Celebrating Community at Bellevue Library

Celebrating Community at Bellevue Library

The King County Library System's (KCLS) Bellevue Library is a remarkable space, both in sheer size and opportunity. Its 80,000 square foot structure is nestled in Ashwood Plaza, offering serene green views through the library’s sizable windows. Upon entering, you immediately feel the library’s symbiotic relationship with the area around it.

Downtown Bellevue’s library acts as a community hub for many local residents. It contains the most meeting and study rooms in the KCLS system, perfect for quiet focus or larger meetings seating up to 100 people. The branch also boasts the largest collection in King County, with a robust world languages section featuring over two dozen languages. This was designed with the City of Bellevue’s strong diversity in mind, catering to foreign language communities who may struggle to find resources in their native tongue. KCLS Regional Manager, David Frappier, particularly lights up when talking about the library's makerspace.

“We’re one of two in the whole KCLS system,” he explained. “We provide 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines, and more. This cutting-edge technology is available to the public if they make a reservation and we will generally provide basic resources for them. Our wonderful staff is trained in how to guide patrons through their project to help execute their vision.”

Library attendance has been steadily increasing in recent years due to the influx of so many new faces into the Eastside. While it is difficult to compare to pre-pandemic numbers, many days find the library packed with people working on their laptops or curled up with a book. KCLS’ e-footprint has also monumentally increased in recent years – they are now the second largest digital circulating library in the US and the third in the world.

“Our ultimate goal is to address the needs of the public and [my role is to] consolidate a strategic vision for the region. Bellevue is fast-paced and ever-growing, so service needs change often,” says Frappier. “We must constantly be evolving. Change is what we do.”

Growth is always a priority. The library's team always tries to consider the city’s continuing diversification by centering equity when assigning resources. By ensuring they are collecting feedback from locals and involving them in future planning efforts, data remains current and reflective of the goals of the City of Bellevue. Many of these results are achieved through partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits.

Currently, the Bellevue Library is running their annual summer reading program. It combines elements of a typical reading challenge with extra programming to support literacy. It’s not just for kids – it's designed for all ages looking to push themselves out of their comfort zone, grow, and learn over the summer. Their other offerings include everything from ice cream making, Storm ticket giveaways, bottle racecar competitions, fiber arts educational classes, and a Chinese language book club. They also have an exciting new project in the works: a memory lab. This conceptual space is designed to capture vanishing stories in the community, with the initial aim of working with residents from the Eastside whose families have a history of WWII incarceration due to Japanese ancestry. Be on the lookout for that announcement!

For those interested in getting involved, there are numerous volunteer opportunities for different age groups. The library offers a “Talk Time” program where ESL learners are invited to practice their English with volunteer native speakers. There is also a teenage volunteer council where teens are invited to help develop fun, immersive programs for kids and other library visitors. Their annual STEM-centered egg drop event was resounding success!

At its heart, the library seeks to welcome any and all people and help them understand that because these libraries are paid for by their tax dollars, they are designed for them.

“There’s something at the library for everyone, but you’ll never know unless you come in and ask. We are some of the staunchest defenders of intellectual freedom and people’s right to privacy in what they read and consume. This is so important, especially in a world that has so much information. What we excel at is helping people figure out what is accurate and true.”

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.