Monday 28 July 2008

an affair to remember

I'm having an affair. That grand old dame St Kilda is not famed for her morals (well she is, but not in a laudatory sense) so I'm sure that she will understand my fling, my passionate fling, with King County Library System.

It was lust at first sight. Here is the evidence:



This is the best public library service that I have ever encountered and certainly one of the best aspects of the US for me so far. In a country where public administration falls (in my limited experience) somewhere between dismal and appalling, the library is just fantastic. Look at the books! Yes, I know, many of the craft titles are American and so more likely to end up on the shelves here but they have multiple copies, just standing there for the borrowing. These are books that took several weeks to turn up when I requested them from St Kilda.

As well as the usual access to computer workstations, each library patron gets 75 free printouts ... each week! I've been stocking up on BurdaStyle.

11 comments:

MildlyCrafty said...

Wow! That's an awesome haul. Perhaps I'll go off to the library now and see if your good luck has rubbed off on me too.

nikkishell said...

WOWZA!!! That's one bloody good library.

Di said...

Ace! They'll have no idea what's hit them since you arrived in town...

melissa said...

wow, i had no idea about the printing thing. i should be taking better advantage of that! have you been to the downtown seattle library yet? i guess that would be the seattle public library system, not kcls, but still...it's a very cool library with a TON of great books on the shelf!

delamare said...

Wow! I can't imagine doing that in our Melbourne library system! (And just to make you feel nostaglic, I should let you know I had a coffee at Bruce, a few doors down from the St Kilda Library the other day.)

OzKnitter said...

Wow!!! Lots of wonderful goodies to peruse. You could probably get 150 printouts a week if you signed Baby Bear up as a patron too ;o)

Jenaveve said...

Gasp!

Please tell me they don't have fines for late returns and then I'm officially moving there.

And free print-outs??? My inner book geek is totally jealous right now.

Maureen Reynolds said...

Oh you lucky left coast person! We pay 10c a print at our library but the request stuff is amazing. The only snag is when I am away and one of my requests comes in and I miss the 6 day hold time. Oh well, request again.

I love libraries

Chara Michele said...

Oh isn't the library so lovely! :) I found your blog through Blair's (wisecraft) and noticed that you are on Seattle's eastside... Welcome :) How long have you been living here? I am also on the eastside... If you ever want to meet up for coffee with another blogger, let me know :)

Victoria said...

Now THAT is something to be jelous about. Looks like the library service is heavenly over there!
p.s Nice to "meet" you!

Victoria said...

Actually, I think I found your blogs ages ago and lost it - so this is good!