Kirkland Library temporarily closed for construction

Closed for a 4,000-square-foot expansion of the Kirkland downtown branch, the King County Library System has re-opened in a unique arrangement with Parkplace Books and owners Mary Harris and Rebecca Willow.

The Kirkland Library has reopened an “express library” service at the south end of the bookstore, allowing bookworms to still borrow books from a reduced browsing collection, place requests for pick-up and use public computer stations and free Wi-Fi access.

For more information, visit www.kcls.org.

Slicing the ceremonial ribbon to open the library’s new home, Mayor Jim Lauinger is no stranger to books. Outside of leading City Council, his full-time job is in the book industry.

“The system is really well supported by our taxpayers,” he said.

He noted that the King County Library System is the second busiest library system in the U.S. with 20.2 million transactions per year. The New York City borough of Queens, which runs its own library system, is first.

“Libraries are cool,” Lauinger said.

The library will not hold regular events as before at the Third Avenue location, but will host Children’s Story Time at the Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church on most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. The church is located at 308 Fourth Avenue South.

For more information, visit www.kcls.org or call the library at 425-822-2459.