125 Years of Stories, Learning, and Community: The Fort Worth Library | City of Fort Worth

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Fort Worth Public Library has spent 125 years adapting to meet the evolving needs of its community, maintaining a commitment to service that began in 1901 and continues today. A prime example of this dedication is found at the Golden Triangle location, where staff member Addison created a specialized sensory storytime program for families with children on the autism spectrum or with ADHD. Drawing from her own experiences as someone with autism and ADHD, Addison designed an environment that feels safe and fun for these families, transforming a space where parents previously felt excluded into one of inclusion and understanding. The library's commitment to accessibility extends beyond physical spaces to technological innovations that bridge communication gaps. In collaboration with the local nonprofit Elliot's Voice, the library developed a customized augmentative and alternative communication board to assist nonverbal customers, such as Elliot, who has apraxia of speech. This tool allows individuals who know what they want to say but cannot physically articulate it to communicate effectively, fostering a deeper connection between staff and patrons. Such initiatives highlight the library's role not just as a repository of books, but as an institution actively working to remove barriers for all members of society. Beyond serving children and those with disabilities, the library provides critical educational opportunities for working adults through its free high school equivalency program. This initiative offers a second chance to students who may have missed their education due to life circumstances or international backgrounds, helping them feel welcomed and valued within the community. For participants like one aspiring teacher, earning a GED has been a transformative experience that unlocks new potential and provides the tools necessary to support their own children's futures, demonstrating how the library empowers residents to achieve their dreams. Finally, the library plays a vital role in combating isolation among older adults by offering social hours, free yoga classes, and other community-building activities. Senior patrons describe these programs as essential lifelines that allow them to socialize with diverse groups of people, break up their days, and develop meaningful friendships. By providing free access to exercise and consistent social interaction, the library creates a tight-knit support network that counters the natural tendency toward withdrawal in later life. Ultimately, the talented staff at Fort Worth Public Library are building a lasting legacy by enhancing the daily lives of residents through real, positive impact and fostering a sense of belonging for everyone.

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For 125 years, the Fort Worth Public Library has responded to the very real needs of our growing community. Finding ways to meet our customers where they are and with what they need is a privilege and an honor as much today as it was in 1901. Take for example, the way we are adapting to the growing needs of children and families in Fort Worth. Meet Addison from our Golden Triangle location who serves special needs families with sensory storytime. >> These stories that I get told from these parents and families about their experiences with their children who are on the autism spectrum or have ADHD. The first mom who walked in here said that she was really excited because she can't go to any of the other storytimes with her son. I wanted to carve out a space where they know that, okay, this is somewhere that we can go. I relate with their experiences as someone who I am on the autism spectrum, I have ADHD. It was not difficult to create the program because I think, okay, what are some things I would need and what are some things that I would think are fun. >> Your library team also collaborated with the local nonprofit Elliot's Voice to develop a customized augmentative and alternative communication board to enhance customer experiences and to help our team members communicate with nonverbal customers. >> This little piece of inclusion just made all the libraries more inclusive that I've seen in other cities. Elliot has a praxia of speech. He knows what to say in his brain. He can't make his brain tell his mouth. I didn't know his wants, his needs till we got the AAC. Fort Worth Library has been so open to make most of their public places more inclusive. They're an institution of learning and it's been wonderful to work with them. >> Can you imagine a greater impact in someone's life than helping them realize a new path forward to achieving their dreams, that's what happens in the library's free high school equivalency program designed for working adults. >> For most of them is it's an opportunity to go back to school where they didn't have a chance to do it either in their own country or just for different life circumstances. Some of them haven't been to school in like over 20 years. Everybody said that they feel level and we try to make it welcoming. We try to make it warm for them. We try to make them feel the community. >> The first thing I got motivated for getting my GED and I know I have the potential for give more. I would like to be a a teacher because I have my kid and I know someday he going to be on the school and I hope I can be there teaching the the other shows with him. >> Imagine living a long life that slowly becomes isolating. Our libraries are places where meaningful, life-enhancing connections are happening for many older Fort Worthians. >> Well, I've been coming to the senior social hour since earlier part of this summer. You get to socialize with a lot of really neat people from different backgrounds and everyone is just so nice and it gives me an opportunity to get out of the house and you know, kind of break up my day. >> You know, I think one of the things that all of us older folk deal with is isolation. We're less active, we're less socially involved and we tend to get more and more isolated. This has been an opportunity for people to get together and develop friendships and meet new people and scratch that social itch. >> I don't know if there are any other places in town where you can come twice a week for free yoga. So that's really an advantage. Get in a little bit of physical exercise and also the social aspects are very important. It's a very tight-knit group. They enjoy coming in, seeing each other, and they have a little bit of social time usually before and after the class. >> The talented people working in our libraries are finding ways to enhance the day-to-day lives of our Fort Worth residents. The impact is real, and it is the positive impact in the lives of our customers that is the legacy we want to build on into the future.