Black History Month 2023

February is Black History Month, the month we acknowledge the contributions of Black Americans. Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association is hosting events all month. The Library develops ongoing lists of items that you can check out to enrich your Black History Month.
 
GCCMA events

A Journey of Mental and Spiritual Resilience. February 11, 2023, 4:00 PM.  A panel discussion breaking the myths and barriers to mental and spiritual health in our community.   The panel discussion will be held at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC), the Mckinney Christian Ministry Center, 1205 Ash St, Georgetown, Texas 78626 on February 11, 2023, at 4:00 pm.  Free event.  The community is invited to attend and participate in the discussion.

Shotgun House Tours, February 18, 2023, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.  Tours of the African American Shotgun House Museum throughout the day.  The Shotgun House is located at 801 West Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626.  The tours will be on February 18, 2023, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Free event – open to the community.

GCCMA Black History Reception. February 25, 2023, 4:00 PM.  A reception and program taking a look back at a journey through time for African Americans — from the perspective of education, business, and the church.  The reception and discussion will be held at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC), Mckinney Christian Ministry Center, 1205 Ash St, Georgetown, Texas 78626 on February 25, 2023, at 4:00 pm.  Free event.  The community is invited to attend.

Item lists for all ages:
GPL World Cinema is screening Summer of Soul, an award winning documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Watch the trailer here. 

 

Library Closed for Inventory

The Library will be closing for inventory November 7-10. The City will also be closed for Veterans Day on November 11, which includes the Library.

Important information:

  • No items will be due during this closure.
  • The online catalog is available for renewing or reserving items.
  • The drive-through book drop on the 9th Street side of the building will be open for returning items.
  • Picking up holds, requesting items via curbside, or using public computers will not be available.
  • There will be no stops from the WOW!mobile bookmobile or home delivery.
  • Sun City holds will be dropped off at the social center on Texas Drive on Thursday, November 10.
  • During this time, the Little Lemon cafe will be open limited hours. Please check their social media for the most up to date hours.
  • The Library will re-open on Saturday, November 12, at 9 a.m.

Sun City Reserve Pick Up

GPL Reserves

Checked-out reserved items will be available on shelves inside the Social Center at 2 Texas Drive – Building A by 1 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.

  • Items are accessible for pick-up during the center’s open hours.
  • Your items will be left on the shelves for one week. For example, unclaimed items dropped off on Monday will be brought back to the library and checked in the following Monday.
  • Inter-library loan (ILL) items will need to be picked up from a staff member directly. They will not be left on the reserve shelves. ILL items can be brought on the WOW!Mobile on Tuesday stops. Please call the Library to request a delivery of ILL items.

Outdoor Book Drop

An outdoor book drop is located at the Social Center on 2 Texas Drive is now available.  The book drop is next to the bench outside the side entrance by the Member Services Office. This book drop will be open 24/7 so you can return your GPL materials any time. Items you can return here:

  • Books
  • Audiobooks on CD
  • Music on CD
  • DVDs

*Please do not return inter-library loan items, puzzles, Sun City Library books, or donations in this book drop. 

WOW!Mobile Sun City Schedule

9:00 – 10 a.m. – 2 Texas Drive by the Farmers’ Market
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. – Retreat Activity Center on Cattleman Drive
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. – Cowan Creek Amenity Center

You can browse materials on the WOW!Mobile at any of these three locations on every other Tuesday. Library staff will be there to assist you with placing items on reserve, helping you put your account on vacation, handling other account issues, and setting up new library cards.

We hope you will enjoy the new flexibility that these expanded services  provide.

Please call the Library at 512.930.3551 with any questions.

Your Next Read

Not sure what to read next? We can help!

Fill out the form below with some basic info on what you enjoy and we’ll get back to you with recommendations for your next book!

Unsure how to proceed? Visit any staff member at the Library and we can help you out in person.

 

Our E-Library is Always Open!

Use your Georgetown Public Library card to enjoy materials from our extensive e-library on your own device.

Library card types with access to digital resources

The Georgetown Public Library offers library users different card types.

Resident cards are available free of charge to City of Georgetown residents and property owners–people who live or own property within the City limits and whose City taxes support the library. These cards have full access to all resources listed in our Digital Library Collection.

Nonresident cards are available to people living outside the City limits. Nonresident cardholders pay an annual fee. These cards have access to all databases, to Libby and SimplyE, and to Flipster, but they do not have access to Hoopla or Kanopy.

Eligible cardholders can log into the various digital resources using their library barcode number and their password. For one-on-one help getting started with these resources, check the Library Events Calendar to see when our next Wired Wednesday session will take place.

(Please note that some other types of library cards, including TexShare or GISD cards, do not have access to GPL’s digital resources directly but instead should contact their public or school libraries.)

