🏢 The Seattle Public Library — Seattle, Washington

Capitol Hill Branch

A glass-walled 2003 reading room with a living green wall, tucked a block off Broadway to serve as a quiet living room for one of Seattle's busiest neighborhoods.

📖 About Capitol Hill Branch

The Capitol Hill Branch traces its roots to the Susan J. Henry Branch, which first opened on August 26, 1954, on the former site of Emma Baillargeon Stimson's home. That original building was demolished in 2001 and replaced by the current structure, which opened on May 31, 2003, as part of the "Libraries for All" program. The new building was designed by the team of Ray Johnston (Johnston Architects) and James Cutler of Cutler Anderson Architects, conceived to reflect both the commercial energy of the Broadway corridor and the wooded residential streets nearby. Its signature feature is a reading room enclosed by glass walls to the north and south, paired with a vertical garden on a steel-mesh trellis that filters natural light into the space. Staff describe the branch as "a quiet living room for an active community," deliberately set a block off bustling Broadway. Book returns are available 24/7.

⭐ What makes this branch special

• Current building opened May 31, 2003, replacing the 1954 Susan J. Henry Branch
• Designed by Johnston Architects with James Cutler of Cutler Anderson Architects
• Glass-walled reading room with a living "green wall" vertical garden
• Sited a block off Broadway as a calm retreat from the busy commercial strip

📱 Free with a Seattle Public Library Card

Any Washington State resident can get an SPL card free and unlock:

📍 More The Seattle Public Library branches

← All Seattle libraries  ·  Browse more libraries →

❓ Frequently Asked Questions