FYI: New Seattle Public Library

Subject: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 May 04 - 03:21 PM

I don't know if this should go in the music section or the BS section. It's not specifically about music, but could be considered strongly related. I spent a great deal of time at the Seattle Public Library digging through their substantial collection of song books and records (and now, of course, audio and video tapes and CDs) learning songs and researching songs. Anybody can do this, of course. It's a marvelous resource. My first major gig came in 1959 when the Seattle Public Library funded a series of programs on KCTS Channel 9 (the educational station then located on the U. of W. campus, but now one of the local PBS affiliates and located next to the Seattle Center). I did a series of half-hour television shows entitled "Ballads and Books." All the library wanted for their funding was a mention someplace in each program of the materials relating to folk music that the library had available. With a television series to my credit, it made getting subsequent gigs in the area pretty easy. Anyway. . . .

WOW!

Today, the new central Seattle Public Library building opens officially. Weird, controversial, and magnificent! My wife Barbara has worked at the SPL for close to a couple of decades now, so in anticipation of today's opening, Thursday evening there was a staff party in the new building, and spouses and guests were welcome. We went. The evening's entertainment included a band and a singer, buffet tables everywhere loaded with food, and self-guided tours. Deborah Jacobs (the Head Librarian), Mayor Greg Nichols, an assistant architect, and a union representative all spoke, taking a total of twenty minutes, then a thousand or more people (500 staff and guests) were turned loose to chow down and roam the building

The new library building is eleven stories of oddly arranged steel and glass. At first, when elevations of it were released, and later, during the couple of years it was being constructed, many people had serious doubts about it, thinking, "this doesn't look like any library I've ever seen!" with some assuming that it was a huge blunder on the part of the library board and nothing more than a monument to an architect's ego. But—

This is a library for the future. The first thing that struck me when I first entered the building was how much open space there was. And the fact that I didn't actually feel like I was inside a building. There is glass all around, and you can see the surrounding area, neighboring buildings and such, without much impediment (but the glass has fine mesh imbedded in it, so it's shatterproof, and the mesh mitigates glare and distributes the light. There is a huge atrium that goes from the third floor to the eleventh floor and it's filled with daylight. One thinks "My God, what a prodigious use of space!" and then one wonders "prodigious waste of space?" But not to worry. Unless you have a fear of open spaces, this area gives you the feeling that you both enclosed and open to the outside: you're in what might be the world's largest living room. With its chairs and tables seemingly randomly arranged, it's oddly comfortable for a huge room that has what might be a ninety or hundred foot ceiling!

But the use of space is brilliant! North of the atrium, the building appears to be arranged in more conventional stories (or "storeys" for our British friends). One finds the "mixing room," which is actually a reference room, containing the usual reference material, plus 132 computers available to the public. There are computers all over the building (uniformly IBMs with nice keyboards and 15" TFT flat-panel monitors), as many as 400 altogether, and there are outlets everywhere for someone to plug in their own laptop if they wish. And the whole building is wireless "hotspot" for those who are so equipped.

A unique feature of the building is the "book spiral." This is not like the spiral at the Guggenheim Museum. It's rectangular and filled with bookshelves with aisles between them. You walk up (or down) a gentle slope (it's gentle enough so I can manage it in my wheelchair with no problem—much less than ADA maximum grade). The Dewey decimal numbers are printed large on the floor by each shelf, so if you've looked up the number of the book or books you want, just follow the sequence of numbers to the right shelf and there it is. Most of the non-fiction collection (several million volumes) are there in the book spiral, not hidden away in stacks as is the way with most libraries. If you walk the width of the building, you will find yourself one floor up (or down), and can continue, or head for one of the elevators, escalators, or stairways. I don't understand the geometry of it, but the claim is that they can shelve six floors worth of books in a space normally occupied by little more than three stories. And there is plenty of room to expand the collection. Fiction is on the third floor. There are various collections here and there around the building. Just check one of the ubiquitous computers or ask one of the staff. In addition, there are offices, meeting rooms, reading rooms, an area complete with research facilities for local writers to work, an auditorium, a large children's section complete with a "story room" where story-tellers can spin their tales, a gift shop, and lots of places to just kick back and contemplate.

