Council approves application for library after-hours pickup lockers grant

Midlothian’s council authorized the city manager and library staff to apply for a Texas State Library and Archives Commission special projects grant that would fund hold lockers to allow patrons to pick up checked-out materials after hours.

Chris, speaking for the library, said the grant application has a short window (deadline Feb. 9) and that the planned lockers would be located in the vestibule between the library’s two doors so patrons could retrieve materials after hours without entering the main library. He said the grant appears to require no local match and that some minor door access changes would be included in the grant scope. Staff noted there may be ongoing yearly software costs for the locker system, but they do not expect significant ongoing operational expense.

Council members asked whether a drop box could be included and whether the vestibule would be accessible; staff clarified the lockers, not a drop box, would be in the vestibule and that access changes would permit patrons into the vestibule after hours without entering the library. Chris said the council could require final acceptance return to council if members preferred to review the award before the city accepted the grant. Council approved the application authorization 7–0.

If the grant is awarded and the locker cost exceeds the city’s $50,000 administrative limit, staff said they would return to council for acceptance; otherwise the city manager could execute the grant acceptance per the authorization.