Penrose Public Library – 20 North Cascade Avenue

Ah, the library! The books! The easily wipe-able vinyl upholstered chairs! The smell of the grooming-challenged! I haven’t been to one in- I don’t know- years maybe, until I wanted to look at decorating magazines for inspiration for our new house. Yesterday’s library was nice, (Sand Creek), but no decorating mags. So this time, no screwin’ around!  The downtown library’s got to have more, right? Right!

The Penrose branch is very nice. The parking isn’t free, but I think it’s still less than street parking. Inside was very nice. I admit I didn’t wander through too much, but they have a brightly-colored kids’ section, videos and DVDs, and lots of chairs and tables. Oh, and books n’ stuff. I found the magazines right away.

Here’s a tip: MAD Magazine is in the YA (Yowling Antichrist)  section. What’s up with that? Make me slink to the pizza-faced section to sneak a peek at MAD? So wrong. Hey, I’m an adult and I read MAD and I’m not ashamed!

Speaking of YA (Yapping Anxiously)  , they have a very groovy seating area all to themselves, as seen at left. Cool colors, funky tables and lots of picture windows, because teens like to see and be seen, especially at the downtown library! The YA (Yeti A**holes- I know, redundant, right?)  section also features a gallery of art by high school students. Very nice work, most of it.

I found my magazines – only House Beautiful and Architectural Digest for decorating mags, btw- got inspired, did the mandatory restroom check (for my other blog), and left.  On the way out I noticed they offer free bags! Presumably to help book-overloaded arms. Very thoughtful. And way to recycle!

Outside are the obligatory public art sculptures.

Cute, right? They also had an abstract-y one of a wang. Really! I guess it’s technically a nude, but the only clear part I could see was the- you know.  I couldn’t bring myself to take a picture, you’ll just have to go see for yourself!