I had a bit of time on a Saturday afternoon (thank you, 9/80 day off) so I stopped by the Central Library to check out how it looked after the renovation. It’s very beautiful and quite different, while retaining the flavor of the previous incarnation.
For one thing: soft seating. This was something I’ve wished the library had ever since I visited the big Seattle Public Library and enjoyed comfy chairs. All the renovated and refreshed libraries will have soft seating. There’s a general feeling that people are less agitated when soft seating appears. They aren’t uncomfortable while sitting on top of the other problems they may have.
Sightlines are very different. In the picture above most of the floor area had stacks that were taller than me. There are a few places where I did find traditional-height stacks in the building, but most of the books on the floor area are housed in bookshelves no taller than 4 feet high. This improves sightlines for all.
Bathrooms. I didn’t take a picture, but the bathroom renovations are top-notch. There are many toilets, each has its own floor-to-ceiling door. The sink area is shared by all. There is no door to the bathroom, so it’s easy to see what’s going on in the bathroom (outside of the toilet cubicles). For people who like a gender-specific experience, there are men’s and women’s restrooms on an upper floor.
Overall, this feels very much like a library that is primed for the future. Nicely done!
I also looked up my family in this 1955 city directory. For some weird reason, my grandparents weren’t listed, but my great great uncle was.
There he is: Anastas, Tom 7505 SW 64th. I looked up “clk” and it means “clerk.”
I find it weird that there are places of employment listed in the city directory (Adriano Ancheta was a baker at the Bohemian Bakery) and home addresses, but no phone numbers.
I also love the name Aloysius Amzurfluh. Do you suppose he had a nickname? Aloysius is Antares’s middle name.