THANK YOU, DALLAS VOTERS!

Thanks to our board, our volunteers and the voters who helped Prop D score an overwhelming victory in the May 4 election.

The $43.5 million for libraries in the bond issue will fund new facilities for the North Oak Cliff and Park Forest neighborhoods, renovations for the Preston Royal branch and ADA upgrades at 8 branch libraries across the city.

Dallas City Council will decide soon how the money will be spent over the next five years and when work will begin.

Once again, our advocacy efforts paid off and we're grateful for your support.

IT'S SMART SUMMERTIME, AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR KIDS

Dallas Public Library's annual SMART Summer program, which we're proud to sponsor, kicked off June 1 with festivities at 6 branches around the city. This year's themes are Read, Discover and Create, as kids keep their skills sharp during the school break and earn great prizes at the same time.

But kids don't get all the benefits - or all the prizes. SMART Summer is for adults as well to enrich the summer months with lifelong learning and great activities.

Participants of all ages need to log in, keep track of time spent reading and taking part in discovery and creative activities, and the goodies start to flow. This great program runs through August 10.

THANKS TO OUR SMART SUMMER SPONSORS

Gold and Silver Sponsors

Bronze

Audelia Road Library Friends

Lake Highlands Women's League

Lakewood Library Friends

Lochwood Library Friends

Sarah and Alan Losinger

Oak Lawn Library Friends

Renner Frankford Library Friends

Skillman Southwestern Library

Media

FOX 4

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Friends

Altrusa International of Downtown Dallas

Clampitt Paper

Hampton-Illinois Library Friends

North Oak Cliff Library Friends

Jay Oppenheimer

Cynthia and John Rutherford 

Diane and George Wendel

And Special Thanks To

Pat and Stan Altschuler

Lacy Naylor

Alice and Erle Nye

SEE YOU AT THE FRIENDS' ANNUAL MEETING

TUESDAY, JUNE 25

Please join us for the Friends' Annual Meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at the Central Library's 7th Floor O'Hara Hall.

We'll mix at a reception, review the year gone by, present our annual awards and hear from Library Director Jo Giudice and Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert.

We'll also elect our 2024/25 leadership, including 9 new board members, and thank outgoing board members: Michelle Alden, Carolyn Barta, Barbara Clay, David Henderson, Jeff Kitner, Kathryn Kraft, Howard Schulman and Kristine Schwope.

As always, there's free parking in the Library garage.

JUNETEENTH AT THE LIBRARY

Dallas Public Library locations are closed on Wednesday, June 19th, which is now the federal holiday of Juneteenth, commemorating the day that the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery was finally enforced in Texas.

Mark the holiday throughout June. Follow this link for a listing of all the events.

A MONTH OF PRIDE AT DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY

June is Pride Month, and the Library has a full slate of activities for all ages around the city. Click here for the whole list.

It's topped off by a Neon Nights party for people 18 and up, with DJ Ursa Minor, local vendors, resource organizations and crafts.

The party, co-sponsored by the Friends, starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 29 at the Central Library. Register to attend through this link.

TOUR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY CREATIVE SPACES

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26

Take a tour of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library's Creative Spaces! Learn more about the spaces, and services provided in the library's three makerspaces.

The tour starts at 9 AM and wraps up at 10 AM. Meet on the 8th floor and then visit the Heritage Lab, Fiber Arts Workroom and Story Center.

For more information about Dallas Public Library's Creative Spaces, visit: dallaslibrary.org/creativespaces

As always, the tour is free and so is the parking at the Central Library. For information and to save your spot, follow this link.

VETERANS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT CONTINUES

Dallas Public Library's Genealogy & History Division is preserving the memories of U.S. military veterans, support staff and family members of veterans in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, capturing their stories and experiences for future generations to understand and learn from the past.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, click Veterans Oral History Project, email genealogy@dallaslibrary.org, or call 214-670-1433.

This project is funded by the Friends thanks to a gift from the General Levi Casey Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

IT'S OFFICIAL: SAVE THE DATE

TUESDAY OCTOBER 15

Is there a better way to kick off our 75th Diamond Anniversary? We're delighted to announce that Rena Pederson, author of the new acclaimed book The King of Diamonds, will be our guest at our annual gala on Tuesday, October 15.

Pederson, a longtime supporter of libraries, was Vice President and Editorial Page Editor at The Dallas Morning News for 16 years, part of a distinguished, trailblazing career as a journalist, author, educator and senior advisor at the U.S. State Department.

Her latest book, The King of Diamonds, is the riveting true-crime story of a mysterious thief who stole millions in jewels from some of Dallas' richest, most powerful people in the 1960s. The thief was never caught, but Pederson's dogged reporting reveals the most likely suspect.

Watch this space for details about tickets, volunteer opportunities and sponsorships for a great night to inaugurate a sparkling year of anniversary celebrations.

WELCOME ABOARD, ELIZABETH!

We are thrilled to announce that Elizabeth Greenwood joined the Friends of the Dallas Public Library in May as Operations Coordinator. In this role, Elizabeth will support membership outreach, events and fundraising efforts as we prepare to mark our 75th anniversary in 2025.

Elizabeth brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles. Most recently, she served as the Development Manager at the Dallas Arboretum. She has also contributed her talents to Southern Methodist University, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Center for Nonprofit Management and The 500, Inc.

In addition to her professional achievements, Elizabeth is an active volunteer in the community. She is married to Durant and is the proud mother of two sons, Rob (21) and Will (19). In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys gardening and hunting for vintage finds and antiques, particularly in Round Top.

Please join us in welcoming Elizabeth to the FoDPL family!

-- Library Patron of the Month (anonymous note found by a DPL staffer)