Seattle Public Library – West Seattle Branch

This location is one of my favorite but some of the staff don’t seem as friendly as the other libraries. They do have a great kids area and regular kids things to do. Some of the people there that are either on their computers or reading have been known to add to the sourpuss atmosphere but this location has an overall good selection of books compared to the other West Seattle locations.

Super tiny branch.
Super helpful staff.
Parking is hard to come by. Computers to use. Tables to study on.
And my favorite part? The kids that visit are fairly behaved. I don’t think I’ve had to shoot any icy glares at screaming children.

Very small inside but laid out well with plenty of plugs and free wi-​fi. The building itself is a cool old brick building and a charming bathroom that makes you feel like it is 1920 but with all the modern conveniences. There are a few spots off the alley in the back, but otherwise there is just street parking and it is pretty much a residential neighborhood. The staff is friendly and helpful as well.

I am all about getting books from the library, and not forking out my hard-​earned $$$ on ‘em (I don’t buy books until after I’ve read them — otherwise, how do I know I’ll want them?). There is no reason to buy the literary cow when Seattle Public Library will squirt the delicious milk into my mouth for free.
West Seattle is not my favorite branch, but it is the one closest to where I live, and I’m secretly intimidated by the size and scary architecture of the downtown branch. By contrast, the West Seattle branch is located in a friendly old brick building, with battered wooden fixtures and shelves that look like they’ve been there for a hundred years.
It’s a teeny tiny branch, but then, I really only drop in to pick up the books I’ve requested online, so I’m never there for more than five minutes anyway. They do have a few computers and a copy machine, but it’s pretty small in there and not somewhere I’d choose to spend serious time. The lighting seems a bit dim and fluorescenty, and it’s just not very cozy, like other branches I’ve been to.
I haven’t found the staff to be super-​friendly here — they’re helpful, but they don’t go out of their way and they certainly don’t chat with you. But then, I’ve only interacted with them a few times, since I normally use the self-​checkout terminals. Maybe they’re just surly from standing there watching computers take their jobs?
I HATE the parking situation, because 42^nd Ave. is always jam-​packed full of cars, but I just recently discovered that they have a few spaces in the back alley behind the building. Or you can park in Metropolitan Market’s ample lot and cut through the alley under cover of night.