OLLF Newsletter – Fall 2026
From the President:
There is good news and bad news in the proposed city manager’s budget. The good news is that no branch libraries will be closed next year; however, it appears that the Arcadia Park branch will close in 2027-28. 72 people will lose their jobs and library hours for regular branches will be cut back to 44 per week. This will happen unless the city council can find $3.3 million to restore to the budget for the library system.
For the Oak Lawn Library, you may have seen several improvements to the library this summer which include the public restrooms being reopened to the public in June and the front steps being repainted with rainbow colors in July. A privately funded mural will be painted on the front pillars of the library sometime in the next weeks with a completion date of September.
Now that we know the library will stay open, the Oak Lawn Library Friends will continue our efforts to improve the branch. We will be participating in the North Texas Day of Giving, which is September 17th, 2026, from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight. Early Giving starts on August 27th. This is our largest fundraiser of the year.
You can access the Oak Lawn Library Friends page on the North Texas Day of Giving by using this link:
Oak Lawn Library Friends | North Texas Giving Day
September will mark the 97th anniversary of the establishment of our branch in Oak Lawn, which was the 2nd branch in the city of Dallas.
Our website currently has 5,715 author pages. It covers new and old authors with author biographies and books in order of publication. It is updated with new authors on a weekly basis. Many of the authors added this year are first time authors from around the globe.
Some book recommendations for Fall 2026
Fiction:
“The Black Country” by Alex Grecian. A 2nd novel in the Scotland Yard Murder series. Inspector Day and Sgt Hammersmith are sent to Northern England to investigate the disappearance of a small boy and his parents. They travel to a coal mining community where the mining has undermined the very foundations of the village which is now sinking into the ground. The townsfolk are unwilling to help find the boy or his family because they are involved in keeping a dark secret.
“The Secrets We Kept” by Lara Prescott. A historical novel set in the 1950’s with 2 parallel stories. In Washington D.C., the focus is on Irina, a Russian immigrant, who gets a job as a typist for the CIA. She is so good at her job, she is later asked to become an agent for the CIA in Europe. In Moscow, the focus is on Olga, the mistress of Boris Pasternak and his efforts to write and then publish “Dr. Zhivago”. This book is based on true events around the publishing of “Dr. Zhivago”.
“Fever Beach” by Carl Hiaasen. A satirical look at Florida involving a group of White Supremacists called Strokers for Liberty, a shady development deal, a corrupt US Congressman, a corrupt County Commissioner, a rich couple funding a corrupt Congressman, an adult escort, an adult toy company and the usual mixture of odd folks in Florida. This is your book if you like political humor when the news is too much to watch at night.
“The Dream Hotel” by Laila Lalami. Set in the near future, Sara is sent to a retention center after an incident at LAX returning from a trip overseas. People are sent to a retention center because of observations made by AI from emails, social media posts, credit history and other data that suggest that the person might commit a crime. It is not a prison, but they can’t get out until their score for potentially committing a crime drops below 500.
While in the retention camp, they must follow a long list of rules any violation can increase their score and keep them in for longer. It shows what could happen from all the data being collected on individuals combined with AI algorithms that no one can question.
“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. A novel about Elizabeth Zott who trained to be a chemist. Due to sexist attitudes, Elizabeth can only be an assistant to chemists until she meets Calvin Evans. They fall in love and do chemistry until an auto accident. Calvin is run over by a police car and dies. Elizabeth discovers she is pregnant and unmarried at a time when society looked down on such behavior. She becomes a tv host for a cooking show where she blends chemistry with feminist ideas. She is a big success with women but not her employer.
Non-Fiction:
“The Last Dynasty” by Toby Wilkinson. A history of the Ptolemy’s who ruled Egypt for almost 300 years. Beginning with Ptolemy 1, to the end with Cleopatra the VII. It is an amazing story of family intrigue and maneuvering as Macedonians rule over millions of Egyptians. The various generations intermarried just like the Pharoh’s of ancient Egypt. The family charts came in handy in trying to remember who was related to whom since many of these family members reused the same name over the generations.
“The Ship of Dreams” by Gareth Russell. The story of the Titanic and it’s sinking seen thru the eyes of 6 first-class passengers before, during and after the sinking. A few new bits of information and some refuting of myths surrounding the sinking of the Titanic. It is an interesting addition to many books already written about this preventable disaster.
For suggested books, you can use this link:
To check out upcoming events at our branch, you can View our online calendar at dallaslibrary.org/events
Shop Kroger & Benefit the Library
You must re-enroll starting August 1st each year. If you have a Kroger Care card, link your card to number # 41560 and you will benefit the Oak Lawn Libra y Friends every time you shop at Kroger.
Sponsorship Levels for the Oak Lawn Library Friends
Bronze Level:
Annual Contribution: $250 Recognition:
Business name listed on the Oak Library Friends website.
Acknowledgment in Oak Lawn Library Friends newsletters.
Framed plaque
Silver Level:
Annual Contribution: $500 Recognition:
Bronze level benefits.
Logo placement on library promotional materials.
Special mention during library events. Framed plaque
Gold Level:
Annual Contribution: $1,000 Recognition:
Silver level benefits.
Featured article in Oak Lawn Library Friends newsletter about the business. Prominent display of business logo in the library. Framed Plaque
Platinum Level:
Annual Contribution: $2,500 Recognition:
Gold level benefits.
Exclusive sponsor of a major library program or event.
VIP access to library events for business representatives.
Dedicated space for promotional materials within the library.
Framed Plaque
Platinum Sponsor for 2026 –
American Woodmark
Photos from OLLF funded events this Summer
Children’s creations of their favorite pizza pie at a library outreach event at the Reverchon Recreation Center this summer.
Photos from the celebration when the steps on the front porch were repainted:
Oak Lawn Library Friends Membership Form
| Name(s) | ||||
| Address | ||||
| City, Zip | Home Ph | one | ||
| Email Address | ||||
| Membership Status (please check one) | ||||
| Student/Senior $6 | You can pay with cash, check or PayPal. The PayPal option is on the Oak Lawn Library Friends website. | |||
| Sustaining $20 | ||||
| Pet Membership – $10 | ||||
| Household $25 | ||||
| Non-profit $50 | ||||
| Close Friend $75 | ||||
| Corporate $250 | ||||
| Other | ||||
| MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Oak Lawn Library Friends 4100 Cedar Springs Dallas, Texas 75219 | ||||
We have added a new pet membership. The cost is $10 a year and all funds raised from these memberships will be used to support pet programming and fund the purchase of books about pets. Our sewing classes have made some pet bandanas. When your pet joins, you get a free bandana for your pet.
You can join online for yourself or your pet. If you want, you can send a photo of your pet, and we will put them on our Instagram feed and on a dedicated page for pet members.
Dog modeling his bandana from the Oak Lawn Library Friends.
Oak Lawn Library Friends 