** This is a review for how this branch is handling the pick-up/return process during COVID** I'm so happy that the QA branch is now officially back up and running for both returns AND pick-ups! Check the SPL website for full details--you can pick up your holds on Tuesdays and Thursdays before 6:00 p.m. and there is an easy book return slot outside that I believe is open 24 hours. The process during COVID is very smooth and safe--you give them your ID or library card and they come back with the book holds (which have been " quarantining " inside for a number of days). Masks are provided and so is hand sanitizer. This is a great system for now, until we can once again go inside the library and admire its gorgeous stained glass windows. :) Thanks SPL for being there for us during these tough times! read more

I have visited at least 6 of the branches. Each with its own character. Peak Picks selections are often wonderful

Beautiful historic library with friendly and knowledgeable staff. I've been frequenting the Queen Anne branch for over 20 years. Always popping in to grab my items on hold. I've never had a negative experience in two decades. read more

The hours of this branch library are erratic. Just several weeks ago it was six days a week, including Sunday afternoon. I went yesterday (Thursday afternoon) and it was closed. It is closed Friday as well. And Sunday. So from Thursday afternoon 6 p.m. until Saturday at 11 a.m., it is closed. That's almost three days in succession. Is there any rationality in the assignment of library hours to different branch libraries? ***** By the way, librarians usually rotate through different branches. No one stays there longer than a year or so. Except for one exception: the bouncy brunette librarian with the loud voice. EIGHT YEARS! That is not fair. read more

poor I've lived her for 35 years and much of that time frequented th QA branch. Upon occasion there were friendly staff, ready with a smile and a question, " how can I help you". The person sitting behind the desk directly in front as one opens the front door appears mostly to demand why you are there. Several years ago I went into the Ballard Branch, marveled at the open design, deplored the cost, but was faced with a broad counter and a number of staff all with a welcoming smile, one asking how to help. Nice too to see male staff members. I kept going there until they closed the underground parking and finding on street was difficult. The presents of all the vagrants and their mess is a shame. So back to QA, but I must check to ensure they will be open. read more

The Queen Anne branch is beautiful and cozy! I really enjoy the church-like building design and the stained glass windows. Staff are always friendly, and there's a pleasant, "small town" atmosphere inside. I have not found the noise level some mention to be a problem, except if there's a children's story group in progress. I'm not sure why library staff actively encourages the children to yell, but that's exactly what they do! I do agree that the days/hours are restrictive... and confusing. Why are they closed on Saturday instead of Sunday? But, I don't think it's fair to blame the branch for a decision that was almost certainly made by the city. Definitely, one of the nicer branches, even if it is small! read more

we are so fortunate to have amazing neighborhood libraries. great selection and efficient if you put books on hold. friendly staff.

This library looks really cute from the outside, but the inside leaves much to be desired. There aren't that many books here since this is a smaller branch. Also, there is a children's section walled off to the left, but the wall doesn't reach the ceiling, so anything that happens in the children's section, you can clearly hear on the other section (the teen/DVD/non-fiction etc.) There aren't that many tables for studying, and the ones that are there are really small. There are some computer cubicles that look okay though (although a bit cramped). The tables and chairs tend to creak. There is free Sunday edition of the Seattle Times newspaper though, which is cool. read more

This is to provide thanks to the Queen Anne Branch library located at 400 W. Garfield Street. At the time we lived in Seattle, we lived a few blocks away at 2115 Fifth Avenue West. And so, I visited the library frequently for borrowing books from the kids' section. My favorite books from this library included, Zip-Zip and The Red Planet by John Schealer, Journey to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron, The 21 Balloons by William Pene du Bois, Peter Graves by William Pene du Bois, and The Raft by Robert Trumbull. One year, this library gave me an award. The award was for the kid who borrowed the most books over the summer. One of the other reviewers observed that the architecture inside is like that found in some churches. I agree. When I was a kid, I liked the tall windows, where each window had a curved arch on top. Attached is a photograph of me, at the time we lived at 2115 Fifth Avenue West. I am holding a copy of my favorite literary magazine, Mad Magazine. On my door is a poster that I got from Mad Magazine. The Queen Anne Branch library did not carry Mad Magazine, and so I had to buy it from a store near my school, Coe School. read more

Seattle Public Library - Queen Anne Branch - Me holding my favorite literary magazine (MAD Magazine). - Libraries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This brick building is, in itself, a pleasure to look at. It is simple, classy, and inviting to the pedestrian. However, when one enters, one sees immediately that it isn't nearly as large inside as it first appears which, you'll find, comes with its disadvantages. In one swift sweep of the eyes, every bookshelf can be seen. Most of the books lie on the perimeter in rows of four. The architecture has a mild elegance to it: classical archways (present only in the corners), two rows of old cottage windows which separate the library into three distinct parts: the children's area, the main area, and the study area. The books are spread throughout. The furniture looks antique, which emits a traditional library feel. Don't be surprised to hear the chairs creaking and adjusting to the sitter's movements. There are tall series of cathedral-esque windows on every side and, as a result, never a shortage of natural light. Even the bathroom has a little casement in it which, from a certain angle, might prove embarrassing for some. The most beautiful window, though, is the huge blue and violet stained glass window in the immediate back. There's no discernible image to it, but the piece as a whole is most magnificent, especially when the sun pours through it on those rare Seattle occasions. After it reopened, I didn't have much interaction with this place. However, after I started school again, I needed a quiet refuge in which to study. Coffee shops can only suffice for so long until one yearns for a more studious atmosphere. If you're looking for a place to study, BE WARNED! Most of the time, it's hard to distinguish this place between a library and a playpen! Because of its small and enclosed nature, sounds echo abundantly in here, especially the giggles, cries, shouts, and chatter of juiced-up, doughnut-stuffed kids. The librarians, while very helpful and always patient, almost to the point of being subdued, hardly take action against the Queen Anne toddlers who insist on making the library their jungle-gym. Parents, for that matter, don't do a thing about it, either. In the many times I've been here to study, only once had I seen someone escorted out: a man with his two screaming daughters. However, it took at least five minutes for them to actually do something about them! So, while this might be a wonderful place to browse around in, especially if walking around the neighborhood, or a great spot to pick up a reserved book, this library is not worth your time if you're looking to study. Coupled with the very short and inconvenient hours, this library, unfortunately, ranks low on my spots in upper Queen Anne to find some quiet time. If the day permits, your best bet is to just stay outside and sit beneath one of the cedar trees where, I'm sure, the Wi-Fi will still reach. read more

