April 2025
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A Peek at Peak Picks – May 2025
We’re adding ten new Peak Picks in May! In fiction, Ocean Vuong returns with a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive in The Emperor of Gladness; Christina Li’s adult debut reveals the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet,… Continue reading
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Eight Stories From Two Years of Books Unbanned
Almost exactly two years ago, on April 27, 2023, The Seattle Public Library took action against censorship and for the freedom to read. We joined Brooklyn Public Library in launching a Books Unbanned program that offers a free card to our digital collection of e-books and e-audiobooks to young people ages 13 to 26 from… Continue reading
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May 2025 Author Events: Ada Limón, “Empire of AI,” and More
We have some amazing events at the Library in May, from a talk with New Yorker editor Michael Lo about his fascinating history of Chinese immigration to a just-added event with author Karen Hao about “Empire of AI,” her behind-the-scenes story of what went wrong at OpenAI. All Library events are free and open to… Continue reading
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With Wheels Instead of Walls, Mobile Services Delivers Books and Connection
On a rainy morning, residents of Council House, a low-income senior living facility on Capitol Hill, are getting their monthly library fix. Every third Tuesday of the month, The Seattle Public Library’s Mobile Services team unloads the Bookmobile and sets up a pop-up library in the community access room of the building. Residents trickle in… Continue reading
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9 Cookbooks for Spring Meal Inspiration
When the seasons start to shift, I begin to crave a change in the recipes I’ve been making for several months, a little inspiration to get some new flavors in the cooking rotation. If you’re also looking for a little spark and something new, check out the books below. Some titles have fairly long waits,… Continue reading
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National Park Week 2025
April 19 to April 27 is National Park Week, a time to celebrate our national parks! At a moment when we’re seeing drastic changes to national park funding and staffing, there’s no better time to appreciate the robustness and diversity of our national park system. Find a park and plan a visit, make a playlist… Continue reading
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Celebrate National Poetry Month and Seattle Reads 2025 With These Books
For only the second time in the history of Seattle Reads, the library’s citywide book club, a book of poetry has been selected. “You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World,” an anthology edited and introduced by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, features 50 American poets observing and reflecting on their place in the natural world,… Continue reading
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Libraries, Our Anchors to Civic Life, Are Under Threat
If you’re concerned about how federal funding cuts will affect Washington state’s libraries and the communities we serve, recent media stories shed light on what’s happening. On Sunday, April 12, the Seattle Times published an op-ed by The Seattle Public Library’s Chief Librarian Tom Fay that detailed how the loss of the Institute of Museum… Continue reading
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Arab American Heritage Month
There have been some amazing Arab and Arab American books out lately, so just in time for Arab American Heritage month, here are some books and authors to explore: Omar El Akkad’s One Day, We Will All Have Been Against This is already one of the buzziest books of the year. Portland area Arab Canadian… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, April 2025
Springtime is here, the flowers are popping, and the books are blooming! Read on for fiction arriving this month. 4/1: The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh Vietnamese sandwich restaurant founder Duc Tran has rewritten his will: if his five children want their inheritance, they’ll have to meet his wishes. His four daughters must take on… Continue reading
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Branches in Bloom: Photos of Spring at the Library
We usually associate libraries with the indoors — buildings, books, computers, programs and classes. But a lot of thought and care goes into the landscapes surrounding our buildings as well. Mathew Roland, senior gardener, is a member of the Library’s Facilities team, which works hard around the year to keep our spaces clean, safe, well-functioning,… Continue reading
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New Nonfiction Roundup – April 2025
Happy April! There’s a lot of outstanding nonfiction to consider this month. In self-care, Gretchen Rubin distills her key insights into simple truths for living with greater satisfaction, clarity, and happiness in Secrets of Adulthood while Melinda Gates draws from previously untold stories to offer a new perspective on encountering transitions in The Next Day.… Continue reading
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Meet Me at the Library: Q&A with Author Shamichael Hallman
Shamichael Hallman, author of “Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy,” will speak on Monday, April 14 at Town Hall Seattle. His topic couldn’t be more timely — why the public library may be our best hope for bridging current societal divides and creating strong, inclusive communities. Please… Continue reading
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Food Waste Prevention Week 2025
Food Waste Prevention Week 2025 is April 7 to 13. Sheryl Anayas and Liz Fikejs from Seattle Public (SPU) Utilities join us for an interview about the work they do to help prevent food waste, and how individuals can take action. What is Food Waste Prevention Week, and why is reducing food waste important? Food… Continue reading
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Building Literacy and Reading Joy for 30 years: the Global Reading Challenge
On Wednesday, April 2, after 60 tense minutes of competition in front of a cheering crowd in the Central Library auditorium, The Library Lynx team from Queen Anne Elementary won the title of 2025 Global Reading Challenge city champion. Wearing orange headbands and purple T-shirts, the seven fourth and fifth graders competed against 10 other… Continue reading
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What Seattle Read in the First Three Months of 2025
Are you curious what books Seattle readers have turned to in a year that’s already been very eventful? See for yourself in our list of top Library checkouts for the first three months of 2025. As usual, the most popular print book checkouts are from the Library’s very popular no-holds, no-wait Peak Picks collection (which… Continue reading