Last week, during the 24-Hour Read-a-thon, Jessica (A Curious Reader) hosted a mini-challenge called “Love Your Local Library.” I loved reading what everyone wrote in response to the questions she posed, and I loved the photo she used for her post (above). I cheered the read-a-thoners from the sidelines this year, so I didn’t participate in any of the mini-challenges. However, the thought of Jessica’s mini-challenge has stuck with me, so I decided to go ahead and participate in it, after-the-fact. It was a great idea, Jessica!
Here’s what she said about her local library and the questions she posed, along with my answers.
I love my local library. I have always been a library-lover, and working at libraries has not dimmed this love in any way. So I am curious about other readers’ use of their local libraries.
1. What is the name of your local library?
There are a lot of choices of libraries for me here in the greater Seattle area. There are the many branches in the Seattle Public Library System (with the new central library in downtown Seattle which was designed by the architect Rem Koolhaas). And there are the many branches in the King County Library System. I am located within reasonable distance of the Kirkland Branch (closed for a year of renovation), and the Kingsgate, Bothell, and Redmond branches. The one I visit the most often is the Kingsgate branch.
Kingsgate Library
2. What city is it located in?
It’s located in Kirkland, Washington, USA.
3. How often do you go to the library?
I go to the library 2 or 3 times a week. My daughter teases me, saying that every time she calls me I’m at the library.
4. If you’re a regular, do the staff know you?
Some of the staff recognize me, but I don’t know any of them by name because all the check-out is done by machine now.
5. Do you browse while you’re there or just pick up items you have placed on reserve?
I usually browse, even if I’m just there for a couple of minutes to pick up a book.
6. What is your favorite thing about your local library?
It’s small, intimate, not too crowded, (although it’s more crowded than it’s ever been since the Kirkland Library closed for a year), and has a good selection of books and audiobooks. The thing I like most about the King County Library System is that I can order my books online and then just go pick them up when they arrive.
Kingsgate Library outdoor seating...
Both B and I have always wanted to live within walking distance of a library, but that hasn’t happened yet. I envy my mom because she lives right next door to a very nice library! Maybe she’ll write about it so I can post it here on my blog, too?
A Fondness For Reading 
That looks like an absolutely gorgeous library area… So, so much nicer than ours. (It’s right next to the road and the mall, so there’s no room for pretty seating areas even if they were inclined to have them.)
I have library envy!
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It sounds like a wonderful place!
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Shanra, I think it’s a very nice looking library, and I love the tall trees that surround it. The back, outdoor seating area isn’t used very often, but there’s a reading area inside that looks out on it. I always stand there and look out when I’m in the library because it’s so pretty.
Nan, it’s a nice little library. I prefer it to the one in downtown Kirkland (which is actually much closer to home).
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Robin, thanks for sharing about your library. So lovely, but you live in a most beautiful area of the country. I’m interested in the fact that patrons check everything out for themselves at your library. We do have 3 self-check machines at the branch where I work. However, some things can’t be checked out there or if there is some kind of problem with the account, the person has to come to the circulation desk. I did find that the library systems in the Northwest were much more advanced than ours here, even in 1994. 🙂
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Kay, there is always a librarian or two on duty at the circulation desk to answer questions or help us if we need it, but most patrons use the self check-out machines now.
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