7 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com OCTOBER 29, 2025 Palmview Municipal Library celebrates one year of big community impact By Warren Davis In the heart of Hidalgo County, the Palmview Municipal Library is showing what’s possible when vision meets dedication even with a small team and limited space. Opened just a year ago, on March 23, 2024, the library has already become a hub for learning, connection, and growth in this rapidly evolving Texas town. A Library Years in the Making Residents of Palmview had dreamed of a library for years. Before 2024, library programming was squeezed into a refurbished trailer, with events taking place in the dining area. “I’ve seen 50 or 60 people packed into that trailer during popular events,” said Library Director Jaime Tijerina. “We had no outdoor space, and every event had to fit into a small dining room. It wasn’t ideal but we made it work.” That all changed when the city offered up a former Boys & Girls Club building, giving the library a more spacious home. Now, with two fulltime and one part-time staff members, Palmview Municipal Library is doing the kind of community-centered work that rivals libraries many times its size. One of the library’s most impactful initiatives is a new community garden, made possible through a partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Better Living for Texans program. As part of a two-month program on healthy living, adults were taught how to grow vegetables and then given their own garden plots to maintain. The plan doesn’t stop there. “We want to add more beds for the kids,” said Jaime. “We’re teaching them about pollinators, butterfly gardens, and Parks and Rec has even approached us about future collaborations.” The garden isn’t just about nutrition; it’s cultivating stronger ties between neighbors and sparking interest in sustainability. Lifelong Learning for Every Patron Inside, the library is just as lively. With support from Region One, Palmview hosts free ESL classes and is working to offer GED preparation in the near future. Their citizenship program, developed and taught in-house, has already celebrated eight new citizens, each supported with personalized guidance on paperwork, test prep, and more. It is free for all patrons. Raquel, the library clerk who leads the sessions, takes a holistic approach. “It’s not just memorizing the answers. We give people the context so the knowledge sticks.” And that’s not all. Palmview’s programming lineup includes sewing workshops, balloon decorating, STEAM nature kits, and even mobile maker spaces with LEGOs. Through a Hometown Grant from T-Mobile, the library also offers 10 Chromebooks for checkout, bridging the digital divide for residents without home internet. Workforce Readiness, One Resume at a Time Palmview is also stepping into workforce development, partnering See PALMVIEW pg. 15 Palmview Memorial Library Volunteers installing garden beds for the community garden.
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