager to connect with site preparation companies that can assist us with the delivery of excess road base, asphalt millings, and leveling/pad dirt. If you know of any company that might be willing to help, we would greatly appreciate it.

The Library Board is thrilled to announce that we have two exceptional leaders for our Capital Campaign! Mr. Jeff Radke will head the group alongside Mr. Sam Smith. Both individuals are dedicated to supporting nonprofits and ensuring their financial stability. We eagerly anticipate the second phase of preparation for our new state-of-the-art library in the coming years.

Join Us for the BBQ and Bounce House Bash on May 30th

Come by to enjoy delicious barbecue with your family and celebrate our future! Bounce houses and games will be free! This fundraiser will contribute to the costs of our road.

Exciting Raffle Items

Be sure to purchase your raffle tickets soon! The raffles feature some fantastic prizes!

• Raffle 1: A gaming computer (donated by Fiber First), a Yale Bluetooth door lock, an overnight stay at Kalahari Resort, and four Round Rock Express tickets with a gift card (donated by the Round Rock Express and Aneka Grandison). The drawing for this raffle will occur on May 30th at 2:20 PM. You do not need to be present to win! Purchase raffle tickets here: Raffle 1 Tickets

• Raffle 2: A hand-made knife (donated by Wes Roach), two Ruger AR-15 Harrier rifles (donated by Nate Chessher), and a six-month membership to Lone Star Gun Range and Academy. The raffle will conclude at our Barn Dance on July 25th at Cactus Cantina. Purchase raffle tickets here: Raffle 2 Tickets.

Join Us for the Barn Dance on July 25th

Join us from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Cactus Cantina Coffeehouse and Bar in Jarrell, featuring Elle Townley, the 2025 Texas Young Adult Vocalist of the Year, and headliner Bri Bagwell, a nine-time Texas Female Vocalist of the Year! There will be food trucks, vendors, drinks, a bounce house, and more at this family-friendly event. Ticket reservation details will be available soon.

We appreciate your patience this summer as we navigate our move and settle into our new space.

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

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer!

Sincerely,

Susan

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

July 25: Barn Dance Event (Save the Date)

Magic the Gathering: Mondays at 5:00 pm

Senior Games Group: Tuesdays 1:00 pm

Seniors That Sew: Wednesdays 10:00 am

Crochet Therapy: 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.

Our regularly scheduled storytimes will be taking a short break for the summer and will return in September. In the meantime, we hope you’ll stop by and join us for our Summer Reading activities taking place July 13–31. We look forward to a fun-filled summer of reading and learning together!

Summer brings changing schedules, more free time, and often more screen time. While summer can be exciting, it can also disrupt routines and increase stress. One simple way to support mental wellness is through reading.

Reading helps reduce stress by giving the mind a chance to slow down and focus. Even 15–20 minutes a day can create a calming routine and provide a healthy break from daily worries.

Books also help strengthen focus, encourage empathy, and support emotional growth. For children, reading during summer helps keep learning skills active while building imagination and confidence.

Creating family reading time or visiting the library can also strengthen connections and provide healthy structure during summer months.

Whether it is a novel, audiobook, comic book, or picture book; reading counts. This summer, consider turning a page toward better mental wellness.

As May draws to a close, we wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month and look forward to the warmth of June. This transition is a beautiful reminder that our personal wellness doesn’t end when a calendar month changes. Self-care is an ongoing story, and you are the author.

Whether you are navigating the busy end of the school year or preparing for summer schedules, remember to take a breath and pace yourself. Moving into June, let’s carry forward the mindfulness habits we practiced this month.

Need a moment of calm? Step into the library this week to browse our dedicated wellness sections. We also have a collection of soothing audio books, mindfulness guides, and uplifting fiction to help you rest and recharge for the season ahead. Remember, taking time for yourself is never wasted.

On Finding Calm in the Chaos (Jon Kabat-Zinn)

"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."

May can feel incredibly chaotic with end-of-school-year transitions and shifting calendars. This quote frames mindfulness not as a perfect state of quiet, but as a practical tool for building mental resilience through seasonal changes.

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!

As we enter into June and are preparing for our move, we may be halting our in person support groups & activities. I can be reached through email or virtual so that we can continue to support the needs of the community without losing focus on our preparations for moving.

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! 💫