BY JAMES T. NORMAN & HALEY VELASCO
The breakdown
What’s next?
Instead, o cials are eyeing a community center that could house library programming. The city’s library funding has eclipsed its residential growth in the past decade, documents show, as funding has gone up almost 54% com- pared to a 34% increase in the population. However, the library lags behind other cities of similar size in a several key areas, according to 2023 data from TSLAC.
The city has taken measures to lessen the burden on the system, such as requiring users who don’t live in League City or Galveston County to pay a fee. Plans to build a community center could also begin soon. Long said once the city sorts out plans for the new Bay Colony Park, the city will turn its attention to the new center. Library o cials are soliciting resident feedback and will seek council’s approval for the plan, Layton said. While the new plan could result in the library refocusing and reprioritizing e orts within its collection and programming, Layton said there are core principles the library will meet. “Libraries from the beginning have been about informal learning, providing space for people to come and learn together, [and] providing materials that are of interest both recreationally and informationally. Those things don’t change,” she said.
A 2019 needs assessment of the library, carried out to in part to look at community needs, rec- ommended adding a new library building to keep up with the city’s growing population. However, o cials have opted against this approach and focused on other items, Mayor Nick Long said. “[The library] is a priority, but not a priority above water, roads, public safety and a ordability. Those are the main tenets,” Long said.
Library systems per capita compared
Helen Hall
New Braunfels Denton Richardson Abilene Average statewide
Books in print
Collection (items)
Square footage
Library visits
Circulation
15
13.59
10
5
0
SOURCE: TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION COMMUNITY IMPACT
Listen to and engage with the community June-September
Public input
Analyze data and identify trends September-October Compose plan October-November Present plan to City Council for approval and begin implementation November-January
League City resident Maria Boyle said she believes the library should expand on children’s programs or another library should be built for children’s programs. “Friendswood Library has a Spanish class for families, and I think that would be great for [League City] since it’s a very Hispanic com- munity,” Boyle said. “I think they should teach di erent languages or di erent cultural things for the kids to understand.”
In the 2022 American Community Survey results, 19.6% of the city was Hispanic or Latino. Dickinson resident Katie Ramsey said she is content with the services the library o ers. “I visit the library once a month … to work on school work,” Ramsey said. “I like that they have a kids section for when I bring my kids, and I like the open areas where it’s quiet and spaced apart for study. It’s perfect for what I need it for.”
SOURCES: HELEN HALL LIBRARY, LEAGUE CITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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