News & Stories
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Silent Reading Party, a New Exhibit, and More August 2025 Arts Events
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… Continue reading
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Magic, Music, Movies: Late-Summer Library Programs for Kids
Looking for things to do with the kids in August? Our libraries are hosting dozens of Summer of Learning and other programs for kids and families, from magic shows to music and dance workshops to end-of-summer celebrations. All Library events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required unless noted. Find information… Continue reading
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You Can Do It! Book Bingo Tips and Recs for the Final Stretch
It’s almost August – how’s your Book Bingo card coming along? If you need inspiration and recommendations for filling up those final (or first!) squares, we’ve got you. We asked a few veteran Book Bingo players for their favorite reads, and how they keep Book Bingo motivation strong through August. Tips included poetry, sticky notes,… Continue reading
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Museum Pass Expands, Adding Two Sites
The Library’s Museum Pass program is expanding! Museum Pass offers Library cardholders free admission to participating museums and cultural organizations. As of last week, Seattle Parks and Recreation has joined Museum Pass to provide free admission to the Seattle Japanese Garden, located in the Washington Park Arboretum, and the Volunteer Park Conservatory. The passes are… Continue reading
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6 Titles for Mid-Summer Book Bingo Inspiration
It’s mid-July, which means we’re halfway through Book Bingo season and you have six solid weeks to read books in fun categories and fill up that bingo card. For the uninitiated, all summer long, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle Arts & Lectures and new partner, King County Library System, celebrate Book Bingo, a program that encourages… Continue reading
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Staying Cool at the Green Lake Branch on the Hottest Day of 2025
How do you stay cool at the Library? On Wednesday afternoon, July 16, when outdoor temperatures hit 90 degrees, we stopped by the Green Lake Branch to check in with a few patrons about how the branch’s first summer with air conditioning was treating them. The branch was packed all afternoon, with most seats in… Continue reading
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Celebrating Shelf Talk’s Next Chapter
Do you notice something different about the Library’s Shelf Talk blog? We’ve given it a new look and feel! Started in 2008 by the Library’s Reader Services team, the Library’s Shelf Talk blog has served our city’s lively and diverse community of readers for 17 years. We’ve redesigned it and updated the platform to make… Continue reading
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Want to Talk to Someone at the City of Seattle?
Do you have a question for the city but you don’t know where to start? The City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods and the Library are here for you! Over the next few months, the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) is hosting monthly community office hours at select Library locations to make it easier for Seattle… Continue reading
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StoryWalk® in Magnolia: Growing Connections
We’re so excited to celebrate the 5th year of our StoryWalk® partnership with Daybreak Star Preschool teachers! Over the years, this program has become a beautiful bridge connecting the urban Native community with our neighbors here in Magnolia. We’re also thrilled to continue working with the Magnolia Farmers Market, which has been an amazing partner.… Continue reading
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12 Ways to Enjoy Summer at the Library
Summer is here, and The Seattle Public Library is here for you. Head to your neighborhood library with your kids to pick up a Summer of Learning activity booklet, go to a fun program, check out some books, explore, and chill out! Here are 12 ways to turn up the summer fun and learning, library… Continue reading
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Keep Kids Learning All Summer: Summer of Learning Kicks Off Today
School’s almost out, but reading, learning and growing are in! The Seattle Public Library’s 106th annual Summer of Learning kicks off today with free activities, programs, and reading challenges designed to keep kids curious, creative and engaged all summer long. Get started by visiting your closest Library location (www.spl.org/Hours) to pick up a Summer of… Continue reading
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Free English Language Programs at the Library to Expand with Significant Carnegie Grant
The Seattle Public Library is excited to announce that it’s received a prestigious $450,000 grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York that will fund a significant expansion of the Library’s free English language learning programs over the next two years. The grant to the Seattle Public Library Foundation is part of Carnegie’s “Libraries as Pillars… Continue reading
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Green Lake Branch Renovation Project Achieves LEED-Gold Certification
This May, the Seattle Public Library’s Green Lake Branch renovation project received LEED-Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the nation’s foremost nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering energy-efficient and environmentally responsible building design. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green-building certification system in the world. It evaluates building… Continue reading
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Super Summer Reading Series with KUOW: 3 Books, 3 Authors, 3 Events
Seattle summer reading just got better! This summer, the KUOW Book Club and the Library invite you to join a book club adventure featuring three books by local authors. Each month, read along with the KUOW Book Club’s selection, and then bring your friends (and your questions) to an event at the Central Library that… Continue reading
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June 2025 Events: ‘Banned Together,’ Octavia Butler Birthday Bash and More
Looking for something to do while you wait for summer to start? We’ve got you. From a documentary screening about student activists fighting book bans to a birthday bash for legendary writer Octavia Butler, there’s something for everyone at the Library in June. All Library events are free and open to the public. Find information… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2025: Pacific Northwest Nature
Our region offers so many incredible opportunities to experience nature, from the mountains to the Puget Sound, from the Duwamish Green Belt to the Burke-Gilman Trail, to the University of Washington Arboretum right here in Seattle. Here are some reading suggestions to fill your PNW nature square for this year’s Book Bingo! Local author and… Continue reading
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6 Books for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, but often, Pacific Islander and Filipino books and authors are less acknowledged in publishing, articles and displays. Here are some Pacific Islander and Filipino voices to discover in May and beyond. “Kapaemahu,” a picture book by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel… Continue reading
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Book Bingo 2025 Goes Big, and Begins Today
Your favorite summer reading adventure begins today, with a plot twist! Every summer we partner with Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) for Book Bingo, our summer reading program for adults and teens. For 2025, we are thrilled to share that King County Library System (KCLS) is joining the fun! Readers in all corners of King… Continue reading