Gotta Visit Them All
A small, cosy library with a convenient atrium, an enclosed children’s section, and compact nooks for Teens and computer users.
Auburn
The statue of a hungry crow outside the library is a great start, and the library inside is a winner. A safe children’s area, stacks and cosy nooks for YA and reading, and some lovely quilt like plaques over the wall with the holds. There’s a lot of grassy area around the park and a playground visible from the windows, so it’s a fun family destination.
Bellevue
Bellevue library is a masterpiece. It’s beautiful and peaceful and energizing. It has underground parking, a park outside, a busy make space, a children’s section on its own floor. There are meeting rooms in various sizes, study rooms, study corrals, reading nooks, life plants, comfy chairs with charging outlets in their arms, and both square work tables and bar stool work spaces overlooking greenery or sidewalks, depending on your preferences. Art work sneaks up on you in many places, from the stunning hut depicting Japanese American homes before their incarceration to 23 Windows with small sculptures nestled in window boxes. The librarians were friendly and proud of their bookish home.
I got the art list to study because it was so cool.
Black Diamond
This library is stunningly gorgeous, a cathedral to reading and literacy. The outside is also great, but the inside is beautiful. It’s also functional with a great kids section, a private teen area, and good reading, studying and working areas.I liked how it has windows everywhere and how the arched ceiling makes use of the light and gives a feeling of spaciousness in what is actually a fairly small area. Another good architectural win!
Bothell
A cosy library with a nice meeting room near the children’s section where I’ve seen performances, and a large nonfiction children’s section adjacent, although that does make it easier for kids to escape. I also liked the small enclosed patio if patrons want to read outside on nice days. There were several cool statues in various reading nooks.
Boulevard Park
This is a small, somewhat old fashioned library. The neighborhood seemed to know it well; they’ve been growing together for ages. It’s low on windows, but cosy with a small, contained children’s area and a teen section that gets all the light.
Burien
Actually, I visited this very early in the year, before I had a system. So I went back to take a picture and get my stamp. It’s a nice two story library sharing a building with City Hall, and it feels very welcoming. The librarians are proud of their Northwest collection so I feature that here, after using fancy technology to remove the two patrons who never asked to be on my blog.
Carnation
Carnation is a fairly small library in a small town. It’s just across from the elementary school and in walking distance of the junior high. It feels welcoming and snug, with Pacific Northwest art and baskets around, and a well defined children’s area and a teen nook as well as study areas and comfy chairs. The librarian was excited by my quest and gave me good advice on my route for the next ones as well as tips on good stuff in the library.
CovingtonCovington is large and beautiful, with a stunning central area backed by a glass wall open to the woods. That’s a stove in the center of the nook and reading there is like a meditation. It also has a great kid space and many seats for reading, working, typing or planning. I’d like to go back in the winter to make sure it’s comfortable all year round, but actually I’m sure it is and I just want to go back there.
It’s always a good feeling when I ask the librarians for what is the heart of the library and it’s the thing I took a picture of already. Of course it’s also great when they tell me something I missed so I make a new discovery.
Crossroads
This tiny library is tucked into a mall. It’s got a fun spiral ramp into the kids section, good lighting and lots of patron computers. It also is right by the delicious food court where I got some very good Indian food.
Des MoinesLovely building tucked behind the City Hall (I went to the wrong parking lot first) with well defined spaces arranged by clever placing of shelves and furniture. I enjoyed comfortable chairs in two seating areas and was impressed by the mural in the safely enclosed children’s area. Also by the fun kids searching for books but I managed to grab my picture while they were out of frame.
Duvall
A slightly bigger library than Carnation but with many charming features, such as reading nooks built into the walls of the children’s area, striking artwork including a really nifty abstract sculpture, and this Bigfoot looking for a good next read.
Enumclaw
This library is proud to showcase the logging history of the area. It has murals, paintings, and there’s a giant statue outside depicting oxen and men hauling a giant load, with monuments to people who died doing the tough work scattered about. It makes for a lovely outside; I spent some time walking around and it was relaxing and restorative.
Inside there was a cheerful feel, a good kid section, and the intelligent design I now expect from my KCLC libraries.
Fairwood
Fairwood was my first King County Library, before Renton joined the county system. When the kids were young we would have a library day to visit all three systems (Renton, King County, Seattle) and the playgrounds we associated with each. Visiting it without four small children is more peaceful; it has the most inviting reading space I’ve seen so far. Its tall windows and ceilings give a sense of space and limitless time.
