11. A Legacy of Leadership: MPL Director Receives the
Texas Library Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award

  

One of our biggest moments of the year belongs to our Library Director, Kate P. Horan. Her Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Library Association, which is the highest honor a Texas librarian can receive, recognizes decades of leadership, vision, and commitment to the people of McAllen. Mayor Javier Villalobos shared, “Kate Horan has redefined what it means to be a public servant, ensuring that our library is a place of opportunity, belonging, and lifelong learning.” City Manager Isaac J. Tawil added, “Kate has built more than just programs. She has built opportunities.”

Kate’s impact reached both the state & national levels. State Representative Bobby Guerra introduced a special resolution in the Texas Legislature recognizing her outstanding work, and United States Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz honored her from the floor of the United States House of Representatives for her dedication to literacy & public service.

Her leadership has shaped MPL into a welcoming, innovative, and community centered library system, one that continues to earn statewide and national recognition and one that reflects the people it serves.

10. MPL Gives Back:
A Year of Community Support & Generosity

  

This year showed just how powerful our community can be when we all come together to help one another. Our Teen Essential Shelves continued to help teens with everyday necessities, and families across the city filled them with donations all year long. Our Food for Fines program brought in a huge amount of food for local families while helping patrons clear their accounts. The Youth Winter Drive collected coats, blankets, and warm clothing for children from babies through teens, thanks to the kindness of our patrons. The Teen Advisory Committee also led a Pet Donation Drive that gathered food, toys, and blankets for animals waiting for their forever homes.

Palm View Branch Library also hosted our Back to School Bash, where we shared school supplies and book giveaways with hundreds of students as they prepared for the new year. Every one of these efforts was made stronger by the generosity of our community.

Each donation, big or small, made a real difference. It became a reflection of the caring, giving spirit that defines McAllen.

9. Teen Mural Celebrates Creativity & the Spirit of the RGV

  

One of the best moments of the year was seeing our new teen mural come to life at Main Library. Created by local artist and educator Oneida Aceves Treviño, this twenty eight foot piece fills the Teen Department with color, movement, and stories that feel right at home in the Valley. Titled Boundless Imagination: Tales of the RGV, the mural brings together everything from a folklórico dancer and an ocelot tucked into the brush to a mermaid reading by the jetties and an astronaut floating through the stars with a book. Teen artist Sofia M. Treviño also helped with the project, adding a meaningful connection to the young people who use this space every day. The mural has already become a favorite spot for teens and a reminder that their ideas and creativity belong here.

8. May the 4th Brings Home National & State Awards

    

May the 4th became one of the biggest moments of this year’s Amnesty Month, helping us recover more than $10,700 in overdue items while celebrating one of our most popular new traditions. The event earned Best New Festival from the International Festival & Events Association and Best Decór from the Texas Festival & Events Association, a true reflection of the creativity and teamwork behind it. Led by our Circulation Department, the celebration brought in an estimated 1,500 guests and featured VR gaming, movie screenings, a storytime with the Mandalorian, plenty of props, and even a visit from Chewbacca. Families took photos with droids and stormtroopers, enjoyed crafts and character meet and greets, and reconnected with the Library in a fun and meaningful way.

7. Volunteers Shine Bright, and TAC Wins a Major Award

  

Our volunteers made this year truly special. From the dedicated MPL Advocates who run the Library Bookstore, to our Library Advisory Board members who helped secure key sponsorships for the South Texas Book Festival, to our incredible AARP volunteers who showed up week after week during income tax season, every group played an important part in serving our community.

Our Teen Advisory Committee continued to shine as well, helping with festivals, donation drives, celebrations, and outreach across all three branches. Their energy and commitment earned them the International Festival & Events Association award for Best Volunteer Program, a recognition that reflects the care, teamwork, and pride our volunteers bring to McAllen Public Library every single day.

6. Working Together for a Stronger Community

  

This year, McAllen Public Library worked closely with many partners who helped us offer support where our community needs it most. With MISD and the USDA, Main Library provided Summer Meals for children up to age 18. Region One and South Texas College partnered with us to offer ESL and GED classes, giving adults a welcoming place to build skills and move forward. 

We also teamed up with Workforce Solutions for the MPL Job Fair, welcomed health and wellness groups for our Family Health Fair, and worked with organizations across the Valley to bring programs like the World Languages Festival and Día de los Niños to life. City departments played a major role in helping us host large community events, and local nonprofits, cultural organizations, and educational partners worked alongside us throughout the year.

These are only some of the partners who supported MPL in 2025. We are grateful for every organization that shared their time, expertise, and care to help us serve the community.

5. Marty the Library Cat Celebrated His First Birthday

  

  

This year our favorite library cat celebrated his very first birthday, and of course he did it in the most Marty way possible. During the South Texas Book Festival, Marty had his own special storytime where he sat like the star of the show while families read books, took photos, and showered him with attention. Kids treated him like a celebrity and Marty was absolutely convinced the entire festival was thrown in his honor. His first birthday brought so much laughter and sweetness to STBF and reminded us why he has become such a beloved part of the MPL family.

4. MPL Receives Grants Supporting Early Learning, Summer Programs, & Digital Literacy

    

This year was an outstanding one for MPL, with several grants that expanded our services and strengthened the support we provide to families across our community. Palm View Branch Library was selected as one of only ten libraries in Texas to receive the Family Place Libraries Project Grant, which will help create new early learning spaces, enhance our parenting resources, and support parent child workshops. MPL also received a $7,000 Summer at the Library Grant from the Texas Library Association and H-E-B, which helped grow our Summer Reading Challenge with more activities, literacy programs, and events for all ages. In addition, a $10,000 Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive Grant from the Public Library Association, supported by AT&T, funded free bilingual digital literacy courses. Together, these grants strengthened early childhood learning, technology access, and summer engagement, making 2025 a year of meaningful growth for the families we serve. 

3. Tiny Forest Takes Root at Main Library

    

One of the most inspiring additions to McAllen Public Library this year was the planting of our Tiny Forest at Main Library. This new space was made possible through the generous support of H-E-B Helping Here and the Friends of Quinta Mazatlán, whose sponsorships helped bring this vision to life for our community. At the launch, Library Advisory Board President Dr. Joseph Ryan and Library Director Kate P. Horan shared how the Tiny Forest will offer environmental, educational, and wellness benefits for the community, providing a peaceful space for families to learn, relax, and explore nature. This project is not only a gift to our patrons today but a legacy for future generations who will one day look at the trees and say, “I helped plant that.”

2. A Decade of Día de los Niños at MPL

    

Día de los Niños marked ten amazing years at MPL, and we celebrated with full Lucha Library style. Nearly 3,000 attendees filled Main Library for an afternoon of stories, crafts, snacks, and nonstop excitement. Families picked up 900 free books, created their own lucha libre masks, and showed off temporary tattoos before cheering on Grandma Cookie’s musical storytimes. The grand finale brought the house down as the Texas Wrestling League transformed our library into a full wrestling arena, giving the crowd an unforgettable show. Kona Ice even joined the fun and donated a portion of their sales to support future library events.