It was just 36 years ago in 1971 on a warm summer day that the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library celebrated its 10th anniversary. Along with the many well wishers, some bringing flowers, was Kim Kunkel carrying a sheet cake decorated with "Happy Birthday -10" to present to Doris Rossbach, librarian, and her staff. Susan Kunkel helped bake that very cake.

When the library first opened in 1961, Kim's brother Steve, at age 12, stood waiting to be the first person to check out a book. He rushed to the shelves, grabbed a book, and victoriously slapped it down on the counter. And what was the book? An intellectual treatise by C. G. Jung psychoanalyst. Katherine Porter, the first librarian at Southwest, attempted to counsel him by saying, "Do you think you really can understand this book?" Well Steve didn't understand the book but I appreciated this taste of Jungian mystical philosophy involving the collective unconscious. At that time I was deep into my preparation program in counseling at the University of Washington.

Now I'm retired from counseling but still appreciate the library close by and certainly appreciate it coming back to life on Celebration Day this spring. Dignitaries from the City Council, Library Board and the downtown library greeted all of us and invited us to set off our noisemakers, which officially opened the doors of our library once more. Mayor Greg Nickels in his inimitable, relaxed style made everyone feel welcome as we reveled in this library warming, draped in our Mardi Gras beads.

We had been put in the mood by cookie treats served outside and serenaded by the four-piece band, which in my early days would have been called a kitchen band. One of the band members made rhythmic noises on an upgraded washboard. But her "washboard" was a corrugated surface topped by copper breast plates which, when hung about her neck were befitting of this female entertainer.

Amongst the hum of voices, some asking the mayor the questions they had always wanted to ask him, were delighted children in the craft room being given a chance to be creative. Some people cooled their heels in the lounge area while others visited with friends or searched out librarians to find out more about their spacious library facility. I couldn't wait to get home to tell my husband all about it and plan our first walk together down the block to our expanded new library - Norman in his power chair and I scurrying to keep up. With our library beckoning and the fruit market just another block south Norman and I will be out and about often. I may even see you at the new meeting room if I decide to do a book reading there. Keep tuned in.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer and speaker who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 935-8663.