The Queen Anne branch of is somewhat crappy. The staff is great, but the hours are restrictive (though they've gotten better in the last year, it's now open until 8 every weeknight but Friday), there's only a handful of computers, and since it's so small, there aren't a ton of books. But -- one of the coolest things about the library is the website. You can look up any book, movie, CD and if they've got it, you can have them send it to your home branch. I am totally hooked on this, you can log into the website with your library card number and a PIN number you choose, then you can search by author, director, actor, title, theme, etc. You can also maintain a list of what you want (I actually have about 6 different categories, ranging from Fiction to Foreign Films) and you just place holds as you please. It's a great way to catch up on movies you've always wanted to see but forget about in the video store (I'm on a Woody Allen/Mia Farrow/Ingmar Bergman kick right now). Basically it's Netflix, but free - the only difference is that if you've got a late DVD/video/book, it's only a .15 per day late fee - you'd have to keep something for over a month late to even hit $5, which is the standard rental fee at a video store. read more

Seattle Public Library - Queen Anne Branch - Libraries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My neighborhood library i used to go to but a few staff treat it like patrons are walking into their livingroom and insist that there voices be heard by everyone in this small library. So disappointing. read more

The Queen Anne Library is a nice and warm and sunny little building that reminds me of a church, but with good books in it instead of Good Books. They also have a great selection of DVDs. I really don't like their hours so make sure you know that they're open before you go. Also, the place is a little small, so you might be bothered by whispering of any kind (not to mention old people on cell phones or confrontational homeless people). Ballard and Queen Anne are pretty much my two libraries, and when I want to browse for a DVD, I go here. They also have some anime and graphic novels, but they never have anything I am looking for in that category (the novel Watchmen or anything by Studio Ghibli). Sure, I could put Watchmen on hold, but... you know. And I do have some Ghibli's on hold, but it takes forever! In life, there are many public libraries. Queen Anne is one of them. read more

Queen Anne Library is super small in terms of new releases, fiction, etc. but what I do like about it compared to the Main Library in downtown is: 1. Loads more DVD section that isn't pillaged by folks. I rented Eastern Promises, the Aristocrats, Dave Chappelle's Block Party in one fell swoop. Beginner's Luck? 2. Cute ambiance that makes it feel like a traditional library. 3. Nice librarians It's good if you're in the neighborhood but I wouldn't go here for all my needs. You can always request books to come to this regional branch versus others : saving me gas and commute time is priceless. read more

I love libraries. The Queen Anne branch is lovely on the outside, but I'm not a fan of this location due to the book selection and cramped quarters. It's awkward to browse for books. For me, it's like trying to select a can of soup in a busy grocery store. Either I'm in someone's way or I'm waiting for someone else to finish browsing. It's also a bit drafty and the bathroom is weird. read more

I like the staff, the renovation has added nice computers, the meeting room is much better downstairs now - our book group meets there monthly. You can order anything in the SPL and have it delivered. The selection of on-the-shelf books could be bigger, but not without expanding the building's footprint, which I guess wasn't allowed, based on the Carnegie Library historic aspect. Anyway, we love it. Especially Christiane, Irene, Heather, Amy, Doris and Tanya. Sadly, Paul, Jasmine and Emerich are gone. YES, we use the library a lot!! read more

Louder ambiance and faster internet than you'll find at any coffee shop! I guess the days of libraries being quiet places are long gone. At least the internet is blazing fast for downloading large files. read more

What a cute neighborhood library. They don't have a great selection so the best option is to go online and request books to be picked up there. They must get a lot of requests because they have two-three rows of them and you go and find your own holds and then ring them up yourself at self-checkout. read more

Clearly there's a reason for the bizarre, inconsistent hours of operation (it is Tuesday or Wednesday during the week that it's closed & which day is it open until 8pm?) but that aside this is a great little local library and I'm thrilled to have it near by, silly hours and all. I'd hate to truck to Ballard or Downtown every time I wanted to p/u materials. The librarians there were super helpful without overwhelming me with every detail of cookbook research. Small but well appropriated resource in the neighborhood. read more

This library is the closest Seattle branch to my place and it's not bad. Friendly helpful staff, street parking, what's not to like. The variety is not the best since it's a smaller branch, but you've got options to hold your books here and pick them up. If you plan ahead and don't want to deal with downtown parking then this is a good hub for drop offs and pick ups. read more

This is a small branch but it is the perfect place to work for those who don't like coffee shops (I find coffee shops to be too loud, dark, and I don't like smelling like a coffee shop after I leave.) The people who frequent this library are usually families and working professionals so I feel more comfortable working here than I do at the Central Branch in downtown Seattle. read more

This is a nice little branch of the Seattle public library system. The staff is helpful and there is enough to keep me busy for an afternoon. read more

Very cool looking old library. Small, but the kids' section is pretty decent. They had a lot of new picture books, and I wanted to take them all =) read more