Dana Abshier – Library Supervisor

Location: 1710 Sam Houston

Personnel: 6 full-time, 4 part-time

The Liberty Municipal Library serves Liberty and surrounding areas with programs and materials for people of all ages. The 37,000-volume library is located in the Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center at 1710 Sam Houston Avenue in Liberty.

Children’s and Teen Programs

A strong children’s program features several special events throughout the year. The weekly Story Time for children ages three to five is held each Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock where children enjoy a special story and craft activity. The annual Babies and Books program for toddlers introduces very young children to the world of books. Hundreds of children from birth through seventh grade participate in the Summer Reading Program, which features high quality professional entertainers and other activities during the six-weeks-long program. A teen program attracts young people ages 13 to 18 for four weeks of activities during the summer.

Collections

Adults will find a wide range of reading materials to suit most every interest, including the latest best sellers and other high demand titles. An outstanding reference collection meets the needs of high school and many college students. Large print materials for the sight impaired include the latest offerings of many best selling authors. A small but growing collection of Spanish language materials is available for adults, and bilingual books are available for children. A large collection of children’s books includes everything from board books for babies, to early readers, to juvenile materials. A growing young adult collection targets the interests of teens.

The audiovisual collection includes videotapes, DVDs, books on cassette and CD, and read alongs for children and adults.

Computers

The library is automated and has ten computers that offer high-speed Internet access to the public. The computers are equipped with popular word processing software. Computer reference programs make research an interesting, interactive experience for all ages, and children’s software titles encourage children to explore their world electronically.

Hours

The library is open to the public from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Library Cards

Residents of the City of Liberty may obtain a library card at no charge with proof of residency. Residency is defined as living within the city limits of Liberty. A driver’s license or Texas ID is required. Proof of the resident’s current address such as a City of Liberty utility bill, or personalized check may also be used.

A nominal fee of $10 per person or $15 per family is charged for nonresidents. A driver’s license or Texas ID is required. Out-of-city cards are valid for one year.

Children under the age of 18 must have the signature of a parent or guardian. Applications are available at the circulation desk.

Computer Use Cards

Residents and nonresidents alike may obtain a computer use only card at no charge. A computer use card is required and must be presented to use the library’s computers.

Checkout, Fines and Fees

Books, books on cassette or CD, and read alongs are checked out for 21 days. Videos and DVDs are checked out for three days, which includes the day of checkout. Fines for books, books on cassette, and read alongs are 10 cents per day. Fines for videos and DVDs are $1.00 per day. Checkout privileges are suspended if fines exceed $7.50.

Meeting Room

The library’s upstairs meeting room seats seventy people and may be used by cultural or educational groups when no charge is made to attend. A fee of $20 must be paid in advance. The meeting room has Internet access and audiovisual equipment for special presentations. Reservations must be made in advance with the library director.

Friends of the Library

The library has an active Friends group that meets on the second Monday of each month during the school year. The Friends Book and Bake Sale, held each March during the Liberty Jubilee, raises money to purchase library equipment and pay for special programming such as the Summer Reading Programs and Story Time. The Friends assist with receptions, special programs, and other volunteer opportunities, and are a vital part of the library.

Volunteers

Dedicated volunteers assist the staff in a multitude of ways. Opportunities include lending a hand with the Children’s programs, shelving materials, assisting at the circulation desk, special projects, processing materials, and assisting patrons with computers. Volunteers are especially needed during the busy summer months. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age.

Literacy Program

Liberty County R.E.A.D. (Reading, Education and Development) is a non-profit organization that teaches adults how to read using certified literacy tutors. Any interested adult willing to devote at least two hours per week to the program may join. Tutor training workshops are held periodically to teach the Laubach Way to Reading.

Adults needing the services of R.E.A.D. may contact the Liberty Municipal Library to schedule a screening with a tutor. R.E.A.D. is a confidential program.

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are held weekly during the school year. These classes teach adults how to speak and write in English, and also teach job skills.

The literacy program’s ten-computer teaching lab reinforces reading skills with special literacy computer programs designed for adults learning how to read.

Liberty Municipal Library Memorial Trust Funds

The library’s trust fund was established as a vehicle through which individuals, businesses or civic organizations may make contributions to the library in memory or in honor of particular individuals. Contributions are placed in the trust, invested by the trustee, and the yearly income is used to purchase books and materials to enhance the library. The funds are not used to replace budgeted city funds or ordinary operating expenses.

The Barry N. Jeffrey Fine Arts Trust Fund was established in memory of Mr. Jeffrey. Interest from this trust is used to purchase reference books relating to fine arts.

The Elizabeth Anne Fund was established in memory of Elizabeth Anne Pickett. The interest from this fund is used for children’s books and programming.

All contributions to these funds are tax exempt under IRS Code Section 501C(3).

Books as Tributes

Books given in memory or honor of an individual are a lasting way to pay tribute to someone special. Memorials or honorariums may be made to the library, the Friends of the Library, or Liberty County R.E.A.D.

Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center

The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center, a facility of the City of Liberty, was dedicated and opened on October 18, 1970. The 23,000 square foot Cultural Center houses the Liberty Municipal Library and the Humphreys-Burson Theatre. The Liberty Bell Tower, and the Jubilee Pavilion are attractions located on the Cultural Center grounds.

The Cultural Center was named after its major benefactor, Camilla Geraldine Davis Humphreys, who before her death in 1962 established the foundation to benefit historical, educational, and cultural purposes. The Cultural Center is located on Mrs. Humphreys’ home place, known as Seven Pines, which was also the home site of her grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Hardin.

The 153-seat Humphreys-Burson Theatre is the home of the Valley Players and was named for Kalita Humphreys Burson and her husband Joe Burson, daughter and son-in-law of Mrs. Humphreys. Kalita and Joe were active in theatrical productions on Broadway before settling in Liberty, and were instrumental in organizing the Valley Players in 1953. Their untimely deaths in 1954 cut short their participation in the little theater group.

The Valley Players present several outstanding productions during the year, which are very well attended by the public.

Liberty Bell and Bell Tower

The Liberty Bell tower houses the first true replica of the original Liberty Bell in Philadelphia as it was first cast. Liberty’s bell weighs 2,016 pounds and was made at the Whitechapel Foundry in London in 1960. The bell was given to the citizens of Liberty by Sallie and Nadine Woods, founders of the Liberty Muscular Dystrophy Research Foundation, the first national foundation to fund muscular dystrophy research. The Woods sisters, natives of Liberty, were both victims of muscular dystrophy.

The bell tower was built in time to honor the 200^th anniversary of our nation’s founding, and the City of Liberty was awarded a certification as a National and State Bicentennial City because of the uniqueness of Liberty’s bell and bell tower project. The ringing dedication of the tower was held on April 24, 1976, the date of Liberty’s Bicentennial celebration. The bell tower was Liberty’s gift to the nation, representing a permanent monument reflecting pride in the past and hope for the future.

The Jubilee Pavilion

The five-sided Jubilee Pavilion was built during Liberty’s Texas Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986 as the focal point of the city’s first Jubilee celebration, held on April 19 of that year. The pavilion is used for City and library functions, including the annual Liberty Jubilee Family Fun Festival held the fourth weekend each March, the Country Christmas celebration, the Summer Reading Program, and by various cultural and educational groups throughout the year.