For ten years, Youth Services Librarian Stacy Wells has been a driving force at the Southlake Public Library, championing resources, programs, and a welcoming environment for young readers. Through her innovative work, Stacy has elevated the library’s offerings, making it a trusted space for children and young adults to grow and discover the joy of reading.
“My responsibility is to support the youth in our community, from babies to teens,” Stacy shared. “Whether that’s through books, audiobooks, or programs like Summer Reading that foster a love for reading.”
Stacy’s service philosophy is rooted in the idea of meeting each child exactly where they are by recognizing their different experiences and abilities. Her commitment to constantly learning, adapting to the needs of the patrons, and thinking outside of the box are just some of the reasons she was awarded the 2024 Employee Appreciation Excellence Award.
A prime example of Stacy’s impact is her leadership in the annual Summer Reading Program, which brings energy and creativity to the library, making it the busiest and most exciting time for the youth department. Her dedication to continuous learning is evident in the programs she creates, which resonate with young readers and adapt to the evolving needs of the community.
“Although we often get jokes that librarians read all day, the reality is that to be a subject matter expert in my role, I must read voraciously – and on my own time at home,” Stacy said. “Similar to other roles, beyond the foundation that my degree offered, the real education is in the growth and learning that comes with experience over time.”
But Stacy doesn’t settle even amid successes – she strives for continued innovation and excellence, always pushing the envelope to elevate the customer experience, no matter how young the customer is. After the latest summer program, she revamped the children’s area, improving signage, reorganizing collections, and enhancing team training to create a more intuitive and engaging space for families.
As Stacy celebrates a decade with the City of Southlake, her impact is clear. Through her expertise, innovation, and commitment to youth, she has transformed the library into a vibrant, essential community hub. Ten years in, Stacy continues to inspire and innovate, ensuring the Southlake Public Library remains a place where curiosity flourishes and the next generation of readers feels right at home.
You can view Stacy’s full 2024 Employee Appreciation Award video below:
The Summer Reading Program thrived thanks to the generosity of its sponsors. The Southlake Public Library is incredibly grateful to our sponsors who made our 2024 Summer Reading Program a resounding success. Sponsors are truly the backbone of our program, bringing joy and inspiration to the kids of the Southlake Public Library.
Thanks to the incredible donations of Frost Bank and Peppa Pig, we were able to offer some of our most cherished prizes, including a Nintendo Switch and a snow cone machine. These fantastic prizes have become favorites among our participants.
The Library Foundation of Southlake played a pivotal role this summer by sponsoring a visit from New York Times Best Selling author James Ponti. James delighted our young readers with an engaging writing workshop, guiding them through the process of creating their own stories. Additionally, the foundation hosted a two-week writing workshop camp, teaching the principles and guidelines for crafting fun and imaginative stories.
The Friends of the Southlake Library are an indispensable part of our library community. They not only keep our book donations organized and ready for sale but also generously sponsor most of the Summer Reading prizes. Their generous donations make it possible for us to offer both small and large prizes. These prizes bring immense joy and excitement to the faces of our young participants, who absolutely love receiving them!
Thank you to these wonderful sponsors for their contributions, which made our Summer Reading Program such a memorable experience for all the kids and parents who visited the Southlake Public Library. Their support has helped foster a love of reading and learning in the library community.
To learn more about our sponsors and their contributions, visit the following links:
Learn more about the Library Foundation of Southlake
Learn more about the Friends of the Southlake Library
Learn more about Frost Bank
Learn more about Peppa Pig Theme Park
To foster a love for reading and prepare young minds for school, Southlake Public Library offers the “1000 Books Before Kindergarten” program. Families with children from birth to 5 years old are invited to participate in this exciting initiative. Here’s how it works:
Bored at home? This summer, dive into everything that the Southlake Public Library has to offer with its programming for kids of all ages!
This year’s summer reading program began on May 26, but it’s not too late to sign up! The free and simple registration is still open for the “All Together Now” program which runs through July 21, 2023. This experience is full of adventures, weekly challenges, prizes, reading, and more.
Prizes this year are better than ever, ranging from toys to technology to encourage all to flip those pages! To see the prize displays, visit the library on the first floor of Town Hall.
However, if you’re looking to get out of the house, consider viewing the events tab on the Southlake Public Library Facebook page. Here, you can find a list of all upcoming events including magic shows, creature features, cultural performances, chalk art, and so much more.
Kids of all ages, and adults young at heart too, can explore the magic of making memories all summer long at the library.
For more information, please contact the Southlake Public Library at 817-748-8243 or visit www.SouthlakePublicLibrary.com.
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Mark your calendars and get WRAPPED up with all the merry activities at the Southlake Public Library. Whether it’s Storytime with Mrs. Claus or a puppet show with Frosty and Friends, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
Check out our Holiday Schedule:
The Southlake Public Library is mixing things up this holiday season with Mixologist Natalie Bovis in her online workshop, Liquid Muse Holiday Punches, Nogs, and Liquid Indulgences, on Thursday, December 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Bovis will introduce fun holiday drinks in this class and show you how to make them for your special events.