Fall City
Compact and cosy, Fall City is especially proud of the vibrant plants that bring the shelves to green life. There’s a nook for Teens, a meeting room and a study room, and a small but well stocked children’s area. The high ceilings mean lots of light even among the many shelves, and the plants are eating it up.Federal Way 320th
Although this must be the worst name for a library, the building itself looks good. I liked the colors and dimensions of the outside. Inside there’s a feeling of space with some lovely art on the wall across from the entrance. People were studying or working at many of the tables behind the fiction and nonfiction shelves. The children’s area was nice but rather open — I watched a happy toddler sneak out and make a break for the Friends Book Sale. Luckily her giggling made her fail her stealth check.
Federal WayAbsolutely gorgeous. Amazing windows, with the teen section getting the sectioned one. There were many people enjoying the comfortable and functional seating by the back window, but it wasn’t crowded at all. I think that has a view of the rain garden but it was a beautiful day so I’m not sure. The maker’s space was big and inviting, and the expanded children’s area was bright but enclosed, with lots of places for shared reading.
Greenbridge
This was the first time I told an unknown librarian about my quest, and she was very enthusiastic. She also showed me around the small library and talked about how they had to curate the shelves and how quickly books turned over. I liked how kids came in to play and read and how welcoming it felt. My sister came along and took the picture with me and the librarian.
Issaquah
I thought I’d been here before but it seemed new to me. There’s a nice children’s section although containing a crowd would be a bit tricky. They cram a lot of study tables, corrals and desks in various nooks and I saw a lot of students and a few collaborations. The high ceilings and natural lighting keeps it warm and cosy. Another good library!
Kennmore This was a sneaky library tucked in between my Bothell bookclub meeting place and the Bothell library — I could have found it ages ago! It’s a single room with well defined areas for browsing, studying, reading or working, and has a nice back garden reached from the cosy children’s area. And my habit of asking the librarians for their recommendation paid off again - I had completely missed the floor art, with several small pits displayed cool art. It was as if the library were build on an archeological site.
Kent
A big box of a room with a sense of abundance and space. There are desks and computers to the right and magazines and sitting areas on the left, including the teen corner. The children’s area is squared off by low shelving, which I would have appreciated when I showed up with four young kids. There are several nooks with chairs or tables for quiet work and a couple of meeting rooms for large and small gatherings. Not too bad.
Kent Panther Lake
This is an older building but manages to hit cosy. It’s small but carves out a nice children’s section and several good reading areas. I liked the art showing the lake the library is names after.I arrived a little before it opened because I had scheduled extra time for proctoring a high school exam so I took advantage of its proximity to a small open shopping mall and walked over to a Vietnamese restaurant and had a delicious lunch before returning and exploring the library.
Kingsgate
This is a small, local library that is proud of its history; the murals of children were taken from the original building and incorporated into the children’s area here. There is a good use of art to keep,the area feeling spacious and welcoming; see the clouds hanging from the ceiling. I liked the adult area and its air of quiet concentration; lots of people were working at the cubbies and tables.
KirklandI can’t believe I’ve never been here before - I have friends in Kirkland! But this was new to me, from the cool sculptures to the enclosed kid section to the cosy quiet reading areas with a view of the nearby baseball field (you can kind of see it through the window here). The librarians told me about some secret stuff as well, but you are my friend so I’ll tell you there’s a GeoCache nearby. I will say that the teen area didn’t impress me much, but I’m not a Teen so maybe I look for different things.
Lake Forest Park
This library has been hard to get into. It’s far from my home, but a bookclub meets right above it on a day it’s not open. Argh! I made a special trip to get back in and enjoy the cosy in-mall experience. It’s a real branch with holds and a sense of community and a friends book sale and everything. It was nice to see it again (book club used to meet while it was open).
Lake HillsI’ve driven by Lake Hills many times, but always on my way to appointments so I never stopped. They said they were particularly proud of their frog collection, so I took this photo and met some great crafters who rotate around local libraries for their meetings. So once again this quest gives me the excuse to stop and gather some roses.
Maple Valley
Why is the picture of the parking lot, with a glimpse of the library on the right behind my car? Because this library was built around the trees on the lot, and the parking lot carefully meanders about to give enough parking while sparing all the trees. The library itself is very attractive, built around a central open area with one arm for offices and the other for a cosy section. Good lighting, good nooks, good kid section.
