Seattle Public Library – International District/Chinatown Branch

I come here fairly often to study in the one private study room that they have available, which you are able to reserve ahead of time (which is a GOOD idea) and for two hour blocks. It’s a nice, cozy and quiet environment to do some serious studying. The staff is pretty friendly as well.
It’s a small library so the selection of books/CD’s/DVD’s isn’t great, but occasionally you’ll find a jewel on the shelves. I was stoked to see a copy of the DVD Foxcatcher, which I intend to go rent as soon as I finish typing this review. :)
Also I witnessed a confrontation here once, which consisted of one guy grabbing and yelling at another guy, but luckily it didn’t escalate any further than that. There are some rambunctious types in this neighborhood (I lived here for two years), so that type of behavior is to be expected from time to time.
All in all, I’d say it’s a pretty decent place because I keep coming back here!

Tiny little library in the International «Chinatown» District. Not exactly the place you would picture a library amidst many restaurants.
Not too many books or services, but this is a great place to just «chillax». Not too many people come here and their book selection, although limited is not bad.
They have CDs and DVDs as well as computers you can use.

Based on other KCLS branches (perhaps even Skyway) and the main SPL I’ve been to, this is probably the smallest – and cutest – of them all. And being small, I imagine it’s because of the Asian-​American and ID history focus, if I’m not mistaken.
I thought I’d hop on the intertwined webs a bit before I go eat next door at Gourmet Noodle Bowl. What’s perhaps good, and bad, is that these machines have 90 min limits instead of 60 min (first time for me, i think). Good for you, and of course, bad for others.
It feels like it’s in a quiet/​er part of the ID.

Three and a half stars, actually.
Housed in a compact, sleekly modern jewel of a building, this branch primarily serves the Asian-​American community in and around the International District. Some of the décor is enchanting: the subtly mesmerizing elliptical display of tea ware against the main red wall; the narrow vertical glass display of teacups – no, not antiques – by the information desk.
Though most of the collection is in English, there are smaller collections of books and periodicals in several Asian languages. Tucked in towards the back are two study rooms for group use.
All in all, this «mini» branch is more intimate than the Beacon Hill Branch. And compared to the Chinatown branch of the San Francisco Public Library, our own branch is actually pretty good.
The only reasons I don’t give this branch library four stars are the following:
(1) that I have noticed a recurrent problem with the hot water faucet in the mens bathroom: it gushed out for about four minutes. In this period of environmental concern, THAT is difficult to forget or forgive (I have mentioned this problem in the past several times to staff).
This makes City’s Hall call for greater environmental awareness on the part of the public seem like mere lip-​service. You’d think the Seattle Public Library would take this seriously and set a good example.
(2) Kids seem to take over most of the computer terminals, at certain times of the day and week. (At other times, there is a «storytime» for kids, which gets pretty loud as well).
Most of the kids are pretty well behaved, by American standards, that is. (When I asked the kid next to me at a public PC to «try to keep the volume of his conversation [he was having with another kid] down,» he nodded and actually said «Sorry»!).
Additionally, one male staff member seems to «shoot the breeze» a lot. In a a time of furloughs for City services and budget cuts, it is hard to reconcile this guy’s penchant for idleness (Having private conservations with other staff, talking on his cell-​phone while seated at the front desk – not even bothering to go inside the back office space) during work hours.
This kind of casual conversation might be O.K. if it were not so obvious, open-​ended, and loud. The other staff are, for the most part, more discreet.