About the Beacon Hill Branch

The new Beacon Hill Branch at 2821 Beacon Ave. S. opened July 10, 2004. It was the 11th project completed under the "Libraries for All" building program. (See the Beacon Hill Branch Construction Fact Sheet.)

The $5.2 million branch has an expanded collection capacity of 40,200 books and materials. The branch recently expanded its collection of books, videos and music in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Bilingual staff are available to answer questions and help patrons. More than 2,000 new children's books were added to the collection when the branch opened, thanks to donations in memory of Betty Jane Narver, former Library Board member and community leader. The books have a commemorative bookplate to honor Narver, who died in December 2001.

The branch has more seating, areas for young adults, 22 public computers (up from 11), a meeting room, adult reference and reading areas, and parking for 24 vehicles. Two study rooms provide space for tutoring and other uses, and a quiet room provides an alternative to the activity of the main reading room. The meeting room was named Friends of The Seattle Public Library Meeting Room, in recognition of a donation by the Friends. (See information on the donors honored by named spaces at the branch.)

The branch also has a 400-square-foot Language Center, which was proposed by the Friends of the Beacon Hill Branch and funded through the Opportunity Fund for new or unanticipated neighborhood library capital needs. A study room in the Language Center provides space for the branch's Computers for English program.

The branch, which includes a 400-square-foot Language Center, is 10,400 square feet. A 400-square-foot neighborhood service center makes the entire building 10,800 square feet.

The building was designed by Carlson Architects and built by Steele Corp. The architects designed the sweeping roof forms, which allow natural light to flood the building, to provide a visual landmark and establish a focal point for the community. Wood and stone are used throughout the building to provide a harmony of natural warmth and enduring craft. Plaster and interior finishes were donated by Mark Ricketts of Medici Architectural Finishes LLC.

The stone countertops, sills, site stones and the stone for the branch sign came from the Tenino Quarry, which supplied the stone for the original Carnegie library in downtown Seattle.

The canopied stone entry plaza offers protected seating, bicycle racks and large quarry stones for landscaping and seating. Green garden areas provide a visual buffer to the streets and parking areas.

Artwork includes: a kinetic boat sculpture above the main entry and rain scuppers designed by Pullman artist Miles Pepper; haiku engraved onto large garden stones donated by Marenakos Rock Center; and audio recordings of poetry, prose and short fiction. The haiku and poetry, prose and fiction were written by Beacon Hill residents.

Visit the Art Gallery to see the Beacon Hill artwork.

History

The first Beacon Hill Library opened Oct. 23, 1945, in a small building at 2708 Beacon Ave. S. Members of the Beacon Hill Community Club, Beacon Hill Parent-Teachers Association and Jefferson Park Ladies' Improvement Club contributed time, money, materials and labor.

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees agreed to provide books and staff if the community would pay the rent, decorate, furnish and maintain the building for a two-year trial period. Heavy use convinced the Library Board to assume full responsibility.

On Dec. 6, 1962, the library moved to a larger, rented space at 2519 15th Ave. S. in a building originally built in 1927 as a food store. In 1968, fire destroyed the variety store next door, but heavy rain kept the library from burning. The Library Board bought the 3,200-square-foot building in 1975.

Libraries for All Capital Projects and the Beacon Hill Branch

In 1998, voters approved the $196.4 million "Libraries for All" bond measure and The Seattle Public Library Foundation pledged to contribute privately raised money to improve the entire Library system. The plan included building a new Beacon Hill Branch.

Construction began in February 2003. The new branch opened July 10, 2004.