Mercer Island
Another lovely building, with a great children’s area, good places for reading or studying, and options for either study rooms or seats with pleasant views of trees and parks. There is both a small and large meeting space and a well stocked Friends of the Library section.
MuckleshootThis fairly small library uses its high ceiling to give a sense of space and roominess in an almost Tardis-like effect. There is good browsing and great art, both prominent pieces that attest to the location on the Muckleshoot reservation and smaller displays that mostly also honor the tribe. I enjoyed the kids section and also the friendly librarian.
NewcastleI was lucky enough to find an art display ongoing at Newcastle, so I examine the art from local students carefully and cast my ballot. Their children’s section is off to the side and almost contained, with a rich selection and some terminals available. Their comfy chairs scattered by the windows are indeed comfortable, and the blossoms on the tree out side were lovely.
Newport Way
Newport Way is a very cosy and comfortable library. It is fairly small but uses its space efficiently and there are many small details to delight in, from the enclosed children’s area to the windowed reading annex to the sculptures outside and the many small details on the brick walls inside. You can find small animals, letters, fossils, and even a would-be-visitor.
Normandy Park LockersThis is not actually a library, just some lockers where patrons can pick up requested books, use the WiFi, and return books to the designated box.
I asked for gossip about it from some librarians I was meeting and apparently the neighborhood really wanted their own library but there were several nearby branches so the compromise was these lockers.
North Bend
North Bend is another gem. It’s halfway up the mountain (Snonomish, not THE mountain, which is Ranier), and there’s a feeling of green wilderness nearby. The tall ceiling gives the room a feeling of space, and the meeting room and study rooms add some interesting nooks. The square shape makes it hard to block off the kids area, but they use the shelves to make the picture book area a corral and bigger kids can handle themselves. The artwork is by local people and depicts characters from favorite books.
RedmondThis large library is right in the middle of town, and introduces itself with lovely statues outside and again inside as you walk in. It seems almost bigger on the inside, with lots of Choice books and then an enclosed children’s area on one side and also a large non-English section which I assume is tailored to the community.
Redmond Ridge Library ExpressThis is a nifty library innovation that far exceeded expectations. Nearby librarians had warned me that it wasn’t manned and thought it didn’t really count as a library, so I was expecting something on the lines of the Normandy Park lockers. Instead I got a SECRET ROOM.
Ok, it’s not really secret because there are biggish signs directing people there, but you do have to enter a secret code (your library card number) to access it. It’s mostly for holds but they have a few shelves for browsing, and then the automatic check out machines recorded my selections. It’s super cool and also a great sense of being a trusted member of the KCLS community.
Renton
This is our local branch where the kids and I have been going since I moved to Washington. It is built over a river and has glass walls so you can look up or downstream to see the water flow, the birds fly and paddle about, and the salmon swim. It’s as cool as it sounds. It got a major renovation a few years ago and we almost had to move it (wet lands are hard to construct on, and rivers are by definition wet) but the community ponied up the extra money so it stayed. I liked the kids section better before the renovations but I don’t have kids any more so fine. There’s a nice big meeting room, several study rooms, lots of computers and nice librarians. I approve.
A couple of big trees blew over a few months ago and you can see them in the river behind the library. The window facing us has a lot of chairs set up so you can read and look out at the water flowing away and the birds and the fish (the salmon swim up this river in the fall). The children’s area is on the right so the kids get the view.
Update in December: we had record highs in our river, so I’m adding a picture of the highest point. I haven’t gone back to check on the trees; I suspect they may have floated down to the lake now!
Renton Highlands
My other local library (we moved here before Renton libraries joined with KCLS) has a new building located what looks like an awesome park for kids. You can see the giant climbing structure in the right background. It also has quiet study rooms, good tables with chargers, a nice meeting room next to the children’s area which is open but has good sight lines.
Richmond BeachThis is a small cheerful library that apparently has a great view of the water on days that aren’t misty and gray, as unfortunately my visit time was. I had to make two trips because I didn’t notice that it’s one of the few branches not open on a Sunday, so I was a bit grumpy until the art dangling from the ceiling and the cosy box of the children’s area with a bookworm bird of prey won me over. (I did notice there were several ways out of the kid section, so having multiple tinies might be stressful but the library is small enough they couldn’t go far.) There is an adjacent park with lots of room to run or walk and I could see the water that a bit of light would have made very beautiful.
