The Houston Chronicle published an article about HPL's 120 Year celebrations on March 20. The article mentions the commemorative library cards and parties, the Books You Love survey project, and more.
03/21/2024
Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson made an appearance on Channel 13's morning news show on March 19 to speak about HPL's 120th birthday and its promotion of literacy.
The HPL segment starts at about the 38:12 mark of this recorded episode.
03/14/2024
The Texas Library Association (TLA) announced recently that Israel Favela, Collection Development and Cataloging Manager at Houston Public Library (HPL), was elected Representative-at-Large, Public Libraries. Favela will take office at the close of the 2024 TLA Annual Conference in April in San Antonio.
Favela has been active in TLA for many years, serving as a member of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Conference Programming Committee, District 8 Programming Subcommittee and Local Arrangements Committee. He also has been an officer of the Latino Caucus Round Table and Queers & Allies Round Table. Favela is a 2019 graduate of the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to have been selected for this position by my peers. I will proudly represent and advocate for public libraries while on TLA’s Executive Board. Libraries have played an important part in my life for as long as I can remember, and TLA in particular has been instrumental in my growth as a librarian; I am looking forward to continuing to work with and on behalf of TLA members to advance the profession and develop the library leaders of tomorrow,” said Favela.
Favela received his Master of Library Science from the University of North Texas. He has more than 10 years of experience as a librarian, beginning as a Circulation Assistant at Harris County Public Library. He joined Houston Public Library as the Collection Development and Cataloging Manager in 2021. In addition to his work in libraries, Favela is also on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Chinquapin Preparatory School, a boarding and day school that serves academically motivated students in grades 6 through 12 from Houston’s under-resourced communities and schools.
03/07/2024
Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson made an appearance on Great Day Houston and spoke to Deborah Duncan about Houston Public Library's 120th birthday, reading, our history and future, and what makes HPL unique!
Houston Public Library (HPL) regrets to inform its valued customers of the impending closure of the Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library located at 4100 Montrose Blvd. The library will cease operations at the end of business hours on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
This decision is due to ongoing safety and facility issues that cannot be resolved in a timely manner. Among the workplace safety concerns, the elevator's non-functionality renders the second floor inaccessible to the public, as it does not comply with ADA accessibility standards. However, HPL is excited to announce plans for a new and improved library facility to better serve the community, anticipated to open in Fall 2024.
During the closure, customers can still utilize the book drop for returns until April 4, 2024. HPL encourages customers to explore alternate library locations and online services for their reading and informational needs.
Construction is already underway for the new Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library, which will be in the Montrose Collective mixed-use shopping center at 1001 California Street, 77006. The new location is anticipated to open in Fall 2024, providing the community with an upgraded and modern library experience and expanded hours.
"We understand the inconvenience this closure may cause, but please know that we are completely focused on providing a better equipped and more accessible library facility for our customers," said Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Executive Director at Houston Public Library.
The nearest library branches to the Montrose community during this transition period are:
HPL remains committed to keeping patrons informed throughout the transition process and will provide updates on the progress of the new building as more information becomes available.
"Although the doors may close, the knowledge and memories shared within the walls of Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library will forever endure. I look forward to welcoming customers to the new library later this year," added Lawson.
For more information or assistance, customers can contact Ask HPL customer service online or call 832-393-1313.