Wylie Library director highlights outreach, new classes and events as advisory board approves schedule change

Wylie — The Wylie Library Advisory Board on Aug. 25 heard a staff spotlight on Library Director Ophelia Cabrera, approved a calendar change to skip the Nov. 24 meeting and reviewed fall programming that includes GED classes from Collin College, a six‑week beginner ESL class taught by library staff, a new “Deer (Drop Everything and Read)” program and several Friends of the Library events.

The meeting opened at 7:03 p.m.; the board voted 5‑0 with two members absent to approve the July minutes and later voted 5‑0 to forego the Nov. 24 meeting. The board adjourned at 7:57 p.m. after hearing the monthly operations report.

The staff spotlight and monthly report emphasized outreach and growing demand for digital and in‑person services. Director Ophelia Cabrera, who said she recently marked her 18th anniversary with the city, described outreach and an “outreach vehicle” as a near‑term goal and said the library is pursuing a staff outreach role to meet residents where they are.

“We're trying to go out and meet people where they are,” Cabrera said, describing interest in a pop‑up approach because a branch is not feasible given current staffing and budget constraints.

The board heard several program and service updates: Collin College will provide GED instruction at the library beginning in September under a grant from the Texas Workforce Commission; the college will supply instructors and materials while the library provides space. The GED sessions are scheduled Monday and Wednesday evenings and will run through the Thanksgiving break, with a planned return in January if the pilot goes well.

Library staff member Christy will lead a six‑week beginner ESL class at the library; Cabrera said the library had struggled previously to find instructors and funding for ESL but has seen strong early interest and only two open spots when the roster was checked.

Staff also said the library will not renew the Creativebug database to save funds, is promoting Pronunciator as a new language learning platform to replace Mango Languages, and is monitoring usage and costs for Hoopla and Canopy after a recent Canopy outage that left the service unavailable for about a week. Cabrera said Libby remains the library’s most used digital platform.

Friends of the Library volunteer Mallory introduced a low‑barrier reading program called Deer (Drop Everything and Read) for families and for adults; the first session is set for Oct. 16 during fall break. Mallory said the program emphasizes social time and an hour of silent reading, plus an adults‑only “Deer After Dark” event planned for January that will be limited to Friends members and run after library hours.

Other fall items include the veteran memorial display Wall That Heals at Founders Park, opening Thursday, Oct. 30 and remaining on display through Sunday (teardown at 2 a.m.). The library is organizing group tours for schools and community groups and volunteers will staff the exhibit. The library is also holding a caregiver conference in partnership with Pathway Hospice and municipal departments; the Credit Union of Texas will provide boxed lunches for registrants, and registration—with a lunch cap—was required.

Staff previewed Friends‑sponsored events including Spooky Night (trick or treat throughout the building) and a fundraiser, a murder‑mystery evening on Nov. 14. The library is also rolling out new Insync library card artwork: 2,000 cards (four designs, 500 each); replacement cards cost $1 and new cards change the patron barcode number.

Board members asked about the first year of the library’s fine‑free policy (the council approved eliminating certain fees last year). Cabrera said the policy began Oct. 1 and that staff will produce usage and return‑pattern data after the first anniversary; she noted anecdotally that some high‑demand items have been held longer by patrons and said library staff are considering a communications reminder for patrons about holds and renewals.

The board voted 5‑0, with Vice Chair Tasha Campbell and board member Sarah Sponsel absent, to approve the July minutes and later voted 5‑0 to skip the Nov. 24 meeting with the option to call a special meeting if urgent business arises. The meeting closed with a unanimous motion to adjourn.

Board members were encouraged to attend Friends meetings (third Tuesday monthly) and to volunteer at fall events; staff said they will return with follow‑up reports on the fine‑free policy and usage statistics in September.