City Manager Ed Thatcher’s Update: The Mount Pleasant Public Library Has Evolved into the Heart of the Community
The Mount Pleasant Public Library team is constantly creating new programs and activities to meet the educational and entertainment needs of every age from babies and toddlers to senior citizens. From left: Kim Pearson, Natalie Fox, Lupe Herrera, Helen Thompson, Jeanette McCoy, and Lavonne Hearron.
From beautiful lakes and parks to our historic downtown, Mount Pleasant has a lot of really great places to spend time.
A citizen favorite is the MP Public Library, run by Director and long-time Mount Pleasant resident, Helen Thompson and an amazing team that is always ready to try new ideas and help our citizens any way that they can.
The library isn’t just a building that houses print and digital books and other periodicals. It has evolved into a community center as Helen and staff are constantly creating and presenting new programs and activities to draw in and meet the learning and entertainment needs of every age.
- The list of offerings is long, and includes:
- Family theme nights such as Nerf Battles, Golf and Noon Year’s Eve
- Play, Grow and Learn Workshops for ages 18-36 months
- Weekly Preschool Story Time
- STEM programming for youth
- Health Happens featuring nutrition and cooking classes and guest speakers
- Crochet and knit group
- Watercolor painting group
- Legal Aid in person and via video conference
- Summer Reading and Crafts
- Paws to Read – where children read aloud to therapy dogs
- Adult monthly Craft Nights
- A huge digital “arsenal” that now includes Ancestry.com, Creativebug, TexShare, Mango Languages and A to Z Foods with a huge volume of recipes
- The library also hosts a daily “Appy Hour” during which patrons can come in and get help with their Kindles, phones or computers/laptops
- Book Clubs
The “Appy Hour” is working, as patrons are using the Libby program to check out 600 to 800 digital eBooks and audiobooks on their mobile devices a month.
Thanks to a grant received this summer, staff has also extended its reach into the community by gaining the resources to travel to four daycare centers and a senior care facility to do crafts and check out books, CD players and audiobooks. You may have also seen them in their new branded tent at community events presenting fun activities for attendees.
If that weren’t enough, the library staff welcomes school and other organization tours, which includes a visit to the historical museum housed in the library. This is a wonderful way to learn about the life and times in Mount Pleasant and Titus County in years gone by through interactive displays such as a Caddo grass hut, a Civil War camp and a log cabin. The library extends into a garden, or “Explorium” uniquely designed for children.
The Mount Pleasant Public Library is the heart of our community; a “leveler” in our society where individuals and families can find education and entertainment without spending a penny provided by staff who care deeply about their work.
“We truly love what we do,” says Library Director Helen Thompson. “I think that translates into great public service of which we can be proud.”
We thank Helen and her team for all that they do in our community, and I encourage you to drop by Your library soon for an enjoyable experience.
You can check out the resources here.
