Greenwood Branch Highlights
The Greenwood Branch bustles with activity. The meeting room is frequently used for community events.
It is a short distance from Alice Ball Park and restaurants and so this makes this branch a popular destination for families.
History
Serving the Greenwood community since 1928
On May 16, 1928, the Greenwood-Phinney Branch Library opened. The Greenwood-Phinney Commercial Club and parent-teacher groups were vocal advocates for the branch. The club even accepted a proposal from the Library Board to pay rent and utilities. Rent was $45 a month for the storefront that housed the Greenwood-Phinney Branch.
Its popularity led to an expansion in 1932, which almost doubled the space. A second remodel occurred in 1939. Bond issues for new libraries failed in 1950 and 1952. However, in 1953 the Seattle City Council budgeted to buy a new bookmobile and build three branches. The Greenwood Branch was one of them. The branch opened on Jan. 20, 1954— the first new Library building in 33 years.
In 1998, Seattle voters approved the $196.4 million "Libraries For All" bond issue. This funded a brand-new building for the Greenwood Branch. The new building was twice the size and came with a parking garage. The current Greenwood Branch opened Jan. 29, 2005.
In 2017, the branch was remodeled. The 2017 improvements added more seating for quiet study spaces. A new space was created for teens to study with their peers. New communal family spaces were also added.
During the 2017 renovations, an indoor-outdoor boulder in the children's area was removed due to ongoing moisture problems. The rock moved across the street to a community park.
Architecture
The branch was designed to complement the Greenwood community’s architecture. The building exterior is sided in 5-inch-thick stone from Montana. Upper windows line the building to allow light to enter.
The green material used on the interior of the building is called Trespa Meteon. The strong, resin-based material is manufactured in Germany. Trespa Meteon is weather-resistant, color-fast, and easy to clean.
In the main entrance, a courtyard with a stone bench provides a welcoming space to read. A wavy copper-accented screen wall divides the children's area from the entryway.
Many of the wooden tabletops in the Greenwood Branch came from the same tree. It was an American red elm salvaged in Carnation, Washington. The tables were crafted by Seattle business Urban Hardwoods which creates furniture from trees that are diseased or blocking power lines and must be removed.
Architects: Buffalo Design, 2005; Decker and Christenson, 1954.
Art
Portland artists Fernanda D'Agostino and Valerie Otani collaborated to design complex images and text embedded in three glass windows. Most of the images are based on Greenwood Branch patrons who posed as models. The windows are installed in the meeting room facing Greenwood Avenue North, along the east wall that faces the Cascades and in the quiet room in the southeast corner of the building.
Named Spaces
Spaces named for donors include:
- Friends of The Seattle Public Library Meeting Room
- Susan and Glen Beebe Study Room
- Terry R. Collings Reading Area