August 2025 Newsletter

Dear Library Community,

Exciting developments are taking place at the library! . A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to all participants in our Summer Reading Program, our dedicated Beanstack readers, and especially to our generous sponsors: Sonic, Dairy Queen, Summer Fun Water Park, Pizza Pie Co., Popeye's, Round Rock Express, Raising Cane's, Anthony Medical and Chiropractic, Anita's Hair Salon, Fiber First, and everyone else who contributed prizes to our treasure chests! We truly enjoyed a fantastic summer.

Congratulations to Alicia Griffith for READING THE MOST MINUTES OVER THE SUMMER! Alicia has won 4 tickets to the Round Rock Express and a Raising Cane's Gift Basket! Let’s give a big shoutout to our Summer Reading Program winners! Together, we accomplished an impressive 122,638 minutes of reading this summer! That is A LOT of reading! Our summer closed with Reading To Ruby! We appreciate Barb Horak and Ruby for sharing their time with us. Ruby is the BEST Mascot!

As we conclude our summer activities, please refer to the attached flyers for all upcoming fall events.

The library community expresses its gratitude to Marie Boatright and her family for generously donating two acres of land at Boatright Blvd and I-35. We also extend our thanks to Nate Chessler of Parker Communications, who will be overseeing the construction of our utilities, sewage, and fiber, as well as Gary Wang of Wang Architects for developing the site plan, and the City of Jarrell for their support in providing permits and zoning. To ensure a smooth transition to our new location by January 1, 2026, we are seeking funding for a temporary building, pavement, a driveway, interior fixtures, and relocation resources to maintain our services.

Please join us on August 9th for the American Legion Indoor Craft Fair and Market. Booth fees will provide funds to the Friends of Jarrell Library organization. Support our local businesses.

From Janet Hage, Board President:

The library staff and board sincerely appreciate your ongoing support and commitment to our library. Many of you may know that the Institute of Museum and Library Services has ceased operations, leading to significant cuts in library funding. To continue offering exceptional programs and services, we must establish a sustainable income. After thorough discussions, we have decided to implement a fee for library cards starting September 1, 2025. The annual costs will be as follows: $10 per individual card, $25 per family (with each household member receiving a card), and a 50% discount for active or former military personnel. These funds will contribute to covering the library's operational expenses. We recognize that this is a new fee for our community, and while it amounts to less than a dollar per month, if it poses a burden for you, please inform a staff member.

We wish you a wonderful start to the 2025-2026 school year! Here’s to the final countdown as we prepare to transition to our new home!

Aug 4: Mexicano Monday

Aug. 9: American Legion Indoor Market fundraiser

Aug. 9: 10:00 am Green Thumb Gardeners

Aug. 19: Storytime and Homeschool Fall Schedule Begins

Senior Games Group: Tuesdays 1:00 pm

Seniors That Sew: Wednesdays 10:00 am

Tech Support Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00pm-3pm

Crochet for Charity: Wednesdays 5:30 pm

Dungeons and Dragons: Fridays 5:00 pm

Magic the Gathering: 2nd ,3rd, and 4th Monday at 5:00

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

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

Teen Support Club: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 6:00 pm

Grief Support for Adults: 1st, 3rd & 5th Thursdays of the Month 6:30 pm

Serenity Seekers and Healing Through Hope: 2nd Thursday 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/

Our summer reading program was a big hit! Readers of all ages joined in the fun, logging thousands of minutes, completing challenges, and discovering new books. From Storytimes to prizes, it was a season full of learning and imagination.

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the program. Keep reading—we can’t wait to do it again next year!

Storytime will resume the week of Aug 19th.

All Storytimes are 10:30-11:30am

Preschool: Tuesdays

Books and Babies: Thursdays

Bilingual: Fridays

The State Free Ebook services have migrated to Boundless by Baker Taylor. You can get the app through Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Look for the Boundless App. Ebooks are FREE to check out online. To sign in use your library card number as your login and your phone number as the password. It's easy! For more information: https://www.boundless-app.com/

Feeling nervous about going back to school? You’re not alone. Whether it’s new classes, changing friendships, or leaving behind the freedom of summer, the start of the school year can bring anxiety—but that’s totally normal.

Back-to-school stress often comes from change and uncertainty. To help ease it, start adjusting your sleep and morning routine a week early. Writing down your worries can also help—sometimes just naming your fears makes them easier to manage.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding trick: name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. This brings your mind back to the present. And don’t be afraid to talk to someone—a parent, friend, or school counselor. You don’t have to go through it alone.

Most importantly, give yourself grace. You don’t need to have everything figured out on Day 1. Take it one step at a time. You’ve done this before—you’ve got this!

Join Crystal Collins for an engaging session of Teen Time! The Teen Support Group welcomes all teenagers to come together, socialize, and share their experiences.

ASD will be on hiatus in August. Katie will return in September.

This month is dedicated to promoting self-care practices and overall health through various initiatives. It's a time to prioritize personal well-being and encourage others to do the same, with a particular emphasis on self-awareness and mental health support.

There are several aspects that are key when focusing on mental health and wellness.

Here are the ones that stood out the most or maybe you haven't considered:

National Wellness Month Focus:

Community Engagement & Resource Sharing

Specific Actions & Ideas:

Practice Gratitude

Declutter & Organize and Participate in Local events

Important Considerations:

Self-awareness, Awareness into Action and Employee Wellness

Lets make well-being a Priority!

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! 💫