Recent Posts
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Historical
One of the goals of Book Bingo is to have as many entry points as possible for readers, and the “Historical” category is a great example. An alternate history speculative fiction? Check! A biography of a historical figure? Perfect! A Regency romance? That works! If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try one of these, selected from the Book Bingo… Continue reading
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Goal! Watch World Cup Games Live at the Library
Libraries have a reputation as places where quiet is encouraged, but not this June! As part of the city of Seattle’s efforts to celebrate FIFA World Cup 2026, the Library is thrilled to host 15 livestream watch parties for FIFA World Cup 2026 games at three locations: the Central Library (Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium), the Lake City Library, and the Southwest Branch. Like all Library events, World Cup watch… Continue reading
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3 Ways to Celebrate Pride 2026 With the Library
Happy Pride Month! We invite you to celebrate with the Library all month long, and we have a few special things planned this June and beyond. Attend a Pride event Calling all “Heated Rivalry” fans: On Saturday, June 13, check out this Queer Joy & Hockey program with Seattle Pride Hockey at the Northgate Branch. It will feature a discussion about… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Honorable Mentions
Every year, dozens of excellent books that are nominated for major book awards every year, but don’t quite make it over the finish line. Just because a book didn’t win doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. Celebrate these also-rans and runners-up, and check off a Book Bingo square, with books that were nominated, longlisted or shortlisted for a major… Continue reading
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A Peek at Peak Picks – June 2026
We’re adding ten new Peak Picks in June! In fiction, from Lisa See comes the story of three Chinese women whose unexpected friendship helps them survive and, despite the odds, thrive, in the turmoil of post-Civil War Los Angeles in Daughters of the Sun and Moon; Paul Tremblay delivers a genre-bending near-future tech nightmare that is as bitingly funny as… Continue reading
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June 2026 Author and Community Events at the Library
The Library’s many author and community events in June include a Queer hockey night at the Northgate Branch, a zine-making workshop with Densho, and FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties. Find many more events at www.spl.org/Calendar. Find information and registration through the event links below. All Library events are free and open to the public. The Library also has some… 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 2026 card is available at 76 public… Continue reading
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The Pitt Readalikes
“The Pitt” season 2 recently wrapped and I already miss the characters and the unfolding drama. If you also miss the high stakes, mission-driven ER environment of The Pitt, as well as the interpersonal dynamics between the cast members, here are some books to read while we wait for another season: The Hospital: Life, Death, and Dollars in a Small… 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 thriller deep inside a cave… Continue reading
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Older Americans Month: Champion Your Health
Happy Older Americans Month! This year’s theme is Champion Your Health. At the Seattle Public Library, we work year-round to engage and connect older adults with programs and services that make a difference. Below you will find our free monthly programs and check out our calendar for all our older adult audience specific events! Stay tuned for Older Americans Month highlights on our social media and spotlighted on… Continue reading
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Discover Summer Quest, the Library’s New All-Ages Summer Program
Summer in Seattle is all about adventure and discovery: ice cream, ferry rides, tide pooling, reading outside, festivals, exploring new places … and now, Summer Quest! This summer, the Library invites patrons of all ages to discover a brand-new version of our century-old summer reading program, starting on June 15. Summer Quest will encourage kids, teens, and adults to “read,… Continue reading
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Washington, Genealogy, and America250
This year marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. You might hear it called a semiquincentennial, bisesquicentennial, or simply America250. Many states are celebrating this anniversary in different ways. For many of those interested in genealogy and family history, we’re looking back at what our ancestors were doing in 1776. How many generations do you need to go back to find your ancestors alive in 1776? The… Continue reading
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Adult Fiction for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and with it, we welcome the opportunity to highlight recent novels and stories by authors of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian heritage. If you want to keep it local, check out Mike Curato’s Gaysians, a graphic novel that follows the friendship and adventures of four queer Asian folks in… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, May 2026
Can you feel it? Summer reading season is right around the corner! As you plan vacations and staycations, long weekends or surprise rainy days inside, here are some new fiction releases to take along. 5/5: The Calamity Club by Kathryn StockettIn 1933 Mississippi, an orphan and two women fallen on hard times band together with an idea to see them… 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 up in Salt Lake City.… Continue reading
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Stories about Mental Health for Teens
Mental health – the proper care and maintenance of your emotional state – seems more important than ever. Here are some new novels showing teens finding their way through challenging times. Amelia Diane Coombs’ book All Alone with You follows loner Eloise as she works her way back from a depressive episode that cost her some friends. Now she helps out at a senior center with a highly enthusiastic boy her… Continue reading
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May and June 2026 Author and Community Events
The Seattle Public Library’s May and June calendar is blooming with author and community programs. Find more book-related events, including a variety of book and writing programs, in our Books and Authors calendar. All Library events are free and open to the public. Many of these events are supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation and the Gary and Connie Kunis… Continue reading
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New Nonfiction Roundup – May 2026
Check out some of the month’s best nonfiction! In addition to May’s slate of Peak Picks, there are moving memoirs, guides to self care for the mind and body, American history in anticipation of the nation’s 250th anniversary, and so much more. In memoir, Patricia Cornwell, author of the Kay Scarpetta series, tells the story that rivals all of the… Continue reading