How to get free access to 3 Texas libraries outside Austin

FEEDING THE READING ADDICTION

Photo by Shunya Koide on Unsplash

We all know that Austinites can get their free library cards at the Austin Public Library. But did you know you can get access to libraries that aren’t just in the APL system? For the libraries in Wells Branch, Round Rock, and Houston, you only need to be a Texas resident!

Having access to multiple library systems throughout Texas isn't as excessive as it might seem. First, you gain access to books that may not be as easily available from one library system to another. Second, it can be a great cost-saving measure; personally, I saved over $550 in 2022 by using public libraries instead of buying new or used books.

If you read a lot of ebooks or audiobooks, Libby is one of the best apps to find thousands of titles for free. If Libby’s waitlist is too long for a title in Austin, it might be easier to find the same title in Round Rock or Houston for a shorter wait. Additionally, you might find books in another system that aren't offered by APL. Sometimes, APL has a majority of a series online but is missing a few titles, and another library system will have what you're missing, which saves you from purchasing a random audiobook or ebook.

Here’s a quick refresher on how you can apply for an Austin Public Library card, and how you can join three additional awesome library systems outside the city. Let's all make it a goal to read a little more this year, shall we?

Austin Public Library
Austin residents, those who live in the Full Purpose jurisdiction, and students at any k-12 school (including daycare, private, charter, and home schools) in Travis County can apply online for a library card for free. After completing the online application, you can visit any library branch with your valid photo ID and proof of residence to complete the registration. Adult resident cards are valid for three years from their issuance date.

Round Rock Public Library
All Texas residents can apply for a free library card in Round Rock. For those who can visit the new library building in person, all you need is a valid Texas ID or a valid government issued ID and proof of Texas residency. Just for Round Rock residents who can’t make it to the library in-person due to a disability, illness, or inadequate transportation, the library offers a wonderful Library At Home service to deliver materials to your private residence.

Wells Branch Community Library
This is another library where all Texas residents qualify for a card for free, but you do have to apply in person with a valid ID and proof of residency. As a note, this library is a part of the Central Texas Digital Consortium, which is the same association that several other Central Texas cities use for their ebooks and audiobooks.

Houston Public Library
This library is special in that not only can you apply for their card without needing to live in Houston, but you also can apply online! You’ll get instant access to hundreds of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, music, and more with their digital MY Link card. And if you’re ever in the Houston area, you can bring your valid Texas ID to any of their branches to get your hands on a physical card, if you're the type that loves to collect them.

Photo by Beeing on Unsplash

2nd annual buzz-worthy book festival draws busy bees to the Hill Country

POLLINATION PROMOTION

Bee Cave’s buzzing Books and Bees Festival is back at the Hill Country Galleria for an education-packed weekend of fun, with a new twist: their first-ever HoneyFest.

The Bee Cave Public Library launched their bookish festival in 2022 to promote their programming and bee conservation efforts. The city has a Bee City USA affiliate designation, meaning the local community is dedicated to sustaining bee pollination through the growth of native plants and reduction of pesticides.

The library's goals with the festival are to educate children and families about the importance of bees in nature, while also uplifting important literature.

Highlighted events on April 1 include a musical performance from “The Singing Zoologist” Lucas Miller, a children’s craft and storytime space, and bee education sessions. Guests can also expect to see book signings, Q&A sessions, and readings from several featured authors, including Fridge-Opolis author Melissa Coffey and Nicolas Solis, author of My Town, Mi Pueblo.

The inaugural HoneyFest the following day will allow visitors to engage with local honey makers, enthusiasts, and creators from the community. There will be a bee-themed farmer’s market with plenty of local honey tastings to go around. The Bee Cave Library also invited several self-published local authors for guests to discover. While you’re there, you can help decide on the Best Beekeeper in Bee Cave contest.

The Books and Bees Festival will take place on April 1 from 12:30-4:30 pm. HoneyFest will run from 10 am to 2 pm on April 2. The festival is free to the public, but registration is encouraged via Eventbrite. More information about the festival can be found on booksandbeesfestival.com.

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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is ridiculous and fun at the same time

Movie Review

The Transformers series has been one marked by near universal derision by the critics and (mostly) massive box office, highlighting the divide between those who watch movies for a living and those who just go for fun. Given that history, it seemed unlikely that the latest film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, would unite the two factions.

Like the last film, Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts is a prequel to the Transformers films directed by Michael Bay from 2007-2017 (Bay remains as a producer). Set in 1994, it features a way-too-complicated story involving something called the Transwarp device prized by three separate groups of Transformers: The Autobots led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen); the Maximals, animal-esque bots led by Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman); and the Terrorbots, led by Scourge (Peter Dinklage). One guess as to which of those groups is the evil one.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Mirage (Pete Davidson) in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is a former soldier in Manhattan who can’t find a job and tries his best to take care of his sickly brother, Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez). Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) works at a museum on Ellis Island, where she encounters an artifact with unusual markings. Through a series of unlikely but still fun events, both of them are dragged into the conflict between the Transformers, with nothing less than the fate of the universe at stake.

Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and written by a team of five writers, the film is as ridiculous as any of the previous iterations, and yet somehow it becomes the most entertaining entry yet. Some of this has to do with the human characters, who are given engaging scenes outside of the ones with Transformers, allowing them to be relatable instead of just pawns in the robot battles.

