Shame on the anti-patron "employees" (drones is more like it) for refusing me a library card even though I had proof of residency. They claimed they could not accept it because it was hand-written and "anyone could do that." When I reminded them that anyone could fake a printed form they merely sneered that that was the policy. Any drones on the payroll that try to keep residents from using the library should be fired. Most people do not read - you should be ENCOURAGING library patronage.
Austin styles itself as a progressive city, so I was stunned to find such a reactionary, regressive, fascist library system. When I lived in progressive Fort Collins last summer the library did not even ask to see my lease; they immediately gave me a card. Same thing in West Palm Beach. Now I have to mail myself an empty envelope to prove residency - that's Texas for you, 3-day waiting period for a library card but you can get an assault rifle immediately even if you are on the no-fly terrorist watch list.
In two months I will be back in Fort Collins and can hardly wait to leave regressive Austin. What a terrible first impression of Austin this backward library has given me. read more