Ballard

That last one got cut short, but I decided to let it stand on its own.

I am at Ballard today and the art work has taken another turn towards the innane. The only art that the Ballard Branch got were these readout displays that are supposed to filter the barometric readings from the roof into graphics that drift across the screens. The first time I came here they were barely working--the words "No Longer Property of the Seattle Public Library" drifted across the screen every now and then--upside down and backwards. The last few times I have been here, waves and dots have appeared, so it seemed that it was fixed. Today when I came in, the words had reappeared, but in the right orientation. Now the waves are back.

This art work leaves something to be desired. The displays are about 10 feet in the air, intermingled with beams, air circulation pipes and vents. The graphics are shown in little yellow lights and are hard to see because of all the light reflecting off the surface--the building is very open to the world, with skylights and large windows.

Otherwise this building is quite beautiful in its modern way. Exposed knotty pine beams, dark green and blue siding inside with some steal accents. The metal air vent pipes are a little unsightly, but I suppose some people would like them. The windows let in a lot of light and there are enough trees nearby to give a green touch to the atmosphere.

This is my neighborhood and I love it. On Livejournal, someone posted to the Ballard Blog asking about where one can find computers where you can access the internet. This turned into a lively conversation about where the library is and where it used to be and what those buildings are now. Funnily enough, one of my friends--non-librarian--beat me to posting the answer.