About Natalie Bovis
Bovis is the founder of The Liquid Muse, a platform dedicated to celebrating, educating, and elevating spirited culinary adventures. She has also authored cocktail books, “Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be” and “Edible Cocktails: Garden-to-Glass.” Her newest book, “Drinking with My Dog,” brings together her passion for animal advocacy and mixology, which hits shelves in January 2023.
She also has a knack for community service. Her class is FREE and for adults only.
Zoom Event (online).
For more information, contact the Southlake Public Library at 817-748-8243 or visit www.SouthlakePublicLibrary.com.
The Southlake Public Library is off to a great start with fall programming. Visitors will have their hands full this season with art, reading, painting and our new Speaker Series with renowned authors.
Here are the new programs the library is introducing this fall:
Read to Evan Seven, a Canine Companion
September 3, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Spend one-on-one time reading to Evan Seven, a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix, a certified therapy dog. Each reader will receive 15 minutes of reading time Evan. Ages 4-12 only. (FULL, the October 1 session is available) Registration required.
Watercolor with Laura Lester
September 8, 2022
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
If you love to paint or want to try a new craft, give water coloring a try. Learn to create your own watercolor masterpiece with artist and teacher Laura Lester. This class will include different techniques and applications, as well as practice in using your new skill. No experience is required and all supplies are provided. Ages 13 and up. Registration required.
Speaker Series – Raising Thrivers: Parenting Tips and Tools to Help Kids Thrive in an Uncertain World – Author Talk with Dr. Michele Borba (Online event)
September 8, 2022, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Registration required.
Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy Exhibit
September 12, 2022 – October 8, 2022
The Southlake Library hosts the exhibit, Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Speaker Series -Author Talk with Simon Winchester – The Professor and the Madman
September 20, 2022, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. (Online event)
Registration required.
Speaker Series – Trust: Author Talk with Hernan Diaz
September 27, 2022, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Online Event)
Registration required.
WizArt, an Art Program for Kids
September 30, 2022, 5:00 – 5:30 p.m.
This art program is designed for kids ages 5 to 12 and led by local teen artists. Participants will receive a brief art lesson and then apply their new knowledge to a fun art project. No registration required.
The Southlake Library Task Force is scheduled to present its recommendations to the City Council on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
“The level of engagement on this issue has been extraordinary,” said Councilmember and Task Force Co-Chair Kathy Talley. “We have heard from hundreds of community members who are passionate about this new opportunity and what it will mean to Southlake.”
Many citizens used an online comment form to share their thoughts. Councilmember Talley noted that the comment form will be open until Monday, June 6, 2022.
“It’s vital that our residents have the opportunity to get involved in such an important decision,” said Talley.
Earlier this year, the Library Task Force was charged with looking closely at the future of the library and working with the community to envision a new space that welcomes people at the front door and invites them to experience a library in a whole new way.
After visiting libraries and community spaces in other DFW Metroplex cities, the Task Force hosted two Open Houses and Town Hall Meetings. Those meetings held on May 11, 2022, and May 16, 2022, helped provide the Task Force with citizen feedback and allowed them to report what they had learned through the research process. Then, on May 25, 2022, the Task Force presented location options to the Library Board, facility amenities, and complementary uses that could be incorporated into the facility.
The Council will review the Task Force recommendations and the Library Board’s feedback at the June 7 meeting. The public is invited to the in-person meeting or can watch online. The meeting starts at 5:30 in the Town Hall Council Chamber. The Task Force is expected to present their findings at approximately 7:00 p.m. following Executive Session.
Let’s get artsy! The Southlake Public Library is bringing art to YOU with the Creativity Festival at Rustin and Family Park on Saturday, May 28, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Kids of all ages will have an opportunity to indulge in various art projects, from canvas paintings to sculptures to one shared community piece. The event will also feature music and dancing.
The festival is the official kick-off for the Southlake Public Library’s summer reading program, “Oceans of Possibilities,” which begins May 27, 2022. The program runs through July 22, 2022, and is free and open to all ages.
The Creativity Festival is provided in part by a grant through the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
For more information, please contact the Southlake Public Library at 817-748-8243.
Following the recent Library Task Force Town Hall meetings, the team will take its next steps regarding a possible new location for the Southlake Public Library.
The Task Force announced three site options at both meetings: Bicentennial Park, Carillon Parc, and Parkwood Drive (near Southlake Boulevard and Byron Nelson). They also shared ideas about facility priorities, complimentary amenities, and funding sources.
You can watch recordings of the Town Hall meetings at https://www.cityofsouthlake.com/332/On-Demand-Video.
“We heard some wonderful and thoughtful ideas and comments from residents,” said Southlake Councilmember and Library Task Force co-chair Ronell Smith. “Now, we will work with the Library Board and then the City Council to see where we can go next.”
Happening this week, the Library Board will meet in the City Council Chamber on Wednesday, May 25, at 6:30 p.m. for their regularly scheduled meeting. During the meeting, the board will hear from the Task Force about their work and recommendations. Following the Library Board meeting, the next step for the Task Force is to present their recommendation at the June 7 City Council meeting.
