“Why would Austin spend millions on a library? Books are practically obsolete anyway.”

Mere minutes before the library opens, I wait with nearly twenty others at the south entrance. As the security guard sings, “good morning,” at least a hundred people pour in from all sides of the atrium. It’s a beautiful Sunday morning: the perfect day to be outside—or perhaps, the perfect day to spend in the library. People of all sizes, classes, and ages begin to fill every open seat by twenty past opening. Why? Not only is this building an absolute work of art—it’s a community center! By gone the old days of dark, brutalist libraries, and welcome a new era of open-concepts and inspiring design. People want to be here. The space is exciting and inviting— and not to mention completely free. The fastest growing city in Texas deserves a gathering place of the first class. The people of this city deserve a space to grow in a compacting, urban cityscape. Why spend millions on a library? To serve a growing population, to provide a space for personal growth and learning, and to promote a better tomorrow—that, believe it or not, includes books.