Support Quality Education
The City of Arlington is committed to Support Quality Education and creating a thriving community where residents of all ages have access to educational resources and opportunities.
Arlington Public Library Strives for Family Place Library Designation
The Arlington Public Library’ s programming has always emphasized early childhood literacy.
In 2015, staff began the process of joining Family Place Libraries’ national organization.
Arlington Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Downtown Library
After years of planning and public input, City and community leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of the $ 30-million George W. Hawkes Downtown Library in Arlington in May 2016.
The 80,000-square-foot library, whose design was guided by the Central Visioning project the City launched in 2009, is designed to provide cultural, recreational and learning opportunities for youth, seniors and families.
The three-story building will incorporate spaces for children and teens that are conducive to learning and creating, a literacy center for new adult learners and GED preparation, more space for collections, more reading areas, an extensive computer lab with nearly 140 computers and mobile devices, and community meeting spaces. Built-in flexibility will accommodate future technology needs and space requirements for library programming as well as individual and group study. An outdoor plaza in front of the library, which is also expected to feature a rooftop garden, will add leisure space to the Downtown area.
The project is largely funded by
Certificates of Obligation, which are repaid through property tax revenue, as well as a $ 4.1-million grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and a $ 1.3-million contribution from the Parks gas well fund.
The library and an adjacent 6,500-square-foot facility for City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, library programming and other public meeting space needs, are expected to open north of City Hall in June 2018.
Other Education News
• More than 8,400 residents participated in the Arlington Public Library’ s Summer Reading Club.
• Arlington ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos was named 2016 Superintendent of the Year for Texas by the Texas Association of School Boards.
• The Library’ s new Literacy LINK vehicle increases access to books and technology by visiting schools, recreation centers, apartment complexes and other locations throughout Arlington.
The Arlington Public Library was one of 36 Texas libraries to receive funding for its efforts to become a Family Place Library. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission( TSLAC) provided for official staff training from Family Place Libraries. Librarian Kayla Parker and Program Management & Community Engagement Administrator Ivonne Kieffer attended four days of workshops in New York the fall of 2016. TSLAC also provided funding for furniture, shelving, parenting books and developmentally appropriate toys for children ages 0 to 5, such as blocks, costumes, puppets and a toy kitchen.
The Arlington Public Library was formally designated as a Family Place Library in December 2016.
16 | Popular Annual Financial Report