The trifecta of Transformer groups turn out to be actually interesting, rather than an excuse to fill the screen with CGI nonsense. The Autobots, as usual, are the main heroes, and with Bumblebee using movie quotes to talk and Mirage (Pete Davidson) lobbing wisecracks constantly, they’re rarely unentertaining. Having the animal-like Maximals on board gives a new dimension, and the seemingly unstoppable Scourge makes for an intimidating villain.

That’s not to say, of course, that the film doesn’t devolve into chaos on multiple occasions. Several of the battles, including the final sequence, seem designed to be almost incomprehensible. But Caple and the visual effects team appear to have understood that clarity makes for a better moviegoing experience, and so even as bedlam reigns, there’s a level of focus to the film that other films in the series have not had.

Even though his character isn’t fully fleshed out, Ramos brings a kind of streetwise energy to the role that makes him stand out. Fishback is not given as much to do, but she’s still highly enjoyable. Cullen, who’s been voicing Optimus Prime since the 1980s, is still a commanding presence, allowing Davidson, Michelle Yeoh, Perlman, and more to bring their own unique flair to their characters.

It may be a low bar to jump, but Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the best film so far in the series, cracking the code of pairing humans with robots for a (semi)intelligible story. A late movie teaser will have fans geeking out over the future, but it’s best to enjoy this film for being as good as it is.

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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts opens in theaters on June 9.

Austin Public invites viewers to step into the studio to celebrate 50 years of public television

Austin On-screen

Public television may call to mind images of children's shows and documentaries, but the format has lots more to offer — especially if staying in touch with local culture is a priority. Austin has a strong connection to the medium, as the city with the longest continually running public access station in the country, and now it’s celebrating 50 years by naming the month of June Austin Public Television Month.

A public event on June 25 will invite viewers to stop by the Public Access Television Studio (1143 Northwestern Avenue) from noon to 4 for an open house. Visitors can explore, take interactive tours, and mingle with complimentary refreshments by the Austin Film Society (AFS), which the state-of-the-art multimedia facility on behalf of the City of Austin.

Channel 10 (formerly Austin Community Television, or ACTV; not to be confused with KLRU, or Austin PBS) can trace those 50 years back to Mt. Larson, in Westlake, where some University of Texas students “[carried] their video production equipment on their shoulders,” according to a release. With the help of community activists and members of the Texas Commission on the Arts, they started the city’s first broadcast.

This was about more than entertaining Austinites — although Austin Public has done plenty of that over its decades. It was, and still is, a platform for locals to get messages out that likely won’t be picked up by major private networks. (Think of Austin’s wacky KOOP 91.7 FM on the radio today.)

“When community television ... launched, it was the only free-speech outlet available for residents that provided a voice for traditionally underrepresented groups and perspectives unavailable within mainstream media,” said Rondella Hawkins, the City of Austin’s Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Officer.

“The City of Austin has continued its commitment to preserve and support the access TV channels," Hawkins continued, "to distribute the content created by the local community at the studio facility, using the state-of-the-art video production equipment.”

And even though these programs are for their viewers, they represent an irreplaceable opportunity for the people who work on them to start or continue their craft. “Leveraging these resources,” continued Hawkins, “it’s through our partnership with Austin Public to provide the training and the pathways for promising careers in the creative industry.”

Austin Public runs a paid workforce development program called Creative Careers, and broadcasts highlights on its producers. The station's many programs include lots of hosting opportunities, like on The Gene and Dave Show, which highlights the disabled experience with comedy, and in nerd-culture conversations curated by Kaiju Labs Media.

Austinites have Channel 10 to thank for attracting and developing talent like film director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), who founded AFS, and Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids, Sin City). Now in addition to that main channel, Austin Public also runs Channels 11 (for Christian programming) and 16 (for music programming).

“The history of Public Access in Austin is intrinsically tied to the growth and success of the City’s creative sector, and public access remains vital to the culturally focused expressions of a diverse city," said AFS CEO Rebecca Campbell.

Austin has the 3rd most active real estate market in the U.S. within the last decade

red-hot ATX

A new report has discovered Texas cities hold the top five most active real estate markets in the country, with Austin landing in third place. The study by storage marketplace StorageCafe reflects the city's resiliency over the last decade after a recent reported plummet in Austin's quality of life.

Austin had the third highest number of single-family home permits between 2013 and 2022, totaling 37,000 units. At the same time, the city also permitted over 98,700 new multi-family/apartment units. The massive influx of housing ultimately adds up to an impressive national surge.

On the industrial end, the Texas Capital also took the No. 3 spot in the country for the most square feet of new industrial space construction. Nearly 25 million square feet of new office space was erected in the last decade, further solidifying the city's standing as a top destination for business.

Outshining Austin in the list of real estate growth is Houston(No. 1), with 55,600 single-family homes permitted between 2013 and 2022, and nearly 90,000 multi-family units. San Antonio (No. 2) also outranked Austin with 34,000 single-family units and 8,500 new multi-family units.

The real estate markets in Fort Worth and Dallas respectively round out the top five.

The cities that complete the top 10 include:

No. 6 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 7 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 8 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 9 – Denver, Colorado
No. 10 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The full report can be found on storagecafe.com.

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