The Seattle Public Library

06/18/2026

Read all about Summer Quest in Seattle's Child! Summer Quest is our new all-ages program with so many fun and free activities, programs, and prizes. Get your activity tracker at any location or online today.

Seattle Public Library has launched Summer Quest, a new all-ages program replacing Summer of Learning with reading challenges, events & prizes.

06/15/2026

Our new all-ages summer program starts now!

Kids, Teens & Adults - Read, Do and Go to fill in squares on your tracker and win prizes! (Adults, your reading counts for Summer Quest too📚 )

Prizes for each age group include...
🌲Kids: free stickers, books, a ticket to PlayDate SEA and a chance to win a PlayDate SEA pizza party
🌊 Teens: Free 5-piece boneless wings from Wingstop and a chance to win Friends of The Seattle Public Library gift cards
🏔️ Adults: a chance to win Friends of The Seattle Public Library gift cards and a Kobo e-reader
⭐ Everyone gets their name on the Wall of Fame at your local branch!

Get your tracker at any of our locations or at www.spl.org/SummerQuest

06/09/2026

⚽ We're hosting World Cup watch parties at the Central Library and other locations!

See our full schedule of watch parties at www.spl.org/WorldCup

06/05/2026

The Zinn Education Project Day of Action is June 6, a day to take a stand to protect young people's freedom to read and freedom to learn.

This year, we partnered with Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators to collect works from sixth grade students that explore this year's theme, "Decolonize 1776." See it now at the Central Library on Level 3.

In honor of the 250th Anniversary of the United States and Day of Action, we also put together this list of books (which includes frequently banned history books) that explore a more complete and honest version of American history. Check it out at https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/117997230/3039854337

06/04/2026

All winners go into the ZAPP Zine Collection at the Central Library! Visit the collection during open hours this month: https://www.facebook.com/305304471638088/posts/1456246946543829

Congrats to all who were recognized!

Congratulations to the 11th Annual Washington State Zine Contest winners and honorable mentions!

The Washington State Zine Contest is a project of the Washington Center for the Book (administered by the Washington State Library) with support from the Timberland Regional Library, The Seattle Public Library and King County Library System.

The 12th annual Washington State Zine Contest, open to zinesters of all ages across our state, will open in the fall so start creating now!

WINNERS:
Pre-4th Grade
Two Stray Cats by Mika Chang (Redmond)
Grades 4-6
Seasons Turning & Time Falling by Norah Armstrong (Sequim)
Grades 7-9
C. Inanis: Studies of the Void Squid by Liz Chalfont (Bellevue)
Grades 10-12
Ur not Alone by Scarlette Kennard & Raquel Castillo (Olympia)
Adults
Propeller: Ferry Fanzine (Omnibus.) by Furanetio (Kingston)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Pre-4th Grade
Blueberry by Claire Yan (Bellevue)
The Cheez-It! by John Williams (Ellensburg)
Grades 4-6
Find the Light by Ofelia Thompson Gilbert (Olympia)
Haiku with Clementine and Crunch by Chloé Beasley (Kenmore)
My First Pet by Alicia Pan (Seattle)
The Supreme Court of Random Stuff by Daniel Pardo Vergara (Carnation)
Grades 7-9
Dear Grandpa by Jadin Wong (Redmond)
Subway Love by Sebastian Klebanow (Port Townsend)
Grades 10-12
CATS by River Giraud and Oliver Burrell (Olympia)
Green Eggs a sHam by Fiona Cheng (Bellevue)
The Reflecting Pool Issue No. 1 by Artemis Bella-Rogol (Olympia)
Adults
have you heard poems for dogs by Marika Moffitt (Anacortes)
“Here We Are Now, Entertain Us” by HAMtasia (Vancouver)
(some) (life) Lessons I Learned from Learning by Jenni Salmi (Seattle)
With Love – Simple home-cooked Mexican recipes you won’t find in a restaurant by Daniela Tierra (Seattle)

06/04/2026

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Paul Dorpat, a Seattle historian and author. For over 60 years, Paul tirelessly chronicled our changing city as a founder of Seattle's first underground newspaper Helix, in his "Now & Then" column in The Seattle Times, and as co-founder of HistoryLink.

Our city and its students, librarians, and researchers of history are greatly indebted to Paul's work.

📸: Sunrise and city from Kerry Park, 1975, by Paul Dorpat

06/03/2026

If you couldn't make the livestream or want to see it again, you can now watch George Takei talk "They Called Us Enemy," this year's selection for One Book, One Coast.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the inaugural year of One Book, One Coast!

The largest book club on the West Coast wrapped up with a special v...

06/03/2026

Our partners Living with Conviction stopped by New Day NW to discuss the exhibit at the Central Library and Green Lake Branch, "Living with Conviction: Sentenced to Debt for Life in Washington State."

Visit the exhibit during open hours, now until July 26.

"Living with Conviction: Sentenced to Debt for Life in Washington State" is now on display at Seattle Public Library.

06/02/2026

As New York Times obit writer Margalit Fox says, “Obituaries have next to nothing to do with death and absolutely everything to do with life.”

Join us for How to Write an Obituary (your own or someone else's), a workshop led by New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Morris.

📅Saturday, June 6
🕚 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
📍Montlake Branch

Register here:

Find free classes, events and activities at the Library.

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month, Seattle! 🌈 Celebrate with the Library all month long.

🎨 Download our new Pride coloring sheet
📚 Visit the LGBTQ+ Collection at Capitol Hill Branch, with over 1,500 books
💻 Explore our digital collection on LGBTQ History & Culture
🔍 Check out staff picks for LGBTQ+ books, movies and music in our collection

Learn more at www.spl.org/Pride