Awards and News

Dorothy Louise Kyler Foundation Grant RecipientLIBRARY RECEIVES $2,500 GRANT FOR YOUTH GRAPHIC NOVELS

The Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library is kicking off the New Year by celebrating with a $2,500 grant from the Dorothy Louise Kyler Foundation to purchase graphic novel children’s books for youth Kindergarten through 12th grade. 

The popularity of the graphic novels was apparent in the library’s 2021 circulation statistics as 54 of the top 100 circulating youth books in the past year were graphic novels. After the summer ended, some of the avid youth readers even expressed to the library how they had read ALL of the graphic novels in multiple series and were eager to read new ones. 

Luckily, in early October the Hondo Public Library in Texas shared grant information with multiple libraries about the Dorothy Louise Kyler Foundation based out of Holland, Ohio. The deadline for the grant application was set for November 1st . 

The library had less than 3 weeks to meet the deadline for this new grant and submit a proposal letter to the foundation. They had already observed the need for more graphic novels during the summer and were building lists of patron requests as well. Coming up with graphic novel titles became even easier as the library looked at the local school districts’ library collections. The library was able to determine which graphic novels were popular with them but were missing in its own collection.

In the end, the library was able to create a list of 143 graphic novel titles which will include classic remakes by Gareth Hinds (i.e. Illiad, Romeo and Juliet, Beowulf, etc.), autobiographical graphic novels including the March Trilogy by John Lewis, historical fiction adaptations (i.e. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales and the I Survived series), the Maker Comics how-to series, and popular fictional series like Big Nate, Baby-Sitters Little Sisters Club, Amulet, Stranger Things, Ultimate Spider-Man, Disney Comics, and more.

The library is extremely grateful it was chosen by the Dorothy Louise Kyler Foundation as a grant recipient and cannot wait to share all the fun books with the youth in the community. 

2021 Texas Book Festival Grant Recipient banner

Library Awarded $2,500 Texas Book Festival Grant

The Texas Book Festival has announced the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library in Rockdale as a recipient of the 2021 Texas Library Grants. The library received a grant of $2,500! This year's Texas Book Festival recipient list included 53 libraries for a grand total of $125,000 to support Texas public libraries and their dedication towards literacy efforts.  Texas Book Festival Grant $2500 check

The grant came just in time as school began in September. The youth in the community have a big treat in store for them for the next few months. The Texas Book Festival grant funds will be used to both increase and upgrade the youth collections (Easy, Junior, and Young Adult). The grant will be used to promote the love of reading, inspire new ideas, and expand the imagination of youth in our community. Over 300 titles have been selected and will be purchased with grant funds.

Grant funds will be used to upgrade the older classic popular series that are showing severe age and wear from decades of continued love and use. These books will be replaced with new editions and include: American Girl, Boxcar Children, Hank the Cowdog, Nancy Drew, Curious George, Amelia Bedelia, Junie B. Jones, Berenstain Bears, Hardy Boys, Harry Potter, Scooby Doo, and Wishbone series. The funds will also be used to expand the more modern high-demand series housed in the library’s collection including: Pete the Cat, Dork Diaries, Captain Underpants, Middle School, Step Into Reading, and 5-Minute Stories.  Finally, the funds would be used to add titles and series that are popular but missing from our collection including: Geronimo Stilton, Far Out Fables, Click Graphic Novels, Iggy, Pinkalicious, Zita the Spacegirl, Mighty Jack, Judgement of Six, Crossroads, Walker Saga, Supernatural Prison, DC Super Friends, Descendant Prophecies, and the DK Visual Encyclopedia.

Be sure to swing by the library at 201 Ackerman Street to pick up a library card. Library cards are FREE to all Milam County residents age 5 years (kindergarten) and up. For more information about the library call 512.446.3410 or https://rockdale.biblionix.com/catalog/ 

About Texas Book Festival Collections Enhancement Grants

Since the Texas Book Festival’s founding in 1995, it has been a part of our organization’s mission to promote literacy and support Texas libraries. Each year, funds raised at the annual Texas Book Festival support grants that are distributed to libraries across Texas the following year. Since 1996, the organization has funded 1,305 grants totaling over $3 million to 600+ libraries in every corner of the state.

Purpose

The Texas Book Festival awards grants to support collection enhancement for Texas public libraries. This funding enables libraries to share the diversity and breadth of literature with their entire communities. Funding comes from book sales at the Texas Book Festival and other generous donors.

For more information about the Texas Book Festival visit: https://www.texasbookfestival.org/