April 2020

  • Blissful Albums in Hoopla

    Eleven out of ten times, music can give me comfort when I’m feeling low and can’t motivate myself to do anything else than be mopey. When I hear a song come on that I really enjoy I feel an instant shift in mood; like someone just yanked the recoil start in my brain. Here is… Continue reading

  • Dinner in a Movie: Dining In with SPL Streaming Services

    When our video streaming queue, filled with murder mysteries and whodunnit crime documentaries, no longer looked as inviting, or the pile of books we had brought home stayed unread, or the housework we said was going to get done remains as unfinished as ever, it seems many of us are resorting to the kitchen to… Continue reading

  • Meditation for Tough Times

    We live amongst our stressors and our struggles. Anxiety manifests as feelings, physical symptoms, and in how we connect or disconnect with the people around us. We so often think “I’ll be more relaxed when-” but there is always the journey of getting to “when.” Mindfulness is the practice of finding peace wherever we are,… Continue reading

  • The Story of Film, Part 3: The Golden Age of World Cinema

    The Story of Film, Part 3: The Golden Age of World Cinema

    In the last column exploring Mark Cousin’s The Story of Film, we looked at the early years of Hollywood and the beginnings of what Cousins’ refers to as “the bauble.” This column will focus on what was happening in other countries, where other directors were making films that were very different from Hollywood and featured… Continue reading

  • Vegetarian Cooking with Flipster and eCookbooks

    Whether you are busier than ever or have found yourself with more time than you ever thought possible, you still need to eat! If you are interested in adding more vegetables to your diet, want to try meatless Mondays, or are just tired of your same old standards, the library has many great digital vegetarian… Continue reading

  • Try these Children’s eAudiobook Series on Overdrive!

    Stuck inside and looking for entertainment the whole family can enjoy? Try these three outstanding eAudiobook series available on Overdrive! Alcatraz Series, Book 1: Alcatraz vs The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson, read by Ramon De Ocampo Alcatraz Smedry isn’t just some kid. Growing up in multiple foster homes, he has found that he has a… Continue reading

  • Entrepreneurs and Nonprofits – Library to Business Will Assist You during the COVID-19 Closure

    Are you pivoting your business and looking for market data to support the viability of your plan? Are you a self-employed small business owner, gig worker, or contractor who is trying to figure out which of the COVID-19 financial relief programs will work for you? Over the past few weeks, new details on the different… Continue reading

  • Hoopla and Chill (with Penguins)

    It seems that the penguin is still a huge mystery to some. Penguins are some of the coolest (no pun intended) creatures around, but the majority of us never have any first-hand experience with them. This is usually due to geographical limitations; however, with our current climate of being stuck indoors, we can now digitally… Continue reading

  • Science fiction and fantasy books about change

    During these times of uncertainty, many of us are looking to our favorite writers for comfort and guidance. For decades, speculative-fiction writers have shown themselves to be especially well-versed in the subject of uncertainty, using their magical worlds to explore social problems and existential questions that complicate our daily lives. Here are three science fiction… Continue reading

  • Financial Literacy Month: Save and Invest for Your Future Education Series

    Unless you plan to work your whole life and through your retirement, you’re going to need to save part of the money you earn now and put it to work for you in the form of investments in order to be able to retire comfortably. Unless of course, you’re counting on winning a huge lottery… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: On your shelf

    I’ve always been a reader but, as time goes on, I find that my eyes are perpetually larger than my literary stomach, resulting in piles of books all over the house and a Goodreads “to read” shelf that requires constant pruning.  Between teleworking and homeschooling there isn’t nearly much time to read as I had… Continue reading

  • Bringing the Outside In: Resources for Families Missing the Great Outdoors

    This past weekend, major parks, beaches, and many trails were closed in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. But fear not, many of our favorite parks and organizations are offering fantastic online content to help satiate our appetites for natural beauty, park history, and more. First, be sure to check out this book… Continue reading

  • What to Read if You’re Missing High School

    Since the sudden closure of Seattle schools, I have been missing the daily routine of school, and especially wishing that I could see my friends and schoolmates. One way I’ve been escaping the sometimes lonely feelings of social distancing is by reading books that transport me to fantasy high schools and the drama of friend… Continue reading

  • An April Quartet, Part III: Bass Note of Blue, the Flowering

    This Spring greets us with peril and possibility. More than a movie, more than any play or book in which we can flip fast to the end and find out what happens, walk out, grab a snack or turn the dang thing off we just don’t know, do we, when this will be over? We… Continue reading

  • Staying Healthy with Your Library: ProQuest Consumer Health Database

    This post is part of our Staying Healthy with Your Library series featuring online consumer health resources available from The Seattle Public Library. Databases require a library card number and PIN for remote access. For general health questions or in-depth research, ProQuest Consumer Health is an easy-to-use database of more than 500 trustworthy medical journals… Continue reading

  • Imagining Life, Post-Pandemic

    There was a time – two months or so ago – when readers flocked to dystopian fiction so that they might imagine  what strange, dark days might lay ahead. Now that we’re all living through something that feels a bit like sci-fi itself, futuristic fiction is still there to help us envision and contemplate the… Continue reading

  • We Got Your Ears Covered

    Two “Always Available” Overdrive digital nonfiction audiobooks and one with plenty of copies! For me, audiobooks fall into two categories: “Books I Meant to Read” and “Books to Listen to while Gripped by Insomnia.” Right now, that second category has taken prominence. I’m primarily a nonfiction book reader, so when I lie down for the… Continue reading

  • The Story of Film, Part 2: The Hollywood Dream

    The Story of Film, Part 2: The Hollywood Dream

    Our travel through Mark Cousin’s history, The Story of Film, now takes us to the years 1918-1928 and the work of the great American silent comedians. Let’s start with Charlie Chaplin, probably the most famous of all the silent film stars. Like most silent comedians, Chaplin got his start acting and directing in comedy shorts… Continue reading