Sammamish
What a lovely day to go library hunting in! After meeting a friend for a walk along the lake I realized I was close to the last library I needed. I really liked the art inside and outside this branch, and the open feel of the building which seemed to stretch in all directions. They had a roaring fire if you wanted a cozy reading spot, but also many chances to sit and work or read and look up and out at a green vista, with the sky and mountains in the distance.
Service Center
I found the Service Center and they were very happy to be included in my count. Their lobby waiting chairs were clearly designed for readers so they are a deserving member of this count, although you have to bring your own books. Or borrow one from a friendly staff member; most of them have spares to loan you.
I had fun learning about all their work and planning that happens here, and also appreciating the art in the lobby and outside, both paintings and statues.
All the art in the libraries is a definite bonus for me as I search out each building. I’m really glad the libraries work so hard to make the spaces welcoming along so many dimensions.
Shoreline
Shoreline definitely feels like a city library rather than a suburb one. Their signage about parking is very authoritarian and ominous, and the facade is grand rather than cosy. But it’s a delight inside, with an enclosed children’s section with fun sculptures and features. I had fun browsing the special displays in the foyer and the subject collections in the library.Skykomish
This far flung branch required some planning. My weekly walk buddy and I decided to make it an expedition as it required driving over an hour to get there. But it’s in a lovely town with great hikes, a free train ride, and some wonderful lunch options so we had a great time. The library is small but cleverly laid out with a children’s corner by the adult shelves so tiny kids and parents can both browse. And they are celebrating their 75 birthday so we made a Pom Pom to add to their string.
SkywayThis is a familiar friend, located near my sons’ old junior high school (which is admittedly not all that close to our home). It’s fairly small but I like its steep angles as it fits itself into the oddly shaped lot where the streets meet but not orthogonally. And I really like the topologically donut shaped sculpture outside, so I tried to take the picture through it.
Snoqualmie
This is a small library that relies on its lovely views to give a sense of roominess. This art chandelier thing hangs over the Teen area, and there also a small and cosy children’s section. The chairs were comfortable although they didn’t seem to have the cool charging areas I see in more modernized buildings, so remember to bring standard plugs!
South Center
The tiny little mall libraries apparently have no permanent collection but are stocked with Ready Reads and other temporary stuff. Hmm, they do have decently stocked children’s shelves. And friendly librarians.
The more libraries I visit the more impressed I am with KCLS. This is another compact but powerful place, with the children’s area conveniently in one corner and a high airy ceiling that gives room to breath, as well as a generous number of comfortable chairs and study areas. The meeting room currently held two reading buddy dogs, one a new recruit still learning to temper her enthusiasm so I got to help by walking into the room repeatedly until she could greet me politely.
Valley ViewWhat a lovely surprise! The moderator of one of my favorite KCLS book clubs was out shelving books when I prowled the children’s area. I had never met Rachel in person until that day. She recognized me and we bonded over books and the great kids section, which included a neat boat with several moving parts (tiller, anchor, fish). But this picture is of their plant library because I don’t see that very often - it’s a step beyond even a seed library. I did not take one since I have a green thumb and this seems a chancy month to test it (November), but it was a delightful program that seems to ground this small and charming library into the community. I’d also like to give their twisty study desks a shout out for being an elegant and economic way to add a feature but also keep the library cohesive and welcoming.
Vashon
Many librarians cited Vashon as a hard one to add to my list, but I have family on the island so I’m there periodically. It’s a bright and inviting building with windows onto greenery from all sides, including a nice view of a playground from the children’s section. I always appreciate that.
White CenterA small and cosy library with a friendly librarian who encouraged me on my quest. This was the first new-to-me library I found, since I had started with the easy ones that are in my usual stomping ground.
There were happy kids on the computers and looking at shelves, great options on the face out shelves, and comfortable places to sit and read. A perfect small branch library. The librarian talked to me about the nearby branches and also about her experiences working here over the past few years and how the kids enjoy it as an after-school destination.
Woodinville
This was a time I wished I had done this quest decades ago when I had a carload of kids to haul around. There’s a sensory-garden thing next to the library, a display of cranes near the front, lovely floor length glass windows and such a sense of light and space even on a gray November afternoon. And they had a reading nook that was drop-jaw gorgeous and inviting.
WoodmontBe wary! Google seems to think this is part of the Des Moines library and directs you there, but fight past that deception because it’s a fun place in its own right. I liked the art and how it’s used to make each section its own place even though the building has an open design. The children’s area is well designed although neither I nor the random kids I enlisted could find any of the dinosaurs hidden somewhere in there. This is the alphabetical end but I still have a few branches to go.
