Boerne, TX
September 16th, 2019
While traveling to deliver Edge workshops to libraries in Texas, I stayed in Austin but made the trip out to Boerne to shadow my co-worker Lourdes deliver our new workshop curriculum. The Patrick Heath Public Library was gorgeous LEED certified building, which even had a “reading porch” a sunroom/balcony off the second floor. We had a tour of their brand-new digital media lab equipment and re-designed teen center that made me briefly consider moving to Texas.
Los Angeles, CA
September 25th, 2019
While delivering an Edge workshop at the LA County Library offices, we stayed in downtown Los Angeles and managed to run the few blocks from the hotel to the LAPL Central Library branch before catching our flight back to DC. And it was so worth the run to see it, walking up to the building among the giant LA skyscrapers (seriously makes DC feel short), it felt like looking at a church. The engravings on the tunnel entrance pictured say, “Books invite all; they constrain none” (from Hartley Burr Alexander, some additional research revealed). And once inside, I immediately spent too much time in the gift shop and managed to only walk out with a magnet and a pin, thank goodness my flight meant I couldn’t buy up all the library and Jane Austen themed merchandise.
Hillsboro, TX
September 17th, 2019
Following delivering an Edge workshop in Waco (and an deliciously nerdy lunch at Butter My Biscuit, a board game café), we joined Cindy Fisher of TSLAC (Texas State Library and Archive Commission) for a tour of Hillsboro Public Library and their new technology improvements for their printing system. This beautiful library, originally a post office, is busting at the seams for space. Even with three levels, including a small art gallery and bright children’s area in the basement, they are looking at how they can expand their space. We had a chance to speak with Susan Mann, the director of the library for the last 37 years (!!!) and Justin Dyer on the library staff. We were disappointed to miss the directions they were planning for that weekend’s homecoming decoration competition, but was excited to also get pictures of their sweet sculpture outside.
Waco, TX
September 17th, 2019
While traveling to deliver Edge workshops to libraries in Texas, we stayed in Austin but made the trip out to Waco to co-present our new workshop curriculum with my co-worker Lourdes. The South Waco Library is a branch of the Waco-McLennan County Library system. It was amazing walking through their space to see just how much programming this library offered, from partnerships with Texas A&M Cooperative Extension to all kinds of healthy lifestyle offerings for their local senior population. Barbara Frank, the Branch Library Director was so gracious to host us and walked us through their jam-packed programming calendar. I wish I had gotten some more pictures of the inside, beyond the exterior shots.
And for anyone visiting in the future, I can’t recommend Butter My Biscuit, the nearby board game cafe, enough!
On personal travel, I was in Stratton, Vermont this weekend for a wedding (Congratulations, Mary and Ryan!) and took the 9-hour (each way) round trip Amtrak trip from DC to Brattleboro, VT. The beautiful town of Brattleboro reminded me of how much I missed living in a small town. Sadly, the library in Brattleboro, the Brooks Memorial Library, was closed on Sunday morning before I headed back to DC. I got some lovely pictures of the outside, and a peek at their bright yellow tables and chairs (complete with chess set) inside before walking a few blocks downtown. Sadly, the free books bin outside the front door was empty.
