Who Reads Books Anymore?!?!?!?!

Chris recently asked me to write about him because I "only write about Katy."  So here it is, sort of.

When I'm giving people my list of top attractions in McAllen, I always mention the main library because even if McAllen doesn't have big attractions, McAllen has an attraction worthy main library.

According to TripAdvisor, the main library is the number two attraction in McAllen, beating out even La Plaza Mall.  Beating the mall is big.  Nationals from Mexico with money to spend love, love, love to inundate La Plaza Mall on the weekends and as a result, every weekend at La Plaza Mall is like the week before Christmas at any other mall.

The history of the main library is an architectural Cinderella story.  Formerly an abandoned Wal-Mart, the city transformed it into a literary oasis that no longer resembles a Wal-Mart in anyway.  It's huge, it's well-designed, and it's always bustling with activity.  According to a library employee I overheard conducting a tour for elementary school students, the main library in McAllen is the largest single-story library in the country.  See, I told you it's attraction worthy.

Chris recently attended an event with contractors from the area.  During a break, one of the event attendees voiced his opinion about the waste of tax payer money that was and is the main library.  Chris attempted to defend the library, but the other attendee remained unpersuaded because, according to him, "who reads books anymore?"  Whoa.  A comment like that evokes so many  responses that it's hard to pick just one.  To avoid sounding arrogant or elitist, I'll just answer the question asked: Who reads books anymore?  We do!  Katy and I visit the library at least once a week for story time, to check out books, or to play in the huge children's wing outfitted with adorable kid-sized furniture, colorful book bins, and a fun play area.  We usually leave with a bag full of books in both English and Spanish, which we read over and over and over for the next week or two.   And when Katy and I make our weekly trip to the library, we never fail to see a full parking lot and a constant trickling of people coming and going, evidence that (thankfully!) we are not the only ones reading books in the Valley.

For more about our awesome library, see this article from Slate.