Re-Reads Bookstore
THE ALPINE PUBLIC LIBRARY RE-READS BOOKSTORE
Re-Reads Bookstore is a project of the Alpine Public Library and is staffed by Friends of the Alpine Public Library volunteers. All proceeds from sales are used to supplement the library's operational budget.
Re-Reads opened on June 14, 2004. It is located in Alpine on Avenue E just west of Seventh Street, adjacent to the Alpine Public Library building. It is open Wednesday 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Be sure to stop by, enjoy the comfortable space, browse the amazing used book bargains covering a wide range of genres and topics, and make your contribution to the Alpine Public Library by taking home some great books.
About the Building
The design of Re-Reads Bookstore was donated by Alpine architect Tom Greenwood. Following are his comments on the project:
I began the design of Re-Reads with the idea that the building would be constructed with volunteer labor using materials common to the ranch buildings of West Texas. Corrugated metal and exposed wood were commonplace building materials before the advent of pre-engineered metal buildings. Welded steel connections have long been a mainstay of ranch construction and I hoped to use the talent of local townspeople in the assembly of the building. Concrete is another material that is not out of place in West Texas. I wanted to use it as an exposed finished material on the structure.
The form of the building is reminiscent of the Quonset hut structures found throughout West Texas. The arched roof form mimics the roof found on the old rock Student Activity Center on the Sul Ross campus. The exposed post and beam structure is not typically seen in this area. However, I wanted to express the beauty of the 6x6 Douglas fir posts rather than covering the wood.
The corrugated siding on Re-Reads is non-galvanized to allow the metal to rust to a rich earth tone over time. It is also installed horizontally, rather than vertically, as is typically seen. The intent is to contrast the vertical Douglas fir posts with the horizontal lines of the siding.
The functional requirements of the bookstore called for solid wall space for bookshelves on three of the four exterior walls. Clerestory windows offered a good solution for getting diffused daylight into the building. Acrylic panels are used in the windows to achieve a rice paper appearance.
The interior lighting is low-voltage cable lighting that uses MR-16 lamps. The parallel cables have transformers that step the voltage down to a level that is safe to touch. The light fixtures simply clamp on to the parallel cables and the lamps can be swiveled to direct the light as needed. Each light fixture has two pieces of art glass that flank the MR-16 lamps.
The batt insulation used in the building is made from recycled blue jean denim. The R-value is identical to fiberglass insulation, but it is much easier and more fun to work with. I found belt loops and shredded jean labels mixed in with the cotton.
L. T. Construction, of Fort Stockton, poured the concrete slab and did a fine job with the hard trowel finish and saw cutting. The porch along the south side of the Re-Reads has a rock salt finish that provides a pitted, nonslip surface.
In addition to Texana Homes and the other contractors, over a dozen volunteers worked to get Re-Reads to the current level of completion. There is still much work to do with the handicapped-accessible ramp, concrete steps, maple veneer plywood wall finishes, curved drywall ceilings, adjustable shelving, painting, and landscaping. I believe that when completed, the Re-Reads Bookstore will be a building in which our entire community can take pride.
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