When I was a little girl, I remember mostly always having turkey with all the traditional fixings at our family’s Thanksgiving meals.
As I got older, it seemed that we would stray from turkey and have nontraditional eats. Even now, I know that it has been a while since I have had actual “turkey” on Thanksgiving. Whatever the food, I always eat too much and then Christmas is right around the corner with more delicious food that I eat too much of.
While it has gotten easy to just pull up recipes online, all the library branches have some wonderful cookbooks with yummy dishes. There is something about holding a cookbook and looking at the colorful pictures of meals with the recipes right there to put you in the mood for cooking. Come check out some of our cookbooks and maybe you will find a new dish to try this holiday season.
The library branches are closed Thursday, Nov. 27, and reopen Friday, Nov. 28. The Texas County library board and staff wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day. We know that we are so very thankful for the new Houston library!
Christmas will be right around the corner from Thanksgiving and we will have Mrs. Claus at the Houston branch from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 6. Come say “hi” and get your picture taken.
One of the features of the new library is our conference room and business center. The conference room seats 14-plus and has a large smart TV monitor. The business center is a private office for an individual to conduct their business needs along with a computer and printer/copier. Both the rooms may be reserved during the day or after library hours. Call or come by the Houston circulation desk for information at 417-976-2258.
We have turned the old library into book sale central. Until further notice, the hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Fill a Texas County Library bag for $10 or $1 per book if purchased individually. Also for sale is some furniture, bookshelves and office supplies.
Friends of the Library needs Friends! Ask how you can become a part of your local Texas County Library branch’s Friends group. Friends of the Library strengthens libraries’ presence in communities and helps them thrive through fundraising, volunteering, advocating and so much more. The next meetings are as follows 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 8 in Houston; 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Cabool; and 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 in Summersville.
Story times for children are at all Texas County branches. Times and days are listed on our website or call your local branch for details.
Texas County Library has e-books and audiobooks available to download for Texas County Library patrons! To view the catalog and download, go to our website: texascountylibrary.lib.mo.us, click on “e-books,” or come by the library for assistance. Texas County Library cards are required.
The Houston Library is the main branch of the Texas County Library and is located at 117 W. Walnut St. Business hours are 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Library staff is Darnella Robbins, Del Hicks and Tiffany Davy.
Check out our webpage at texascountylibrary.lib.mo.us, call the library at 417-967-2258 or email TexasCountyLibrary@gmail.com. And be sure to LIKE our Texas County Library Facebook page!
Louise Beasley is director of the Texas County Library system. She can be reached by phone at the Houston branch at 417-967-2258, or by email at Texascountylibrary@gmail.com. More information about the four county library branches is available online at texascountylibrary.lib.mo.us.