Lake Travis Community Library District 20th Anniversary
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A Note from Library Director Morgan McMillian
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I have been lucky enough to be a part of the library for the past 15 years, but it has been going on much longer than that. Volunteers started the library back in 1985! Some of those same volunteers still work at LTCL every single week. The strength of our library is the support of our volunteers and community! At this momentous occasion of our twentieth anniversary of the creation of our library district, I would like to say thank you and show appreciation for our hundreds of volunteers, past and present. Thank you!
Revisit some of our favorite moments from over the years in our 20th Anniversary Photo Album or stop by the library throughout the week to leave a memory or note of appreciation. Thank you for being a part of the Lake Travis Community Library! Happy 20th library district anniversary!
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Austin American-Statesman
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When the Lake Travis Community Library was founded by volunteers in 1985, it operated from inside the Lake Travis High School Library, sharing everything from shelves to programming space. Soon library patrons and community members realized the need for a stand-alone, local public library to keep up with the burgeoning Lake Travis region - a grassroots movement to create a library district had begun!
What is a library district? Texas Public Library Districts differ from city and county libraries in that they are voted on by the local community, funded by a percentage of the sales tax of the region, and governed by an elected board of trustees. Westbank Library was the first library district in the state of Texas and now there are 15 active library districts!
On May 15 2004, voters approved the formation of a Lake Travis Community Library District. With the passing vote, the district boundaries were set and a mission established:
"To provide resources in the areas of the arts, sciences, and literature in order to enable free and open access for lifelong learning, inspiration, and enjoyment to all residents of the Lake Travis Community Library District and its surrounding areas."
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The library district's first location on Lohmans Spur.
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2006: Storefront Location
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In February 2006, the district signed a lease for a 3,500 square foot retail space in the Lohman’s Crossing Shopping Center. The storefront location allowed for an expanded circulating collection (including VHS tapes), a small programming space for story times and author talks, and access to four public computers. The retail location also served as a temporary solution while the district renewed its focus on fundraising for a permanent home.
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Lake Travis Community Library Grand Opening.
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2013: The New Building Opens
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After decades of planning, saving, and community support, the new library building in Lakeway opened in 2013. The 11,000 square foot building advanced the library's mission to serve the community with a dedicated meeting space, expanded access to public computers and printing services, a bookstore, an outdoor patio, and a separate children's room. Thanks to the new location, the library became a vibrant and integral part of the community, hosting everything from exercise classes to educational lectures and circulating unique and popular materials such as mobile WiFi hotspots, Chromebooks, and even tennis rackets!
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Ribbon cutting ceremony for the bookmobile.
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2016: The Bookmobile Hits the Road
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In 2016, we launched the Lake Travis Community Library Bookmobile - a mobile library on wheels! The bookmobile has been crucial in the district's ability to provide services to patrons who were previously unable to access the library due to physical, economic, social, or geographic barriers. A fixture at local outreach events like Lake Travis Public Safety Day and the City of Lakeway Witches Ride, the bookmobile also stops at preschools, assisted living facilities, neighborhoods, RV Parks, and food pantries providing WiFi internet access, computer and printing services, and the ability to borrow items from our circulating collection.
In its first five years of service, the bookmobile enjoyed over 60,000 visitors, checked out more than 95,000 items, and opened over 1,600 new library accounts. The success of the bookmobile indicated a growing need for library services in the western portion of our district and marked the beginning of our next chapter.
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Library Director Morgan McMillian and Assistant Director Raj Kamat at West.
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2023: District Purchases Property
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In 2023, the library district purchased a property in Spicewood with the intent to open a second location, Lake Travis Community Library West. Once opened, this location at 21209 State Hwy 71, Spicewood, TX 78669 will provide convenient library access to communities such as Bee Creek, Briarcliff, Rough Hollow, Spicewood, Sweetwater, Travis Settlement, and West Cypress Hills.
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Ascension Architecture rendering of West.
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2024: Looking to the Future
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Would you like to be a part of the library district's future success? Help our fundraising efforts by considering a naming opportunity which allows your name, the name of a loved one, or the name of your organization, to be prominently displayed in the new library location.
Donations can be made by credit card, cash, or check. Your contribution will help provide essential library services and shape the future of our library district for generations to come. Thank you for your continued support of the Lake Travis Community Library!
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1938 Lohmans Crossing | Austin, TX 78734 US
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