Latest News
Summer Reading Program was an awesome success!
A thank you from Linda,
Division Director for Programs, Partnerships and Outreach
Thank you Friends for your support of our annual Summer Reading Program and all that goes with it! This year, our registration for the reading challenge was up 19% and program completion was up 16% from last year. That is a huge jump, considering we usually plan for 3-5% increases. The readers of HCPL read over 7,000,000 minutes this summer, which was recognized with a resolution in Commissioners Court. Take that, summer slide!
During June and July, HCPL offered over 2,000 programs, attended by over 42,000 people. You probably saw that surge in activity as you visited your branches. The support that you offer to the system for prize books and the support offered locally to support programming is invaluable and can be conveyed best by the happy faces in the pictures . We appreciate our Friends!
HCFOL Earns Silver Status on GuideStar
We are excited to share that HCFOL has achieved Silver status on GuideStar, a prominent nonprofit transparency and accountability platform. This accomplishment reflects our unwavering commitment to transparency and dedication to our mission. Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize accountability, transparency, and making a positive impact in our community. We owe this achievement to our donors, volunteers, and partners, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in our success. We could not have done it without you. We look forward to accomplishing even greater things in the future and invite you to check out our updated GuideStar profile to learn more about the impact HCFOL is making. Thank you for joining us on this journey and for believing in our vision.
New LEGO sets for the South Houston branch library.
Mini-Grant Projects funded
Every year, HCFOL sponsors mini-grants for all 26 branches of Harris County Public Library. Branches submit requests for a wide variety of projects - anything from providing new toys for the Children's department, to furnishing pizza and refreshments for an after-school program. We love seeing these projects come to fruition. They represent the individual communities our libraries serve, and they are a great reminder of the creativity of HCPL staff.
HCFOL is proud to present the AARP Digital Skills Ready 50+ program.
AARP Digital skills ready @ 50+ Grant
HCFOL was excited to receive a grant for the AARP Digital Skills Ready @ 50+ grant program. This represents a natural extension of HCPL’s digital literacy programs. Thanks to this AARP grant, we are offering free digital literacy classes at library branches across Harris County. Topics covered include setting up a LinkedIn presence, navigating Venmo and PayPal, and other courses designed to introduce the 50+ community to newer technology platforms. Classes are offered in both English and Spanish. Check out HCPL’s digital literacy classes here.