Center Programs & Services

Seattle Reads

Seattle Reads (formerly known as "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book") is a program designed to broaden and deepen an appreciation of literature through reading and discussion.

More about this year's Seattle Reads program and a list of previous years' featured works.

Writers' Room: Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi Writers' Room

The Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi Writers' Room has been established to encourage writers to make use of the collections in The Seattle Public Library and to give them a convenient place to work. The Writers' Room is located on Level 9 of the Central Library.

More about the Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi Writers' Room.

A. Scott Bullitt History Lecture

The A. Scott Bullitt Lecture in American History is made possible by a generous gift from Priscilla Bullitt Collins to The Seattle Public Library Foundation in memory of her father A. Scott Bullitt. Renowned American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Roger Wilkins, professor of history at George Mason University, Richard Norton Smith, director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis have presented the lecture.

Washington State Book Awards

The Washington Center for the Book administers the annual Washington State Book Awards (formerly the Governor's Writers Awards), given for outstanding books published by Washington authors the previous year.

Listing of Washington State Book Award winners

The Washington Center for the Book calls for nominations for the 2009 Washington State Book Awards. For details, see the news release.

Entry forms and submission guidelines are available for download below or by calling the Washington Center for the Book at 206-386-4098.
    Entry form

The deadline for nominations is April 1.

McLellan/O'Donnell Living History/Literature Series

One of the Center's most popular events, produced with The Seattle Public Library Foundation, is a series of Chautauqua-style evenings with humanities scholars portraying historical and literary figures. These have included Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Meriwether Lewis, Sacagawea, Malcolm X, Louisa May Alcott and Langston Hughes, among others.

These programs are free. Tickets are not required - first come, first seated.

Nextbook: Public Programs on Jewish Literature, Culture & Ideas

Nextbook's 2004-2005 season featured lectures, readings, and performances by nationally and internationally known authors, critics, scholars and journalists, plus programs for children and families. This year's presenters included award-winning playwright Tony Kushner, leading Israeli writer Amos Oz, NPR contributor David Rakoff, and National Book Award finalist Allegra Goodman. Nextbook Seattle/King County is a project of Nextbook, The Seattle Public Library and the University of Washington Jewish Studies Program.

For information on the Nextbook/Seattle 2005-2006 season, see http://www.nextbook.org/localprograms/seattle.html