When's the last time you visited your local public library? It probably isn't a very exciting excursion. What about your neighborhood Walmart? A trip there most likely doesn't have you shaking with anticipation either. Well, both of the above statements are about to change, because this library in McAllen is a 126,000 square-foot abandoned Walmart - the largest single-story public library in America, right here in a tiny, unassuming Texas town. Even if you're the most die-hard hater of reading, you'll marvel at the building's size and the sheer amount of books surrounding you.
This was the old library. Still a decent-sized building, but it completely pales in comparison to the renovated one.
The abandoned WalMart was the size of nearly 2.5 football fields, and that space was put to good use by filling it wall-to-wall with books of every kind. And not only is it chock-full of good reads, it has 16 public meeting spaces, 14 study rooms, 64 computer labs, 10 children's computer labs, and two genealogy computer labs. Is that mind-boggling or what?
It might as well still be a Walmart or even a mall - it has a cafe, a used book store, an auditorium, and self check out stations for your rentals/purchases.
The bright, modern look makes it hardly resemble a library at all. Even if you don't like reading, this super-library is worth a visit to marvel at its size and be amazed at the number of books residing in the very building you're standing in.
What are your thoughts on this library?
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