If you have questions about your access to our digital resources or need to re-set your password, please contact the library at 512-930-3551.

E-books and e-audiobooks

Libby: The library has partnered with other area libraries in the Central Texas Digital Consortium to offer e-books and e-audiobooks for our Resident and Nonresident cardholders. E-books and e-audiobooks can be downloaded and read or listened to using the Libby app, which enables you to check out and download books. Items check out for two weeks at a time and are returned automatically at the end of the lending period. You are never fined for an overdue e-book.

Here are helpful links to tutorials for using Libby:

Getting Started |  Troubleshooting

SimplyE: Our library is a participant in E-Read Texas, a program offered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission designed to increase the ability of Texas libraries to offer e-books to their patrons. The program utilizes an app developed by the New York Public Library called SimplyE. The SimplyE app is available for mobile devices running iOS and Android. It offers a three-click approach to e-books: patrons browse the e-book bookshelf, click to select a title, click again to check it out, and click to open and read it. Items are returned automatically at the end of the lending period. You are never fined for an overdue e-book, and you can place a hold on any item that is currently in use by another patron; you will be notified when it is available for checkout.

Here are some links to SimplyE help:

Getting Started with SimplyE | Troubleshooting

Hoopla: The Library purchases access to Hoopla for Resident cardholders. Each cardholder can access seven checkouts per month from among Hoopla’s many e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming music, comics, television, and streaming video options.

Here is a link to Hoopla help:

Hoopla Help

Databases

The Library offers many databases to help with research, homework help, articles in popular magazines, how-to information, and more. For instance, the LearningExpress database offers test prep for all ages including elementary, college readiness, specialized certificates, and a career center.

Databases are listed by category on our Research page. To log in, all you will need is the barcode number from the back of your GPL resident or non-resident library card, and your 10-digit phone number.

Streaming video and music

The Library subscribes to Hoopla for streaming music and video, and Kanopy for streaming video.

Hoopla: The Library purchases access to Hoopla for Resident cardholders. Each cardholder has seven checkouts per calendar month from among Hoopla’s many e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming music, comics, television, and streaming video options.

Here is a link to Hoopla help: Hoopla Help

Kanopy: The Library purchases access to Kanopy for Resident cardholders. Each cardholder has seven checkouts per calendar month from among Kanopy’s television and streaming video options.

Here is a link to Kanopy help: Getting started with Kanopy for public library users

Digital magazines

Flipster: The Library subscribes to 50 current digital magazines for our patrons’ use through Flipster. Titles include Consumer Reports, The Atlantic, Better Homes and Gardens, Fortune, Highlights, and The Artist’s Magazine.

Here is a link to help you get started with Flipster : Flipster Help

 

Award winners announced in Texas Society of Sculptors Annual Summer Show

“Final Fetch” by J.P. Childress

For fifteen years, the Georgetown Public Library has hosted the Texas Society of Sculptors annual summer show. The competitive, juried exhibit is a popular tradition in Georgetown that includes sculptures throughout the building on both the first and second floors. Participating sculptors work in wood, glass, bronze, ceramics, and more. Most pieces in the exhibit are available for purchase.

On Sunday, July 16, exhibit prize winners were announced at an awards reception attended by the sculptors, TSOS members, and the public.

This years exhibit award recipients are:

First Place – “Final Fetch” by J.P. (Pat) Childress
Second Place – “PELECAAN” by Ken Law
Third Place – “Fallen Heart” by John Pezze
Honorable Mention: Metal – “Being for Self” by Lyle Adair
Honorable Mention: Stone or Wood – “The Working Men” by Jim Woodruff
Honorable Mention: Mixed media– “Gatekeeper” by Patrick Fleming
Librarians’ Choice – “Adrian’s Compadre” by John Pezze
Peoples’ Choice – “The Messenger” by Matt Donner

Each award is accompanied by a cash prize. The Georgetown Arts and Culture Board provided a total of $2,200 to fund the awards.

The People’s Choice award was determined by ballots cast by visitors to the library in the first few weeks of the exhibit, and the Librarians’ Choice award was decided by a vote of the library staff.

The juror for this years first, second, and third place and honorable mention awards was Danny Grant, a teacher at Atelier Dojo and Art+ Academy.

This years exhibit opened Sunday, June 18, and lasts through Saturday, September 16. An exhibit catalog is available for those who would like to walk through the exhibit and see all 59 pieces.

The library will also host a sculpture demonstration featuring several of this years sculptors demonstrating their techniques and processes. The free event will be held in the library lobby, 402 W. Eighth St., on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information about this years exhibit and events, contact Adult Services Librarian Ann Evanst ann.evans@georgetown.org or TSOS Exhibit President Matt Donner at mattdonner.tsos@gmail.com