News Report 5

Smith, Sonia. "Big-Box Store Has New Life as an Airy Public Library." New York Times. The New York Times, 1 2012. Web. 19 Nov 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/us/former-walmart-in-mcallen-is-now-an-airy-public-library.html?ref=librariesandlibrarians&_r=0>.

            In McAllen Texas, a local Walmart was transformed into a public library when it moved to a larger location.  Instead of tearing down the building, the city decided to buy the 123,000 square foot building and transform it into a library everyone can use.  The city quickly jumped on the old building and spent 24 million gutting and transforming the building into one of the largest single floor libraries.  With tall ceilings and a very spacious floor plan the building is now a modern establishment the community can use.  The building now has a computer lab, meeting spaces, and a 180-seat auditorium.  This is a large step up from the old 40,000 square foot cramped library. 

           Not only is this library one of a kind, experts think it will soon be very advanced in technology.  It is anticipated that in the near future books will be a thing of the past and computers and e-books are the future.  Libraries are advancing almost every year, where they used to be quiet dark building with irritated elder ladies shh’ing everyone libraries have quickly transformed into a place to check the internet, and get job help.  The McAllen library was voted overall winner of the 2012 library interior design award.  With more and more “big box stores” upgrading or going out of business these buildings will remain and be great spaces for community centers or technology labs.  I believe this is a great use of available space, if the building is already standing and not being used why should these building not be transformed into usable space.