TEXAS CITY LIBRARY BOARD MEETING
MINUTES
Monday, August 25, 2025, 4:00 PM
Library Meeting Room
MINUTES
Monday, August 25, 2025, 4:00 PM
Library Meeting Room
The Library Board of Directors Meeting met at 4:00 PM, Monday, August 25, 2025, in the Library Meeting Room, in Texas City, Texas, with the following in attendance:
Christina Bergvall, Chair; Dr. Lynn Ellison, Vice Chair; Bettie Rac; Shirley Mapps; Danica Surman; Cheryl Loewen, Library Director; Jessica Matos, Assistant Director
Christina Bergvall, Chair; Dr. Lynn Ellison, Vice Chair; Bettie Rac; Shirley Mapps; Danica Surman; Cheryl Loewen, Library Director; Jessica Matos, Assistant Director
Christina Bergvall, Chair, declared that a quorum was present and called the meeting of the Library Board to order at 4:04 PM.
(1)
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Minutes were approved unanimously.
Minutes were approved unanimously.
(2)
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
(a)
Summer Reading Program Recap
48 Children's programs were held, attendance was 1,371
15 Teen programs were held, attendance was 120
Total hours read and logged was 10,010 - more than double last year
Theme for 2026 - Unearth a Story - Programming may included dinosaurs, archaeology, paleontology
48 Children's programs were held, attendance was 1,371
15 Teen programs were held, attendance was 120
Total hours read and logged was 10,010 - more than double last year
Theme for 2026 - Unearth a Story - Programming may included dinosaurs, archaeology, paleontology
(b)
Fall Programming Update
Play&Learn Workshops - Family Place Libraries program - will hold two sessions due to popularity - first session began August 22, second session will be in October
Growing and Nourishing - 6 week gardening program - begins in September
Beginning computer classes begin again on September 5
Story times start again on September 9
Mothers and babies parenting class - Taught by DePelchin Family Services - starts September 11
Upcoming adult programs - Henna, An evening with Chef Jimmy
Small Business Success Series is very successful - monthly programs
Play&Learn Workshops - Family Place Libraries program - will hold two sessions due to popularity - first session began August 22, second session will be in October
Growing and Nourishing - 6 week gardening program - begins in September
Beginning computer classes begin again on September 5
Story times start again on September 9
Mothers and babies parenting class - Taught by DePelchin Family Services - starts September 11
Upcoming adult programs - Henna, An evening with Chef Jimmy
Small Business Success Series is very successful - monthly programs
(c)
Outreach
There were multiple outreach opportunities related to "back to school"
Jessica Matos attended 5 events in July and August
Cheryl Loewen will attend the next Community Conversations With Mayor Johnson on September 18
Jessica Matos and another staff member will attend Fiesta Communidad at COM on September 20
The library will participate again in Touch-a-Truck and the Halloween Festival
There were multiple outreach opportunities related to "back to school"
Jessica Matos attended 5 events in July and August
Cheryl Loewen will attend the next Community Conversations With Mayor Johnson on September 18
Jessica Matos and another staff member will attend Fiesta Communidad at COM on September 20
The library will participate again in Touch-a-Truck and the Halloween Festival
(d)
TexTreasures Grant Update
30,000 of the 48,000 pages digitized with the first grant are uploaded to the Portal to Texas History. The others will be ready soon.
The microfilm to be digitized with the second grant has been delivered to UNT and digitization will begin soon.
Each grant was for $50,000.
30,000 of the 48,000 pages digitized with the first grant are uploaded to the Portal to Texas History. The others will be ready soon.
The microfilm to be digitized with the second grant has been delivered to UNT and digitization will begin soon.
Each grant was for $50,000.
(e)
Local History Update
Two big events coming up
Genealogy lock-in - Friday, October 17 - virtual programs all day
Galveston County History Round - Up - digitization event at the Texas City Museum
Two big events coming up
Genealogy lock-in - Friday, October 17 - virtual programs all day
Galveston County History Round - Up - digitization event at the Texas City Museum
(f)
Self-payment station for public printer
It was installed about 3 weeks ago and is working well.
It needs to be promoted - a how-to video will be appearing on Facebook soon
It was installed about 3 weeks ago and is working well.
It needs to be promoted - a how-to video will be appearing on Facebook soon
(g)
Senate Bill 412
The Texas Library Association has provided public libraries with a Fact Sheet and some suggested actions that can be taken to prepare
The bill does not change legal definitions or require a review of the collection or age verification of patrons.
It does remove legal protections for "persons having scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar justification" who a parent feels provided inappropriate material to a minor.
Library staff are reviewing the placement of some books in the collection.
The Library Director will be drafting an email to the City Attorney and the Chief of Police to make them aware of the situation, inform them of library policies, and to ask for any guidance they may have.
The Texas Library Association has provided public libraries with a Fact Sheet and some suggested actions that can be taken to prepare
The bill does not change legal definitions or require a review of the collection or age verification of patrons.
It does remove legal protections for "persons having scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar justification" who a parent feels provided inappropriate material to a minor.
Library staff are reviewing the placement of some books in the collection.
The Library Director will be drafting an email to the City Attorney and the Chief of Police to make them aware of the situation, inform them of library policies, and to ask for any guidance they may have.
(3)
OLD BUSINESS
(a)
Budget FY 2025 - City Of Texas City
Approximately 86% of the budget has been spent to date.
Approximately 86% of the budget has been spent to date.
(b)
Budget FY 2025 - Galveston County Library System
Budget needs to be spent in full.
Once the invoice arrives for the ILL courier service, the remaining balance will be used to purchase ebooks.
Budget needs to be spent in full.
Once the invoice arrives for the ILL courier service, the remaining balance will be used to purchase ebooks.
(4)
NEW BUSINESS
(a)
Library Vision and Mission Statements
The statements were discussed and were approved unanimously without changes.
These statements are required for the FY 2026 Budget Book so they will be sent to the Finance department.
They will be updated on the Library's website.
The statements were discussed and were approved unanimously without changes.
These statements are required for the FY 2026 Budget Book so they will be sent to the Finance department.
They will be updated on the Library's website.
(b)
Digital Lab Policy - discussion and approval
The policy was discussed and approved unanimously without changes.
The Library Director will place the draft policy on the agenda for the next available City Commission meeting for their approval.
Procedures still need to be developed for training and scheduling.
The policy was discussed and approved unanimously without changes.
The Library Director will place the draft policy on the agenda for the next available City Commission meeting for their approval.
Procedures still need to be developed for training and scheduling.
(c)
Budget FY 2026 - City of Texas City
New Process this year
Unless requested by the Finance Department, the Library Director will not have a meeting with the Mayor to discuss the proposed budget.
The proposed budget will be on the agenda of the City Commission meeting on September 17.
New Process this year
Unless requested by the Finance Department, the Library Director will not have a meeting with the Mayor to discuss the proposed budget.
The proposed budget will be on the agenda of the City Commission meeting on September 17.
(5)
BOARD COMMENTS
Question from Christina Bergvall - will the local history librarian have a program that will introduce the public to the Portal to Texas History and our newspaper collection? The library director will follow up on this.
Question from Christina Bergvall - will the local history librarian have a program that will introduce the public to the Portal to Texas History and our newspaper collection? The library director will follow up on this.
(6)
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:42 PM
Following the adjournment, board members were invited to see the new Digital Lab and the equipment it contains.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:42 PM
Following the adjournment, board members were invited to see the new Digital Lab and the equipment it contains.