HPL News

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Houston Public Library (HPL) is hosting “Big Feelings: Controlling the Center,” a family program designed to promote emotional well-being and mindfulness. With a variety of workshops and activities, this program aims to provide tools to navigate stress, anxiety, and challenges in everyday life.  

Featured Sessions Include: 

     • Parenting Styles with Crystal Collier – Learn about different parenting approaches and how they impact children’s emotional development. 
     • Dance it Out Dance Party – Movement-based stress relief for children, combining music and dance to promote emotional expression. 
     • Storytime with Therapy Dogs – Calming reading experience where young readers and their parents can interact with gentle therapy dogs. 
     • Creating Comfort Bags – Hands-on activity where tweens will fill a goody bag with items that help alleviate stress in challenging moments. 
     • Yoga for Tweens with Juju Faragher – Beginner-friendly yoga session designed to help tweens develop mindfulness and relaxation techniques. 
     • Anxiety Unplugged: Coping Skills for a Calmer You – Discussion-led session focusing on practical strategies to manage anxiety in daily life. 
     • Healing Art with Rose Tylinski – Hands-on activity that encourages creative expression for emotional healing. 

This free event takes place at McGovern-Stella Link Regional Library on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 2 p.m. To register, please visit HPL’s event calendar.

We’re proud to share that the Houston Chronicle is shining a spotlight on the Houston Public Library and the incredible value of a MYLink library card in a feature article titled “3D printers, music studios and more: A Houston library card offers more than books.”

The article also celebrates our historic and cultural collections, from African American history at the Gregory School, to family genealogy at Clayton, and Houston/Texas history preserved at Julia Ideson. These spaces not only preserve the past but empower our patrons to explore their roots with guidance from on-site archivists.

And it doesn’t stop there—cardholders also gain access to top-tier digital learning and research tools, including:

If you don't already have a MYLink library card, there's never a better time to sign up!

Read the full article on the Houston Chronicle website: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-library-card-20337275.php

Sheena Wilson, Manager of the African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus, appeared on CW39's H-Town Live this week to discuss HPL's fourth annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture.  You can watch it here.

Annual initiative encouraging children, teens, and families to explore stories, creativity, and culture through reading and events.

Houston – Houston Public Library (HPL) is excited to announce that registration is open for its annual Summer Reading Program (SRP)! This year’s theme, Color Our World, invites readers of all ages—kids, tweens, teens, and adults—to celebrate creativity, imagination, and the joy of reading.  

The program runs from June 1 to July 31, but now is the perfect time to sign up and get ready. Children under four years will track the number of books read, while all other participants will log their reading minutes throughout the summer.

In addition to reading, participants can earn rewards by attending a variety of HPL events, including author visits, performances, storytimes, live animal visits, art classes and more. Tweens and teens are encouraged to enter the Get Graphic: Comic Creation Contest launching July 1, where they can submit original comics featuring their own characters and stories.

“We are encouraging Houstonians to begin their summer adventure with books, creativity, and fun. This year, we’re aiming for a 10% increase in both participation and completion, as we continue to inspire a love of reading across our community,” said Sandy Gaw, Library Director.

Thanks to the generosity of CYCLE Houston, which has donated 34 bikes for the SRP grand prize winners (ages 7-9), the winner at each location will receive a bike.

“CYCLE is honored and excited to partner with Houston Public Libraries this summer to help encourage students to keep reading and avoid summer learning loss. We cannot wait to see the summer reading challenge winners' happy faces when they receive their bicycles! CYCLE is committed to improving literacy in Houston, specifically for second-grade students, as it is a crucial year for learning to read," said Rebecca Roberts, Executive Director of CYCLE.

To learn more about the program, please visit the website or any HPL location. For more details and to sign up, visit https://houstonlibrary.org/srp.

About Houston Public Library  

We are a dynamic public service organization serving one of the largest and most diverse areas in the nation—both in population and geography. Our comprehensive, customer-focused service delivery strategy supports the 2.3 million residents of the City of Houston.

Our system is comprised of 44 public service units, including six Regional Libraries—anchored by our flagship Central Library—28 Neighborhood and Express Libraries, three History Research Centers, four TECHLink centers, a Satellite location at the Children’s Museum Houston, the Mobile Express outreach unit, and the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy. Together, we provide equitable access to resources, technology, and lifelong learning opportunities for all Houstonians.

About CYCLE

CYCLE is a children’s charity committed to improving literacy among children in grades K-3 in Title I schools of the Greater Houston area. The organization does this by rewarding students with brand-new bicycles after they achieve defined academic goals, teaching the important lesson that hard work and dedication really do pay off. CYCLE believes that this places children on the path to a brighter future.

Contact:
LaDonna Weems
Deputy Assistant Director, Communications
Office: 832.393.1476
LaDonna.Weems@houstontx.gov 

HOUSTON, TX - Houston Public Library (HPL) presents a series of cultural programs that celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month and honor the legacy of George Floyd. We’re inviting the community to reflect on HPL’s continued commitment to inclusion, education, and community dialogue. 

Celebrations in May include: 

• Experience the Flavors of India with Chef Anita Jaisinghani: Watch as she prepares a signature dish reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage. 
  Wednesday, May 21 | 6 – 7 p.m. 
  Looscan Neighborhood Library 
  2510 Willowick Rd., Houston, 77027
   
• George Floyd Memorial Lecture: Guest speaker Dr. Melanye Price will explore how the Black community has consistently come together in the face of adversity to create a vibrant and thriving culture. 
  Thursday, May 22 | Noon – 2 p.m. 
  African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus
  1300 Victor St., Houston, 77019 
   
• Arts of Asia Exhibit: Features winning garments from the eighth annual Fashion Fusion competition, designed by Houston Community College fashion students and alumni, inspired by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s collections of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean art.  
  On display through July 31 
  Central Library 
  500 McKinney St., Houston, 77002 

All events are free and open to the public. Don’t forget to visit HPL’s events calendar to check out what's happening at neighborhood libraries across Houston! 

HPL's Ana Frade was a guest on Univision and had a chance to speak about our Summer Reading program! You can watch it here. 

HPL's Senior Prom events were featured in three different news sources recently: Houston Style Magazine, Bereavision TV, and CNN Regional. 

WHAT: Players from the United Football League's Houston Roughnecks will read from their favorite children’s books, share stories, and inspire young readers with a special family storytime. 

WHEN: Friday, May 2, 2025, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

WHERE: HPL's Smith Neighborhood Library; 3624 Scott St., 77004.

MORE INFORMATION: Attendees are strongly encouraged to register online on the HPL website, as space is limited.