Deborah Jacobs said that she and a whole batch of librarians questioned Rem Koolhaas, the architect, every step of the way and presented him with every possible problem they could think of with his design, and he apparently took each of them in turn as a challenge to be met and a problem to be solved. For the first twenty minutes or half-hour I was in the building, I really had my doubts, but I soon began to see the logic of the place. The only problem I could see is that on some of the upper floors, when you're near the atrium, it's possible to see all the way down to the third floor, and this gives some people the whammies.

If you get to Seattle, drop by and give it a look. It's kinda mind-boggling!

Here and here.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Mark Clark
Date: 23 May 04 - 04:48 PM

WOW, Don! What a great facility. I'm another one who appreciates libraries for many reasons not the least of which is the many many hours I spent in libraries researching songs long ago. I'm not sure I'd move to Seattle just for the library but it's sure tempting.

I seem to remember that the neocons are against public libraries. They regard libraries as welfare and think everyone should just buy the books they want. I'm glad those people aren't dominant in your area yet.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 23 May 04 - 05:40 PM

Don--

Thanks much for the links to photos--what a gorgeous building! Love the bright colors, too.

I used to hang out in the old building on my lunch hours, as it was right across the street from where I worked in the Sea-First Building (yes, the one with the vertebrae out front). Looks like this one would be a blast to explore.

I'm planning to be in Port Angeles the middle of June; will try and get to Seattle for a tour.

Lin

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 May 04 - 05:52 PM

I saw it (unfinished) in February, when the Public Library Association met in Seattle. It's everything Don says it is and more. If you can, go there. Support them -- and your own public library.

Public libraries return far more to the community than they cost in taxes, both directly and via "intangible assets."

And an architect who LISTENED to the librarians! That MUST be a first, and the library would be noteworthy for that alone!

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 May 04 - 07:02 PM

Good to hear there are still some places capable of building a fine new libraray. Most of the time it's a case of closing them down.

Or selling off the books - my shelves are crammed with ones I couldn't believe they were selling. It's all very well to make a library more roomy by making it bigger - round here they seem to try for the same effect by getting rid of the books so they can space out the bookshelves more widely.

I'd regard anyone who is against public libraries, or whom undermines their resources or public accessibility, as fundamentally disloyal to whatever community or country they happen to be infesting. It's a kind of litmus test.

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Deckman
Date: 24 May 04 - 12:17 AM

Jeeze Don!!! I don't understand what all the excitments about. I read a book once. I REALLY did. And there warn't NO pictures. I mean, once you've read a book, what's the big deal. All books are the same, words, and some with pixtures. SHEEEUH! bob

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 24 May 04 - 12:32 AM

Wow Don, what a great looking building. I've got to put a visit to the library into my schedule next time I'm in Seattle. Thanks for the information.

Mike

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Benjamin
Date: 24 May 04 - 12:41 AM

I've seen the building from the outside. It looks very futuristic, almost space age. I've been meaning to pay a visit, and perhaps I'll have time in a couple of weeks when my quarter is done. I'm told that there is a nice auditorium where music will be occasionally performed.
Benjamin

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 04 - 12:51 AM

As the saying goes, "this isn't my father's library" (but he'd have loved it, just the same!) Thanks for posting this Don. So I guess "luke warm" doesn't describe what you feek about this place, eh? :)

SRS

Subject: RE: FYI: New Seattle Public Library
From: Amos
Date: 24 May 04 - 10:12 AM

Woweee!! Great job. How fine to have a new and better library to boast of.

I have to add, though, that the descent from the assembly area with its bright red walls reminds me of something...oh, yeah -- contacting the birth experience in a regression session...exactly like it...yeah, right!!

~A