Programs & Services

  • Homegrown Reading

    Lately instead of just fretting over the health of local bookstores, I’ve started to fret over the local publishing scene, too. I’ve tried to laugh about it, but the bad news just keeps coming.  Will I someday be mourning the loss of Copper Canyon or Sasquatch Books the way I now miss browsing that glorious biblio-mayhem at Shorey’s… Continue reading

  • Fun Things to do When You’re Stuck in the House

    What’s up with this winter weather anyway?  Just in case you are feeling a bit of cabin fever, here are some suggestions for fun things to do. The Ultimate Indoor Games Book: The 200 Best Boredom Busters Ever by Veronika Alice Gunter and Clay Meyer Looking for something to do at home with your 8 to… Continue reading

  • Comixtravaganza Kick-Off with David Lasky at the Ballard Branch

    The library is ringing in the new year with Comixtravaganza, our second annual free, all ages, city-wide comics festival.    Kids, teens, and adults can make their own comics, enter a drawing contest, watch classic cartoons, and lots more. We’ll provide the art supplies, the professional artists, and the free food–you bring the creativity. It all starts… Continue reading

  • Getting Started with Downloadable Books: Overdrive

    Welcome the wonderful world of digital books. Watch this video to learn how to use our Overdrive collection. You’ll be able to download books right to your computer. No waiting in line and better yet, no driving around to get the books you want. As with any new technology, sometimes there can be a few… Continue reading

  • December Question of the Month: An irregular series

    The reference librarians at Seattle Public Library are pretty darn amazing. They don’t know everything, instead they know where to find everything. As part of an irregular series of posts we salute the talented and dedicated reference staff at your local library. Names and other identifying information have been removed from the questions we showcase.… Continue reading

  • Watching the Weather with Cliff Mass

    Normally we don’t write about new books that are already slammed with holds and Cliff Mass’ new book, The Weather of the Pacific Northwest, certainly fits that description with over 300 holds on it already. But the weather outside is frightful…well, at least unusual. Since I’ve been glued to his weather blog over the weekend, I thought you… Continue reading

  • Bus Talk

    Perfect! For once, the bus and I are in sync. I arrive at my bus stop just in time to catch the #12 down Madison to the Central Library. Rarely do Metro and I have such synergy. Even better, a friend of my partner’s is gettng on the bus and we sit down and chat it up. After… Continue reading

  • Visiten nuestra página en español!

    La biblioteca pública de Seattle añade páginas en español al Web de la biblioteca. El pasado 19 de noviembre la biblioteca pública de Seattle lanzó la nueva sección en español en el Web de la biblioteca. La nueva sección en español contiene cerca de 30 páginas adicionales de información como: Visite la biblioteca Calendario de… Continue reading

  • For Visual Learners – A short video on our Recent Catalog Enhancements

    If you’d prefer to read about our latest changes to the catalog, we posted that here What’s going on in the library catalog? Continue reading

  • What’s going on in the library catalog?

    You might have noticed some changes in the library catalog recently. It’s true; we’ve been adding some new features and trying to make some existing functions work better.  Check out some of these new features that have been added: Reviews If you’ve been searching for a way to share your opinions about books, movies, or music,… Continue reading

  • Parenting in the Wired Age

    Parents today have so many networks and resources available to them. It can be daunting, but it can also be reassuring. There are so many decisions to make, so many styles to choose from. Do you breastfeed or bottle-feed, or both? What bottles should you use? Cloth or disposable? Co-sleeping or crib? Those first months… Continue reading

  • Tips from a news junkie

    One of our librarians, Jesten, has me totally hooked on PressDisplay, an online library service featuring hundreds of U.S. and international daily newspapers. I knew Jesten was a total news junkie, but it was her post on Push To Talk this week that reeled me in—and ended up being extra handy for me. Recently I… Continue reading

  • Mom, was Pocahontas at the first Thanksgiving?

    One of the joys of parenting is the stop-in-your-tracks moments that shake your world view.  For me, one of those moments came a couple of years ago when my then 8 year old asked “Hey Mom, was Pocahontas invited to the First Thanksgiving with all those men in black?”  “Wow,” I thought, “where do I go… Continue reading

  • Okay, where is all the ‘free money’ for college?

    I’ve always heard that there’s money for college—if you know where to look. My son still has three years until college, but recent headlines about tuition going up as the economy goes down (Cost of higher education heading up, Washington Post) and indentured college grads (Graduates drowning in debt from high cost of college, Seattle Times)… Continue reading

  • Getting Started with Downloadable books: NetLibrary

    Welcome the wonderful world of digital books. Watch this video to learn how to use our NetLibrary collection. You’ll be able to download books right to your computer. No waiting in line and better yet, no driving around to get the books you want. As with any new technology, sometimes there can be a few… Continue reading

  • Natural Seattle

    As a native Seattleite, I’ve been blessed my entire life with our four seasons, umpteen varieties of rain, and countless beautiful days (no matter what kind of weather we’re having).  Recently someone asked me about a particular bit of weather lore, and this led me on a quest to find out more not just about… Continue reading

  • November Question of the Month: An irregular series

    The reference librarians at Seattle Public Library are pretty darn amazing.  They don’t know everything, instead they know where to findeverything.  As part of an irregular series of posts we salute the talented and dedicated reference staff at your local library. Names and other identifying information have been removed from the questions we showcase. Got a… Continue reading

  • Napoleon on the Nile at the Frye

     How did 19th century artists and scientists come to rediscover Egypt and the Middle East? How did the images and explorations of those artists and scientists spark “Egyptomania” as a cultural phenomenon? Two museums in the Puget Sound area try to answer those questions with complementary exhibitions that look at Egypt and the Middle East… Continue reading