Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center (Jarrell, Texas)

In the five years since its opening, the Jarrell Community Library and Resource Center  (JCLRC) has transformed from a “building of books” into a bonafide community center. Located roughly 40 minutes north of Austin, the JCLRC’s service area encompasses several communities in central Texas, including the small town of Jarrell and the rapidly growing planned community of Sonterra — whose population has surged on account of migration from the Austin suburbs and nearby Fort Cavazos. “There’s a lot of need here,” says library director Susan Gregurek, noting that JCLRC’s patrons include families with neurodivergent children, adults caring for parents with dementia, older adults with auditory and vision-related disabilities, and military families coping with traumatic experiences. 

"We are the only place for people to meet in this town," says library director Susan Gregurek (left). "We're always listening to what our community needs, and have tried to touch on a lot of issues in our community."

A retired teacher, since being hired in 2020, Gregurek has set herself the task of “looking for whatever people need in our community.” By securing funding from a variety of sources, Gregurek and her team have been able to address many of these needs simultaneously — in the process making Jarrell a more welcoming, accessible place to live. Funding from the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) project has been especially critical to this outcome. As Gregurek puts it: “The ALA grant has been a lifesaver to us as a small library.” 

Mental health is a key focus of JCLRC’s work. As Ailina Aponte (JCLRC’s mental wellness specialist) puts it, many of the library’s patrons are “trying to exist in a world that is sometimes not very accepting.” To support these individuals and their caregivers, the library runs a number of mental wellness programs — including a play and support group for neurodivergent youth and their families, an arts and crafts group, a music program, and a dementia caregivers support network. The goal of these initiatives, Gregurk explains, is to be a “safe haven” for community members. “We’re really working to bring things to the people for mental health and wellness and support for the community,” she adds.

Creativity and emotional expression are key aspects of JCLRC’s approach to mental health. “There’s so many stressful things happening now,” Aponte says, adding that people who are struggling mentally often “don’t like to be vulnerable or have attention on them.” In recognition of this fact, JCLRC’s arts and music programs revolve around “no pressure” activities that help participants “let out their frustrations” in a “calming, non-judgmental environment.” At the monthly music program Aponte leads, participants experiment with different instruments (including a variety of drums), expressing their emotions “without letting anyone actually know what they’re feeling.” 

The goal of JCLRC's music program, Ailina Aponte (above, center) explains, is to "have a safe space for people to play how they're feeling right now," and to have a "conducive outlet" for expressing feelings like frustration, anger, happiness, and joy.

Similarly, at the arts program led by Trinity Fendley, the goal is to give patrons a chance to “channel their energy and emotions” — whether it be splattering paint on a page to express anger, doing calligraphy for relaxation, or making flower pens to reduce stress and anxiety. “Not everyone really wants to talk about [their own problems] with a stranger they just met,” Fendley notes. Given that, the library’s first priority is to help community members discover “a more positive way” to express uncomfortable feelings. 

While there’s generally “very little talking about people’s situations” during the programs Aponte and Fendley lead, participants do occasionally discuss the things they’re dealing with. Often, this happens spontaneously. “When you put someone at ease,” Fendley explains, “sometimes they’re willing to open up.” When patrons are willing to let their guards down, the resulting conversations are generally productive. For one, talking builds community. When they share their stories and struggles with each other, patrons often realize that they have a lot in common; as a result, Aponte says, they “don’t feel like they’re alone.” Second, listening to patrons’ experiences gives the library an opportunity to follow up with personalized advice and/or referrals to professional support services.

"I've had people talk about their problems straight up," says Trinity Fendley (above, center) about the impacts of the crafting program she leads. "Once you're put into a calm setting, people will open up  — they tell me how they feel, how life is going, and then we talk about topics such as different mental disorders."

Both of these are explicit goals of the library’s neurodivergent play group. The group is run by Katie Ware, who has a son on the autism spectrum, and is also the Williamson County Programs Director for Neurodivergent Friends. Ware’s goal with the group is to “make sure we have something for everybody” — including children with ASD who “don’t really have anything that’s catered to them” in the area outside of therapy. While children enjoy sensory-friendly experiences together, their caregivers connect and learn new ways to help each other. Participants can talk about “anything bothering them,” and also share accomplishments or useful resources. Ware also brings in guest speakers, and notes that these events are “usually a pretty big hit.” By providing practical advice on effective communication methods, how to apply for Medicaid waivers, or obtain other support for their children, she adds, these speakers are able to “relieve confusion on certain topics.” “It definitely helps people out,” Ware says, noting that she’s received “many thank yous” from the community. 

