by Technology Librarian Josh
I remember the lead up to January 1st, 2000: a dull anxiety slowly getting louder and louder until all thoughts are fogged by the worst-case scenarios. News story after news story explaining the Y2K problem, people’s reaction, and what the fallout was going to look like. This was a magic threshold we were going to cross that no one could stop and there was nowhere else to kick the can. We had to solve this problem to maintain our current way of life.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
Based on the Tony-award winning play, The Humans is heavy on dialogue and works to build complex, authentically flawed characters. It’s a dimly lit family drama that takes place on Thanksgiving night at the daughter’s lower Manhattan apartment. The synopsis reveals that “as darkness falls outside and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the group’s deepest fears are laid bare.” This leads you to think it’s a horror movie.
by Public Service Associate & Content Coordinator Hannah
As the air cools, leaves turn, and the light changes, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a warm beverage. Whether you’re a devoted tea connoisseur or a coffee aficionado, grab your favorite mug—we’re celebrating the bond between brews and books!
by Associate Librarian Leah Boyden
Earlier this year I took a course on engaging teens within libraries. As a lover and reader of young adult material and former middle school teacher, this task was right up my alley. A former student of mine encouraged me to write a blog post for the library and because of their encouragement I signed up!
by Public Service Associate Juliana
Many Octobers I have steeped myself in scary movies, but this year I feel driven to read something scary. There’s no better place to start than with a classic from horror queen, Shirley Jackson. When I searched the fiction stacks I found The Haunting of Hill House. Orange and black cover, inky, black-edged pages and the title in gothic font, I was immediately obsessed.
by Public Service Associate Autumn
I love a good mystery novel, though I came to them much later than I should have. As a teen, when I had run out of my own books to read (for the week) and my family could not make it to the library, my grandfather gave me several Agatha Christie novels from his collection.1 But I didn’t read them that week. In fact, I didn’t read them until after I watched BBC’s wonderful adaptation, Poirot. But then, I was hooked: the twists and turns, the rooting out of each motive and link, fishing through all the red herrings, and perhaps most importantly, the satisfaction of knowing how all the pieces fit together in the end. It warms my order-loving soul.2 I immediately went back and read the Agatha Christie originals, then moved on to Arther Conan Doyle, Rex Stout, Stephen Spotswood and many more.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
“Unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can’t go to Seattle and skip a platter of freshly shucked Pacific Northwest Oysters.”
— Lonely Planet Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest
At the start of every travel journal, after flight details and a packing list, I create a checklist of things to do. Most recently, while planning a trip to Seattle, the list included Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Seattle Central Library, coffee, and oysters.
by Public Service Associate & Content Coordinator Hannah
How would you describe your library persona?
Are you a social butterfly? Popping by once a week (or more), you know staff members’ names, and we know what day/time it is based on your arrival. Perhaps you leisurely read the newspaper before catching up on book recommendations, or you relish receiving the latest program guide and eagerly register for events. I see you wearing a beloved Summer Community Read or brand new Centennial t-shirt telling everyone how much you love BPL.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
Often, we come to the library looking for something specific – a book with a lot of buzz, something a friend recommended, one from our long TBR list, one we saw on #BookTok. What if we approached books in a different way? What if instead of a list of titles we browsed with a list of rules that encourage randomness? What if we weren’t attached to the outcome? What might we discover?
by Programming Librarian Zach
My introduction to James Baldwin came about 20 years too late while taking a Rhetoric of Social Movements course in college and it was both revelatory and infuriating. Where has this voice of reason, truth, anger, outrage, hope, and passion been all my life? Baldwin’s writing was both intimate and expansive, challenging us to see how systemic injustices affect communities and the self and guiding us to a better, more humane society.