Houston Public Library Maybe it's not as glamorous as one or two brand-spanking-new sporting arenas. And maybe it doesn't have the sexy, futuristic cachet of the automobile-hunting light rail. But the Houston library system offers something those other budget-gobblers can't: free knowledge. Sure, there's the occasional overdue-book penalty, but it's relatively cheap compared to the price of getting the light rail dents out of your car. And really, nothing's more forward-looking than free reading programs for children, or free summer learning and activity centers for adults, including computer and art classes and free movies. The library system has a minuscule budget, but with three branches being renovated this year, it's a positive alternative to expensive stadiums and destruction-derby transit systems.