When the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the 2025 winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, one Texas library was still in shock.

Nicholas P. Sims Library in Waxahachie, now 121 years old, has been named a national medal recipient, one of the highest honors a library can receive in the United States. For Director Jennifer Graf and her team, the recognition is both humbling and affirming.

“We’re still in shock,” Graf said. “We love showcasing what the library does. We’ll be 121 this year, and that is a testament to staying relevant and adapting.”

The award recognizes libraries that demonstrate extraordinary community impact. At Sims Library, that impact ranges from a historic performance hall to a bookmobile that brings “honor books” to children across town, and now to new privacy booths funded through a Library Infrastructure Facility Improvement (LIFI) Grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

A Historic Space That Keeps Evolving

Located in the historic heart of Waxahachie, Sims Library is both architecturally stunning and deeply embedded in community life. Its Lyceum, completed in 1905 and located on the second floor, remains one of the few active lyceums in Texas. With marble finishes, soaring ceilings, and original decorative elements by W. B. Reymuller, it continues to host concerts, piano recitals, debates, leadership forums, weddings, and summer reading performances.

The building was designed so the Lyceum could be used independently from the main library, and it still serves as a gathering place for the entire community. Just recently, the space hosted acrobats for summer reading and a leadership forum with community leaders on stage.

That beauty, however, comes with a modern challenge. “It’s marble and high ceilings and it’s loud,” Graf explained. “We’re not a quiet library. We program a lot. There’s not a quiet area.”

That reality led directly to one of the library’s newest innovations.

Privacy, Access, and the LIFI Grant

Through a LIFI grant administered by TSLAC, Sims Library is installing two study and privacy booths to meet a growing need for distraction free space.

Patrons increasingly come to the library for Zoom interviews, telehealth appointments, legal depositions, and other private conversations. Meeting rooms are often booked for programs, leaving few options for someone who needs confidentiality.

“I felt like we were always trying to find a quiet place for people to go,” Graf said. “They needed a place where there were no people in the background.” The booths made sense immediately. So did the LIFI opportunity.

Graf first learned about the grant during a webinar while she was still serving as assistant director. Adult Services Librarian Elias Carreon helped research and complete the application. For Graf, it was the first grant of this size she had ever won.

“It’s been such a smooth and flawless process,” she said. “The grants team has been great. There’s just a lot of things that we’ve been supported in.”

Two of the three booths have been ordered and are awaiting delivery and installation scheduling. The team is already confident they will see strong usage and may need more in the future. The booths will also complement existing podcast equipment, giving patrons a sound dampened space to record content, apply for jobs, attend virtual appointments, or simply focus.

Beyond the booths, the library continues expanding digital access. Sims Library is adding touchscreen all-in-one monitors with screen readers to support patrons with tactile or accessibility needs. A recent patron who struggled to use a traditional computer specifically asked for a touchscreen option. The library listened.

They are also investing in Playaways as an alternative to books on CD, recognizing that many families no longer own CD players. It is another example of adapting services to match how people live today.

Chromebooks and Wi Fi hotspots are funded through a mix of private donations and the city budget process, with strong coordination through Parks and Recreation. Replacement rates for hotspots have been low, in part because staff can disable overdue devices and many are eventually returned.

Taking the Library to the Community

While the building itself is iconic, Sims Library refuses to wait for the community to walk through its doors.

The Bookmobile travels to nursing homes, retirement communities, daycares, schools, city events, career days, back to school bashes, and even parks and birthday parties. Public stops can be challenging, but institutional partnerships are strong and deeply rooted.

At Daymark, a home supporting residents with special needs as they learn independent living and job skills, the Bookmobile team delivers crafts and programming alongside books. “We always try to have an activity,” Graf said.

Children are often invited to choose “honor books.” If returning a book is a barrier, they are told it is theirs to keep. The goal is participation, not punishment.

Staffing the Bookmobile was initially a challenge, but bringing on dedicated team members who felt called to the work resulted in a significant increase in usage. Their heart for outreach shows.

National Recognition Rooted in Local Support

Sims Library was nominated for the National Medal by Congressman Jake Ellzey. After receiving notice from IMLS, the library submitted a narrative overview and three letters of community support. The nomination process was rigorous, and Graf admitted she was nervous, especially knowing one of the board members tasked with approving their overview before submission was a retired English teacher.

The recognition belongs to the entire community. “We have tremendous city and community support,” Graf said. “Time has marched on. The board and the city adapt and keep the library relevant.”

The team will travel to Washington, DC, to receive the medal and then bring it home for a local celebration with partners, city leaders, and residents. A planning committee is already forming, and local media coverage is underway.

At 121 years old, Nicholas P. Sims Library proves that longevity is not about standing still. It is about listening, adapting, and investing in what patrons truly need, whether that is a 1905 Lyceum stage, a Bookmobile stop at a daycare, or a private booth for a telehealth appointment.