University Hills Branch

In looking at the University Hills Branch today, it’s hard to imagine that the original proposal to build the facility, which surfaced rather suddenly in 1983, could have stirred up as much controversy as it did. At that time, funds for a new Northeast Austin branch had already been approved through the 1982 bond election. But those funds were intended to go toward a permanent facility for the active Windsor Village Branch which had been operating out of leased space in the Windsor Village Shopping Center since 1963. Nevertheless, those plans began to change in 1983 when local developer Walter Carrington donated a piece of land to the City at the intersection of Loyola Lane and Springdale Avenue, land that could be used as a site for the new library. Though located in Northeast Austin, the donated land was a good distance away from the Windsor Village Branch which had been promised a building in their immediate vicinity. Understandably, the land issue quickly fired up debates among area citizens. The matter was finally put to rest on September 29, 1983 when the Austin City Council voted unanimously to accept the land donation as the site for the new library. Fortunately, all the dust surrounding the building issue had pretty much settled by August of 1986 when the new 8,000 square-foot University Hills Branch officially opened for business. A formal dedication ceremony was held for the branch on March 7, 1987.