Slog

News & Arts

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Books Breaking: Libraries Are Closing Due to Excessive Heat

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 1:36 PM

Just got a press release from the Seattle Public Library:

The Seattle Public Library’s Queen Anne, Green Lake, Fremont, Columbia and Northeast branches closed at 1 p.m. today Wednesday, July 29, because the internal temperatures of the buildings have reached 90 degrees.
The Queen Anne, Green Lake, Fremont and Columbia branches are historic Carnegie buildings that do not have air conditioning. The Northeast Branch has a natural ventilation system that conserves energy throughout the year and does not have air conditioning. The Library is continuing to monitor the temperatures at the West Seattle and University branches, which are also Carnegie facilities without air conditioning.

The Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., and the following branches do have air conditioning and are open until 8 p.m. this evening:

Full list after the jump.

• Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. 206-684-4089
• Beacon Hill Branch 2821 Beacon Ave. S., 206-684-4711
• Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-684-7519
• Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E., 206-684-4715
• Delridge Branch, 5423 Delridge Way S.W., 206-733-9125
• Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way, 206-684-4704
• Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-684-4086
• High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St.
Seattle, 206-684-7454
• International District/Chinatown Branch, 713 Eighth Ave. S., 206-386-1300
• Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E., 206-684-7518
• Magnolia Branch, 2801 34th Ave. W., 206-386-4225
• Montlake Branch, 2401 24th Ave. E., 206-684-4720
• NewHolly Branch, 7058 32nd Ave. S., 206-386-1905
• Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E., 206-386-1980
• Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S., 206-386-1906
• South Park Branch, 8604 Eighth Ave. S. at South Cloverdale Street, 206-615-1688

For information about Library services and free activities, visit www.spl.org, or call 206-386-4636.

Comments (15) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Why yes, it is hot enough for me.

Posted by Chris B

on July 29, 2009 at 1:49 PM

Weathermen be damned: on our patio it's 104 right now.

Posted by Fnarf

on July 29, 2009 at 1:54 PM

I understand that a lot of places there don't have air conditioning because it rarely gets as hot as it is now.

But shouldn't libraries, with all that paper and stuff, be climate controlled? Humidity is rough on paper.

Posted by Sheryl on July 29, 2009 at 1:55 PM

And just to think they were saying the libraries were some of our "cooling areas".

How much did we spend on our library levies and they couldn't fucking be bothered to install air conditioning? (or books for that matter)

And I grew up in a small town that had a Carnegie Building Library and you know what? They put air conditioning in the thing.

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on July 29, 2009 at 1:56 PM

Especially in this heat, we need to think about energy and alternatives to it! The energy and power sector creates and sustains millions of jobs. One of America’s biggest challenges today is finding efficient and affordable solutions to energy and power. A diverse solution is fundamental to our security as a nation and the expansion of economic opportunity. Advocate for the construction and operation of renewable energy and learn about the Friends of the US Chamber http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/iss… .

Posted by mld678 on July 29, 2009 at 2:04 PM

And I grew up in a small town that had a Carnegie Building Library and you know what? They put air conditioning in the thing.

Was it one of those small towns where the residents howl when they find out that the mayor has spent millions on a system that's only needed a few days each year, and then go on and about wasteful government spending?

Posted by tiktok on July 29, 2009 at 2:07 PM

Oh jesus christ. The newer libraries (listed below the cut) all have air conditioning. The older ones don't. The levies weren't for an infinite amount of money. And this weather is, I think you'll agree, unusual for Seattle. It has literally never been this hot before. We need air conditioning in every public building like we need a fleet of snow plows ready at the drop of a hat: not at all.

Posted by Levislade

on July 29, 2009 at 2:09 PM

Looks like air conditioners are going to start becoming pretty common around Puget Sound.

Posted by wallydanger

on July 29, 2009 at 2:14 PM

Damn it, I was going to go to the Northeast branch after work.

Posted by dwight moody on July 29, 2009 at 2:27 PM

Thanks, Seattle Public Libraries, for letting us know of the closures 1 hour after they took place. I was watching the SPL website for just such an announcement, since the Northeast Library also closed early yesterday. But posting after the fact does not help.

Posted by Greg Barnes on July 29, 2009 at 2:36 PM

@10, how does it not help? If you're not at the library, seeing the posting will stop from from going there. If you're already at the library, you don't need a web site to tell you they're making you leave.

105 degrees now.

Posted by Fnarf

on July 29, 2009 at 2:57 PM

a heatwave is hardly a reason to close a library early.... WTF?? its not like its a snowstorm, hurricane, earthquake or disaster of any kind, its just really hot.... this is stupid, they should start selling drinks at the library (beers too in a perfect world) to make some money to fill in budget cuts!

Posted by high and bi on July 29, 2009 at 4:27 PM

Don't forget King County Library System. I spent the morning and early afternoon at the Shoreline library. Super cool -- plus they had water and juice available to stay hydrated. I got there when they opened and clearly the librarians were expecting a very busy day.

Posted by Substrata on July 29, 2009 at 4:40 PM

@12: If you're in a big fucking glass box that's just magnifying the heat (probably tons of windows on the south and west sides to pick up natural light and save money on electricity) and the temp spikes above 100, CONGRATULATIONS, you're in an inferno.

Worth noting (belatedly) that some UW libraries have been closing early (and will continue to do so), specifically: Art, Music, Math, East Asia, Drama, and possibly Social Work. I know that Art, Music, and Drama are in older buildings with no AC or airflow, and at least one was a swampy hell by 10am. If you're on campus, Foster, Odegaard, Physics-Astronomy and Suzzallo have AC and lots of chairs.

Posted by Jessica on July 29, 2009 at 10:04 PM

@11: I needed to go there, but I didn't know when they were going to close, so I was watching the website. Tuesday they informed people in advance on the website, so you could run over there if you needed to. Wednesday, they told us at 2pm that we had to get there by 1pm.

But, hey, it's an exceptional situation. Live and learn. In the future, they should probably post something at the start of the day saying either "We're definitely closing these libraries by whatever o'clock." or "We're closing any library without advance notice whenever the internal temperature hits 90; be there when we open if you have to be there."

Posted by Greg Barnes on July 30, 2009 at 10:13 AM