A Look Inside North America’s Largest One-Story Library

In honor of National Library Week, McAllen public library director shares the history of the city’s Walmart-turned library.

“I just never get tired of seeing the joy and delight on the faces of our visitors, and we have about 50,000 to 60,000 visitors each month.”

By Rhonda FanningApril 11, 2018 1:08 pm,

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the McAllen Public Library. It’s the largest one-story library in North America. McAllen Public Library Director Kate Horan says the 123,000 square-foot building is a repurposed Walmart store.

Because the space is as long as two-and-a-half football fields, the library uses “mega pendants” or large emblazoned signs to label sections in the library.  

“When little children come into the library they’re just overjoyed,” Horan says. “I just never get tired of seeing the joy and delight on the faces of our visitors, and we have about 50,000 to 60,000 visitors each month.”

 

Elizabeth Ucles.