The Seattle Public Library’s University Branch will undergo renovations to improve public safety and accessibility, add cooling capabilities, and reduce climate pollution. Photo by The Seattle Public Library. The Seattle Public Library’s University Branch, a landmarked building and beloved Carnegie library that has served the community for more than a century, is undergoing comprehensive renovations thanks in part to a $2 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. This investment will preserve the character of the historic building while advancing our climate goals and creating a more accessible gathering place that serves one of Seattle’s most diverse neighborhoods.
When completed in late 2026, the renovated branch will feature critical seismic retrofitting to protect against earthquakes, major ADA accessibility upgrades, a modern electric HVAC system with heat pumps for year-round cooling and heating, energy recovery ventilators, and solar panels that will dramatically reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
“For 115 years, the University Branch has served neighborhood residents very well,” said Tom Fay, Chief Librarian of The Seattle Public Library. “With this investment, and the support of Seattle voters through our 2019 Library Levy, this important community space will be preserved and updated for generations to come. We thank community members for their patience through a lengthy, but important construction closure — we will make sure the results are worth the wait.”
A Community Resource for Climate Resilience
The University Branch Library serves approximately 400 patrons daily from diverse backgrounds, including University District residents, University of Washington students, historically overburdened communities, and those without stable housing. For many, this library is more than just a place for books — it’s an essential resource offering comfort, safety, and connections to other public services.
Climate change has already impacted library operations, with neighborhood branches closing more than 130 times in 2022 due to extreme heat. The upcoming renovations will ensure the University Branch can serve as a clean air shelter and community cooling center during heat waves and wildfire smoke events, joining nearly two dozen other air-conditioned libraries.
The project includes:
- A 400-square-foot addition creating an accessible entry vestibule with elevator
- Meeting and study rooms to enhance community gathering spaces
- Complete seismic retrofitting with careful preservation of historic features
- Installation of efficient electric heat pumps to replace dirty fossil fuel systems
- Energy recovery ventilators to improve air quality year-round
- Solar panels to reduce the building’s energy impact
- Lighting upgrades to minimize operational energy use
Building on Success
This project builds on The Seattle Public Library’s successful Green Lake Branch renovation, which demonstrated the powerful impact of combining preservation with sustainability. These similar renovations at the Green Lake Branch, also a historic Carnegie library, achieved remarkable results:
- 92% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
- 48% reduction in energy use
- Complete elimination of fossil fuels
- Year-round comfort for staff and patrons
In 2024, Seattle was awarded of $5.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to install air conditioning at five Library branches, including the University Branch, as part of Seattle’s decarbonization and climate adaption efforts.
Part of Seattle’s Broader Climate Strategy
Buildings are responsible for 40% of Seattle’s greenhouse gas emissions. The climate crisis demands urgent action to reduce emissions from our buildings while creating safe spaces of refuge for residents and overburdened community members during increasingly frequent and severe weather events.
The University Branch renovations align with Seattle’s broader Municipal Buildings Decarbonization Plan, which aims to eliminate fossil fuels from 176 city-owned buildings by 2042. Our team at OSE has been working closely with the Seattle Public Library on these renovations, providing technical assistance, energy efficiency review, and support for historic preservation requirements.
The project advances Seattle’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, established in the 2013 Climate Action Plan. We’re making meaningful progress towards this goal by electrifying our historic buildings and improving their energy efficiency. The City is developing a modernized Climate Action Plan that will newly focus on climate resilience and adaptation, job creation, and accelerating emissions reduction.
Construction on this project already began in February 2025, with the renovated branch expected to reopen to the public by the end of 2026. Get status updates from The Seattle Public Library. To learn more about Seattle’s climate initiatives, visit OSE’s website.