When an old Walmart store closed down in the city of McAllen, Texas, the city officials didn’t know what to do. They couldn’t just leave this humongous building there to rot. Fortunately, they thought of a plan.
If there’s one thing you need to know about Texas, it’s that it’s big. So what better way to use this empty floor space than to create the biggest public library floor in the United States?
The city officials initially had a choice. The could either turn this enormous empty space into a huge retail space, or they could turn this into something that would serve the local community. Luckily, city officials decided that the latter was more important.
Some of the features of this incredible public library? Well for one, this library boasts 116 computer labs. Just check out these vast open spaces that allow for anyone entering the library to have their own private space for their studies or research.
A typical Walmart store you’ll go to usually carries around 300,000 items total. This public library carries 355,000 books. How incredible is that?
It’s incredible to see what a little ingenuity in urban planning can do to turn a dilapidated building into an environment perfect for learning.
In this library’s first month of opening, public library registration went up 23% in the city of McAllen. It seems like the whole city wants to check out and use this incredible library.
Another cool feature about this library? There’s a section for each age group. In Area 3918, there’s 6 computer labs and a room dedicated to teenagers so they can watch movies, play games, study, and surf the Internet.
That’s not all. Outside the library, there exists a farmer’s market where people from all over the community can come to purchase local produce.
There’s even a cafe inside where library patrons can gather to grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat!
If you’re looking to relax, you can head over to the Rio Grande Valley, an outdoor lounge that features flora and fauna native to the local area.
Once night falls, the entrance to this library transforms into a beautiful shade of blue. I’ll admit, I’ve never seen a library that looks this amazing. What an incredible library for the city of McAllen!
What did you think about this library? Would you want something like this in your community? We want to hear your thoughts. Let us know in the comments below!
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