Nonfiction

  • Celebrate Disability Pride Month with the Library

    Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July, marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Disability is something that nearly every person experiences at some point in their lives, but it is also a distinct identity impacting how folks interact with the world. The… Continue reading

  • Camp NaNoWriMo

    In addition to the big National Novel Writing Month that happens every November, NaNoWriMo also hosts two writing camps, one in April and one in July. These camps can be used to do a variety of writing projects, including finishing your novel, revising/editing a novel, planning for a new one, or world building. The main… Continue reading

  • It’s Queer To Be (Pioneer) Square!

    It’s Pride season, which is a time that I always take to reflect not just on where the LGBTQ+ community is heading, but where it’s been. Librarians in the Central Library History department have been working with HistoryLink and local storyteller Rosette Royale to create opportunities for our community to join us in those reflections.… Continue reading

  • World Wide Knit in Public Day

    World Wide Knit in Public Day is June 10th! While perusing the shelves at Central Library, I came across Barbara Levine’s photography book People Knitting and realized that World Wide Knit in Public Day is tomorrow, Saturday, June 10th! I hope some of our latest knitting books inspire you to get out and knit in… Continue reading

  • On Your Bookmark: Summer Book Bingo Starts Today

    On Your Bookmark: Summer Book Bingo Starts Today

    Grab a stack of books, a friend and start reading — Seattle’s favorite summer reading contest is on! The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts & Lectures just launched this year’s Summer Book Bingo, which encourages people to read for pleasure and to talk about books with friends, coworkers and neighbors. Need a refresher? Book… Continue reading

  • Finding Moments of Calm with Photography Books

    Finding Moments of Calm with Photography Books

    Lately, I’ve been finding moments of calm by perusing the library’s many photography books. Flipping through pages of art and photos can bring a much needed pause from all of the screens around us. In honor of National Photography Month, here are some photography books that I’ve enjoyed:   Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the… Continue reading

  • May is Older Americans Month

    May is Older Americans Month

    It’s Older Americans Month! We want to celebrate and honor our elders and challenge the narrative on aging not just in May, but throughout the whole year. Our society tends to view aging in a negative light and it doesn’t have to be that way; aging is beautiful, and it’s an experience that all humans… Continue reading

  • Taking a Stand for the Right to Read with Books Unbanned

    If you’ve followed the news about the unprecedented increase in book bans and challenges nationwide, you’ll be happy to know that The Seattle Public Library is doing something about it. On April 29, we announced that we are joining Brooklyn Public Library to offer a free Books Unbanned e-card for teens and young adults (ages… Continue reading

  • Walking, Rolling, and Driving in the Accessible Outdoors

    The days are longer, the sun is (somewhat) back, and the weather is taking a turn for the more comfortable. That means it is time to get outside and enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer, be it your neighborhood park, the shores of Lake Washington, or the not-so-distant mountains. If you are… Continue reading

  • New Nonfiction Roundup – May 2023

    The busy spring publishing season heats up in May! We’re highlighting the month’s most anticipated releases in history, food, science, biography & memoir, current events and self care. Jonathan Eig recounts the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. in King: A Life, the first full biography of MLK in decades, while two books consider the… Continue reading

  • Let’s Garden!

    Spring is here! With flowers, rain, bees, and a sense of hope. Whether you’re planting a vegetable garden or flowers, working in a large yard or making the most of a small paved space, gardening inspiration awaits with these titles and more. Pacific Northwest Native Plant Primer by Kristin Currin and Andrew Merritt Discover the… Continue reading

  • New Nonfiction Roundup – April 2023

    April is brimming with notable nonfiction. In addition to the six nonfiction titles joining Peak Picks, consider adding some of these titles to your TBR pile. In Tasting History, Max Miller guides you through 4,000 years of recipes, from ancient Rome and Ming China to Medieval Europe and beyond. Kristin Cavallari focuses on 140 healthy… Continue reading

  • Women’s History Through Film

    Women’s History Through Film

    Every so often, we like to remind folks about the incredible wealth of content available through the Library’s streaming databases, such as Kanopy. And what better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than watching a series of documentaries about inspiring women? For those wanting to learn more about Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected… Continue reading

  • Girl Power

    March is Women’s History Month. To celebrate, I’ve compiled a list of picture books from the last few years that feature amazing women that will hopefully inspire you and your children. Highlighted below are a few favorites that stood out from the crowd. Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott , by Mara… Continue reading

  • The Central Library Expands Hours, and 20-Plus Things to Do There

    The Central Library Expands Hours, and 20-Plus Things to Do There

    Tourists stop by all the time, but when was the last time you visited The Seattle Public Library’s internationally acclaimed downtown location? If it’s been a while, we have good news: Starting Wednesday, Jan. 18, the Central Library will be open two nights a week until 8 p.m. (with the exception of the Faye G.… Continue reading

  • What Seattle Read in 2022: Teen Edition

    What are the teenagers checking out these days? We were curious, so as a follow-up to our post on The Seattle Public Library’s most popular books for adults in 2022, we’ve compiled the top-circulated 10 fiction and nonfiction books for teen audiences. It’s a diverse, fascinating list, ranging from award-winning graphic novels to an Ojibwe… Continue reading

  • New Nonfiction Roundup – January 2023

    Start 2023 with some “new year, new you” titles, assessments of historical and current events, science books, and more! Bestselling author Jay Shetty provides a guide to every stage of romance in 8 Rules of Love, while Portland’s Aubrey Gordon dispels myths about fat people in “You Just Need to Lose Weight.” Legendary music producer… Continue reading

  • Crafty Gifts for the Holidays and Beyond

    As year-end holidays approach, you may be looking to supplement (or replace!) store-bought gifts with handmade items. Take inspiration from one of the books below and make use of these dark winter evenings to make a homemade gift. Made with Love: Get Hooked with 30 Knitting and Crochet Patterns by Tom Daley British diver and… Continue reading