Presentation Series | life-long-learning

LifeLong Learning-San Marcos and the San Marcos Public Library

Present a Community Lecture Series

Six Unique Topics on Six Consecutive Fridays

Jan. 9 – Feb. 13, 1:00-2:15pm

Free and Open to the Public

Registration is Required for Room Setup

Visit the San Marcos Public Library or call 512-393-8200

Minors must be accompanied by a participating adult

Jan. 9—African Wildlife Photo Safari

Bruce Smith, Retired Director, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Texas State University

Bruce will take us on a safari with photos from his July 2025 trip to Kenya and Tanzania to experience the Great Migration of 4 million wildebeests and 1.5 million zebras on the Serengeti and Masai Mara Game Reserves.

Presenter: Bruce worked in media for 25 years before becoming an educator. He served as chair of journalism and mass communication programs in Alaska and South Dakota before coming to Texas State. Bruce has visited 77 countries and all 7 continents, and has done previous photo safaris in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Jan. 16—Buyers Helping the Prosecution: A Case Study of Sex Trafficking

Kirsta Leeburg Melton, CEO, Institute to Combat Trafficking

January is designated as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and LifeLong Learning is honored to help raise awareness about the trafficking of children and adults for sex.

During the presentation, participants will learn about State v. Sumlin, a 2018 case involving the continuous sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl and 22-year-old woman, which resulted in a 55-year prison sentence for the trafficker. Kirsta Melton helped prosecute the case and will discuss how the buyers played a critical role in developing the case and testifying at trial.

Presenter: Kirsta is the Founder and CEO of the Institute to Combat Trafficking, an organization dedicated to seeking justice for victims of trafficking and holding traffickers accountable. From 2015-2019, Kirsta was Deputy Criminal Chief of the Human Trafficking and Transnational/Organized Crime Section in the Texas Attorney General’s Office and from 2000-2014, prosecuted traffickers, abusers, rapists, and perpetrators of family violence. Kirsta is running as an Independent for Hays County District Attorney.

Jan. 23—Outsmart the Scammers

Jason Fischer, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones

San Marcos Public Library, Room B

Incidents of financial fraud are on the rise — and are becoming increasingly harder to detect. While no one is immune, there are steps you can take to Outsmart the scammers. Join us for this presentation and learn about the following strategies:

How to spot certain red flags that may indicate a fraudulent encounter
Resources you can use if you become a victim of fraud
Steps you can take now to help protect yourself and your loved ones

Presenter: Jason is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in San Marcos. He and his family continue to be thankful for their decision to move here 17 years ago from The Woodlands, north of Houston. They have built lasting friendships in the San Marcos and Wimberley areas, and continue to establish new relationships personally and professionally. Jason and his wife have two children and will enter their next chapter, becoming empty nesters in a couple of years.

Like Edward Jones, Jason believes that the financial success of clients is realized by getting to know them, understanding their goals, and developing individualized strategies to help clients reach those goals. One important strategy for success is to outsmart scammers!

Jan. 30—AI Today & Tomorrow: Hands-On Practice and Future Forecast

Kevin Huffaker, Director of Customer Engagement, Texas State University IT Assistance Center

San Marcos Public Library, Room A

Join Kevin for this session that combines practical fun with a deeper look at where Artificial Intelligence is heading.

Part 1: The Activity (30 Minutes)

We will kick off with a fresh variation of our "Aim • Snap • Know" exercise. Using your smartphone camera and an AI app, we will engage in a hands-on activity designed to show how AI can help us identify objects and solve problems in the real world.

Part 2: The Discussion (45 Minutes)

Following the activity, we will pivot to an interactive presentation on the "State of Affairs" in AI. We will cover:

The Landscape: What is happening in the industry right now?
The Forecast: What can we expect tomorrow and in the near future?
The Concerns: An open discussion addressing fears and risks, ranging from privacy and data security to the environmental impact of this technology.

Feb. 6—The Hidden History Behind the Texas Dust Bowl

Jann Alexander, Author

San Marcos Public Library, Room A

Historian and photographer Jann Alexander, author of the best-selling Unspoken: A Dust Novel, brings to light the little-known stories of Texans who endured one of the state’s harshest eras. Through striking imagery, film footage, maps, music, and firsthand accounts, she illustrates how the Dust Bowl transformed Texas’s landscape, economy, and identity, and informed her historical novel, Unspoken.

Presenter: Jann is a 20-year resident of Central Texas and creator of the Vanishing Austin photography series. Her lifelong storytelling habit and her more recent passion for Texas history merged to become the historical novel Unspoken. Signed copies will be for sale.

Feb. 13—The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature

Carol Peters, Member

San Marcos Public Library, Room B

Carol will share the mission and value of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) as well as how you can be involved. TSHL is a “model legislative session” that enables older Texans to initiate and debate policies that affect them and their peers. The Texas Senate and Texas House concurrently support the work of a biennial Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.

Presenter: Carol is serving her seventh term as member of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature. She is a graduate of Kent State University in Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in Education, French, Russian and started her teaching career in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, in 1968. Carol is a member of the American Rosie the Riveter Association, Texas Retired Teachers Association, and San Marcos Bluebonnet Lions Club. Since 1992, Carol has been the marketing director for her family’s business in Maxwell, and belongs to the Lockhart, Giddings, and San Marcos Chambers of Commerce.