Seattle People’s Library has more books to distribute!

Does your school, co-op, non-profit, or community group need reading materials? The People’s Library has books for you! We are continuing to receive book donations, and we want to distribute these books to our neighbors. Please contact us, duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com with your contact information and what kind of books you are looking for.

Ultimately, we would like to develop a more organized book distribution network. More details to come. As always, let us know if you would like to contribute in anyway.

 

Thank you!

Thank you to all the volunteers, neighbors, and community members who made this People’s Library such a success. In particular, we wanted to highlight the local businesses, non-profits, co-ops, and artists that supported us during this week.

For Book Donations:

• Couth Buzzard Books in Greenwood
• Mockingbird Books in Greenlake
• Ophelia’s Books in Fremont
• Pegasus Book Exchange in West Seattle
• Third Place Books in Ravenna
• Twice Sold Tales on Capitol Hill

For Hosting Book Donations Drop-Box:

• Cafe Racer in the U-District
• Mockingbird Books in Greenlake
• New Freeway Hall in Columbia City
• Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets on Capitol Hill
• Third Place Books in Ravenna
• Twice Sold Tales on Capitol Hill

For Food and Coffee Donations:

• Black Coffee Co-op
• Broadcast Coffee in the Central District
• Food For Everyone
• Food Not Bombs
• Operation Sack Lunch
• Papa Murphy’s at Jackson and 23rd
• Many neighbors ad friends!

For Providing Music:

• Thomas Starks
• Eric of Podblaster
• Gary Kanter
• Seattle Fandango Project
• Sean Gaston
• Mighty Tiny Band

Other:

• Cappy’s Boxing Gym for lending chairs

Thank you all!

Sunday at the People’s Library- Final Day!

We have an awesome closing day in store at the People’s Library. While we are sad to be wrapping up this amazing week, we are excited about the fun events planned for today (as well as planning for the future)! Come visit us in front of the Douglass-Truth Library in the Central District, at the corner of 23rd and Yesler. Bring your family, neighbors, and friends!

We will again have arts, crafts, and games available throughout the day, including button-making, blank zines for decorating or “Write Your Own Story” and materials for making pine cone birdfeeders!

We are also happy to be welcoming Food For Everyone, a community gathering that typically is held at Horace Mann Elementary every Sunday afternoon. They have graciously offered to relocate for the Library’s last day. Food For Everyone will be providing free food for the afternoon and evening, as well as free groceries for anyone to take home. We will also have our grill going if anyone would like to bring veggies or meat to grill.

We also expect musicians to be performing throughout the day. In particular, the Mighty Tiny Band will start playing around 5pm, to be followed by a repeat performance from members of Seattle Fandango Project. Their performance on Wednesday night was certainly one of the week’s highlights- you do not want to miss this! Any other musicians are invited to come play whenever they are available today.

Here is a general schedule for the day:

10am: OPEN!

2pm: Children’s Storytime

3pm: Food For Everyone

5pm: Live Music

8pm: Close

Due to the community’s overwhelming generosity, we have an abundance of reading material. We want to spend the remaining two days curating the books we have already received. Thus, WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING BOOK DONATIONS. There are still many ways to contribute to the People’s Library.

• We also welcome any meal or snack donations to keep the librarians and library patrons well fed. (Please, no sugary snacks!) We have a hibachi-style grill that can be fired up at a moment’s notice for any grill-ables.
• Extra volunteers at set-up and break down are especially valuable. We start setting up the library at 9am and start loading up at 7:30 pm. Break down and clean up on Sunday night promises to be an especially large task so please consider pitching in.
• If you have a few minutes to spare when you come by the library and you want to help, ask a librarian what needs to be done. We can also use extra hands to keep the library clean and well-organized.
• We are still accepting financial donations to help cover library costs (e.g. moving truck, gas, arts and crafts and office supplies, food and drinks, etc). If you are able, please consider donating online at https://www.wepay.com/donations/seattle-peoples-library or in cash at the library.

To volunteer, email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or just show up!

Saturday at the People’s Library

We have a wonderful weekend planned at the People’s Library. Come visit us in front of the Douglass-Truth Library in the Central District, at the corner of 23rd and Yesler. Bring your family, neighbors, and friends!

This afternoon, Katie will be helping children to make their own FINGER PUPPETS. Other arts, crafts, and games will be available all day including BUTTON MAKING and materials for kids to WRITE THEIR OWN STORY!

Due to the community’s overwhelming generosity, we have an abundance of reading material. We want to spend the remaining two days curating the books we have already received. Thus, WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING BOOK DONATIONS. There are still many ways to contribute to the People’s Library.

• If you are a musician and would like to perform, we would love to have you on our “stage” anytime outside of 2pm and 6pm storytime.
• We also welcome any meal or snack donations to keep the librarians and library patrons well fed. (Please, no sugary snacks!) We have a hibachi-style grill that can be fired up at a moment’s notice for any grill-ables.
• Extra volunteers at set-up and break down are especially valuable. We start setting up the library at 9am and start loading up at 7:30 pm. Break down and clean up on Sunday night promises to be an especially large task so please consider pitching in.
• If you have a few minutes to spare when you come by the library and you want to help, ask a librarian what needs to be done. We can also use extra hands to keep the library clean and well-organized.
• We are still accepting financial donations to help cover library costs (e.g. moving truck, gas, arts and crafts and office supplies, food and drinks, etc). If you are able, please consider donating online at https://www.wepay.com/donations/seattle-peoples-library or in cash at the library.

