Last year I had the chance to stop in to the SPL shortly after moving to the Pacific NW. It is quite a surreal experience (even the elevators coming up from the parking garage are brilliantly colored) and a welcome change from typical library decor. My favorite part is just standing inside watching everyday people going about their everyday activiities in the midst of all that unique design. Splendid contrast.

I love the central library! In a city bereft of great architecture, this building is a beacon. The same bond that financed the new central branch also provided funding to upgrade/replace all neighborhood branches, many of which have great architecture & design as well (I have a special place in my heart for my local Capitol Hill Branch). The Seattle libraries & library system are simply great. Projects like these are one of the things that make me proud to be a Seattleite.

This was definitely the highlight of our trip to Seattle! It's such a cool combination of style and function. Every angle is picture-worthy like a museum.

wow, that is a library? that looks awesome...

Link to building info http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_central_building&branchID=1

Link to Seattle Times' virtual tour
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/library/

one of my favorites...part of a reason why I fell in love with Seattle and moved up here four months after. :)

Your photo choices are telling. Nary a book or computer terminal or magazine rack in evidence anywhere.

I'm afraid I'm one of those who found the building disjointed and would have preferred that the stack of books placed in downtown Seattle had been straightened up a bit. Compared to, say, the, Red Enchilada library in San Antonio, it's not inviting to me as a place to graze through some stacks. All those people constantly droning by on the book spiral adds to the distractions.

The branch libraries that I've visited (especially Montlake) are terrific.

Yea Seattle! Since the Central branch was re-built, circulation has doubled. All of the new branches - because their good architecture makes them so inviting and accessible - have had increases in circulation. Libraries are such an important service for all citizens, including immigrants. And while the Seattle Public Library system is constantly adapting to its clients' needs, it is also becoming an important repository for the city's historical documents.

Amazing! Inspiring!

those guys have it so good - what a library!

kudos

I had the opportunity to visit Seattle and the central library a year ago.
I was struck by how function and "needs" oriented everything was. How everything about the library seemed "real" and so much in the moment. The architecture and the interiror space had nothing to do with fantasy creation, experience building, or any other jargon that almost requires nowadays that every man-made space should be of utter creation, to the point of being ridiculous. Yet, creativity was indeed used to acquire a certain degree of honesty, funcionality and simple aesthetics in every bit of the library.

I never go into the SPL central library any more. It's cold. There's no cozy place to read. The escalators add an element of visual and acoustic chaos. The elavators are ridiculous--always full. SO slow it takes you 5 minutes to go a few floors. The stairs skip floors. To get from the 5th floor to the 6th floor you have to climb a huge flight of stairs to the 7th floor and walk back down through the stacks to get to there. One time I decided to take the fire stairs to get out, just to avoid the craziness and I was led down directly to a blank concrete wall. No signs, nothing. If you like discomfort and irritation when you're trying to read or use your laptop, this library is the place for you.