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Summer 2026 Author and Community Events
Stay cool and cultured by attending one of the Library’s author and community events this summer, including a conversation between KUOW’s Katie Campbell and cabin-builder Patrick Hutchison, an evening with science fiction author with Rebecca Roanhorse, and a Book Bingo silent reading party at the Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheater. Also check out Summer Quest, our… Continue reading
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LGBTQ+ Books Worth Seeking Out This Pride Month
This June, we’re going beyond the bestseller lists with books we keep pressing into people’s hands because we can’t stop thinking about them. “Hurricane Envy” by Sara Jaffe Portland writer Jaffe’s collection of short stories finds her characters caught in liminal moments. Jaffe deftly captures the palpable tension when all options feel like a compromise. Her… Continue reading
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From Library Kid to Book Bingo Artist: Vivian Li
Comics artist, zine maker, and illustrator Vivian Li fell in love with Book Bingo on her second day living in Seattle. It was July of 2018, and she stopped at The Seattle Public Library’s Queen Anne Branch for a break after hiking up Queen Anne hill. A longtime fan of summer reading programs, she immediately… Continue reading
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Start Your Summer Quest: Read, Do, Go, and Win
Summer has a new name at the Library! Launching today, Summer Quest is an all-ages program that encourages reading, discovery, and exploration all summer long. Head to your closest Library location, or to www.spl.org/SummerQuest, to pick up your Summer Quest activity tracker, which challenges kids, teens, and adults to log 30 days of Read, Do,… Continue reading
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Ready, Set, Book Bingo 2026
Happy Book Bingo Day! Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, the 12th annual Book Bingo launches with a beautiful board of 24 reading challenges that invites adults to read adventurously all summer and to connect with friends, family, and neighbors around books and reading. Because we’re once again partnering with Seattle Arts and Lectures (SAL) and King County Library System (KCLS), the… Continue reading
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4 Recent Books from Washington Authors to Enjoy This Spring
Living in the Seattle area, readers have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to local authors. As librarians, a particular joy is recommending a local author to someone looking for their next great read. Enjoy this small selection of recently published titles by Washington authors, featuring a charming tale of an unusual pregnancy, a… Continue reading
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Impact Story: From Story Time to Full-Circle Moment
Delight Roberts credits her lifelong passion for reading to a powerful combination: her mother and public libraries. A patron of The Seattle Public Library for 26 years, Delight is passing this passion down to her teenage son, Ethan, who is a library reader and competitive jump-roper (more on that soon!). Delight and her brother grew… Continue reading
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Three Thousand Cheers for Reading: Global Reading Challenge 2026 in the Books
On Tuesday, March 31, with an electric crowd cheering at every opportunity, a team of fourth graders from John Stanford International School became the 31st Global Reading Challenge city champions. With a sweet team name — the Global Bananana Pancake Group — the Stanford students scored a whopping 115 out of 120 points. They were… Continue reading
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One Book, One Coast: Explore Stories of Japanese American Incarceration and Resistance
This spring, The Seattle Public Library is participating in the first-ever One Book, One Coast program – the West Coast’s biggest book club. Now, we’re excited to share the final details of the programs we have planned. Through May, more than 190 library systems across California, Oregon, and Washington are encouraging millions of library readers… Continue reading
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New Teen Nonfiction
Readers often gravitate towards fiction for their pleasure reading, but there are tons of great books that are completely true and make for compelling reading. Here are some newer titles that you may have missed. MS = middle school Barb Rosenstock’s book American Spirits recounts how sisters Kate and Maggie could explain strange rapping sounds in their house by communicating with the… Continue reading
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Photo Album: Broadview Branch’s 50th Celebration Is a Home Run
On Saturday, Jan. 24, more than 1,100 community members streamed into the Broadview Branch to celebrate its 50th anniversary with storytelling, speeches, cake, music, puzzles, games, and five decades’ worth of history, stories and memories. The day started off with Native storytelling with Siobhan Kekoa – with many adults and kids attending. An early special… Continue reading
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The Year’s “Best Of:” for Both the Dilettante and the Obsessive
Do you have a stack of magazines waiting to be read? Are bookmarked articles haunting you? Do you wish someone would just tell you the best ones that you should definitely read? Well you’re in luck – this is your reminder to explore the best in essays, articles, and short stories with annual compilations. Put… Continue reading
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Major Progress on the University Branch Seismic Retrofit
In our August University Branch update, we highlighted U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal’s visit to the branch and the significant progress made over the summer on the renovations there, which include a seismic retrofit, the installation of an electric HVAC system and elevator, new ADA-accessible paths and entryways, and additional study rooms and other amenities. The… Continue reading
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Celebrating Banned Books Week and More October 2025 Events
Grab your favorite banned or challenge book and help us celebrate the freedom during Banned Books Week, which takes place from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11 this year. We’ll have a read-in, programs highlighting the impact of censorship and displays. Plus, you can stop by your favorite neighborhood library and pick up a “Read What… Continue reading
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Nourishing Minds Toolkit Equips Libraries to Support Teen Mental Health
“Library workers are highly skilled at reaching teenagers through many kinds of programming, but many library staff find it a challenge to talk about mental health,” said Luis Gonsalez, The Seattle Public Library’s Digital Media & Learning Program Manager. To address this gap, Luis and other SPL staff have been working with libraries across the… Continue reading
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Seattle Public Library Resources for a Great School Year
Whether or not you or someone in your family is starting school this fall, there’s something about September that promises a fresh start. It’s a great time to grab some school supplies and write a new script for yourself. Your local library can help! Here are some of our favorite library resources for channeling back-to-school… 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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Peek at Peak Picks – May 2025
We’re adding ten new Peak Picks in May! In fiction, Ocean Vuong returns with a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive in The Emperor of Gladness; Christina Li’s adult debut reveals the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood… Continue reading