Seattle Times
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7 Summer Book Bingo Recommendations
Book Bingo season is a time to reconnect with reading for joy and discovery. To help readers across King County find great picks for their Book Bingo board, the owners of West Seattle’s Paper Boat Booksellers join a Seattle Public Library Reader Services librarian with suggestions for three bingo categories. Learn about Book Bingo and get… 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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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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4 Nonfiction Reads for International Workers’ Day 2026
Since the establishment of International Workers’ Day in 1889, May 1 has been an important date for labor unions, immigrant rights advocates and organizations that strive to advance the cause of workers’ rights. Ahead of International Workers’ Day, we invite readers to explore the past, present and future of the labor movement, including an overview of American labor history, a deep dive into anti-racist activism in Seattle, an interrogation of the very concept of solidarity and a… Continue reading
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5 Fiction and Nonfiction Books that Dive Into AI
If representations of AI in fiction are starting to feel eerily plausible to you, you’re not alone! AI suddenly seems to be everywhere — in your phone, in your browser, offering tech support and an uncanny form of virtual friendship. How did this happen, where is it headed and what will it mean for humanity?… Continue reading
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‘The Secret Lives of Library Books’ — Seattle Times Follows the Journey of a Hold
Every wonder how your library holds “magically” appear at your branch? Seattle Times reporter Sara Jean Green and photographer Karen Ducey explored this question by diving into a behind-the-scenes story of how millions of books travel around our region each year to serve the needs of our region’s Library users. Sara and Karen joined SPL… Continue reading
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Dark and Disturbing: 8 Horror Novels by Women
In the tradition of local award-winning author Sadie Hartmann’s newest release, “Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women,” Hartmann and SPL Reader Services librarian Genesee Rickel share two lists featuring chilling tales written by women. As in the book, these lists are curated to work in conversation… Continue reading
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For Women’s History Month, 4 Bewitching Pageturners
For centuries, women who claimed their power through medicine and magic, curiosity and intelligence, and a refusal to submit and abide, were persecuted as witches. In honor of Women’s History Month, we offer four fictional titles in several genres — crime, thriller, fantasy, historical Western — that honor witches and their stories of strength and… Continue reading
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5 Books That Celebrate Nonromantic Love
February is traditionally a month to celebrate romantic love. But while romance novels are easy to find on the shelves of any library near you, we think it’s time to highlight the passion, tenderness and devotion expressed in other types of relationships. These five books focus on love in a variety of settings, from friendship… Continue reading
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How to Read More in 2025
“Books are uniquely suited to helping us change our relationship to the rhythms and habits of daily life in this world of endless connectivity. We can’t interrupt them; we can only interrupt ourselves while reading them.” — Will Schwalbe, “Books for Living“ Here’s a secret: Librarians give you permission to read anything you like because… Continue reading
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The Library’s Most Popular Books of 2024
What was the story of 2024 in books? It’s always intriguing to look back and see which titles captured the interest of Seattle’s insatiable readers over the course of the year, and one way to do that is through library checkout data. James McBride’s 2023 bestseller “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” was the most… Continue reading
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Party Like It’s 1918!
I’ve never been one to enjoy the large crowds underneath the Space Needle on New Year’s Eve night; rather, I like to ring in the New Year with friends at smaller events in the city. One year was spent wandering around Tacoma during First Night and when I lived in West Seattle I would ring… Continue reading
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Seattle Times at the Seattle Public Library
If you live in Seattle, you’re probably familiar with The Seattle Times newspaper. You may scan the paper each morning to keep abreast of breaking news and recycle it the next day, its value gone with the printing of the next issue. However, headlines from 20, 50 or 100 years ago can provide a fascinating… Continue reading