Library director says board funds support early literacy and summer learning

Kelly McDaniel of Piedmont Regional Libraries told the Bexar County Board of Education on May 5 that the local public library system supports student learning before, during and after the school year and described how the board’s annual contribution is used.

"We have 3 libraries in Auburn, Winder, and Statham," McDaniel said, and she summarized FY25 statistics showing more than 147,000 visits, roughly 220,000 physical circulations and 68,000 e‑circulations. She emphasized early‑literacy programming for the birth‑to‑5 population and summer learning activities designed to prevent the "summer slide."

McDaniel described the Play Card system that issues library cards linked to students’ lunch numbers so that every student in Barrow County can access library resources unless a parent opts out. She noted targeted services for schools, including specialized e‑collections for K–4 students, the libraries’ role as the primary library for AIM students, and partnerships that supply third‑grade dictionaries and classroom supports.

On funding, McDaniel said the board’s contribution—about $105,000 per year—amounts to approximately 10.9% of the library system’s local funding and is allocated to branches according to usage metrics such as foot traffic and program attendance. "We consider [the public library] crucial literacy infrastructure for the community," she said.

Board members thanked McDaniel and asked follow‑up questions about youth program participation and circulation by students; McDaniel said the libraries will provide more data if needed.

The board took the presentation as informational and did not take action on library funding at the meeting.