Evergreen Branch Library, Wichita, KS

Not to be a Weirdo™, but I got a Bad Vibe™ as soon as I got out of my car in the parking lot in front of the Evergreen Branch Library, and I was really never able to shake it during my short visit. I'd gone there with the intention of setting up to do some writing, but could not warm up to the space no matter how hard I tried. With the number of libraries I'd added to my docket (including areas surrounding Wichita), I'll admit I did not try too hard.

While I don't feel particularly guilty about not giving Evergreen a chance, I was bummed about it to some degree since preview pictures of the facility via Google were inspiring. The exterior is very cool, featuring (what I presume to be) Mesoamerican aesthetics beyond anything I've seen up to this point in my library-centric travels. It's a striking yet not all-too-deep observation as you travel through the Southwestern and Western United States, passing through hundreds (thousands) of places whose names are of Native North or Mesoamerican origins but evoke almost zero percent of the heritage. Wichita (named after the Native American tribe, read more about them here) tries, but ultimately fails in the same ways many US cities, townships, and states fail: generalized, hollow flattery, zero funding for education/enrichment, and stubborn clinging to racist traditions.

Before anyone screams BUT WHAT ABOUT _____ and gestures at something Wichita got right, remember that a thousand "rights" can't overcome one very big Wrong. There is one, easy example: School/team mascots. My high school is objectively beautiful. Its architectural style is in the art deco family, and the theme is deliberately Native Americanesque. I love my old high school and will always be proud to have completed my secondary education in such an incredible structure. However, North High School's mascot is the "Redskins." There's even a "war cry" dance that the cheerleaders perform at pep assemblies, where the girls dance in a circle to vaguely Native American music. It's offensive...and it is offensive over something that shouldn't be fought for in the first place: idiotic school mascots. Who cares? If that much of your heart, life, and identity is devoted to keeping racist school mascots intact, you should probably sit down and have a long, hard think about it. Leave behind the fact a truly civilized society shouldn't be fighting for racist crap in the first place...laying down the gauntlet over something as stupid as a mascot is, frankly, embarrassing.

But people do. They do it for North High as much as they do it for the Washington Redskins. Tradition is the flag they plant on this battle's mountaintop, as if that means anything at all. I am sure the majority of surviving Native American tribes have a tradition of not being treated like a subhuman joke, a generalized idea, or an animal to be whipped and ridden. But it's meant to be complimentary, you (war)cry. Because Native American chiefs and warriors are known for their ferocity, and our sportsteam is also fierce and (footstomp footstomp) why can't you just let us have what we want it isn't hurting anybodyyyyyy. Zulu warriors were also fierce. As was Genghis Khan, allegedly. Why don't you call your team the Blackskins? Yellowskins? If that makes you uncomfortable, even a little, then you have to ask yourself why the term "redskin" doesn't.

My point: Any strides Wichita makes to align with modern racial sensibilities (and sensitivity, compassion, and fairness) fall short as long as one of the main high school's mascots remains "Redskins." There's a gnarly old, rotten buffalo head mounted in the front hallway of North High. He's called "Butch" and has been there since God Knows When...maybe as far back as when my grandfather attended North, and certainly when my mother attended North. Why not be the Bucking Bison? Brave Buffaloes? The Warriors? Since we like to shoot, mount, and stuff our prey, etc.? The non-racially exploitative options are endless.

Since Evergreen is in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, the nod to the cultures of their ancestors is particularly poignant. I am not an art expert, and my first assumption was North Native American rather than Mesoamerican, but closer inspection--and my vague, semi-educated understanding of the differences--leads me to believe that Mesoamerican is correct. The front walk and entryway is the beginning and the end of the aesthetic indulgence, however, as the interior of the library is aggressively plain. (Note: I couldn't find information on the design of the Evergreen branch online, so I gave them a call. They weren't sure, either, and seemed a bit flummoxed to be asked, which made me feel bad...not because "they should know" but because the powers that be--the people who don't ever have to answer the phones--should empower their staff with that information. Considering how striking the exterior is, someone was going to ask eventually.)

The library branch may have opened in 2002, but the building has been there much longer, though a Google search and my porous memory lead me to no more information than I think it might have been a bowling alley once. The library feels very old, and just as used and kicked in as libraries that have been in operation since your ma was burning her bra and your pa was sweating the draft.

Periodical protectors from the Jazz Age.

Again, there was no sane reason for my Bad Vibe™ (anyone with anxiety will tell you to stop looking for reasons, man, because sometimes shit just drops on your head out of the clear blue sky and you just have to deal with it. A favorite tweet from Marc Maron captures it perfectly: "Why, anxiety? I'm just sitting here.") but I was able to appreciate the clean lines of the stacks and the clever flair library staff added to each section of fiction (See: Western). Unfortunately, my need to get out and keep looking for a safer haven to write won the day, so after a quick tour around, snapping pics as I went, I had to flee.

Nonsensical parking lot flair further convinces me this was a bowling alley.
Doesn't this screeeeam "Bowling Alley"?? Swoop swoop.