How We Help
Building a Stronger Community
The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation plays an essential role in supporting the evolving needs of our community. While the City of Cedar Park provides essential baseline funding for the Library, the Cedar Park Public Library Foundation provides funding for additional resources, programs and services that take our library to a new level of excellence.
With the huge growth in Cedar Park, demand for materials, public computers, and programs have skyrocketed. The Foundation funds important enhancements to the Library, such as early literacy programs, Summer reading programs, advanced technology, and capital funding to insure our award winning Library continues its excellence in serving our Cedar Park community.
Our Impact - Library Initiatives
LIBRARY INITIATIVE #1: Support for Early Literacy Programs
Early literacy support is an important service the Cedar Park Public Library provides, as the Library is able to offer programming and resources that support the literacy development of these youth before they enter Kindergarten. There are many young families in the Cedar Park community; with 8.6% of the population ages 0-5 and 33.8% of the population ages 25-44.
Babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents/caregivers are one of the highest usage groups for the Library. Of the 52,000 community members who attended youth programs at the Library last year, this demographic accounted for 90% of attendance.
The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation provides funding for this initiative at the Cedar Park Public Library including Story Times for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, support of the Family Place Library initiative, special early literacy programs and the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten reading incentive program.
The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation also supports early literacy directly through the Books for Babies program in partnership with the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center to ensure that each child born in the Cedar Park community has access to books and early literacy resources.
LIBRARY INITIATIVE #2: Support for Summer Reading Program
The Cedar Park Public Library’s Summer Reading Program is fun, brings families together, and combats summer learning loss.
This valuable reading program has continued to grow in attendance and scope over the years. Last year 2,000 youth and families participated in the summer reading program. They read 3.2 million minutes during the summer. In the most recent Summer Reading Program 71% of participants reported that they read more than normal during the program.
The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation provides funding for this initiative including the reading incentive program for all ages and the 10-20 enrichment programs for different ages that the Library provides each week during the summer.
LIBRARY INITIATIVE #3: Support for Technology Resources at Library
In the digital age the Cedar Park Public Library continues to serve a diverse community of users, with skill levels ranging from digital natives to those still new to technology. The Library also serves a wide range in user preferences from print traditionalists to eBook enthusiasts.
The Library stays on the forefront of technology resources for the Cedar Park community by:
- Providing excellent user training for both staff and patrons.
- Including new digital formats in the Library’s collection such as eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming video and music, and digital magazines.
- Implementing new equipment and software systems that supports Library services, including a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system to automate routine check-in and check-out of Library materials.
The Cedar Park Public Library Foundation provides funding for this initiative including technology systems, technology training, and digital library materials.
Our Programs
Programs the Foundation Supports
Below are just a few of the programs that the Library offers to our community that the Cedar Park Public Library Foundation supports. Including:
- Books for Babies
- Summer Reading Club
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
- Capital support for the New Library in the Bell District
- Fable Fest
Visit our Library page to learn more about our current Library's history and its impact on our community as well as the increased benefits and enhancements the New Library, anticipated to open Fall 2024 in the Bell District, will provide.
Books For Babies
Encouraging early literacy one book and one baby at a time!
Books for Babies is a project designed to encourage early literacy in Cedar Park by providing a new book, an invitation to get a library card, and literacy literature to each newborn at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center.
The goal is to improve overall literacy in the community, and reduce the academic disparities between wealthier and low-income children.
Friends of the Library Book Sale!
The Friends of the Library offers books, DVDs and media for sale year-round, and they host a yearly Book Sale biannually in the spring and fall. All proceeds go to support the Cedar Park Public Library's collection.
Join Us in September for the Fall Sale in the Library's Community Room.
- Saturday, September 23, 2023,
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. $10 Cash entry;
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Free entry
- Sunday, September 24, 2023,
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Free entry
- Monday, September 25, 2023,
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Free entry,
only cash donations accepted for sales
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Reading helps build social and emotional skills, sparks creativity, promotes bonding, and helps kids do well overall in school.
The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge is simple: read a book, any book, to your child, with the goal of reading 1,000 before they start kindergarten.
Summer Reading Club
Read Books - Track Reading Time - Attend Programs - Win Prizes. The more you read, the more chances to win prizes!
For the second year in a row, the Cedar Park Public Library Foundation partnered with LEEF to provide Free 3-month Library cards for Leander ISD students and their families.
Through this program, 141 families and 232 children were able to take advantage of the Library and its Summer Programs .
Youth STEM Programs
- STEAM Explorers (Ages 5-8)
Twice a month, Library staff will lead a fun STEAM activity.
- Tween Maker Club (Ages 8-12)
Get creative and join us for a new hands-on activity every month.
- Tween Gaming (Ages 8-12)
Come play Switch games and board games.
Fable Fest
Food, Fun, & Entertainment for the Entire Family!
Fable Fest has been the Foundation's annual community fundraising event since 2009 bringing together thousands of festival-goers to Elizabeth Milburn Park for a day of family fun and entertainment.
Fable Fest includes arts & crafts, costume characters, demonstrations and activities. Typically, we attract around 7,500 community members and raise $10,000-20,000 in net profits to support the many programs and initiatives at the Cedar Park Public Library, including:
- Early Literacy Initiatives
- Summer Reading Programs
- Advanced Technology Needs
Help Us Build a Stronger Cedar Park
Join our Team
We are a fun, informal group of volunteers who are passionate about reading and literacy, love the Library, and want to make a difference in our community.
If this sounds like YOU? We need help with:
- Newsletter Creation & Editorial Experience
- Email Marketing and Social Media skills
- Sales and Capital-raising experience
- Copyrighting Skills
Become a Library Donor
Every dollar donated directly supports the Library’s important literacy programs and initiatives, helps the Library respond to future community needs, and benefits Cedar Park residents for generations to come.
Stay Connected - Receive Our Quarterly Newsletter
Sign up to hear from the Foundation about the latest news and events, as well as information about how you can get involved and support the new Cedar Park Public Library anticipated to open in fall 2024 in the Bell District.