On Saturday, while Trebonte and I played tour guides for a visiting, Japanese friend, we stumbled across an enormous library that we have often passed but never visited. 
Though I was responsible for organizing the days activities and managed to put together a decent list of places to visit, I failed to take into account the fact that many of our destinations would be closed for the weekend. Time after time, we’d go to visit a place and find that it wasn’t open. On our way to visit the Columbia Center (which turned out to be closed) we walked past the Seattle Central Library, an oddly shaped mishmash of trapezoidal solids squatting among the skyscrapers. None of us had ever been inside and we thought it would be interesting to take a look.
The interior is as bizarre as the exterior. Some sections look very traditional, others forsake right angles and are brightly colored. Upwards of one million books are scattered throughout the building, along with DVD’s, tapes, CD’s and periodicals. Hundreds of computers can be found in clumps throughout the building. An innovative book spiral contains the library’s non-fiction collection in one continuous, five story series. It is a very confusing place. 
I’m still trying to decide if I like the place. The jumbled layout and garish decorating scheme are distracting but a million books is very, very impressive. I think I’ll have to return for another visit.
While it is indeed an impressive library and would be nice to visit occasionally, I still love the ability to place books on hold and have them delivered right up the hill. Technology is great, isn’t it?
I… was amazed… It’s not a library… it’s… something completely different…
Wow…That is pretty amazing. I think I would like to borrow books from the library, but it looks as if it would be too relaxing to chill out and read in there.