Friends of the Wells Branch Community Library- FOL

10/12/2026

10/07/2026

Friends of the WB Community Library
(FOL) at National Night Out. We gave away over 300 cups of ice cream!

09/09/2026

Next up, candidate for the Board of Trustees at the Wells Branch Community Library is:

RUDOLPH VALENTI

Education: PhD in Sociology/Social Work, in Budapest University (ELTE), Hungary. Also worked as a Librarian, serving students of the University's 'Semmelweis Medical School ' for six years. In the US, I got a BA in Journalism, in Cal State LA. Loved California, but had to return to Hungary when my father died to help my mother.

Work: Came back to the US and specifically to Austin, TX, in 2005. Worked 11 years at Austin State Hospital, retired in 2016. Actually it is 'semi-retirement' now, for I keep going back to work for large Austin non-profits (Caritas, etc.) and/or keep finding part-time work as a Caregiver to the elderly.

Volunteer work: Spent one month in Cambodia in 2024, helping needy children, and then one month in Guatemala, in 2025, in animal protection.

Hobbies: My family, my Hungarian wife (also works for the State of Texas), and our - by now two adult - sons, 23 and 29. Reading, 'everything,' and we all just love Wells Branch; the parks, the pools, the football (and soccer!) fields, the little lake and, of course, the Library. It's all home now.

Note: We do not have a photo of Mr. Valenti at the moment but if we receive one we will post it.

09/08/2026

Our next candidate for the Board of Trustees at Wells Branch Community Library is:
ABBIE JOFFRAIN

Abbie Joffrain has been a Trustee on the Wells Branch Community Library Board since 2021, first as Treasurer, and then as Board President since 2022. She has been a part of the Architectural Expansion & Improvement Committee overseeing the current WBCL renovations since March 2023. As a trustee, Abbie has attended Texas Library Association Conventions around Texas learning more about the logistics of library management, issues facing libraries today, and learning from librarians with recent construction projects. She visited more than 40 libraries gathering information and ideas for our renovation. She attends the annual TLA Legislative Day to learn and advocate for our library and stay informed on recent legislation. This spring she represented our library in the panel discussion of The Librarians at St. Andrews. She has also attended the Texas Special District Leadership Forum, and the Library District Discussion Group for Open Meetings and Public Information Acts training.
Abbie grew up in libraries, as patron and volunteer. In college she worked at several UT libraries, and has volunteered in many libraries before and since. Abbie has a Masters in Linguistics and Bachelors in both Linguistics and Government from the University of Texas. She has a deep love of books, libraries and bookstores. She and her husband, Thierry, have lived in the Austin area for 30 years and in Wells Branch since 2007. Outside of libraries, you're most likely to find her hanging out with her two teenagers, leading Girl Scouts, working on voter advocacy, or talking about her husband's latest ultramarathon. Abbie would be honored to serve another term, seeing the renovations through to completion, and continuing to put her experience in libraries, in government, and with community organizing to use for our library and Wells Branch.

09/07/2026

Next up, candidate for Board of Trustees at the Wells Branch Community Library:
ELIZABETH MARTIN

Elizabeth Martin currently serves as a Trustee for the Wells Branch Community Library, supporting the library as it grows and evolves. She helped envision the library’s new mascot, Professor Ponder, and its refreshed branding, and currently serves on the Landscaping Committee, helping shape plans for the future of the library grounds. During the library remodel, Elizabeth also helped reallocate furniture and other materials the library no longer needed to local schools, keeping these resources in use within the community.
A Wells Branch resident since 2012, Elizabeth has a background in elementary education and is proudly raising her family in Wells Branch. She serves as PTA President at Wells Branch Elementary, works part-time as the school’s Library Assistant, and has supported the school garden for several years. Her work with schools, libraries, and gardens reflects her love for cultivating spaces where the Wells Branch community can learn, connect, and grow.
If reelected, Elizabeth is committed to continuing her work on the Landscaping Committee and helping ensure the library grounds grow into a beautiful, family-friendly space that celebrates Texas native plants and feels distinctly at home in Wells Branch.

09/06/2026

Here is our next candidate for Board of Trustees for the Wells Branch Community Library :

PAUL WADEHRA
I’ve called Wells Branch home since 1992, and I’ve spent much of that time volunteering in ways that keep this community close-knit. I founded and ran the WatchDogs program at Wells Branch Elementary, giving dads a chance to spend a day volunteering at their kids’ school. I also served on the board of the Wells Branch Armada swim team as Circuit Rep, President, and Meet Director, helping keep this neighborhood institution strong for the families who count on it every summer.

I remember when our library was built, and I’ve used it ever since, as a reader, as a dad bringing my kids to chess club and Spanish club, and as an adult attending programs like birdwatching seminars. I’d be honored to bring my decades of volunteer experience in Wells Branch to the library as a Trustee.

09/05/2026

This week we will be sharing the biographies of candidates running for Board of Trustees for the WBC library. Order of posting is chosen randomly.

PHILIP TYPALDOS WATERS

I’ve lived in Wells Branch since 2013 with my wife and daughter and have been an active supporter of our community. You may have seen me blacksmithing at Pioneer Days, walking my cats along the trails, or participating in the Wells Branch Writers Club. I’m also a supporter of Wells Branch Wild. I hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Texas State University and have worked as a project manager for more than 25 years. For the past eight years, I have run the blacksmithing program at Pioneer Farms, a living history museum, where I have also helped modernize the museum’s volunteer and class-management systems.

I have a long-standing interest in history, education, and the value of strong public services. I believe it is critical that the Wells Branch Community Library have the resources, planning, and support necessary to continue serving our neighborhood for years to come. My experience managing projects and improving systems would help me contribute to that long-term planning while supporting the excellent work the library is already doing as a community hub for residents of all ages.

With the library renovations nearing completion, I also see an opportunity to make better use of the grounds surrounding the library. I would like to explore landscaping that emphasizes native plants, wildlife habitat, and education, extending the library’s educational mission outdoors and complementing the work of Wells Branch Wild, whose goals have already been embraced by more than 190 Wells Branch households.

I would be proud to serve on the Wells Branch Library Board and help ensure that the library remains a strong, welcoming, and well-supported resource for our entire community.

09/04/2026

The next meeting of Friends of the Wells Branch Community Library will be Monday, September 14th at 7pm via ZOOM. Please message this page for more info if you would like to attend or interested in finding a volunteer opportunity( we promise we’re a fun bunch). ♥️📚