TAG: community

Fanfiction primer: Reading and writing what you love

Posted in Explore and Discover on November 13, 2018 at 6:00 am

By Caitlin Wheeler THE DETECTIVE Tired of writing serial mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle had just unceremoniously shoved Sherlock Holmes over a cliff mid-wrestling match with a never-before-mentioned arch nemesis. Fans were incensed, devastated, or both. Many of them turned to writing apocryphal works (writings of dubious authenticity), pastiches (im […]

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Poetry of resistance and environmental justice

Posted in Explore and Discover on May 3, 2018 at 6:00 am

by Nathaniel Youmans Since its inauguration in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month has become perhaps the single most-celebrated global literary phenomenon of the year, making April arguably the most literate month. Sorry November, your romantic dreariness and proclivity for wool socks and chai lattes are no match for the e […]

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Big animals, big news: Connect with Washington wildlife at your local library

Posted in Explore and Discover on November 30, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Nathaniel Youmans 2017 has been quite a big year for Washington’s large wildlife. The gray wolf population in the northeast part of the state continues to rebound by an annual growth rate of nearly 30%, with the two newest established packs recognized in a Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife survey conducted late last […]

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Director’s Update: Libraries in Spokane Valley

Posted in News on November 16, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Patrick Roewe, Executive Director Earlier this fall, news about Spokane Valley Libraries was a topic discussed by both candidates and citizens. There seemed to be a lot of confusion, so I’d like to provide an update on the status of potential changes to library services in Spokane Valley. At their October meeting, the Spokane […]

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75th Anniversary & Anthology Release Party

Posted in News on October 16, 2017 at 6:00 am

We’re celebrating our 75th anniversary with a community anthology featuring writers of all ages from Spokane County and surrounding areas. NORTH SPOKANE LIBRARY Saturday, November 4, 6:30–8pm You’re invited to hear local writers read their work from Spokane Writes: A Poetry & Prose Anthology. Plus listen to live music from guitarist John […]

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Sharing your harvest’s bounty at library produce swaps

Posted in Explore and Discover on August 8, 2017 at 6:00 am

by Gwendolyn Haley My eyes are bigger than my freezer and pantry. Every year, I plant a little garden, only to be overwhelmed when everything starts to ripen at once. My family starts to groan and say, “No more… beans, tomatoes, squash” and so on. Each spring, I underestimate just how much produce will come […]

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Enraptured by raptors: West Valley Outdoor Learning Center

Posted in Explore and Discover on June 14, 2017 at 6:00 am

Guest Blog By Kim Brinkmann “I had no idea this place even existed!” This phrase is commonly expressed by first-time guests of the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center. The Outdoor Learning Center is tucked back in a corner on the grounds of Pasadena Park Elementary School, hidden among the towering cottonwoods, cedars, and aspens. It […]

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Community gardening: a delicious pursuit to feed the hungry and the soul

Posted in Explore and Discover on April 25, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Erin Dodge I met with Teresa Sadler of Pumpkin Patch Community Garden to talk about the garden and learn her take on gardening, especially as a community. Originally a pumpkin patch and then a parking lot and staging site for the construction company that built the bridge over the river, the community garden was […]

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Another world: Picture books about refugee and immigrant experiences

Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on February 28, 2017 at 6:00 am

By Sheri Boggs Imagine your home—the furniture, the walls, the books, the art, the smells, the landscape where you live. Imagine what it would be like if war came and things got so bad you had to leave. Imagine leaving your belongings and your pets, your friends and your neighborhood. Imagine traveling day and night, […]

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Discussions with Tod Marshall: poetry & social justice, Irish poetry, spoken word, and National Poetry Month

Posted in Explore and Discover, News on February 25, 2017 at 6:00 am

by Erin Dodge Poetry can sing us a song, open us to a moment, inspire us to reach higher and go further. Washington State Poet Laureate and Gonzaga University professor Tod Marshall leads a poetry discussion series at Spokane County Library District in March and April. Each event has a casual atmosphere where everyone is […]

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