Laredo library advisory committee honors outgoing leaders, reviews kiosk pilot and sensory-room usage

At a meeting of the Laredo Public Library Advisory Committee, members recognized longtime library leaders, reviewed service and program updates and scheduled the next meeting for Jan. 28, 2026. The committee approved minutes from its Oct. 29, 2025 meeting and discussed a pilot virtual court kiosk, sensory-room use and community events.

The committee opened with recognition for former director Maria G. Solis. Speaker 6 presented a plaque “presented to Maria G. Solis, Laredo Public Library advisory committee liaison” and members praised Solis’s leadership, specifically noting the library system remained open during the COVID-19 period. “In recognition of your outstanding and dedicated service to the citizens of Laredo, the Laredo Public Library salutes your leadership,” Speaker 6 read while presenting the plaque.

Members also honored Roberto Ortiz for years of service (listed 2008–2025). Several members described Ortiz as a steady presence and thanked him for his leadership and community engagement.

On operations, Speaker 3 introduced the Texas Library Association (TLA) 2026 membership application and recommended continuing the library’s TLA membership to stay current on state library developments. Deadline timing was discussed but not finalized (speakers referenced both "today" and "end of the month").

Speaker 6 updated the committee on a pilot virtual court kiosk installed at the Moss Library (teen area, lower level). The kiosk is functioning and organizers proposed a ribbon-cutting on Jan. 12 or Jan. 13 in the morning. Speaker 6 said the kiosk is pending listing on the Texas Legal Aid site to increase public awareness and added that initial funding came from city council members’ discretionary funds with pro bono technical support from Texas Legal Aid. “We have the courts kiosk… up and running at the Moss branch,” Speaker 6 said.

Program staff reported on community events. The children’s book festival returned after a pandemic hiatus with more than 1,000 attendees, organizers said, and the event received a $2,000 in-kind sponsorship from H‑E‑B for supplies and food. Members discussed restarting a Friends of the Library group to support fundraising and outreach.

Accessibility and youth programming were also highlighted. Committee members reported sensory-room attendance exceeded 1,400 visitors between October and November across the Cathedral and Ocelinas branches and the main library. Staff described booking rules (group sessions, about 10 participants, reservations routed through staff such as Carmen Abrade or Miss Youngblood) and said the rooms are movable for privacy when needed.

The committee reviewed routine metrics and caught at least one reporting typo (an entry displayed as “-3032%” that members said was incorrect). Security presence and parking were noted as improved signs of heavy library use. The advisory committee set its next meeting for Jan. 28, 2026, and confirmed the standing cadence of meetings on the last Wednesday of each month except June, July and November.

Procedural actions taken during the meeting included approval of the Oct. 29, 2025 minutes and a motion to adjourn. No public comments were offered during the public-comment period. The committee also discussed a city-council-approved affidavit requiring yearly residency verification for board and commission members; speakers said some members had already submitted the updated paperwork.

The advisory committee closed after members moved and seconded adjournment.

The committee packet and staff can provide additional details on the TLA application deadline, the planned January kiosk ribbon-cutting and corrected metric tables; specific times and final ribbon-cutting dates were not finalized during the meeting.