To volunteer, email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or just show up! Here is a general schedule for the day:

10am: OPEN!

1 pm: Snacks, provided by Gabriel

2pm: Children’s Storytime

5:30 pm- Dinner (Pizza!)

6pm: Children’s Storytime

8pm: Close

Friday at the People’s Library

Happy Friday from the People’s Library! Come visit us in front of the Douglass-Truth Library in the Central District, at the corner of 23rd and Yesler. Bring your family, neighbors, and friends!

Arts, crafts, and games will be available for kids all day, including materials for kids to WRITE THEIR OWN STORY! Today, we  are hoping many children will write and draw in these blank books and share their creation with the Library at 2 and 6pm storytime!

Today, we are also happy to debut BUTTON MAKING! Kids (of all ages) can design their own buttons using materials provided.

We do not have anyone scheduled to provide live music tonight. If you would like to play for the Library, please leave a comment here or email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com All styles of music are welcome! We had a fantastic time hearing (and learning to play!) fandango- style music on Wednesday and are looking forward to more live music.

10am: OPEN!

11am-1pm: Hot- and cold-brewed coffee from Black Coffee Co-op

1 pm: Lunch, donated by Operation: Sack Lunch

2pm: Children’s Storytime

5:30 pm- Dinner, meat and veggie dogs from Eileen. (We are currently searching for a grill for this. Please comment or email if you can provide one!)

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Live music

8pm: Close

Everyone is welcome to read at storytime, lead activities, perform, or bring food to share. We also need folks to help set-up starting at 9am and break-down starting at 7:30 pm. To volunteer, email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or just show up!

Thursday’s Schedule

Day 4 promises to be another wonderful day at the People’s Library. Arts, crafts, and games available for kids all day. We still need volunteers for storytime today and through out the end of the week. To volunteer, leave a comment below, send an email or just show up!

10am: OPEN!

12:30 pm: Lunch, donated by Operation: Sack Lunch

2pm: Children’s Storytime

5:30 pm- Dinner

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Live music by Sean

8pm: Close

Everyone is welcome to participate and contribute!

Wednesday’s Schedule

Lots more in store for Day 3! Arts, crafts, and games available for kids all day. We still need volunteers for storytime and for live music at the end of this evening. To volunteer, leave a comment below, send an email or just show up!

10am: OPEN!

12:30 pm: Lunch, donated by Operation: Sack Lunch

2pm: Children’s Storytime

5:30 pm- Dinner

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Live music

8pm: Close

Everyone is welcome to participate and contribute!

“I love this! How can I help?”

One of the most rewarding aspects of organizing the People’s Library is being on the receiving end of endless appreciation and support from our neighbors and the broader community. Expressions of gratitude are frequently followed with “How can I help? What do you need?” Well, here it is!

• Volunteer to help set-up and break down. We start setting up the library at 9am. Come help shape what the library will look like each day, enjoy donated coffee and donuts and get to know your fellow librarians. We begin breaking down the library between 7 and 7:30pm. A few extra arms makes this process much faster and easier!
• Be a librarian, even if only for a few minutes. When you come by the library, let a volunteer librarian know that you would like to help. We can always use help talking with neighbors and passersby, sorting books, and doing other tasks to keep the library running smoothly.
• Food! Food donations are always greatly appreciated as some librarians will have been hard at work since before 9am. We also set out donated food to share with families and other library patrons at lunch and dinnertime.
• Books! As reading materials fly off our selves, we must replenish it. We have the greatest need for books aimed at children and young adults. For adult materials, we have an overwhelming amount of thriller/suspense, romance, fantasy, and sci fi books already, and do not need anymore. We welcome donations of classical and general literature as well as relevant non-fiction. (General rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t read it, please don’t bring it!)
• Financial donations. We are collecting cash donations at the library, or you can contribute electronically by visiting our WePay page. Donated money will help defray the costs of renting a moving truck, printing flyers and bookmarks, providing wireless internet access, and gas.

Thank you for any and all contributions!

Tuesday’s Schedule

Lots more in store for Day 2! Arts, crafts, and games available for kids all day.

10am: OPEN!

12:30 pm: Lunch, donated by Operation: Sack Lunch

2pm: Children’s Storytime, reading by Nell

5:30 pm- Dinner, donated by Cody and friends

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Live music from Gary Kanter

8pm: Close

Everyone is welcome to read at storytime, lead activities, perform, or bring food to share. We also need folks to help set-up starting at 9am and break-down starting at 7:30 pm. To volunteer, email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or just show up!

Monday’s Schedule (Tentative)

We have a packed schedule for the People’s Library opening day!

10am: OPEN!

1pm: Music by Seattle indie artist Thomas Starks

2pm: Children’s Storytime

3pm: Snacktime. Thanks to Eileen for bringing some Filipino noodles and eggrolls to share with everyone.

3pm- 5pm: Crafts for Kids (of all ages!). Make your own birdfeeder with pinecones and peanut butter. Materials provided.

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Acoustic set by Eric Richards of local band Podblaster

8pm: Close

Everyone is welcome to read at storytime, lead activities, perform, or bring food to share. To volunteer, email duetobudgetcuts@gmail.com, leave a comment here, or just show up!