Seattle Central Library

If you enjoy reading books, you will certainly have to visit Seattle Central Library in Washington state. 

This magnificent building is the newest and the most recognizable building of the Seattle's Public Library complex. It was opened to the public in 2004 and its popularity has been growing since then. In the first year of its activity, over 2.000.000 people visited it. This 56.9 meters-high and 33,722.6 square-meters building is made of glass and steel. It is estimated that the library can hold approximately 1.45 million books. It also features an underground parking lot for 143 vehicles and has over 400 computers available for users.

This is the third building of the Seattle's Public Library complex. Seattle Central Library was built because the two previously built libraries were just too small, cramped and did not have enough space for storing more and more books. That's how the idea of building a new library came to existence. 

From the very beginning of its existence Seattle Central Library was shocking and very controversial. Many people responded very critically to its weird appearance characterized by an unusual and modern design. Despite all the criticism, however, the building was generally accepted by Americans and in 2007 was even added to "Americans' 150 favorite structures in the US" list (voted #108). 

Reading room in Seattle Central Library

Hall

Illuminated escalator inside the building

Another reading room

Seattle Central Library from the outside

The library is very modern and tries to be as accessible to users as possible. It offers wireless communication, 400 public computers, automatic book-sorting and self check-out. It also has the opinion of being extremely well lit  - thus allowing readers to read comfortably - and generally user-friendly. 

TASK: Find other libraries (either in the US or elsewhere) which are also as modern and as unusual as Seattle Central Library.