Is a silent reading party the ideal event for an introvert? Find out this Saturday, Aug. 9, at a fun program at the Seattle Center, which includes book swap opps and Book Bingo tips. Other not-to-miss late summer events include the final program in our KUOW Book Club series, an exhibit celebrating the African American Collection, a conversation with horror writer Isabel Cañas, and more.
All Library events are free and open to the public. Find information and registration through the event links below or at spl.org/Calendar. You can also find many wonderful summer programs for kids and families at our Kids and Families calendar.
Many of these events are supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation and the Gary and Connie Kunis Foundation.
Silent Reading Party at Seattle Center
Saturday, Aug. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Seattle Center, Mural Amphitheatre
Grab a blanket, pack your favorite snacks, and join fellow book lovers for Seattle Arts & Lectures’ Silent Reading Party. Lounge on the lawn, meet local booksellers, enter to win fun prizes, swap and shop great reads, celebrate the 2025 Summer Book Bingo program, and just soak up the quiet joy of reading together — surrounded by community. Whether you come solo or with friends, get ready to unwind with a good book in the summer sunshine. With Seattle Arts & Lectures, Third Place Books, KCLS and other partners.
Rooted & Rising: Stories from the African American Archive
From Aug. 11 to Oct. 5, during the Central Library’s open hours. Level 8 Gallery, Central Library
This new exhibit features a selection of powerful archival materials – letters, photos, newspaper clippings, and historical documents – that capture the depth and diversity of Black life in the Pacific Northwest. The exhibit is curated by local interdisciplinary artist Imani Sims of Vivid Matter Collective, who brings a deeply personal and innovative lens to the Douglass Truth Branch’s African American Collection. It will be accompanied by workshops and a live performance that invite participants to see themselves as part of the historical continuum and active co-authors of what’s next.
Ray Nayler and Nicola Griffith discuss “Where the Axe is Buried”
Thursday, Aug. 14, from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Central Library, Level 1 – Microsoft Auditorium.
Following the success of his debut novel, “The Mountain in the Sea,” Ray Nayler launches readers into a thrilling near-future world of geopolitical espionage. A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, “Where the Axe is Buried” combines the story of a near-impossible revolutionary operation with a blistering indictment of the many forms of authoritarianism that suffocate human freedom. Nayler will be in conversation with Seattle writer Nicola Griffith. Registration is required.
Book Bingo Celebration at the Green Lake Branch
Sunday, Aug. 17, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Green Lake Branch
The end of this year’s Book Bingo is near! Are you racing to finish? Do you want to talk with other readers about what you’ve read? Join us at the newly air conditioned Green Lake Branch to get suggestions for (short) titles to complete your bingo, chat with fellow readers, and enjoy a bookish afternoon. Registration is not required.
Isabel Cañas discusses “The Possession of Alba Díaz”
Tuesday, August 19, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Central Library’s Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium
Set in 1765 Zacatecas, Mexico, the bestselling author’s latest novel stars a demonic presence that awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine. When a young woman fleeing her plague-ridden region is seized by the demon, she must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust in a fight for her life. Registration is required.
KUOW Book Club: Lynda Mapes discusses “The Trees are Speaking”
Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Library, Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium
At the final event in our summer book club series with KUOW, Seattle Times environmental journalist Mapes will discuss her latest work, which is already being hailed as essential reading for anyone interested in environmental stewardship. Registration is required.
Magnolia StoryWalks
Through August 31. Magnolia.
For the fifth year, the Magnolia Branch is partnering up to offer StoryWalks® at three locations in the neighborhood: outside the Magnolia Branch, at the Magnolia Farmers’ Market, and at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center. Each trail features a picture book by Indigenous authors, chosen by Daybreak Star preschool teachers. This year, we also partnered with the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library (WTBBL) to transcribe all books into Braille.
ZAPP Zine Collection Open Hours
Saturdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., through Aug. 23. Central Library’s Level 7 Zine Room.
This summer, visit the Library’s ZAPP Zine Collection during open hours on Saturdays to explore its collection of over 30,000 zines, minicomics, and other small press periodicals. Registration is not required.