By Josh Hickman
Contributor
The Highland Park Library has done it again: received an Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association.
During the Oct. 7 Town Council meeting, Mayor Will C. Beecherl took a moment to celebrate the accomplishment and introduce town librarian Kortney Nelson.
“We have great staff that are creative, fearless, and always willing to say, ‘Yes,’” Nelson said. “We look forward to what we can do in the future to help take library services and programs — with new roles, new models, and new technologies — so that we can just keep continuing on to improve quality of life and lifelong learning.”
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Notably, library staff has applied for and received the award every year since the award’s inception in 2005.
The application service criteria:
- Providing services for underserved populations;
- Marketing and promoting services through innovative means;
- Engaging in collaborative efforts with community organizations;
- Having a comprehensively trained staff;
- Providing cultural, topical, and educational programming;
- And supporting literacy, digital inclusion, and workforce development.
Library programs mentioned include baby splash time at the pool, preschool playdate at the Meadows Museum, mahjong classes, culinary classes, gardening classes, author visits, and a resource where people can access over 10,000 business courses.
Also noted were the library collaborations with the Dallas Arboretum, the Dallas County Master Gardeners Association, and the Nasher Sculpture Center.
The council on Tuesday also approved a $833,581.50 contract (with $90,000 contingency) with Ratliff Hardscape for the 2024 Drainage Easement project.
Work should begin soon on easements between Versailles Avenue and Beverly Drive, Lorraine Avenue and Belclaire Avenue, Bordeaux Avenue and Arcady Avenue, Versailles Avenue and Beverly Drive, and Belfort Avenue and Bordeaux Avenue. Construction should wrap up in late spring of 2026.
In other business, the council:
- Approved an Interlocal Agreement with Dallas County for coordinated health services;
- Denied Oncor Electric’s requested rate change application;
- Designated assistant town administrator Taylor Lough to serve as acting town administrator when Tobin Maples is out of the office, and the director of public safety to serve as the alternate acting town administrator if Lough is unavailable.
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