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January 20th, 2023 · Uncategorized

Remembering Jonathan Raban (1942-2023)

The Seattle Public Library Foundation joins the literary community, locally and internationally, in mourning the loss of Jonathan Raban. Jonathan was an acclaimed travel writer and novelist, and an iconic Seattleite. He was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction, the Governor’s Award of the State of Washington, and The Stranger Genius Award … Continued

  • Homework Help brings students back to branches

    · Uncategorized

    The Lake City Branch was full of students of all ages on a rainy Tuesday evening. Homework Help, the donor-supported afterschool program, was back in-person. Tim, a longtime Homework Help volunteer tutor, said that demand has been high each evening since the program resumed in September. He recently increased his volunteer time from one to … Continued

    December 14th, 2022  ·  3 min read

  • New State Legislators Respond to Library Issues Survey

    · Uncategorized

    As part of our shared advocacy work, the Foundation and the Friends of the Seattle Public Library invited candidates running in Seattle’s Washington State Legislative Districts to take a short survey about library issues. Below are the responses from the newly elected members of the State House of Representatives for the 46th, 37th, and 36th … Continued

    November 11th, 2022  ·  7 min read

  • Donor support provides new Read-Along format for children’s books

    · Uncategorized

    Reading aloud is key for early literacy. Studies show that seeing and hearing words simultaneously improves vocabulary and reading rates. This is especially important for children with disabilities, English-language learners, and others with barriers to reading. “Read-Alongs” are MP3-enabled picture books that read aloud at the push of a button. And thanks to donor support, … Continued

    October 21st, 2022  ·  2 min read

  • South End Stories helps young readers find their inner superhero

    · Uncategorized

    South End Stories, an anti-racist arts education program founded by Donte Felder and his team, including his father, Dr. Donald Felder, celebrates the importance of storytelling and playful learning. This is especially important for public school students who don’t engage as well with traditional classroom instruction. This year, they partnered with the Library to plan … Continued

    September 15th, 2022  ·  3 min read

  • Meet the Chief Librarian: Tom Fay leads the Library into the future

    · Uncategorized

    The Seattle Public Library is in a period of transition—both in how it operates in the aftermath of COVID-19, and under the leadership of a new Executive Director and Chief Librarian, Tom Fay. Tom was unanimously selected by the SPL Board of Trustees in March, after serving as Interim Chief Librarian since April 2021. He … Continued

    September 8th, 2022  ·  4 min read

  • English Conversation Circles forge international community through discussion

    · Uncategorized

    As demand for social connections surged among immigrant and refugee communities during the pandemic, the Library turned to a trusted partner organization, Literacy Source. The donor-supported English Conversation Circle program helps non-native English speakers increase language skills and develop cultural competencies. It aims to build abilities that can help participants accomplish their goals, whether in … Continued

    July 21st, 2022  ·  3 min read

  • Foundation applauds appointment of Yazmin Mehdi as Library Trustee

    · Uncategorized

    The Seattle Public Library Foundation congratulates Yazmin Mehdi on her appointment to The Seattle Public Library Board of Trustees. “We are thrilled to have another committed Library champion as a Trustee,” said Foundation CEO Jonna Ward. “Yazmin has a long history with the Library, including working with us at the Foundation. Throughout her career, and … Continued

    July 14th, 2022  ·  2 min read

  • Guest Curators bring new perspectives to Library programming

    · Uncategorized

    “People are still telling stories around the campfire,” said D.A. Navoti. “It’s just on Zoom now.” At a time when stories — and the connections they create — were urgently needed, the Library launched a new donor-supported Guest Curator program. Navoti, a multidisciplinary writer and storyteller, and Olaiya Land, a pleasure and empowerment coach, were … Continued

    July 13th, 2022  ·  3 min read