Seattle Public Library
historic place
The Seattle Public Library was established as a city department in 1890, though its origins date to 1868. Following a 1901 fire, Andrew Carnegie provided funds for the first Central Library. This Beaux-Arts building opened in 1906 on Fourth Avenue. A new Central Library, in the International style, replaced it in 1960, featuring the first escalator in an American library. The current Seattle Central Library, an 11-story glass and steel structure, opened on May 23, 2004. Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus, this building was a result of a 1998 bond measure. The Seattle Public Library demonstrates a continuous evolution in serving its community.