ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO DALLAS

Find the guide + map here: http://www.zeemaps.com/287573
**Be sure to click on View >> List to see all. Click or hover on a marker for more information.

This guide was created to help those looking for alternative options in Dallas (lifestyle, diet, interests) that might not be included in mainstream city guides. This is not fully comprehensive, but we did our best to give you options as close to the Convention Center and Downtown as possible, and with a few outliers.

Legend:
Red = Convention Center
Green = restaurants with vegan options
Light green = places that are likely to have vegan options but we don't know for sure
Light purple = bars and coffee shops that are good places to hang out
Blue = museums, resource centers, libraries (aside from DPL)
Black = art, music, culture
Hot pink = shopping or cool, random stuff

Tips:
Best bet for transportation if you're staying downtown or going to Deep Ellum is on foot or by the DART train. There aren't any bike rental places nearby, and there also aren't any bike lanes, so... yeah (hopefully that's in the process of changing, though https://bikefriendlydowntowndallas.wordpress.com/ and https://bikefriendlydeepellum.wordpress.com/). Try not to walk around at night alone. If you are going between Downtown and Deep Ellum, keep in mind you will have to walk under the expressway. I did this everyday to and from work when I worked at El Centro (DCCCD) and was fine, but it does get a little seedier at night. Also, if at all possible, avoid the McDonald's (1000 Commerce Street) -- there have been a lot of muggings, drug deals, and other stuff you would probably like to avoid.

More on safety: program some cab numbers in your phone (or keep them handy) -- there is not an abundant number of taxis running around Dallas to grab, you'll most likely need to call in advance.

• To get to Deep Ellum: Take DART Green Line going East (Buckner) and get off at Baylor stop
• To get to Exposition Park area: Take DART Green Line going East (Buckner) and get off at Fair Park stop
• To get to Cedars: Take DART Red or Blue Lines going South (Westmoreland/Ledbetter) and get off at Cedars stop
• To get to Convention Center from the general downtown area: Take DART Red or Blue Lines going South (Westmoreland/Ledbetter) and get off right at the Convention Center stop
• To get from Convention Center to Deep Ellum or Exposition Park, take the Red or Blue Line going East/North (Parker Rd/Garland) and get off at any stop between West End and Pearl (within downtown). Then catch the Green Line (Buckner) and get off at Baylor or Fair Park, depending on where you want to go.

**(All DART lines meet at the Pearl stop, which is on the East end of downtown, closest to Deep Ellum. They all run through downtown, and then split again right after the West End stop, which is before Red/Blue goes off toward the Convention Center. Need more help? http://www.dart.org/)

If you're looking for GLBTQ-friendly places, the Oak Lawn neighborhood is a gay neighborhood with a lot of options. There are a couple listed on the map, but it's not as comprehensive since Oak Lawn would require a cab ride and isn't right by the convention center. If you need a start, check out http://www.dallasvoice.com/ or http://dallas.gaycities.com/.

There are more vegan options than what is listed, but just like with GLBTQ venues, since most people attending Midwinter won't have a car, we are trying to keep everything within the downtown area. If you feel like venturing out farther, check out http://dallasvegan.com/. This is a comprehensive list of vegan restaurants (or restaurants that are very vegan-friendly). Being vegan myself and working downtown, I wanted to point out places that are nearby and have at least something edible. Dallas Vegan has a printable guide that could come in very handy.

Dallas only has two bookstores, both used and neither are near the Convention Center, so they aren't listed.

We hope this guide is useful to you -- if there are any glaring omissions let us know (use the contact form by clicking on pumpedlibrarian at the top) and we can add more on.

Cheers!

North TX Collective Minutes, July 2010

7/22/10 DFW Radical Reference Meeting (First Meeting!)
6:30pm @ Phil Johnson Historic Archive & Research Library

In attendance: Erin, Shaun, Greg, Azure, Sandy, Ron, Zein, Nicole

A. Went through introductions, 8 total attended

B. Discussed group organization and frequency of meetings

• No formal organization to group, will just rotate who organizes meetings/takes notes/etc. and whoever would like to plan an event or an action will take the lead
• Frequency of meetings will be about once a month, but will vary on how much there is to discuss in person/if people are available to meet (Erin volunteered to organize September meeting)

C. Brainstormed ideas for future projects, long and short-term (Shaun will create a wiki for virtual collaboration and we will make a poll to select top choices for projects)

• Possible slot at 2012 TLA Reference Roundtable (Erin will be chairing and would try to set this up)
• Alternative guide to Dallas for ALA Midwinter 2012 (other Radical Reference local collectives have done something similar when library conferences are in their city)
• Provide/create information resources for neighborhood associations (endangered buildings, examples: Preservation Dallas, Fry St. in Denton)
• Pathfinder on health care information/where to find health-related information (place/groups to consider looking at: Health Care for All Texans, Dallas Peace Center, Hemphill House, Phoenix Project Collective, KNON/ACORN Radio, Progressive Center - although heavily linked to democratic party, and Phil Johnson Historic Archive & Research Library)
• Recyling/freecycling information guide
• Work with books to prisoners group(s) if in existence
• Table/street reference at events (North by 35 in Denton as an example) -- will create list of community events to consider
• Keep track of school district book challenges (can maybe work with or look at TLA Intellectual Freedom Office’s info)
• Skillshares with other organizations or within own group for our group development or can provide skillshares to community (there is a conference in Addison in August called Open Camp, teaching use of open source software)
• Alternative materials in libraries (advocate)
• Oral histories (advocate for validity in research and archives)
• Create list of libraries allowing public use, create list of federal depository libraries in area, inform about public library databases for home access
• Some talk about working with religious groups or compiling a list of progressive places of worship was discussed by a few individuals, but a couple others expressed concern with the group having any connection to organized religion

D. Discussed next meeting and virtual collaboration

• As FYI can usually always meet at The Resource Center Dallas (Phil Johnson Historic Archive & Research Library) - whoever volunteers to organize a meeting can contact Sandy if interested in holding it there
• Some people subscribed to the discussion list but it appeared to not have worked, so Nicole will add email addresses on Friday
• Will keep in contact via discussion list and wiki until the next meeting is planned, and also have Rad Ref local collective page on RR site

North TX Collective Minutes, September 2010

9/25/10 North Texas Radical Reference Meeting
11am @ Denton Public Library, South Branch

In attendance: Erin, Sandy, Ron, Nicole

First went over poll results to determine top choices for projects:

• Slot @ TLA Reference Roundtable 2012
• Advocate alternative materials in libraries
• Create alternative guide to DFW for ALA Midwinter 2012 and other conferences approaching that will be in the area
• Organize and participate in skillshares
• Work with books to prisoners groups
• Keep track of school district book challenges

Outreach - Discussed doing more outreach to other organizations so we could provide skillshares or other information (ask what their information needs are, let them know what we could offer). We could create a list on the wiki and volunteers could sign up to talk to these places. We would like to create materials to pass out as well (brochures, flyers, or whatever else would work); would also like to involve more librarians in the area, including students -- outreach here will be important as well. We could also provide skillshares to other librarians.

Alternative Guides - We can look at other guides for ideas, but will typically include public transportation information, veg*n/sustainable-type restaurants and grocery stores, second hand/thrift stores for shopping, bookstores (independent), alternative spaces, bike paths, music venues, etc. Can collaborate on the wiki.

Wiki - We will discuss everything else more at length via the wiki.

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Talk about the next meeting can take place on the discussion list, but a volunteer will be sought to organize the next meeting for late October or November.