There’s Something for Everyone at McAllen’s Famous Library
Story and photos by Eryn Reddell Wingert
This is the story of the little library that could and did, in a big way. The McAllen Public Library (MPL) originally opened downtown in 1950. The 40,000-square-foot, mid-century-style building boasted three floors, an atrium, and wall-to-wall books.
It was the only local library around for a period of time, so if you grew up in an adjacent city, you probably visited during a school field trip and had your own library card. Multiple generations from various communities grew up with the McAllen Public Library until surrounding cities began opening their own.
Fast forward to today. The McAllen Public Library is a community gathering space on a broader scale, once again. In 2011, the City of McAllen–after converting a former Walmart building–opened the new 123,000-square-foot library, the largest single-story library in the nation.
Surprisingly, the collection of books for both entities is comparatively the same: The “Old Main Library” had over 330,000 and the new location nearly 356,000.
But the McAllen Public Library is more than just a library, according to reference supervisor Claudia Villarreal-Quiroz. It’s a fundamental staple of the community.
“We try to have a lot of different programs and services,” she says. That they do, hosting cultural events, book clubs, computer literacy classes, poetry writing, nature-oriented presentations, art exhibits, wellness and volunteer programs, and a weekly farmers market. They even partner with AARP, come tax season, to assist with filing taxes.
Speaking of seasons, “We have an active community of people. When Winter Texans come in, we see an increase in our attendees,” says Villarreal-Quiroz, attributing the influx to the library’s welcoming environment. Plus, all library programming is free to the public, unless otherwise stated.
Unlike during the last century, the MPL now has an app that connects readers to electronic and audio books. “We see a lot of people who want to download eBooks,” says Villarreal-Quiroz, who goes on to say the staff will help set-up the app on your iPad, Kindle, or eBook reader.
How to keep up with all this giant library has to offer? Follow their social media sites and sign up for the monthly newsletter via the website (mcallenlibrary.net) or stop by 4001 N. 23rd Street. You’re bound to find something of interest. “Libraries enrich the lives of our community members,” says Villarreal-Quiroz. “There’s something for everyone.”
