One afternoon in February 1926, the Austin Public Library opened for the very first time in a rented room above an office. One hundred years later, it celebrates its centennial with 20 branches.
Art has a central role in the APL’s history, from its architecture to the community crafts it hosts to the public artworks on display in every branch. To celebrate art’s role in the library, the APL held the Centennial Library Card Art Contest earlier this summer. After an online poll with a staggering 10,231 votes, three winners were selected for the child, teen, and adult categories.
The winner of the adult category, Lyle Lewis, is an artist and design lead at the local print studio Raw Paw. They grew up going to Austin libraries – it’s one of their favorite places to make art.
“The library is a very special place,” they told me. “It’s very important for a society to have these kinds of free public spaces.”
After going to art school in New York, Lewis returned to Austin and now frequents the main branch, and Twin Oaks. “I’d say my favorite part is probably the little zine library in the central location. I think that is so sweet, and an amazing way to show off cool local artists.”
Other kinds of Austinites scour the APL bookshelves in Lewis’ design. “I decided to include all local creatures specifically,” they explain, nodding to the critters on the card. “Most notably, the Barton Springs salamander.”
Yaretzi Nicole Cruz Santiago won the teen category with a piece titled Austin Public Library’s Next Century. It features a kaleidoscope of gentle colors.
“I got my inspiration from one of the Central Library’s most recognized features, made by Susan Scafati: If a ? falls…,” Santiago explained. Scafati’s piece, a forest of colorful translucent plexiglass, hangs on the second and third story windows, where the sheets refract light from the rising sun.
“I was captivated by the colors and how the sun was making the glass reflect those colors. So I decided to get inspired by that and add bright colors to my design, since I thought: Who doesn’t like colors? Colors are beautiful! So why not brighten someone’s day when they look at their card all colorful?”
Looking back on childhood days spent at the library with her family, Santiago said, “For me, it represents home, learning, and community.”
The thread of community carried through to Ishana Jain’s design, too.
“The main inspiration was the people of Austin,” said Jain, winner of the child category, of her piece. It features a smiling person with rainbow hair and the message: “Reading is for y’all.”
“The smiling person in my design represents everyone who calls Austin home,” she said.
“I wanted to make sure that no matter where you’re from, no matter how you identify, you would be represented on the library card. After all, y’all means all,” Jain explained. “And, of course, books were a must.”
The young artist simply exudes optimism, from her competition-winning piece to her own relationship with the library. When she described her relationship to the library, she made searching for books sound like a game. “My favorite thing to do in the library is walk through every shelf and pause to read the first pages of books,” Jain said. “Or inhale the one-of-a-kind book scent!”
After seeing these incredible pieces, you’ll no doubt want your own. Good news: they’re available now.
To get one, fill out the online application. Then, bring your photo ID and proof of address to any Austin Public Library location. If you’ve already got a library card, you’re able to replace it with one of the new designs by following the same steps.
All three artists looked to the next 100 years of APL with hope. Lewis hoped the library would remain a place of free resources and education for the community, while Santiago crossed her fingers that people would continue to experience the joy of reading on paper, physically flipping pages, and smelling books.
“My hope is that people will continue to love and help the library and the community,” added Jain. “Libraries are an important part of Austin, and I hope that all can find happiness and creativity in them.”