by Kirby Laney, 26 November 2018
This summer, our lovely and charming historic branch library welcomed a new addition. A familiar face, with fresh ideas, has come in the form of new Supervising Librarian Hannah Parker, to help make our Fremont Branch of the Seattle Public Library (SPL,) even better!!
An Experienced, Familiar Candidate
This past spring we had to say good-bye to Andy Bates, who retired from the Seattle Public Library System. “What a lovely, lovely person,” Parker remarked about her predecessor. Bates has been good for our branch, and our community, and Parker hopes to continue and build on his hard work.
When choosing a replacement, SPL selected an experienced candidate, already known to the branch – and familiar with our eccentricities and the branch’s unique needs. Parker brings experience to the job, having begun with SPL in 2005 (on the recommendation of librarian extraordinaire Nancy Pearl.) She met Pearl while getting her library sciences degree at the University of Washington – after having spent 10 years in the software industry.
For SPL, Parker has been a Fiction Librarian and worked in Adult Services at the Ballard Branch. In Fremont, she served as Interim Branch Manager in 2016, when SPL briefly relocated Bates to cover a priority staffing need elsewhere. Parker comes to the Center of the Universe this time, for keeps, with an awareness of not only our community, but also our charming, but old, branch building. It will make a difference as she works to make the library more welcoming and responsive to the needs of present and future clients.
‘An Incredible Crew’
Her first priority, on arriving at the Fremont Branch, Parker acknowledged, was to get to know her amazing staff. “It’s really exciting,” Parker observed, “the crew that are assigned to this branch are incredible.” For them to be able to do their work, assisting patrons, Parker wants to make sure they will have all the right tools, and the right processes, in place.
With her people satisfied, Parker will also have a historic building to contend with. Unlike Ballard, the Fremont Branch structure has limitations due to its age (built in 1921, Parker and the staff are already looking forward to celebrating its 100th in two short years,) and historical designation. Parker spent the summer finding ways to survive the Seattle mini-heatwaves in a building without central air-conditioning – but, luckily, with newly installed windows.
Free Resources At SPL
Now Parker will be going out to meet the neighbors, and to welcome them in to our Fremont Branch. “When we tell them,” she observed about people she’s met so far, “all the things we do, they are often surprised.” The Fremont Branch is small, like our neighborhood, but there is a lot going on. SPL keeps us stocked with many resources – available to all those interested in exploring the options.
It isn’t just about what is in the Branch, though, but also making everyone aware. “We want to make sure we are reaching everyone possible,” Parker said, “so many people have not been to a library in years.” She wants the SPL message of inclusion and availability to be heard. “Some people don’t know that we offer Wi-Fi hot spots, museum passes…” she explained. The SPL offers a long list of free resources, and Parker observed, “they are all listed on our website, but some people don’t use it.”
“We have these things,” Parker said, “and you can do all of them for free.” Nearly everything that SPL offers, at the Fremont Branch and around our city, is free and open-to-the-public. At a recent historic presentation by co-authors Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard, the Fremont Historical Society and the Queen Anne Historical Society put on an incredibly generous feast of snack and many people kept asking, ‘is it free?’ At an SPL event, the rule is that everything is free, and open-to-the-public.
Reaching Out & Listening
Parker wants to get the message out, but she also wants to hear from patrons – and those who are not patrons – “about what they want,” she asks. Parker wants to attend community meetings and events to reach out and meet people. She wants to enlighten those entirely unfamiliar with the Fremont Branch Library, but she also hopes to meet those in most need of the SPL services. “I will work on reaching out to our marginalized population,” she said.
The Fremont Branch has a lobby filled with brochures and other information on all kinds of services for those struggling, financially, physically, and otherwise. Parker observed that some people can be reluctant to ask staff for advice or directions.
She also will be dropping off books at area homeless shelters, to get opportunities out to those struggling. And Parker wants to reach our transient populations, including attending the New Student Orientation at Seattle Pacific University.
Challenges & Connections
A common question Parker has heard is about parking at the Fremont Branch. She met people at the Ballard Branch who went there simply because of the free parking beneath the building. So, Parker posted a straw poll during the past summer to find out how people visit the Fremont Branch. She learned that most visitors walk, and that there is room for improvement on increasing access to the branch.
Parker also acknowledged that, in addition to a parking deficit, “it would be good if we had more space for books in foreign languages.” The Fremont Branch doesn’t see, currently, a significant turnover in its collection, and there is little to justify stocking its shelves with everything SPL has to offer. “We cannot make those items available at all branches,” she explained, but they do have a dependable transfer-system between branches to move materials around.
Overall, though, even with its small inconveniences, “I love it here,” Parker acknowledged, about the branch and the Fremont community. “Being near the water,” she said, “you can hear birds here. It is a pretty ideal setting…” She likes how the Fremont Branch has connected to the neighborhood, including having a geocache in the branch – placed there by the local Geocaching HQ. “People in this community feel connected to this library,” she observed, “so much sincere emotion.”
As Long As We’ll Have Her…
In Parker, we have a Supervising Librarian who shares our fondness for our charming little branch. “I aggressively pursued working here,” Parker admitted, “this isn’t about ladder climbing for me. I’ll be here as long as they will have me.”
To talk to Parker, and share your requests and suggestions about the Fremont Branch, stop by our local library at 731 N 35th St – or call 206-684-4084 to find out when she will be there. If you haven’t been by lately, come visit and find out about the great programing going on there now!
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©2018 Kirby S. Laney. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.