Partners Library Action Network

Please be advised that PLAN will be closed on Friday, April 3rd, for Good Friday. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, April 6th.

We wish you and your families a happy and safe holiday.

Best regards,

PLAN Staff
Partners Library Action Network [email protected]
5806 Mesa Drive Ste. 375
Austin, TX 78731
512-583-0704

Please be advised that PLAN will be closed on Monday, February 16th, for the Presidents' Day holiday.

We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, February 17th.
We wish you and your families a happy and safe holiday.

Event Reminder
PLAN Annual Meeting

Time
9/12/2025

10:00:00 AM - 12:00:00 PM

Details

The PLAN Annual Meeting will take place virtually on Friday September 12th from 10AM to Noon. PLAN members will get to meet the new Executive Director and ask questions of them, as well as vote on a few bylaw updates and learn more about upcoming events and the new PLAN membership software. Mark you calendar for this date, and sign up now to ensure that you receive the link. All FY 2025 member libraries will be eligible to vote on the amendments - Bylaw Amendments We are also looking for nominations for board members.

When parents read with their kids, it can:

🗣️ Build their vocabulary
📚 Increase their interest in reading
👀 Improve focus & attention

Find more ways to support your child's literacy at https://www.improvingliteracy.org/resource/supporting-your-child-s-literacy-at-home

Deadline September 15

The Les Paul Foundation invites applications for grants in support of programs and projects that encourage innovation in music production and/or performance and innovative STEM or STEAM programs for students and others in challenging situations. Proposals for medical research related to curing tinnitus and other hearing impairment issues are considered, as are proposals that inspire the public through support of public exhibits presenting Les Paul’s life and achievements.

Organizations must be located and operating programs in the United States and classified by the Internal Revenue Service as public charities and tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Les Paul Foundation website: https://www.les-paul.com/the-foundation/

Traces of Texas reader Jared Tye thoughtfully sent in this wonderful 1960 aerial shot of the courthouse square in McKinney, Texas. If you look closely, you can see the old J.C. Penney store above the courthouse, just right of center.

The Courthouse Square was established when William Davis donated 120 acres of land to the Collin County Commissioners, and is a prototypical example of a so-called "Shelbyville Square." What is a Shelbyville Square? It's a specific public planning model that originated in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and became a widely adopted prototype for American small-town squares in the 1800s. This design features a central block with a courthouse, surrounded by a grid of equally sized city blocks. It is considered a foundational American style for town planning, impacting numerous small towns across the country. There are many such squares surrounding county courthouses in Texas. I believe that, of the 254 counties in Texas, 157 of them have Shelbyville squares. There have been at least four Collin County courthouses at this location.

Thank you, Jared. Super duper interesting!

Many Texas librarians are featured in this great documentary. If you have a chance, go see it.

Catch the award-winning, harrowing documentary THE LIBRARIANS at dozens of cities across the US, UK, Ireland, and soon, streaming. 🔗👇

✨ Amateur Astronomy Night returns to the Sam Houston Center on Friday, September 19!🌃

Join us in Liberty, Texas, for an evening of stargazing led by Village Creek State Park Interpreter Alex Stamatis. From 8:30 to 10 p.m., explore constellations and view Saturn’s rings with telescopes, binoculars or the naked eye—far from the glow of city lights.

Bring a flashlight (red light preferred) and meet us at 650 FM 1011. In case of poor weather, the event will be rescheduled for Friday, September 26.

Questions? Email [email protected].
Hosted by the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, part of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.