22 April 2005

NEW BALLARD BRANCH AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER OPEN MAY 14

The new Ballard Branch of The Seattle Public Library and the adjacent Ballard Neighborhood Service Center will open their doors with a festive community celebration beginning at noon Saturday, May 14.

The 15,000-square-foot branch at 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. is the 15th project completed under the 1998 "Libraries for All" voter-approved building program. The new 3,100-square-foot service center, 5602 22nd Ave. N.W., was funded by the $72 million Seattle Center/Community Center levy that voters passed in 1999.

The architect was Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. PCL Construction Services Inc. was the contractor. Donald Fels, Andrew Schloss and Dale Stammen created artwork for the new building.

Program schedule
The dedication ceremony will begin at noon with City Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs, Mayor Greg Nickels, Library Board Trustee Linda Larson, City Council President Jan Drago, Department of Neighborhoods Director Yvonne Sanchez, representatives from the Friends of The Seattle Public Library and the Citizen Implementation Review Panel, the Library book fairy "Lulu" and Cajun band "Les Femmes d'Enfer."

The rest of the schedule is as follows:

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Les Femmes d'Enfer will perform in the main area of the library.
1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Market Street Singers will perform in the library meeting room.
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Artists Andrew Schloss and Dale Stammen will discuss the artwork in the lobby at the neighborhood service center.
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – An architectural panel will discuss the building design in the library meeting room.
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Author Carl Deuker will read from his new novel for young adults, “Runner,” in the teen area of the library.
3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Ballard High School String Quartet will perform in the main area of the library.
3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Bygdedeal Scandinavian Group will perform in the library meeting room.
4 p.m. – Event ends.

The branch and service center will remain open until 6 p.m.

The Ballard Branch opening celebration is made possible by premier sponsor Starbucks Coffee, signature sponsor Safeco Insurance, neighborhood sponsor Ballard Rotary and The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

About the building
The $10.9 million branch replaces the former 7,296-square-foot branch constructed in 1963 at 5711 24th Ave. N.W. The new building is more than twice the size of the former branch and features an updated collection, more seats, expanded reference areas, larger areas for children and young adults, more computers, a meeting room and underground parking.

The approximately $2 million service center, which replaces the center at 2305 N.W. Market St., has Internet access and a community meeting room. The public can renew U.S. passports at the center at certain hours and pay traffic tickets, pet licenses and utility bills. The Seattle Municipal Court will conduct hearings there and the Seattle Police Department will use it as an alternate precinct.

Libraries for All
In 1998, Seattle voters approved a $196.4 million bond measure to fund improvements to all 22 existing branches, build new branches in underserved areas and construct a new Central Library. There are currently many projects in the active design or construction phase. For more information about the building program or branch opening, visit www.spl.org, or call (206) 386-4636. For more information about the neighborhood service center, visit www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods or contact Peter McGraw, public information officer for the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, (206) 615-0950.

(For more information, call Andra Addison, Library communications director, at 206-386-4103, or Peter McGraw, public information officer for the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, 206-615-0950.)

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Content modified: 27 April 2005

12/30/2005