There was cake at the Ballard Branch a few weeks ago. “We’re celebrating a year of talking to each other,” said librarian Lynn Miller. Miller helps lead a weekly gathering called Coffee & Conversations. The branch serves many patrons experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, and the program started in early 2023 as a way to … Continued

The West Seattle Branch reopened on April 3, 2004, after a Libraries For All renovation updated the historic building. The branch originally opened in 1910 as one of Seattle’s first public libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie. To celebrate 20 years in the updated branch and Seattle’s ongoing support for libraries for all, we visited West … Continued

Art can serve as an outlet, an inspiration, and a source of strength – as demonstrated by the work in the Winter Visions exhibition from Path with Art, on display in the Level 8 gallery at the Central Library. Path with Art is a Seattle-based nonprofit that offers free classes, materials, and showcases for people recovering … Continued

Foundation CEO Jonna Ward, who joined the organization in 2001 and became its executive director in 2008, will depart her role this summer. She said the timing is ideal for a transition at the helm of the library’s nonprofit partner. “The Foundation’s team, board, finances, and leadership position in our sector are incredibly strong, thanks … Continued

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of several Seattle libraries built, expanded, or renovated thanks to the Libraries For All campaign that so many Foundation donors supported – including the world-famous Central Library. The Rainier Beach Branch reopened on January 17, 2004, after a Libraries For All expansion added room for books and materials, more natural light and … Continued

Started by Brooklyn Public Library in 2022, Books Unbanned offers teens and young adults across the country free access to digital books and audiobooks. The program counters the increasing attempts to censor what young people read — and is powered by a growing network of foundations and donors. The Seattle Public Library joined Brooklyn earlier … Continued

The library brings people together in many different ways. For many successful or budding entrepreneurs in Seattle, the donor-supported Library to Business program (L2B) provides essential connections to funding, information, and partnerships. One afternoon in October, members of the local small business community filled a room at the Central Library for an L2B business resource … Continued

On a recent rainy day, members of the SPL and Foundation Boards toured an unassuming building in Georgetown that is essential to our library. What they saw, and the people they met, amazed them. The group was touring The Seattle Public Library’s Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC), which opened last year, and is home to … Continued

As part of our advocacy work, the Foundation and Friends of The Seattle Public Library sent a survey to all 14 candidates running in the 2023 general election in Seattle’s seven City Council districts. Eleven candidates responded, demonstrating strong support for the library. Overall, candidates affirmed that the City should fund upgrades to library facilities … Continued