WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AUSTIN LIBRARY MOVE
The Faulk Central Library you know has closed.
The city’s flagship library — named for John Henry Faulk, the humorist, satirist, storyteller and champion of the First Amendment who grew up in Austin — closed for good Friday evening. It had operated for the past month on a limited basis while workers began moving books and other materials to the new Central Library. Here are five things to know about the downtown library transition:
1. WATCH FOR OCT. 28
That’s when the new Central
Library will officially open from 1 to 6 p.m. at 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. The long-delayed, $125 million library has been under construction for more than four years.
2. COMING ATTRACTIONS
At 200,000 square feet, the new library will be nearly twice the size of the Faulk library, and it will include hip features like a cooking demonstration space, solar panels, rainwater collection, an event center, restaurant and technology “petting zoo,” where people can play with new devices.
3. A YEAR IN THE MAKING
The new library was initially supposed to open in November 2016, and then May 2017. The timeline was delayed, in part, by difficulties passing various safety
4. YOU CAN STILL GET FAULK BOOKS
Until the new library opens, any materials scheduled for pickup at Faulk Central Library have been rerouted to the Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. Of course, plenty of other items are available at Austin’s 20 branch libraries.
5. WHAT’S NEXT FOR FAULK?
Part of the building will be converted into an archival space for the nearby Austin History Center. The next chapter for the rest of the building, however, has yet to be written.