At each meeting of the ASD group Katie Ware (above) leads, she picks a different topic for discussion and a different sensory activity. "I wanted to do something that was designed for not only the kids, but the parents and the caregivers as well," she explains. Running the group has not only revealed the lack of support and resources for those with ASD, but also, "how scared people are to ask for help."

JCLRC’s support system for dementia caregivers has also met with a positive reception. People often “don’t know what’s going on with their loved ones” when they exhibit signs of memory loss, says Sylvia White, who leads the library’s dementia-friendly efforts. A certified nurse assistant with over thirty years of experience in professional caregiving work, one of White’s goals is to help patrons “learn a little bit more” about this disability. Through her work at the library, she shares handouts on “how to spot dementia in your loved ones,” and helps patrons locate healthcare services for those needing professional support. She’s also created a set of “Stay Sharp” kits for those experiencing memory problems, and has led a class aimed at teaching caregivers effective self-care practices. 

Describing a dementia caregiver class Sylvia White (left) led, JCPL director Susan Gregurek recalls how participants were in "tears, crying after being told that it was okay to take care of themselves, or that it was okay to ask someone else for help." That realization that "I'm important too," Gregurek adds, was "very touching to see."

Though the library’s mental health programs are relatively new, facilitators are already seeing evidence of positive change. Patrons who come in “all stressed and whatnot,” Fendley says, often “feel better” and “seem less stressed” when they leave. Aponte has also been “pretty happy with the results so far,” adding that she loves “seeing how the connections are formed and how safe everyone feels here.” 

Part of what’s made JCLRC’s mental health programs so successful is the library’s ability to draw upon and invest in local sources of expertise. All of these programs are led by community members who were initially JCLRC patrons. Their positive experiences encouraged them to look for ways to volunteer. Explaining the origins of her ASD group, Ware recalls how seeing library staff use “their own personal resources” to “do everything they can for anyone they can” encouraged her to do something for those who are sometimes “scared to ask for help.” “The library is like an oasis,” Fendley adds, similarly noting that after her first few visits, “I wanted to contribute because I like it so much.” 

After hearing from community members who were interested in leading programs, Gregurek then started searching for ways to make this happen. Funding through the LTC program, along with a grant provided by the St. David’s Foundation (which runs a Libraries for Health grant program), has helped JCLRC purchase the materials needed for its programs and given facilitators a chance to expand their knowledge and skill sets through training and certification programs. ”We all kind of tag team everything together,” Gregurek says of the library’s diverse funding streams, adding that the professional development opportunities these support has improved the library’s ability to “effectively help others in our community.”

"I love seeing how the connections are formed and how safe everyone feels here," says JCPL mental health specialist Alina Aponte, speaking of the impact of the library's programming efforts.

The fact that the library’s programs are truly community-led, Gregurek notes, gives JCLRC “a whole different vibe than most libraries.”  “We’ve just been so lucky,” she explains, “because in most cases, people have come to me wanting to do this stuff, seeing the need and saying ‘Hey, you know, I have the skills to do it, would you mind if I did?’” Because its programs are both for and by the community, facilitators have been able to lower the barriers that sometimes divide library staff from patrons, creating what Aponte describes as a “very good support system within the community.” When leading programs, Aponte continues, her basic message to participants is “‘Hey, we’re all people. We're going through something similar.’” “I know it’s not exactly the same,” she says, but showing patrons that facilitators are “here for them” is “what makes these groups so special.” This, Greguek notes, is why there’s such a “close-knit community” between JCLRC and its patrons. 

Through its unique approach to programming, JCLRC is showing that by leveraging community members’ skills and expertise, libraries can become more accessible to patrons along a number of different fronts. By arising directly out of needs and opportunities identified by community members, such an approach maximizes the relevance and responsiveness of libraries’ accessibility efforts. In addition to this, by creating “lots of options and choices” for patrons, libraries can ensure that their programs impart feelings of safety and comfort while also “teaching you ways to overcome your anxiety” and “bring a sense of calm into your life” when you’re struggling, Gregurek says. The goal, she says, should be creating a situation where community members “come to us because we’re taking care and making sure that they have access to what they need.”