As the environment of public libraries begins to change to a more relaxed atmosphere, community interest in the Seattle Public Library system seems to be rising, particularly for the Ballard branch.

According to the Seattle Public Library's communication director, Andra Addison, the Ballard branch has always been the busiest of the 25 Seattle Library divisions.

At midday there, the information desk is a whirl of activity as librarian Ellen FitzGerald helps a young boy check out dinosaur books. The phone is ringing every two minutes; at the same time a barrage of customers wander up with hopeful faces asking, "Can you tell me where the fiction section is?" or "Do you have that publishing magazine?" The two librarians on duty, FitzGerald and Pamela LaBorde, handle it all with certain grace and a smile.

"People in a way are rediscovering libraries," said FitzGerald. Years ago, this kind of busy activity would have been frowned upon at most libraries, she said.

"A library's environment definitely affects the way people feel about books and being here," said LaBorde, who has had 11 years' experience as a children's librarian.

If you take a trip to most libraries around Seattle, you might also notice a change in noise level. At the Ballard site, children are buzzing around looking at books, and people of all ages are discussing books, Internet research and perhaps the news of the world.

"It's sort of an attitude shift," said FitzGerald. "A library doesn't have to be this quiet little dusty place. It isn't very much the 'sssshh' environment anymore."

And because of this evolution from a rigid to a more flexible place, libraries are becoming increasingly appealing to a whole new generation who may otherwise have been intimidated by its stuffy stereotype.

FitzGerald said the "teen area" has drawn in a lot of young people because they can interact with other teens, offering opportunities to communicate with each other on a literary level, she said. A display is set up where teens can make book recommendations to each other.

In 1998, voters passed a $196.4 million bond measure to renew and rebuild library facilities system-wide. The measure, in conjunction with private contributions, paid for new and improved branches throughout the city.

Since the renovations, library circulation has gone up across the city by more than 20 percent, said Addison.

The Ballard branch was the 15th site to be renovated and since it opened in mid-May, circulation has increased by 11 percent and door count has risen by about 40 percent.

The building's modern look seems to draw in more customers than the old site on 24th Avenue Northwest did, said FitzGerald.

For the first few months the new site was open, FitzGerald and LaBorde said they were opening as many as 600 to 700 new library cards a month.

Inside the ceilings are high, creating "more room to breathe," said FitzGerald. There are a few "quiet rooms" for people who want to study or read without interruptions. A large meeting room is near the front.

"We get twice as many people every day as we did in the old site; probably about 1,000 visitors a day," said LaBorde.

The old building was 7,500-square-feet. The new library is double that size.

An arched 18,000-square-foot roof tops the new building and serves as bird habitat and controls rain runoff. Attached is the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center and outdoor community space.

The jump in circulation at divisions across the city is really an indicator of how libraries need to become a modern and relevant place to be, both aesthetically and technologically, said Addison. A part of that is implementing new technologies as well as creating a comfortable and friendly environment for patrons.

"I think it's really, really tough to keep up with new technology," said Addison. "But if the newest technology is what the public wants, then we want to provide that."

A lot of resources are invested in the SPL Web site, drawing many users to its easily navigable features, said Addison.

Patrons can access a wide array of research databases and publication archives from the Web site at home or in any of the library branches. They can also reserve and renew books, set up interlibrary loans and ask a librarian general questions through an online chat service.

New services are sprouting up, such as "Homework Help," an online tutorial for people of all ages and grade levels. Just sign on with your library card and password to connect to a live tutorial with an accredited teacher for help in any subject.

"We are the information providers, providing the community with resources for accurate and up-to-date information," said Addison. "We need to stay above the curve."

But there is still something about visiting the library that you can't get online from a Web site or the Internet, said Addison; skills that only the librarians, or "knowledge navigators," can provide.

"As people get overwhelmed with the vast amount of knowledge at their fingertips, they really look to the librarian for help," she said.

"People get our expertise and our interest in them," said LaBorde. "Some people are really savvy, but we can help them with research strategies. We are always leading people to the information they are seeking, and providing a path that people don't always get from noodling around on the computer."

Visit the Seattle Public Library Web site at http://www.spl.org/, or call the Ballard branch at 648-4089.