Carver Branch – Austin Public Library

Had to get a library card to access some online resources, and this was the closest one according to Unilocal.
The building was pretty nice, and the librarian seemed to really enjoy his job and was super helpful.
The 2 stars off are for the fact that the collection onsite is pretty poor, and the patrons looked pretty sketchy. Seemed like most people were there for the free computer use.

I like this little neighborhood library. People are friendly, very clean and very well kept. Good place to just relax and study and just be. Good place.

I’ll begin this review with a confession. My name is Mark, and I am a skeptic. Like House M.D., I believe there is a logical explanation to EVERYTHING. However, there are a few things I fail to understand:
1) The meaning of life
2) How anyone thought Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl would make a believable couple in Knocked Up
3) Why no one goes to the library
Until about a year ago, I used to go against my Leo instincts and follow the herd to
or a national book retailer whenever I was in need of a new read. That misguided approach to literature came to a screeching halt the day my roommate came home with more hardbounds than a premed.
«Whatcha got there?» I asked as he struggled to balance his paper stack.
«Books, man. BOOKS.»
«So I see. Was there some sort of a sale?»
«No. I just got a library card.»
«Oh. How much did that cost?»
«Nothing. It was free.»
Once I plucked my eyelids from the depths of my head, I hunted for a hole in his story. After grilling my witness for the next thirty minutes, I decided to do a little undercover investigation of my own. Armed with a pay stub and an out-​of-​state driver’s license, I peddled down East 11^th in search of something inexplicable.
I slammed on my hand brakes once I came across a brick building covered in graffiti, including the word, «Library.» Sure, it may be legally commissioned graffiti to help beautify the East Side, but it was going to take more than community outreach to outsmart me. Something wasn’t right about these literature launderers, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.
«Hi! Can I help you find something?» the courteous librarian inquired as soon as I entered the building.
«Why, yes. I’d like a library card.»
He asked for my two proofs of identification and put me in the system. In no more than ten minutes, there was a world of information at my fingertips. But surely they wouldn’t carry any of the titles I was willing to pay good money for at a book store?
I took a seat at the Dewey Decimal Dell and typed several of my favorite authors into the search bar. Call me LeVar Burton, because I just discovered the treasure at the end of the Reading Rainbow. From Ernest Hemmingway to Nick Hornby (by popularity, not alphabetically), the computer never failed to find a result. Even if the book was at a different branch, I could have it delivered to mine in no time. The same goes for DVDs and CDs.
Just as my excitement reached asthmatic levels, I completely blanked on the name of the book my buddy was urging me to read. I hopped on one of the Internet connected computers and riffled through my previous g-​chats. Eureka! The forgotten title was found, both in my inbox and on the book shelf. I timidly brought it to the front desk, fearing this to-​good-​to-​be-​true situation was about to come unraveled.
«You’re all set,» the librarian announced once he scanned my card and the barcode on the back of the book.
«So do I pay you now or when I return it?»
«You don’t pay for anything, unless you keep it past the due date. But that rarely happens these days.»
«How so?»
«Because you can renew your book up to two times online.»
I paused in amazement before asking one final question.
«So why doesn’t everyone do this?»
He shrugged his shoulders. If you were to ask me that question, I’d do the same.

Today I opened my inbox and my heart leapt into my throat.
What missal awaited me, you ask? Was it a note from an old lover? A notification that my latest review had won ROTD!!! An e-​mail from my boss saying that I’m so competent they’re going to let me run the company?!?1!?1!!!ONE!?!
No. It was better than any of these. It was a message from Austin Public Library, saying that my latest library holds were available at the Carver branch.
Ah glorious, glorious Austin Public Libraries. For free, I can access any of your conveniently located branches and feed my voracious literary appetite. If one branch doesn’t have the book I want, I can request a library hold, and within about a week, I can pick up my holds at the location most convenient for me. You certainly know how to spoil a girl…
I especially like the Carver branch. It’s close to my house, so it certainly gets points for that, but it’s also got some of the friendliest librarians I’ve met in Austin. One librarian noticed I was checking out several books in a series, and we chatted about the thrill of discovering and enjoying new series (he just discovered a series about soccer). He recognized me the next time I came back in, and we chatted some more. I also like the interior of this library and the fact that, though the East Side is gentrifying, this library strives to serve the original African American population in the area, displaying lots of cultural artifacts and biographies about locally and nationally prominent African Americans.
I will say that I don’t often find the books I want at this library since it’s a smaller branch, but the aforementioned hold system takes care of that. I was going to give this library three stars for that reason, but the quality of service and the real community feeling here bumped me up to four stars. If I had children, this is definitely where they’d come for story-​hour.

As a recent discoverer of the Austin Public Libraries, I pretty much love this location as its next to East Side Pies and the trendy East Austin neighborhood. Its also the closest Austin Public library with free public parking (Central Library parking is a biatch!). They have a ton of fiction books that are on my to-​read list and its never too packed inside. The interior is pretty clean and modern and the workers are always very friendly and helpful. A definite win for our tax dollars!

This library has a nice cultural feeling to it. There are many different DVDs and books that are hard to find at other locations. My kids love the children’s section and like to hang around on their bean bags and funky chairs.
We love that we can hop next door to the Carver Museum and run off some energy, run down to the Keeling Park, or over to East Side Pies for lunch. The #2 bus runs right by it too.

Libraries are definitely the main public service where I feel like my tax dollars are actually working for and not against me. The Austin Library system is truly world class. My local branch since 1999 has been Carver and they are a wonderful bunch of folks, as are almost all of the librarians in town.
It’s a pleasure to visit Carver, but even though the new branch is great, I do kinda miss the old, funky version that was renovated about six years ago. Then again, this whole neighborhood has been so laughably semi-​gentrified since about 2003 that Carver is still one of the best examples of what’s good over here on the «bad» side of town.
Another very major bonus is that since this is still a largely black neighborhood there are tons of cds and dvds of black American music, which to my ears is the finest sound since Bach and Beethoven. If there’s anything sweeter than the soul, gospel, jazz and funk of Sam Cooke, Bird, Ray, JB, Louis, Duke, Jimi, Jackie Wilson, Ella, Marvin, Sly, etc etc etc, I’d like to hear it!
The best thing about the Austin system is how quick the cross-​branch loans are. Got a dvd or book or cd you want to buy or even rent but aren’t sure about? Look it up, some branch in town most likely has a copy; send a request and in a day or two, voila! You’ve got an email saying it’s at your local branch for you. Now THAT’S what we’re talkin’ ’bout! Think of how much money that saves you over a year; a lotta good meals at Castle Hill or Thai Passion or wherever you like to eat.
Many many thanks to all the librarians at Carver and all the branches in town, past, present and future, who have helped me and so many others lead more informed and enjoyable lives. I’ve loved books and libraries since I was a four year-​old egghead, and still think they are the backbone of what makes a free society free. Don’t ever let them cut funding to your local libraries! They’ve dumbed down this country in many ways – like, really so totally many – but libraries still represent what makes this nation great: free sharing of ALL viewpoints.
Five stars and a big smile for the Austin Library system!