West Hollywood Library, West Hollywood, California

As much as I expected Beverly Hills to have a knock out library, I had far lower expectations for West Hollywood's branch, despite the hopeful, crisp pictures I'd seen online. You might have different expectations of Hollywood before you actually visit the area--I wasn't expecting it to be so dirty and sad, for example, with lots of people out in shabby costumes trying to get money from tourists however they could. It's very similar to Times Square, just with fewer skyscrapers and more palm trees. I am speaking about the Hollywood I visited 10 years ago, so for all I know it could be a beautiful oasis of Human Kindness and Golden Streets. I only visited the library this time around, so can't speak on the status of the tourist-y areas.

My memories from 10 years prior are of the Mann's Chinese Theater part of Hollywood...there is clearly so much more to the town than one grimy little area. My route to the West Hollywood Library took me down Melrose which evoked a sly smile out of me a couple of times as I remembered Alison and Billy and that Terrible Cheater Michael and of course Slutty Sidney and Hot Jake. The Melrose that I saw was full of very trendy eateries and stores--upper crust and over my head. I would have been far more heart-palpitate-y about it in my 20s, but I am an old goat now so it didn't have quite the same impact.

The driving since Texas has been more or less what I would expect--including California--though I did find running the Melrose gauntlet to be the most death defying trip. Apparently the rule here is not only "You Won't Hit Me" but also "Go Ahead, Punk, Hit Me." I had to be an extremely defensive driver for the long stretch down to the library, but I made it through unscathed, though a little, well, heart palpitate-y.

Note the garage ceiling matches the interior ceiling.

West Hollywood Library has garage parking that the library validates, which I found absolutely wonderful--I know it is a lot to ask in a big city like LA, so I don't take for granted that they extend this courtesy. It's a big deal. I parked and started to head in, taking a series of elevators up to the library itself. It is situated right across the street from the Pacific Design Center, a place so self-consciously designed you feel like you have to look at it with Ray Bans on and then remove them slowly and say something catchy like, "That's Primary Color Cool, Man." Like, calm down, Pacific Design Center. We see you.

This library, though. All I could think as I made my way through its shiny white interior was OH OH OH OH OH OH OH. OH MY OH MY. And similar. Because it was so pretty. Like, Pretty Pretty. You know how there are attractive people and then there are unicorn people? This is a unicorn library. So very pretty.

I went upstairs where the majority of the stacks are located. There are a fair number of people biding time there (sleeping, playing on phones, etc.) but there were an equal amount set up with laptops, notebooks, books, etc., most of which were at simple wooden desks aligned next to the all-glass wall. This was by far the coolest part of the whole experience, because I managed to secure the back corner seat, right in front of the joint of the the glass walls. It was a beautiful view (yes, even with OMG Here-I-Am Pacific Design Center across the street) because I could see the all the people walking back and forth, traffic racing toward some Trendy Thing, and the Hollywood hills in the backdrop...all on an eye-wateringly bright day. California.

 It was such an odd place to write about Duarte and Eagle Rock, the dissonance was undeniable. One was full on flash and style while the others were understated and conventional. But they all serve the the same greater good--and at the heart of a shared purpose, all true libraries are the same. Yes, I said "True," yes, I am looking at you San Bernardino.

I had a long, long drive ahead of me, so I had to pack it up in the early afternoon, but I was happy that West Hollywood was the last California library I would visit. It left a warm and shiny impression.