Houston Heights Neighborhood Library

Houston Heights Neighborhood Library

The Houston Heights Neighborhood Library is aesthetically pleasing. It is one of the many buildings that face the sixty-foot wide esplanade on Heights Boulevard.

Built-in the 1920s, it is one of the many neighborhood libraries associated with the Houston Library System.

There are more extensive libraries to be sure! We have walked around the entire downtown city block encompassing the Julia Ideson Building and the Jesse H. Jones Building, which is the Central Library. On one side of this central library is situated the remarkable sculpture titled Geometric Mouse X by artist Claes Oldenburg.

Neighborhood Library Perks

While the Houston Heights neighborhood library may be small, there are certain perks which can be appreciated. As an example, parking is free. That is often the case with the smaller outlying libraries.

What is also true of this and other branch libraries such as the Barbara Bush Library up in Spring, Texas (part of the Harris County Library System) is that books can be ordered online if unavailable in that particular library. Library patrons need not go from library to library hunting for materials they wish to read. Deliveries happen between the various libraries to accommodate the local populace.

Comparisons To The Past

Times have certainly changed since I was a child first using a public library. The Dewey Decimal System was in place. When wishing to find a book, one had first to sort through indexed cards to locate the whereabouts of a book on a shelf.

Cards were in open-ended pockets within each book. Written on the card was the name of the person and the date when taking a book out of the library and upon its return.

Computers, of course, have changed all of that. The ease of using our public libraries is so much easier since the proliferation of personal computers becoming widespread.

Activities in the Library

At this Houston Heights neighborhood library, there are many activities found within its confines.

Some examples include the following:

• Baby Yoga to Laughter Yoga
• Special Events
• Baby to Toddler Storytime Classes
• Computer Classes from introductory to more advanced
• Preschool and After School gatherings and events

Check out their website and calendar of events if you wish to learn more.

Architecturally Beautiful

What makes this particular library special, in my opinion, is its beautiful architecture and its setting.

The red-tiled roof accentuates the beautifully adorned white exterior. Lush shrubbery, along with mature oak trees and crape myrtles provide shade and beauty. A multitude of windows allows light to stream inside. It has a vintage charm that many newer buildings do not possess.

Dedication Plaque

The dedication plaque honors longtime librarian Jimmie May Hicks.

Inscribed upon it is the following: "With courage and charm, she overcame life’s obstacles. Her understanding of the heart and gay spirit were a constant inspiration. With gracious perseverance, she dedicated her life to her profession and always sought to impart to others joy in acquiring knowledge and pleasure in the act of reading."

Historical Sign and Location

There is a Texas Historical Commission sign installed in front of this Houston Heights neighborhood library.

Some facts one can learn by reading it are the following: The Houston Heights dates back to 1890 when 1,756 acres of land were purchased. It became incorporated in 1896. Annexation to the City of Houston took place in 1918. “Elevation 23 feet above that of downtown Houston” sparked its name…that of Houston Heights.

You will find this charming library at this address: 1302 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas 77008.