Laura’s Library is open as of Friday, September 29! Welcome back!!!
Upcoming Programs
Get help with technology from tech-savvy teen volunteers! Bring your devices (phones, tablets, laptops) or questions about social media, apps, and more to Westbank Library. You will get one-on-one help with all your technology questions.
Tech help will be available on Tuesday evenings, 4:30pm to 6:30pm and Saturday afternoons, 2pm to 4pm.
“中文游乐园-Chinese Learning Playground” is a Mandarin Chinese study group for school-age children. This program is led by volunteer native-Chinese-speaking parents, and teaches Chinese through an immersive setting to two tiers of learners — Advanced and Junior. The Advanced group is suitable for students with several years of Chinese learning experience. This year’s sessions follow an adaptation of the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West, to reinforce and expand a learner’s vocabulary and communication skills. The Junior group hosts lower elementary kids, teaching the language through reading folk rhymes and simple stories in Chinese, as well as memorizing and writing Chinese characters. The sessions sometimes incorporate games, crafts, and puzzles to keep the learning experience fun and engaging.
中文游乐园-Chinese learning playground is currently organized by four volunteer parents:
- Xiaoqing Zhu, a research scientist working on video coding and streaming, whose favorite activity is reciting and chatting about Chinese poetry along with her daughter.
- Wendy You, a college finance professor, who finds it more challenging to teach her two daughters than to teach a college class.
- Nan Jiang, a Ph.D. from UT Austin and the Data Science Practice Lead at her firm, has always been passionate about helping people, especially her American-born kids, to understand and appreciate the rich Chinese culture and history, including its difficult-to-learn but fascinating language.
- Qiong Zeng, a data scientist on mobile games and automobiles, has two daughters and enjoys teaching kids Chinese and Chinese cultures.
Click here to join Daytime Book Group, a live virtual program happening at 4pm.
If you’re having difficulties, please refer to Zoom’s support information. Westbank Library is unable to provide tech assistance during the program. Please contact questions@westbanklibrary.com if you would like to schedule tech help or if you would like additional information regarding this library program.
Daytime Book Group comes together once a month to discuss books that explore life from many angles – from the author’s viewpoint, from the characters’ experiences, and from the group members’ personal perspectives. The group reads both fiction and non-fiction, and participants engage in lively discussions on the topic.
2023 Reading Selections
- January 8th at 2pm: Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird (Author Visit)
- February 5th: The Humans by Matt Haig
- March 5th: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
- April 2nd: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
- May 7th: Violeta by Isabel Allende
- June 4th: Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson
- June 25th: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
- (July’s book, due to July 4th weekend)
- August 6th: Brighter by the Day by Robin Roberts
- August 27th: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- (September’s book, due to Labor Day weekend)
- October 1st: Lessons by Ian McEwan
- November 5th: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
- December 3rd: Gratitude by Oliver Sacks
Please read these ground rules ahead of the conversation:
- Please keep your camera on for the discussion and provide your name.
- Mute if there is background noise.
- Respect the privacy of others by not reporting what you hear in this conversation with any specificity or attribution.
- Be respectful and listen when others are speaking.
- Allow everyone’s voice to be heard that wants to be heard.
Y
ou’re never too young for storytime! Our littlest book lovers stroll in to Infant Storytime to hear fun songs, stories, and fingerplays, followed by open free-play with other wee ones. Designed for children from 0 to 12 months old.
Eanes History Group: Legacy Principals who Built the Foundations of Eanes ISD Elementary Schools
On the second Monday of each month, join fellow history buffs in learning about, sharing, and celebrating the heritage of the Eanes area!
Join the Eanes History Group this month for a panel discussion with five legendary individuals who have unique perspectives on a key period in Eanes history. Betty Ann Courtney, Brad Wirht, Cory Duty, Charles McCasland, and Bill Bechtol will be our guests for a panel discussion. These leaders were principals of elementary schools in Eanes ISD during the formative and high-growth decades of the ’80s and ’90s. They were leaders in our emerging school district as schools opened, traditions were forged, grade configurations were changed, and cultures were set. Come hear them reminisce about their years at the helms of our outstanding elementary schools. Light refreshments will be served.
Library News
Construction Project at Laura’s Library
LAURA'S LIBRARY IS NOW OPEN!!! Friday, September 29! Anyone who came to programs at Laura's Library last summer will remember how our air conditioning struggled. While we were able to get it repaired at [...]
Recent Newsletters
Our weekly newsletter includes helpful information about library events and collections, as well as community news and public health updates. Subscribe in the signup box on our home page. 9/29/23 Laura's Library re-opens today! [...]
Public Health Information
We're tracking local COVID data and other public health information to help you with decision-making for your families and businesses. COVID 19 Coronavirus APH dashboard Wastewater Monitoring Travis County Texas Surveillance Report (weekly data) [...]