Seismic Retrofit, Air-Conditioning And More Coming To The Green Lake Branch

In 2019, Seattle voters overwhelming passed The Seattle Public Library’s 2019 Library Levy, which helps us fund major maintenance work on our libraries to make them safer, more accessible, and better able to meet the evolving needs of the community. Among the major maintenance projects funded by the levy are seismic retrofits to our Green Lake, University and Columbia branches; three of our historic Carnegie libraries.

We are excited to share that we are preparing to begin the seismic retrofit of our Green Lake Branch, a historically landmarked building that opened in 1910. The LEED-certified project will also include accessibility improvements, a more energy efficient heating system, and the addition of air conditioning and interior improvements.

Construction is planned to begin in the fall, which means we need to close the Green Lake Branch near the end of the summer to prepare for construction. The exact dates have yet to be determined, but we will alert patrons as soon as we know.

We expect the branch to reopen early in the summer of 2023 after the work has been completed.

What to do if you’re a Green Lake Branch patron

In the weeks prior to closure, we will notify Green Lake Branch patrons by email that they should change their home branch – the library branch where their holds and pickups will be – by logging into their MySpl account and selecting My Settings > Account Preferences > Holds and Pickup Locations. If you haven’t done this prior to closure, your home branch will be changed automatically to the Greenwood Branch (8016 Greenwood Ave. N.). But you can change your home branch anytime.

Additional closure information

At least 30 days prior to the closure of the Green Lake Branch, patrons will no longer be able to reserve meeting rooms at the branch.

Patrons will not be able to return books at the Green Lake Branch during the closure. Nearby Library branches with book returns available are listed below.

The branch parking lot will be used for storage during the construction project and will not be available for parking.

Nearby Library branches

• • Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
  • Northeast Branch, 6801 35th Ave. N.E.
  • University Branch, 5009 Roosevelt Way N.E.
  • Wallingford Branch, 1501 N. 45th St.

Summer reading: Suggestions from Green Lake readers

Elephant Winter by Kim Eichlin
The protagonist — a companion to a dying woman —  finds love, loss and drama in a part-time job in a Canadian exotic animal farm. Lovely meditation on family, trust and letting go of loved ones.
~ Debra

The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
Last year’s Booker Prize winner caused a polarized discussion at our book group. This satirical story with so many of its characters coming off as cypers, is also an ambitious novel of ideas centered around questions of Jewish identity which encompass themes of friendship and loss.
~  Rebecca

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
This audiobook kept me in good company on my roadtrip across the state and back. Lots of twists in this fantasy, so I was kept guessing the whole time !
~ Kanh

Bossypants by Tina Fey
In her own voice, Tina tells of her childhood and what it has been like to be a woman working in a male-dominated career. Well written and very funny !
~ Annemarie