Public libraries have become a place where people can do more than just borrow a book. Libraries carry movies and offer various free events on a recurring basis. Southwest Austinites have a few library systems to choose from.

1. Austin History Center

810 Guadalupe St., Austin 512-974-7480, http://library.austintexas.gov/ahc Reading room hours: Tue.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun., noon-6 p.m., closed Mon. As the local history division of the Austin Public Library, the Austin History Center’s mission is to procure, preserve, present and provide the historical records that make up the story of Austin.

2. Bee Cave Public Library

4000 Galleria Parkway, Bee Cave 512-767-6620, www.beecavetexas.com Hours: Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun.-Mon. The Bee Cave Public Library, located on the first floor of Bee Cave City Hall, features an extensive children’s collection and children’s programming, including weekday story times on Thursdays and Fridays, Library Director Barbara Hathaway said.

Public libraries have become a place where people can do more than just borrow a book. Libraries carry movies and offer various free events on a recurring basis. Southwest Austinites have a few library systems to choose from. Public libraries have become a place where people can do more than just borrow a book. Libraries carry movies and offer various free events on a recurring basis. Southwest
Austinites have a few library systems to choose from.[/caption]

3. Dripping Springs Community Library

501 Sportsplex Drive, Dripping Springs 512-858-7825, www.dscl.org Hours: Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Thu. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun. The Dripping Springs Community Library serves a population of over 33,000 citizens. In 2015, there were more than 90,000 visits to the library, more than 140,000 materials circulated and more than 26,000 visits for computer use.

4. Faulk Central Library

800 Guadalupe St., Austin 512-974-7400, http://library.austintexas.gov/faulk-central-library Hours: Sun. noon-6 p.m., Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Open since 1979, the library was renamed in 1995 in honor of local writer John Henry Faulk and provides adult and youth programs as well as reference resources for the APL system.

5. Hampton Branch at Oak Hill

5125 Convict Hill Road, Austin 512-974-9900, http://library.austintexas.gov/hampton-branch-at-oak-hill Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun. Regular events such as story time take place at the library, which opened in Southwest Austin in 1997 and is home to a gazebo dedicated to Austin civic leader Will Hampton, for whom the library is also named.

6. Manchaca Road Branch

5500 Manchaca Road, Austin 512-974-8700, http://library.austintexas.gov/manchaca-road-branch Hours: Sun. 2-6 p.m., Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Manchaca Road library was originally built in 1974 as a city-owned regional branch for South Austin and Southwest Travis County. Puppet shows, book readings and other events take place regularly at the library.

7. Munday Library at St. Edward’s University

3001 S. Congress Ave., Austin, 512-416-5869, http://library.stedwards.edu Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sat. and Sun. The library, primarily for St. Edward’s University students, faculty and staff, is open to the public, but guests have to use a TexShare card from the Texas State Library. The library also has an archive with artifacts, photos and documents about the history of St. Edward’s.

8. Pleasant Hill Branch

211 E. William Cannon Drive, Austin 512-974-3940, http://library.austintexas.gov/pleasant-hill-branch Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun. The library opened in 1966, has moved twice and was renovated in 2000.

9. Terrazas Branch

1105 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin 512-974-3625, http://library.austintexas.gov/terrazas-branch Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun. Features include a meeting room, computer labs, Spanish-speaking staff members and a New Immigrant Center for learning English and studying for the U.S. citizenship exam.

10. Twin Oaks Branch

1800 S. Fifth St., Austin 512-974-9980, http://library.austintexas.gov/twin-oaks-branch Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sun. The Twin Oaks Branch located near the West Bouldin Creek waterway features a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, design that incorporates recycled bricks, recyclable carpeting and furniture fabrics, and a self-dimming lighting system.

11. Westbank Community Library

1309 Westbank Drive, Austin 512-327-3045, www.westbanklibrary.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10 a.m.-7 p.m, Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The Westbank Community Library serves the Westlake community and Eanes ISD. The library offers more than 1,000 free programs per year, free computer and Wi-Fi access, a community garden, the Madrone Canyon Trails, family centers and backyard play areas.

This list is not comprehensive.

How to get a library card

Austin residents may apply for a free Austin Public Library card by:

• Completing a library card application in person at any Austin Public Library location • Providing a photo ID and proof of current residence address with the application

Those who are not residents may apply for a nonresident library card by:

• Completing the library card application in person at any APL location • Providing a photo ID and proof of current residence address with the application • Paying $120 annually or $35 quarterly

Modern benefits to being a library member

In addition to visiting libraries in person, APL cardholders can access some content from the library online, according to Sharon Herfurth, division manager at the APL’s Office of Programs & Partnerships.

“Many people don’t know about all the materials they can download in the comfort of their home,” Herfurth said.

APL’s virtual library offers thousands of downloadable e-books, magazines, movies, music, audiobooks, computer and language instruction, and reference sources, which are all available for free for APL cardholders.

Reservations

At APL locations, cardholders can reserve books and other materials through the library catalog and have them delivered to the branch of choice for pick-up.

Did you know?

You can return checked-out books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to any APL location.

Construction on a new APL location at 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. in Central Austin is slated to be completed by the summer with a projected grand opening in November, according to APL. The new library’s features will include reading porches, an indoor reading room overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, a cafe and a Recycled Reads bookstore. Construction on a new APL location at 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. in Central Austin is slated to be completed by the summer with a projected grand opening in November, according to APL. The new library’s features will include reading porches, an indoor reading room overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, a cafe and a Recycled Reads bookstore.[/caption]

Coming soon

Construction on a new APL location at 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. in Central Austin is slated to be completed by the summer with a projected grand opening in November, according to APL. The new library’s features will include reading porches, an indoor reading room overlooking Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake, a cafe and a Recycled Reads bookstore.