(Image: SPL)

From the Seattle Public Library

With temperatures rising again, Seattle residents without access to air conditioning will look for public spaces to cool down. The Seattle Public Library can help you escape the heat. The Central Library and 17 of our neighborhood branches have air conditioning, and everyone is welcome to come in, cool down and stay hydrated during open hours.

You can find our air conditioned locations listed at www.spl.org/Shelter and they are also listed below. The schedule for each location is available at www.spl.org/Hours.

In the downtown and Capitol Hill area, our air-conditioned libraries include the Central Library, the Capitol Hill Branch, the Douglass-Truth Branch, the Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch and the Montlake Branch.

While you’re cooling off, you can browse the Library’s collections, including the latest Peak Picks; get recommendations from our Library staff for your Summer Book Bingo card; use a computer or printer; check out our public art; or simply sit and read.

Your kids might want to pick up a Summer of Learning Action Guide or game board to track their summer reading progress. And don’t forget to take a selfie by our Summer of Learning selfie station!

Kids and teens can also enjoy browsing and taking home some of the great selections in our uncatalogued books collection. These are books that you don’t have to check out – just take them home and return them when you’re done.

You can also take advantage of our wonderful free online services while at any neighborhood library. Check out www.spl.org/50Things to explore other fun and interesting things you can do through The Seattle Public Library.

Library branches without air conditioning

Nine Library branches do not yet have air conditioning: The Columbia, Fremont, Green Lake, NewHolly, Northeast, Queen Anne, Southwest, University and West Seattle branches. (We count New Holly among these because although New Holly does have a portable A/C unit, it sometimes isn’t enough to cool the branch sufficiently.)

This means these branches are likely to close when the temperature inside the building exceeds 80 degrees for over an hour. Most often, this occurs in the late afternoon on hot days. You can find up-to-date information about closures at www.spl.org/Today.

The good news is that the Library is actively seeking opportunities to install air these branches the coming years.

In 2023, air conditioning will be installed at the Green Lake Branch as part of a levy-funded seismic retrofit project, and similar plans are being made for the Columbia and University branches. The Library is pursuing funding to add air conditioning at the other branches that don’t yet have it.

We are also upgrading the air conditioning systems at many of our branches to make them more reliable and environmentally friendly.

OPEN HOURS FOR LIBRARY LOCATIONS

Locations without A.C. are marked (No A/C). Locations with A/C are  marked with an asterisk.

*Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave. S.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday
• Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday

Columbia Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave. S. (no A.C.)
• Noon to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Delridge Branch, 5423 Delridge Way S.W.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday

*Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Fremont Branch, 731 N. 35th St. (no A.C.)
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday

Green Lake Branch, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N. (no A.C.)
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday and Saturday

*Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*International District/Chinatown Branch, 713 Eighth Ave. S.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Closed Sunday

*Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E.
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch, 1134 33rd Ave.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday and Saturday

*Magnolia Branch, 2801 34th Ave. W.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday and Saturday

*Montlake Branch, 2401 24th Ave. E.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Closed Friday and Sunday

NewHolly Branch, 7058 32nd Ave. S. (not sufficient A/C)
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Northeast Branch, 6801 35th Ave. N.E. (no A.C.)
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Queen Anne Branch, 400 W. Garfield St. (no A.C.)
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
• Closed Friday and Sunday

*Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*South Park Branch, 8604 Eighth Ave. S.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

Southwest Branch, 9010 35th Ave. S.W. (no A.C.)
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday
• Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Saturday

University Branch, 5009 Roosevelt Way N.E. (no A.C.)
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

*Wallingford Branch, 1501 N. 45th St.
• 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday

West Seattle Branch, 2306 42nd Ave. S.W. (no A.C.)
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday
• Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
• Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Closed Friday

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