Seattle Public Library University Branch Getting a Makeover

Seattle Public Library patrons in Wallingford have several choices about where to visit the library. The Wallingford Branch is conveniently located right in the neighborhood, but depending on where your other errands take you, perhaps you prefer the Fremont Branch or, like me, the University Branch.

I was surprised to learn in January that the University Branch was scheduled to close for renovations on January 29, not to reopen until late 2026! My held items were automatically moved to the Northgate Branch, which is not convenient for me, but a University Branch librarian helpfully transferred all of my items to my preferred Green Lake Branch.

I chose the Green Lake Branch because it is closer to my daily travel routes, and I knew it had recently reopened after its own renovation (Feb 2023 – Oct 2024). I had not been inside before early February, when I picked up my first holds, but I found the interior impressively refurbished, with sky-lit reading rooms behind glass walls on both sides of the foyer. I was wondering what was in store for the University Branch.

Serendipitously, I was invited by the Seattle Public Library Foundation to its February 25 “Lunch & Learn” session in the Green Lake Branch’s basement meeting room. The topic was “Reimagining Library Spaces.” In addition to providing a delicious catered lunch, the Foundation gathered a panel of experts who told us about the importance of the renovation projects happening now throughout the library system. The panelists were:

• Brian Lawrence, Seattle Public Library Foundation CEO
• Eugenia Woo, Director of Preservation Services at Historic Seattle
• David Strauss, Partner at SHKS Architects and Library Foundation Board Member
• Tom Fay, Seattle Public Library Executive Director and Chief Librarian

Featured at the front of the room were posters of SHKS Architects’ plans for the University Branch renovation. A better view of the project boards is available online.

I found out that Green Lake and University are among six extant branches in the Seattle Public Library system that are “Carnegie Libraries,” meaning they were built under a program financed by industrialist Andrew Carnegie to expand public libraries throughout the United States, and indeed the world. Other Carnegie libraries in Seattle, built between 1910 and 1921, are West Seattle, Queen Anne, Columbia, and Fremont.

These historic buildings have been renovated multiple times over the years, and this latest series of improvements is necessary for seismic safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility. Green Lake, University and Columbia will all be upgraded in this round of renovations.

The upgraded features at the University branch will be similar to what was installed at Green Lake. The renovation will consist of a seismic retrofit to improve safety; accessibility improvements, including two new entrances, a new elevator, and new accessible restrooms on both levels; sustainability features, such as solar panels and replacing the gas-fired boiler with an efficient electric heat pump (including air conditioning); and an improved interior layout, with two new study rooms and a dedicated music room. In addition, natural elements, such as the tree canopy and surrounding landscaping, are considered during the planning and construction phases. The team is working with arborists and landscape architects to ensure integration with the neighborhood and ecosystem.

While renovations are underway, nearby locations will host additional programming, and mobile library services will also be added to help bridge gaps.

The panel discussed that the historic preservation aspect of the renovation projects is important to the character and sense of place of the neighborhoods in which libraries perform a significant community service. Our Carnegie libraries are protected as designated historic landmarks, and design reviews are required before renovating. In any case, preserving and modernizing a building is generally more cost-efficient and sustainable than razing and rebuilding; new buildings typically take 30-80 years to repay the costs of demolition and construction.

The cost of the current branch renovations is about $10-13 million for each location. Funding sources include $10 million from the state and federal governments, with additional funding from the 2019 “Libraries for All” Levy and the library general fund.

The Seattle Public Library Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that raises money to support the library’s mission. In addition to upgrading branch buildings, funds raised go to expanding the library’s collections and creating innovative programs for library patrons. While there are over 290,000 library cardholders, donors to the foundation number around 8,000. If you value the library, the foundation would welcome your contribution!

The Green Lake Branch project was finished several months behind schedule, due in part to the shortage of skilled labor in the construction trade, which led to inefficiencies in completing the renovations. Will the University Branch really reopen in late 2026? Or will it be 2027? Either way, it will be a while, but I look forward to enjoying this new space when the renovations are complete!