Second Hand Prose is a used bookstore operated by the Friends of the Georgetown Public Library, a nonprofit with more than 1,300 members dedicated to funding library programs, events and special projects.

The store is staffed entirely by 135 volunteers who sort donations, stock the shelves and help customers find their next read.

How it works: Every day, stacks of donated books arrive from across the community. Volunteers sort through the piles before shelving them in the store, creating a selection that is constantly changing. Everything, aside from the special collector's corner, is donation based, allowing customers to pay whatever they are able to.

The impact: Today, the bookstore brings in between $60,000-$80,000 each year, accounting for most of the roughly $100,000 the Friends donates annually to support library programs, events and special projects.

Quote of note: “People are so generous,” said Terrie Hahn, Second Hand Prose’s store manager. “They'll give us a $20 bill for two children's books. It really is something else.”

Georgetown welcomed its first Black Rock Coffee Bar location in April.

What’s on the menu: Black Rock offers an assortment of coffee beverages, featuring seasonal options such as a cherry tiramisu latte. The menu also includes teas, smoothies and flavored energy drinks.

About the business: According to the company's website, the coffee chain was founded in Oregon in 2008 and currently operates over 190 locations across seven states. The Georgetown location marks the 10th store in the Austin area.

• 100 Woodlake Drive, Ste. 400, Georgetown

Nonprofits Hope House Academy, Operation Liberty Hill, Central Texas Table of Grace and Hill Country Community Ministries each received $200,000 after Williamson County commissioners approved funding at a July 14 meeting. 

The gist: Williamson County Communications Director Connie Odom said the financing for the four nonprofits is drawn from the county’s Williamson County Community Facility Fund, which accumulates 1% of the tipping fees collected at the Williamson County landfill. The requests for funding are then voted on and approved by commissioners.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro. 

Ongoing projects

Burnet Road Mobility Program
Project: The project will feature updated traffic signals, improved crossings, bus stop improvements, trail connections, drainage improvements, shared-use paths and more on Burnet Road from White Horse Trail to US 183 (C2), Bright Verde Way to MoPac (C3) and US 183 to Bright Verde Way (C4).
Update: According to Austin Transportation and Public Works officials, all three segments are officially under construction as of early June. 

• Timeline: 2026-28
• Cost: $64 million
• Funding source: 2016 Mobility Bond

• Timeline: March 2023-early 2029
• Cost: $606 million
• Funding source: funded by Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Texas Department of Transportation