Primary Department: Purchasing
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Kimberly J. Williams, JD
Secondary Department: County Library
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Edward Melton
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Award
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Making it Better dba Literacy Now
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Office of the Purchasing Agent for approval of an award and that the County Judge execute an agreement and exercise the renewal option with Making it Better dba Literacy Now in the amount of $100,000 to provide for full compensation for services provided from September 2025 - April 2026 for literacy intervention services for the Public Library through May 31, 2027 with one (1) one-year renewal option.
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Background and Discussion:
Harris County Public Library seeks approval of an agreement with Literacy Now to provide literacy services and programming for young adults in Harris County Juvenile Probation centers.
This agreement supports HCPL’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to literacy, learning, and educational support for youth who may face barriers to traditional library services. Literacy Now will provide targeted literacy instruction and programming designed to strengthen reading skills, build confidence, and support positive educational outcomes for young adults in Juvenile Probation settings.
The partnership aligns with HCPL’s mission to connect Harris County residents with resources, services, and opportunities that support lifelong learning. It also advances a strategic, community-centered approach by extending library-supported literacy services to a high-need population through a qualified service provider.
Expected Impact:
This agreement is expected to improve access to literacy support for young adults in Harris County Juvenile Probation centers and help strengthen reading, comprehension, and communication skills. By providing targeted literacy services in a structured setting, the program supports educational progress, personal development, and increased confidence among participating youth.
Improving literacy outcomes for justice-involved youth can also support long-term public safety goals. Higher literacy levels are associated with better educational and employment opportunities, which can reduce the likelihood of future justice system involvement and lower incarceration rates as these youth transition into adulthood.
The partnership also allows HCPL to extend services to residents who may not otherwise have consistent access to library-based literacy programs, supporting equitable service delivery and HCPL’s broader goal of reducing barriers to learning.
Alternative Options:
Alternative options include not approving the agreement or attempting to provide the services directly through existing HCPL staff and resources.
Not approving the agreement would limit HCPL’s ability to provide targeted literacy support to young adults in Harris County Juvenile Probation centers and would reduce access to services for a population that faces significant barriers to traditional library programming.
Providing the services directly through HCPL would require additional staffing, scheduling, training, and operational capacity. Partnering with Literacy Now allows HCPL to use a qualified provider with experience delivering literacy services to youth while supporting a cost-effective and focused service model.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: D: Reduce racial, ethnic, and economic disparities in the criminal legal system.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B3: Increase school-based juvenile justice diversion and other interventions.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any): N/A
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Literacy Intervention Services for Harris County Public Library |
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$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
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Total Existing Budget |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
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Total Funding Sources |
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$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
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$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
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Anticipated Court Date: 5/14/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Daisy Torres, Finance and Budget Director, HCPL; Gisselle Zapata, Sr. Contract Manager, Purchasing
Attachments (if applicable): Letter, Agreement