It's time to play the name game! The Friends of the Austin Public Library and the Monster Book Store, located at 5th and Mary in South Austin, are moving and looking for a new, snappier name. They want to tap the collective creativity of Austin. Suggestions will be accepted through February 14th. ...

Photo from City of Austin Tree Planting CeremonySaturday, November 10Zilker Park Rock Gardens (2100 Barton Springs Road)(9am, Volunteers Welcome)[info]In observance of Veterans Day, the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department is getting together tomorrow morning to plant 57 trees at the Zilker Park Rock Gardens: A special ceremony will honor the dedication and sacrifice of men and women who have fought to preserve our nation's liberty. Following the ceremony, volunteers organized by Tree Folks......

Rock y Roll Dia’s second annual Dia de los Muertos concert takes place at 7 p.m. this Friday at La Zona Rosa. Hosted by VJ Paul Saucido (Sonido Boombox on ME Television), last year’s bash was marked by an appropriately eerie atmosphere, a sharp dressed Paul, and international and local musical talent. This year the event is a two day extravaganza, with music from Austin acts such as Boombox and Kanko, and out of state......

We admit to using the Austin Public Library Online Catalog at least once a week to search for books we've heard about and to put books on hold. So we were happy to see that the online catalog was updated over the weekend. The "My Account" button in the top navigation now opens a new window for you to sign into, which is more private and secure for public computers than the previous setup. The......

Starting today, City of Austin is offering free Arabic lessons (written and spoken) to anyone interested. The classes run weekly on Wednesdays through December 5. You'll need to pre-register by calling 512-974-7500 Introduction to Spoken and Written Arabic Austin Public Library - Ruiz Branch 1600 Grove Blvd 6-8pm......

For 2008, Capital Metro is planning to double bus fare for adult passengers from 50 cents to $1. Other fares would increase in proportion (students would have to pay 50 cents instead of 25 cents for local/rapid routes); the Dillo would remain free for everyone. In their informational brochure(.pdf), Capital Metro makes a point of saying that the current fares have been the same since 1985, while operational costs keep going up. Is this......

After vehemently encouraging Austinites to indulge in the splendor of live musical entertainment, Mayor Will Wynn's charisma is now focused on more literary pursuits. Wednesday, March 28th, at 7pm marks the official start of the annual Mayor's Book Club. For the sixth installment of the book club Mayor Wynn has chosen Stephanie Elizondo Griest's Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana. To get readers in the mood, the City of Austin is......

Believe it or not, there's a bunch of activities going on around town this week other than SXSW. This week's IST List won't include our usual bevy of music and film events; for those, we recommend that you check out our Interactive Guide to SXSW Parties and the Other Side Guide, respectively. We'd also like to welcome LAist editor Tony Pierce and Gothamist arts editor Jen Carlson, both of whom will be joining us......

MONDAY [12] benefit • Everychild House Party 2007 at Stubb's ($25/$10 Adults/Children) books • Quincy Troupe presents The Architecture of Language at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Texas Music Museum presents "JAZZ," a six-part film/discussion series with Dr James Polk at Austin Public Library, Carver Branch (7pm) film • Darkon: The Movie at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Half-Cocked at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown food • Central Market Cooking Class with Chef Vance Ely: Gentlemen Entertain:......

Citizens of Austin, the Mayor's Book Club has made its 6th annual selection and your compulsory reading assignment for Spring 2007 is Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana by Stephanie Elizondo Griest. A part of the Austin Public Library's Keep Austin Reading program, the goal of the Mayor's Book Club is "to to develop a community experience through reading and discussion of a shared book." No need to mail book reports......

Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, has been steeped in Mexican tradition since the Aztecs initiated a celebration of departed ancestors. It might not be Halloween but it’s still a gala, and ME Television wants to make it a party. Powered by VJ Paul Saucido, METV's Sonido Boombox has become a vital voice in Latin music circles in Austin. La Zona Rosa will host Sonido Boombox’s latest benefit (titled “Rock......

J.K. Rowling has truly secured her place in the world’s collective consciousness. Not only does the Harry Potter Empire reach into bookstores and retail outlets and movie theatres all across the globe, but it’s inspiring the creation of indie pop bands whose music is based solely on HP characters and plotlines. Seriously, Rowling just might be the most powerful media force on Earth. But, self-made billionaires aside, it’s really all about kids having a good......

The Friends of the Austin Public Library are throwing a Mini-Monster book sale this weekend to benefit the library. It's all day Saturday and Sunday, with a special $10 per box of books sale on Sunday. We love books on sale almost as much as we love our local library and at $1 or $2 a book, we can't resist. [Friends of the Austin Public Library] [Austin Public Library] Mini-Monster Book and Media Sale......

We went to Carnaval. And loved it. SXSW full list of bands and movies updated. Cat Power backs out of SXSW and cancels tour. Ausitn art goes green. Tired of run-of-the-mill valentine's day activities? We got you covered. We reviewed the new documentary The Outdoorsmen: Blood, Sweat and Beers. And laughed our asses off. For about $600 in fees, your band can play a showcase at Waterloo Records during SXSW. The week in interviews:......

As you are probably well aware by now, the New York Times has made parts of their online edition available only to those who wish to pay for it. Since we are broke, that demographic does not include us, so we have been missing out on the NYT Select pieces online. That means no David Brooks, no Maureen Dowd, etc. However, we have found a way to get around all the rigamarole. You will......

M O N D A Y 12 film · QT6 at the Drafthouse Downtown: Documentary Night (7pm and 9:45pm) music · David Garza at Cactus Cafe [Austinist Review] music · Black Angels, Modey Lemon, Rubble and Skullening at Emo's [Austinist Review] outdoors · Park Day at Zilker! Making Austin Home is putting on a huge day of "rest, relaxation and distraction" for Katrina survivors. (10am-6pm) [More Info] T U E S D A Y 13theatre......