April 2016

  • Bus Reads for April

    First off, I moved to Tacoma. I gotta say I never thought I’d move from Seattle, but life happens and between rent increases and a boy I made the plunge to the sassy sister to the south! One of the many highlights of my move has actually been my bus commute. That’s not something you… Continue reading

  • Thrift Shopping: Save Money by Finding Recycled Treasures

    Shopping can be tough when you’re living on a budget – but thrift shopping is a great way to get what you need at a discount. Not only is it affordable, but you can also find some unique, quality items that you wouldn’t find in a regular store. Here are some great items to look… Continue reading

  • The Story Behind a Modern Marvel: The Seattle Space Needle

      Fifty-five years ago this month, construction began on one of Seattle’ s most prominent icons – the Space Needle.  Our newest digital collection, the George Gulacsik Photograph Collection, documents the construction of the Needle from its start on April 17, 1961 to its completion in 1962 with the opening of the World’s Fair. Continue reading

  • How to Find a Financial Planner (for Non-Millionaires)

      ~posted by Ann G. Getting your finances in order can seem daunting, especially if you are not wealthy.  You know that most of us are in very good company in wondering how to get good financial advice at lower (!) incomes if you consider that a household income of $450,000 a year puts you… Continue reading

  • Free and Inexpensive Activities in Seattle

    ~posted by Tina M.  Looking for things to do this spring and summer, but you’re on a budget? Well, look no further! In this post you will learn about fun, free (or insanely cheap) things to do on your own or with your kids and family! Recreational Activities: Fortunately for Seattleites, there are plenty of… Continue reading

  • The Language of Water: Poetry on Buses

    By Library Staff Do you have a thirst for verse? Well, there’s a way to quench it! The Poetry on Buses Public Art Program, a partnership between 4Culture and Metro Transit, invites poets of all inclinations to submit a poem around a particular theme.  The 2016 theme is “Your Body of Water” and the Office… Continue reading

  • Beyond and After Butler

    -posted by Veronica H. Octavia Butler is a giant in science fiction and fantasy and her legacy is far-reaching. Her importance to the genre cannot be overstated. In honor of the recent Door to a Pink Universe Flash Fiction contest, I wanted to highlight some authors who are following in Butler’s footsteps and changing the… Continue reading

  • How To Identify Spring Flowers

    -posted by Nicole S. If you are like me, you stop and smell flowers. From swampy skunk cabbage to the lovely rose, we are lucky to live in a temperate climate and a city of horticulturists – where flowers abound year round. But if you are also like me, you do not know many plant… Continue reading

  • Birds Near and Far

    -posted by library staff April is a fine month to turn our attention to wild birds. With the longer days of springtime, there are more opportunities to hear the joyous songs of our busy local birds. I enjoyed a melodious treat recently on an early evening walk in my neighborhood. The Central Library boasts a… Continue reading

  • Seattle Repertory Theatre’s “Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem” – Beyond the Theatre

    ~posted by Rebecca K. Not that he has ever strayed far from popular imagination, but mastermind detective Sherlock Holmes has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. The BBC’s whip-smart series “Sherlock” starring Benedict Cumberbatch has earned high critical acclaim and a devoted audience around the globe. Closer to home, the Sherlock Seattle Convention draws enthusiastic… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! Much Ado About Costumes

    ~posted by Ann G. Shakespeare’s First Folio is still here in Seattle for a few more days—if you haven’t gotten a chance to stop by, consider getting tickets and coming to see it! The library hosted a program recently called “Make Your Own Shakespearean Costume”; we had stations where you could make ruffs, cuffs, brooches, beards, and… Continue reading

  • Celebrating Seattle’s Bookmobile

    2016 marks the 125th anniversary of The Seattle Public Library. After it was adopted as a department of the city in 1890, the Library opened its first reading room in Pioneer Square on April 8, 1891. To honor this milestone, we will be posting a series of articles here about the Library’s history and life in… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! Shakespeare and a Battle Remembered

    The power of the pen can be as mighty as a host of lances in the hands of a great poet. One speech in one historical battle has lived on for six centuries, wrapped in myth and inspiration, mainly due to William Shakespeare. A legendary event during the Middle Ages was the Battle of Agincourt,… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! Shakespeare in Young Adult Novels

    ~posted by Meranda Shakespeare has been parodied, reimagined, and adapted to fit a number genres. One of my favorite genres is young adult novels, and here are a few novels I found enjoyable. Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! Shakespeare in Graphic Novels

    Shakespeare’s influence can be seen everywhere…but that doesn’t mean that he is easy to understand or enjoy. Whether you already enjoy Shakespeare or have had problems with Shakespeare’s plays, why not check out a graphic novel? A frozen play, if you will. Gareth Hinds has illustrated and adapted a number of Shakespeare’s plays. I picked up several… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! The Making of the First Folio

    Should the life of a book require a biography, just like a person might merit a life story? The first omnibus of Shakespeare plays, popularly known as the First Folio, significantly changed the English language and our understanding of being human, and so a biography of this work seems warranted. In The Making of Shakespeare’s… Continue reading

  • FIRST FOLIO! Freegal: Five for Free – Shakespeare Edition

    ~posted by Cameron Friends, Seattleites, King County-men, lend me your ears. In celebration of the First Folio exhibit, here are five suggested downloads using the Freegal music service available using your Seattle Public Library Card. Kiss Me, Kate (Original Broadway Cast Recording) – “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” With music and lyrics penned by American treasure Cole… Continue reading

  • Words Can Move People

    From whence comes a writer? Children’s award winning author Cynthia Lord told us, a 600+ audience of teachers and librarians, at a recent Children’s Literature Conference at Western Washington University in Bellingham, that she grew up loving words in a family that loved math. She said she aspired to be a writer when she witnessed… Continue reading