Author – Spokane County Library District

Admiring Book Art: Imagining Your Own Stories When Viewing Illustrations

Posted in Explore and Discover on November 1, 2023 at 6:00 am

My favorite book illustrations are the ones that feel like paintings. Sometimes they captivate me because they tell a clear story in one glance. Sometimes I’m drawn in because of their mystery, and I squint harder, wanting to puzzle out the meaning. No matter how it happens, I treasure those moments when I am transported by a skillfully executed […]

Embark on a Flavorful Adventure with These Charming Tea & Book Pairings

Posted in Explore and Discover on August 16, 2023 at 6:00 am

By Dana Mannino Tea is versatile—hot in the winter and cool and refreshing in the summer. The variety of available blends and flavors adds to its versatility. In any season, tea is the perfect accompaniment to a book. This summer, we collaborated with three local tea shops to bring you the series Iced Tea & […]

Tags: adults, booklists, books, reading, tea

For Father’s Day: Stories about Real Library Dads & a Fun Kids’ Booklist

Posted in Explore and Discover on June 14, 2023 at 6:00 am

As we round the corner towards Father’s Day, I’d like to honor some of our loyal library dads. We see these fellows every week (sometimes more often!) investing in their children’s futures. I’m delighted to have interviewed them and to share their stories with you. Plus check out this booklist to read with kids! […]

World Languages at the Library: A Multitude of Experiences & Opportunities

Posted in Explore and Discover on March 29, 2023 at 6:00 am

By Dana Mannino Did you know that the library has books in languages other than English? Currently, our largest non-English collection is in Spanish. We are actively building a collection in Russian and looking ahead to grow our collection in Marshallese and Arabic as well. These are the most common non-English languages spoken in the […]

When Kids Say the Darndest Things & Surprise Us at the Library…

Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on January 11, 2023 at 6:00 am

One of the best parts of working in a public library is interacting with children. Their wonder challenges adult cynicism. Their questions often make us think about the world in a new way. I asked my colleagues to share some of their favorite interactions children in the library. Here are some of those stories that we love. Kids can be tough custom […]

Library of Things: Save Old Photos & Family Movies as Digital Media with Project Memory

Posted in Explore and Discover, News on October 6, 2022 at 7:00 am

By Dana Mannino While the pandemic caused us to pause many of our most popular library services, this year has been a joy to start bringing them back. We are excited to announce that we have resumed Project Memory appointments! You can once again get help at the library with transferring your personal photos, home […]

What Makes a Good Book? Here’s How Appeal Factors Result in Great Book Recommendations.

Posted in Explore and Discover on June 29, 2022 at 6:00 am

By Dana Mannino At least once a week, I have a variation on the following conversation. Library customer: Can you suggest a good book? Librarian: Sure! What do you like to read? Library customer: Anything, as long as it’s well written. We all want a good book. It’s universal. But often we don’t know how […]

Level Up Your Nerd Quotient with 6 Superhero Research Tips & Our Digital Resources

Posted in Explore and Discover on April 28, 2022 at 4:45 am

... To find cool things like this, you need high-level searching skills! But you don’t need to be a librarian to memorize a list of the Valar (the demi-god like beings from Tolkien’s The Silmarillion). Here is a step-by-step guide to nerding out with some super research skills. […]

Humanities Washington Lectures: True Stories Full of Excitement, Intrigue, Hope & Forgiveness

Posted in Explore and Discover on February 9, 2022 at 6:00 am

If I were going to write a prescription for my pandemic-weary soul, I would pen it for some excitement, intrigue, hope, and reconciliation. One way to experience these is to be safely transported to another time and place by a skilled storyteller. The library has two such experiences for you. […]

An End of Life Story: Considerations & Planning for Death

Posted in Explore and Discover, Prime Time on November 3, 2021 at 6:00 am

Most people don’t like to think about death. Often, we think of “setting one’s affairs in order” as a task that only belongs to the mature crowd. But life is fragile at every age. Car accidents happen, as do natural disasters. It’s not a bad idea to put a few instructions in writing even if death feels far off. An added benefit of explori […]

Author: Dana Mannino