Seattle Public Library Named Third-Best in the U.S.

Sometimes we get so caught up in how pretty the Central Public Library is that we forget there are actual books and librarians inside—and that there are other top-notch Seattle Public Library branches throughout the city. But architecture took a backseat in SPL news this week when the system was named the third-best big public library network in the country by the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service 2010 report. The report was divided into categories of budgetary expenditures, and the SPL was one of only five libraries in the U.S. with a budget of $30 million-plus to garner a five-star rating. (The only other Washington state library system to be ranked in the report was the Lopez Island Library District, which ranked 24th in the $400,000-$999,999 category.) The rankings of more than 7,000 libraries were based on circulation, programming attendance, Internet use and visits. Rem Koolhaas, Schmem Schmoolhaas. (Kinda. Not really.)