June 2020

  • What is Cyberpunk?

    I recently saw an article with the headline We’re on the Brink of Cyberpunk and while I did not read this article it did get me thinking about what people might consider a Cyberpunk world to be. With images of from the movies eXistenZ and Ex Machina running through my head, I did my best to… Continue reading

  • Pride Reads: More Trans and Non-Binary BIPOC Authors

    Have you already blown through the last list of poetry by trans and non-binary Black, Indigenous, and People of Color that was posted on Shelf Talk? Well, you are in look, because we’re back with even more amazing reads by trans BIPOC voices. This time, the list includes writing in both poetry and novel formats,… Continue reading

  • A History of Seattle Police: Part 1, Accountability

    A History of Seattle Police: Part 1, Accountability

    Recent events have again highlighted long standing discussions on public safety, the appropriate use of force, the goals and mission of police forces, and accountability to the public, among related topics. In Seattle, how have these conversations changed over time, and what lessons might we find in the past to provide direction and shape public… Continue reading

  • Write On!: Publish Your Writing

    Check! You did it, you’ve done the hardest part. You’ve taken an idea, a slither of an idea and honed it into a strong piece of writing. Now, you’re ready to send it out into the world. This brings you to another beginning. This beginning is just as crucial and just as important as completing… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: History or alternate history

    “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” – Winston Churchill One of the squares for adult bingo this year is History or Alternate History.   History is just one great big story told from different perspectives.  Also, since it’s so diverse the chances are high that you will find a story… Continue reading

  • Pride Reads: BIPOC Trans/Non-Binary Poets

    Pride month is a great time to be delving deeper into poetry, and in particular the kind of poetry that shares aspects of LGBTQIA+ experience. More specifically, voices that are often pushed to the margins of the queer community – the voices of trans and non-binary Black, Indigenous, People of Color – are especially important… Continue reading

  • Documentaries for Pride

    Even though Pride events and in-person festivities are cancelled this year, it is still possible to celebrate LGBTQ resilience from the comfort of your home – and the Library can help with that! Aside from going out to protests and engaging with written content by queer authors, there are also lots of video resources available… Continue reading

  • Covid-19 Community Collection

    Are you interested in helping the Library’s Special Collections Department document history? Please consider contributing to our new Covid-19 Community Collection! We are asking you to tell us (and show us) how the events of the past few months have impacted you. We are looking for stories, photographs, signs, artwork, short videos and other materials… Continue reading

  • Shakespeare Shows and Shorts on Kanopy

    If you’re like me, you’ve been spending the past few months missing going out to see plays and performance in Seattle’s theatre scene. As the days get warmer and brighter and summer seems just around the corner, we still don’t know whether we will be able to enjoy Shakespeare in the Park season as we… Continue reading

  • The Art of Protest: The Language, Music and Images of Civil Discontent

    Joining a protest is personal and a public event. People from all ages and all walks of life take to the streets calling for societal change. Throughout history worlds of people have marched, from handfuls to millions with voices raised, through cities and towns. When The People Speak, heads turn. Everybody is filled with a… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Myth or Fable (original or retold)

    During quarantine one of my goals was going through all the Marvel movies in order of release (I’ve heard I’m not the only one).  This had me falling in love with Loki all over again.  This set of a spark in me to read more books about Loki and myths in general. I also lucked… Continue reading

  • Pride Reads: Black Women Writers

    This Pride month, as the world is rising up in solidarity with American cities protesting against racism, white supremacy, and police brutality, it is sobering to think about the many Black, queer lives that have been lost to these oppressive systems. As queer people, it is also a great time to remember that we celebrate… Continue reading

  • Staying Healthy with Your Library: LGBTQ History & Culture

    With materials from hundreds of institutions and organizations, including major international activist organizations, local, grassroots groups, and governments, the database LGBTQ History & Culture (also known as the Archives of Sexuality and Gender) collects an incredible set of primary sources for the historical study of sex, sexuality, and gender. Use this resource to investigate how sexual… Continue reading

  • The Story of Film Column #10: Movies To Change The World

    As we continue our walk thru Mark Cousin’s The Story of Film, we’ve now reached the 1970’s, one of the defining decades in cinema history. As we saw in the last column, an influx of talent from television, film schools and independent filmmaking had led to the birth of the “New Hollywood” movement in America. At… Continue reading

  • Write On!: Get Moving, Write that Screenplay

    Do you wonder How Hollywood Does It? Are you intrigued by all the moving parts that are part and parcel of getting a film on the screen? From where you sit, gazing up at the final cut, are you one of the few people in the audience who even knows the screenwriter’s name? Every film… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Debut Book by Author Over 50

    Does age matter when we’re talking about a book’s author? It does for this specific Book Bingo square! Here we’re celebrating authors who published their first book after they reached 50, reminding us it’s never too late to start writing. Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantas Washington state author Karl Marlantas published… Continue reading

  • Comics Before Cinema! Part Two

    This is the second of three posts featuring graphic novels and comics as the original source material. If you liked what you’ve seen on screen, try reading it…because sometimes the comic book is better. I admit that I have not watched or read most of what I’ve listed (though not for a lack of trying!)… Continue reading

  • If You Enjoy Fantasy Roleplaying Games…

    I know many of you out there are spending a lot of time these days playing Dungeons & Dragons or other tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) on Roll20, Discord, or even Zoom. You might be playing The Witcher 3 on your Nintendo Switch, or revisiting the tundra of Skyrim on your Xbox One. Maybe you’re even… Continue reading