Behind the Desk: Redmond Librarians Provide More Than Just Books
“Wisdom Seekers” sculpture by Tony Angell outside the Redmond Library in Redmond, Washington.
December 17, 2025
Article and Photos by Madeline Virginia
This article was originally published in the Winter 2025/26 print edition of Redmond Moments.
There is a statue outside of the Redmond Public Library that depicts four large ravens perched on a tower of stone. Called “Wisdom Seekers” by artist Tony Angell, these birds perpetually safeguard the entrance of the library.
Ravens also adorn the necklace of Redmond Librarian and Information Services Manager Kirsten Erickson– they are Huginn and Muninn, mythological legends and pets of Odin who traveled the world to gather information for the Norse God.
“Librarians might not know everything, but they know how to find anything,” Erikson said as she walked around the Redmond Library, weaving through the shelves to show off the collection.
Redmond Librarian and Information Services Manager Kirsten Erickson
“I’m motivated by getting people the information they need.”
The rows of books are a maze of intelligent design, a structural art form that she and the staff of the Redmond library hone and shift over years of learning about their patrons. Recent changes to the collection include making more room for books in world languages. Teens barely touch the “Teen Reference” section– they get all of their information on the internet, so the staff is debating a new spot for easier access.
“I’m motivated by getting people the information they need.” Erikson said.
Erickson has served as a librarian for decades, and has worked at the Redmond Library since 2020. Her career choice suits her eternal love of learning, earning multiple degrees along the way.
Erikson also learns from the people she serves. She explained that libraries give vital clues about the heartbeat of a community. Over the years, she observed how major setbacks in society show up in everyday services.
In 2008, after the recession hit, libraries were full of older men reentering the workforce for the first time in decades. Erikson remembers that they would bring in resumes hand written on notebook paper, looking for guidance from the librarians on updating their information.
In 2020, the Redmond library had to adapt quickly to a completely new way of serving its patrons. Within weeks of the pandemic’s beginning, the library started curbside rental services. Erikson remembers patrons telling her that the content they got from the library was the only thing helping them hold on.
Now in 2025, Erikson sees the library as an ever-important beacon of informational freedom. As books are banned in some states across the country, the humble library becomes a last bastion of the first amendment.
“You have the right to read whatever you want, and you also have the right for no one to know what you’ve read,” Erikson said.
Libraries can also reflect shifting fears in a community. She explained that she sees more hesitation from immigrants to use the library, concerned that their personal information might be shared with law enforcement. However, Erikson explains that this is not the case.
“We will guard your right to privacy more than any other government entity,” she said.
Any law enforcement agent looking to use the library to obtain information about an account holder must file a warrant with the administrative office. Erikson herself has turned away police officers looking to use patron’s information to implicate them in crimes.
Among the books, DVDs, and newspapers are other resources that act as a lifeline to the Redmond community. Free computer use and printing services are one of the most popular services. Community court is held regularly, and there are weekly workshops where people can get assistance with housing.
Librarians do more than just seek knowledge, they defend the pursuit of it for every person in the community.
For Erikson, the motivation is simple. “It doesn’t matter who you are, this place is for everybody.”
Learn more about the Redmond Library and the services it provides at
www.kcls.org/locations/redmond
