Programs & Services
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“A Huge Load Off My Shoulders”: 5 Fine-Free Years, Part 1
Five years ago, the Library eliminated overdue fines, a change that was overwhelmingly approved by Seattle voters when they voted in the 2019 levy (thank you!). We also forgave all outstanding fines to give as many people as possible a fresh start. We made this change because decades of research, as well as our daily… Continue reading
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2025 Seattle Reads Selection Celebrates Poetry and the Natural World
We are so excited to share this year’s selection for Seattle Reads, the Library’s citywide book group: Edited by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, “You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World,” celebrates our deep connection with the natural world and the collective power of poetry. For the book, Limón invited 50 American poets to observe… Continue reading
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February 2025 Author and Community Events at the Library
The Library has many programs that will get you reading, talking and connecting this month, including a sweet silent reading program at the Green Lake Branch; an event featuring Jennifer Finney Boylan talking about “Cleavage,” and Omar El Akkad in conversation with Ijeoma Oluo about his new book “One Day Everyone Will Have Been Against… Continue reading
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Impact Story: Digital Inclusion in Action at the Delridge Branch
What does it mean to have computer skills for the first time? On a Saturday afternoon in December at the Delridge Branch’s meeting room, 11 newly minted adult graduates of a 13-week basic digital literacy class organized by Villa Comunitaria, reflected on this question. One student, Abel, said that the class has helped prepare him… Continue reading
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Winter 2025 Arts Events: Pico Iyer, Schuyler Bailar, Jesse Hagopian and More
If your ideal winter night is an evening listening to authors discuss intriguing books and ideas, we’ve got you covered, from Pico Iyer to Schulyer Bailar to T.J. Klune. All library events are free and open to the public. Check the event descriptions at spl.org/Calendar for registration links. Find more upcoming programs at spl.org/Authors. Silent Reading Night at… Continue reading
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The Seattle Public Library Will Expand Open Hours at Nine Locations on Jan. 29
The Seattle Public Library will expand open hours at nine branches starting on Wednesday, Jan. 29. With this increase, all library locations, with the exception of the University Branch, which closes on Jan. 29 for renovations, will be open at least six days a week. Thirteen locations will be open seven days a week. “With… Continue reading
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Our New Horror Section . . . It’s Alive!
On Friday the 13th, the Central Library is hosting an exciting after-hours launch party from 6:30pm – 8:30pm for our new adult horror fiction collection, and we hope you join us! Register here. Local authors Tara Campbell and Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann will treat us to an adult horror Story Time and lead us in… Continue reading
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“Crash Course in College Life”: UW Magazine Covers Library Internship
We were thrilled to see a recent article in UW Magazine that told the story of a program for high school students that the Library has been involved in since the beginning. The UW Libraries High School Internship serves a small number of teens — 10 a year — but as writer Dan Parry documented,… Continue reading
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Museum Pass Program Currently Paused
June 11, 2025 update: As of today, our Museum Pass program has restarted! Go to www.spl.org/MuseumPass to find out more and to make your reservation. The Seattle Public Library’s popular Museum Pass program, which offers Library cardholders free admission to participating museums and cultural organizations, is paused temporarily. In December 2024, the vendor we used… Continue reading
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History Matters: Acclaimed Historian Talks Reconstruction at the Central Library on Dec. 5
On Thursday, Dec. 5, award-winning historian Dr. Manisha Sinha will come to the Central Library to give The Seattle Public Library’s annual Bullitt Lecture in American History, based on her book “The Rise and the Fall of the Second American Republic.” In her book, Sinha argues that the post-Civil War period of Reconstruction – what… Continue reading
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Rock Your Mocs! Native Youth Reading Challenge, Empowering Indigenous Voices Through Storytelling
This October the Native Youth Reading Challenge began, celebrating Native voices and connecting young readers with stories that reflect their heritage. The Challenge was created by a team of educators from public and tribal schools and libraries in Washington, and was officially launched at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center by the United Indians of… Continue reading
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LEAP Interns: What We Learned at the Library
This summer, the Library was thrilled to have Marcos and Mohammed join us as part of a multi-week summer paid program focused on career preparation for Washington’s blind and visually impaired young people. They helped out in the LEAP department, made zines that are being added to the ZAPP collection, and learned a lot about… Continue reading
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The Historic Green Lake Branch Reopens, Cooler and Safer Than Ever
“It’s beautiful!” “I love it!” “We were waiting and waiting and waiting, and we’re so happy to be back!” At 10:00 a.m. yesterday, just after The Seattle Public Library Board President Dr. W. Tali Hairston cut the ribbon to officially reopen the Green Lake Branch, a small crowd of neighbors, City officials and Library leaders… Continue reading
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4 More Surprising Things You Can Do Through the Library
In September, we published an article in the Seattle Times (and on this blog!) that shared insider tips from Library staff about cool, lesser-known Library services or collections. Since we couldn’t begin to fit all of the ideas in one article, here’s an encore, shared by staff in a variety of roles. (Share your ideas… Continue reading
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Election Resources and Accessible Voting at SPL
With less than three weeks to go before Election Day on November 5, 2024, the Library has registration events, booklists, and other informational resources to help inform you on the voting process. Don’t forget to check out this list of Election Resources on the library website for ballot box locations, lists of elected officials, and… Continue reading
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Fall Arts Events: Angela Garbes, Lindy West, Rachel Kushner and More!!
As fall weather sets in, it’s a good time to mark your calendar with a few of The Seattle Public Library’s exceptional arts and author events in the next couple of months. Gear up for the election with a live “Text Me Back” podcast taping with Lindy West, learn about the connection between homelessness and… Continue reading
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Library Impact: A Dementia-Friendly Concert Series at the Memory Hub
On a Monday afternoon in mid-August, a spacious courtyard on Seattle’s First Hill is alive with flowers, music, dancing and quiet conversation. It is cloudy, but the mood is all sunshine at the Memory Hub, a dementia-specific community center on the Frye Museum campus founded by the University of Washington Memory and Brain Wellness Center.… Continue reading