Three candidates have filed for two full two-year terms on the Salado Public Library District Board of Directors: Susan Starnes, Nancy Mills Mackey and Theresa Howard.

Salado Village Voice asked the following questions. 

Question 1: Are there children’s programs or service that are lacking or missing in Salado Library? If so, what can be done to form or extend those programs or services? (200  words)

Question 2: Are there populations of children that are not served or underserved by the Salado Library? If so, what can be done to better serve those populations? (200 words)

Question 3: Are there adult  programs that are lacking or missing in Salado Library? If so, what can be done to form or extend those programs? (200 words)

Question 4: Are there populations of adults that are not served or underserved by the Salado Library? If so, what can be done to better serve those populations? (200 words)

Susan Starnes

Question 1: To say the library is lacking or missing would not be the words I would use as far as children’s programs are concerned. Saturday they had an Easter egg hunt with 60 kids ages 1-7 participating. Story time averages about 40-45 kids weekly. A book club for 3rd & 4th grade girls is thriving. The teens ages (12-18) have a young writer’s group and some of them have had books published. Dungeon & Dragons is another group that meets once a week at the library for the same age group. Additional programs could always be added such as a special story time with guest story presenters. Once elected to the board I look forward to developing a bridge of communication between the staff and the community to form additional programs and services. 

Question 2: I spoke with Ms. April (the children’s librarian) on this topic, and she stated that due to the ever-changing demographics of the SPL District, she felt a diversified population was being served. I asked about Spanish speaking patrons and was told, Ms. Lively (head librarian) speaks some Spanish and if she is not available the staff uses Google to translate. But that is rare as most are bilingual patrons. Regarding children with certain learning issues, she felt their selection of books were meeting the needs of the community.  Books for children with autism are available; however, Ms. April stated they could always use more. Patrons are welcome and encouraged to request the staff obtain unavailable books either by purchasing or the share programs. Here again, a survey must be conducted to address any needs or concerns people of the community feel are limited at the library. When elected as a trustee, I will strive to make this happen.

  Question 3: Adult programs are constantly being added as more and more adults are coming back to the library after the pandemic. SPL currently offers many opportunities for our adults. Such as presentations by master gardeners, professional bakers demos, monthly arts and crafts classes, book clubs, weekly games of Mahjong and our On Pins and Needles  crochet /knitting group. Our staff is fully capable of adding additional adult programs upon input from the community. The possibilities are endless, and the staff is willing to listen and work on a range of ideas that may be submitted. Ensuring we have adequate meeting rooms available for adult programs must be part of our 5-year plan. As a trustee I will also ensure this is addressed. 

Question 4: Are there populations of adults that are not served or underserved by the Salado Library? If so, what can be done to better serve those populations? (200 words)

Our community continues to grow and with the growth comes a change or growth of our demographics. As a board trustee I will ensure all are well served: to include: all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, educational and income levels. 

Nancy Mills Mackey

Question 1: The Salado Public Library is accredited by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, so it already meets state standards. In addition, its director and staff, with the district board’s support, have been working diligently to enhance children’s services. In September through February, the library hosted events attended by 2,209 and provided passive programming (take-and-make kits) to 714. Programming included Children’s Storytime, the outdoor Story Walk, Music Munchkins, a children’s book club, a children’s movie, Teen Writing Club, Teens Dungeons & Dragons group, Teen Hangout programs, teen’s reverse glass painting, a teen movie and Joy of Chocolate. Weather obstructed one event, and a rise in COVID cases derailed events Jan. 13-31. New materials added in the six months included 412 children’s books, 177 young adult books, and 49 children’s and young adult DVDs. According to the library’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, approved by the board and found on the SPL website, planned improvements include additional programs building on the Family Place Grant, such as Bright Beginnings workshops for caregivers and children ages 0-3. The library also plans to implement 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and the first step in increasing teen involvement has begun with the creation of a Teen Advisory Board.

Question 2: As a result of the work the library district’s board, director and staff did on the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, several areas were identified where we believe more can be done to serve bilingual children and children with disabilities. The library will encourage Spanish speaking children and their parents to use the library by creating brochures in Spanish to be distributed through area churches with Spanish-speaking congregations, recruit Spanish-speaking volunteers, create an advisory board with Spanish-speaking members, install bilingual signage and offer Spanish/English story time. The library also plans to recruit multilingual speaking homebound delivery volunteers. To better serve children and adults with disabilities, the library intends to re-evaluate the current homebound program, conduct a survey to discover obstacles to library access and explore other ways to deliver library services outside the library, either through satellite locations or bookmobiles. New automatically opening doors, improved signage, outdoor railings and lighting, and an improved large print collection also are planned. 

