Thursday, May 28, 2015

Top 10 reasons to visit the Alaska State Library - Tourist Edition

If Juneau is one of your ports of call this summer, either on a cruise or while traveling independently, the Alaska State Library is a great place to stop. Here are 10 reasons why:

10. We're easy to get to - just a short walk from the downtown core, across the street from the Juneau-Douglas City Museum and the Alaska State Capitol, and on the way to the Governor's Mansion, Gold Creek, and the Evergreen Cemetery.
The entrance to the 8th floor of the State Office Building, at 4th and Main Streets. You can also enter the building from Willoughby Avenue.

9. We're off the beaten path. You won't find long lines or big crowds around here - just a few savvy people who are looking for a unique and restful stop.

8. We can help you get connected. We have free wi-fi and computers available for checking e-mail and social media or surfing the internet.

7. We keep up with the news. Trying to find the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or USA Today? We've got them here.
Most recent issues of Wall Street Journal, available for reading in the library.

6. We have info about your next stop. Going to Ketchikan, Haines, or Sitka tomorrow? We receive newspapers from all over the state and you can find out what's happening in other Alaskan communities.

5. We've got a great view. From inside the library, you can look out at the Governor's Mansion, the Federal Building, and the Willoughby district. From the deck outside the library, you can look down Gastineau Channel toward the docks, across to Douglas Island, and up towards the Mendenhall Valley. You can also see our new building being constructed.

View from the library window. The large building on the left is the Federal Building. On the right is the Governor's Mansion.

View from the deck. The cables from the Mount Roberts Tramway are visible on the left. On the right is Douglas Island.

4. We've got the best seat in the house. If you're here on a Friday at noon, you can come to a free concert played on the Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ. The organ was brought to Juneau in 1928 by theater operator W.D. Gross and was used to accompany the movies at the Coliseum Theatre. In 1970, it was donated to the Alaska State Museum and restored to playable condition.
 
3. We have some great stuff on display. Come see our 3-D map of Alaska, a mural by acclaimed local artist Rie Munoz, and historic photos from the Alaska State Library Historical Collections. Just outside the library doors, you can take a selfie with a grizzly bear and see the 38-foot Waasgo totem pole.
Map of Alaska in the library.
Waasgo Totem Pole outside the library's front door.

2. We've got some great free souvenirs. Come get an official Alaska state map, pamphlets about the Waasgo totem pole and the Kimball organ, and more.

1. It's your last chance! This is our last summer in the State Office Building. Next spring, the Alaska State Library will move to the new Kashevaroff State Library, Archives, and Museum facility at 395 Whittier Street.
Construction of the Kashevaroff State Library, Archives, and Museum, May 28, 2015. The Library's Richard Foster reading room will be on the second floor.