Question 3: By virtue of its historical purpose, a public library is tasked with being all things to all people. The Salado Public Library director and staff have done an excellent job of trying to meet that impossible goal. Community input is collected by a suggestion box at the library, through a 2018 community survey for the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, and annually (as part of the strategic plan) through a survey measuring satisfaction and exploring new services. In September through February, the library hosted activities numerous adult events, including daytime and evening Adult Arts & Crafts, three adult book clubs, On Pins and Needles sewing group, Family Story Time and Joy of Chocolate, which attracted participants of all ages. The library also participated in outreach programs at Barrow Brewery’s Farmer’s and Holiday Markets. The Friends of the Salado Public Library annual board meeting was in November, and other activities included two gardening programs and a holiday program on pie making. New materials added in the six months included 566 adult books, 76 magazines, 53 DVDs and 12 audiobooks. Circulation for the period was 21,905 books and 2,705 electronic materials. There were 914 computer users and 3,101 website users and 272 new patrons.

Question 4: As a result of the work done on the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, areas have been identified where more could be done to serve senior citizens, bilingual communities, people with disabilities (all ages), and military families. Since efforts to improve bilingual services and accessibility were discussed under Question #2, and my response applies to adults as well as children, I’d like to focus on senior citizens, and military families in this section. To improve services to senior citizens, the staff plans to survey senior patrons and area seniors at Hidden Glen and in community groups about their needs/wants and to incorporate their responses into new programs and services. The library also intends to re-evaluate and expand its homebound program and improve accessibility. To develop programs for area military families, the library staff will consult Fort Hood and veterans’ organizations, seek out partnerships with veterans and active-duty groups, and create a panel of military advisors to provide ongoing input. To learn more about the library’s plans, I encourage everyone to read the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, found on the library website. The library also invites regular use of the suggestion box and participation in community surveys when offered. 

Theresa Howard

All questions have been answered as one, below. 

Last week, I touched on this subject noting that in speaking with members of the community, there is a reoccurring theme that our library has a very limited selection of materials for both children and adults with disabilities. That said, the programs offered by Salado Library are comparable to those I’ve seen in significantly larger cities. One of the most enjoyable programs for my daughter, when she was little, was story time at the library. Data provided by our library director indicates that story time is a hit in Salado, with over 35 children and parents in attendance being reported at many of these events. One of the ways in which I believe we could better serve all children, but especially those with disabilities, is by including programs that require sensory involvement. Crafting classes in particular are an excellent way to aid in the development of sensory skills for all children. Examples of such classes are creating pictures with pom-poms, creating picture boards with felt shapes, or for the ultimate sensory experience, creating a sensory bin with items such as sand, water beads, shells, figurines or an assortment of other items. In reviewing the last three months of director’s reports, there is a striking difference between the number of adult crafts offered compared children’s crafts, with the ratio being 5:1. 

  Furthermore, the younger generation is much more technologically inclined than past generations. The introduction of STEM and virtual reality (VR) programs to the library would be an excellent way to promote new learning, growth, and attendance in both children and young adults. Currently, the Salado High School has a STEM program that has gone so far as to offer summer camps to the public. Partnering with the Salado Eaglebots to offer periodic STEM programs would be a boon to our libraries programing. Additionally, more libraries are embracing virtual technology. The equipment for VR can be quite pricey; offering it at the library would make it more accessible to people of all ages. And while many think of VR as geared toward gaming, it allows for a new and engaging way of making educational material fun and interactive. For example, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries use VR to allow patrons to view the city’s current coastline along with how it would be effected by a 2.4 foot sea level rise in conjunction with a 100-year storm. 

  In earlier writings, I noted that, should I become elected, I would also push for our library to become more digitally modernized, for example, allowing patrons to take part in some programs via live streaming.  COVID has had a dramatic effect on the way people view the world and some are still uncomfortable being out in public. For less than $700 a year, the library could offer a Zoom live webinar option, in conjunction with their in-person adult and children’s classes, that would allow for these individuals to take part in library programs from the comfort of their own homes. With regard to crafting classes, the library could offer activity bags, much like they did during the COVID months, filled with the items needed to complete the craft. Patrons could come by the library for pick-up and then participate in the class online at the designated time. Children’s story times and adult book groups could also easily be made accessible for viewing and participation via this type of online streaming/meeting platform. 

  This month’s treasurer’s report indicated that the library was operating under budget by almost $9,000. Given this surplus, along with the increasing amount of revenue the library continues to receive from sales tax, I believe all of these wonderful additions are well within the realm of possibility for the Salado Library and would be a wise choice to ensure our library continues to be one of the best in the surrounding area.