Tag Archives: library

Beacon Bits, Help Wanted

Beacon Bits: Past, present, and future

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This is how the Beacon Hill Library looked almost nine years ago, shortly after opening. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.
Charles Mudede doesn’t like the Beacon Hill Library, but he might like Beacon Ave Deli. — Slog

Beacon Hill neighbor Yasmin Christopher tells the story of her family’s abuse at the hands of her father, a human trafficker and convicted sex offender. — Seattle Times

Skin Deep Dance Studio in North Beacon Hill is looking for someone to work the front desk on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 5-8 p.m. Duties include cleaning, signing people into computer and selling merchandise in the boutique, as well as some data entry and social networking on Facebook. Pay is $10 per hour. For information, call 206-322-9500.

A Beacon in the International District: Beacon Hill dance crew Massive Monkees have opened their new dance studio, The Beacon, on South King Street. The studio partners with a local non-profit group (also founded by Massive Monkees members) to host a free after-school program and other activities. Wondering about the name? According to the Northwest Asian Weekly, crew member Brysen “JustBe” Angeles says “We grew up on Beacon Hill. We grew up by Jefferson Community Center. It was the place where we started attending youth programs. It was the place where mentors like us, when they were the age we are now, were teaching youth programs. The other meaning is a beacon of light in Seattle for performing artists who are the best at our craft to share our experiences.” — Northwest Asian Weekly

The largest brothel in the world — perhaps — was once located on Beacon Hill. Later, the building was destroyed by a B-50 bomber. Yes, really. — Seattle Times

Local Events

Plan ahead: Deaf culture celebration at Beacon Hill Library 1/27

The Library for Deaf Action (LDA) and the Washington State Association of the Deaf (WSAD) will present a celebration of the 300th birth of Abbé Charles-Michel de l’Épée, founder of the first public school for the deaf in Paris, in 1755. The event will take place at the Beacon Hill Library on Sunday, January 27, at 1:30 p.m.

The program on the importance of bridging deaf cultures at the library will include Ann Silver, an internationally known deaf artist from Seattle, and the the subject of the book Ann Silver: One Way, Deaf Way by James Van Manen.

The presentation will be in ASL with interpretation in spoken English. Deaf blind guests may request tactile interpreting services two weeks in advance. Contact 206-386-4690 or leap@spl.org.

Volunteering and Giving

Library needs Homework Helpers

Local kids and the Seattle Public Library need your help with homework. Volunteers are currently being sought for the Library’s Homework Help program at two Beacon Hill branch libraries, the Beacon Hill branch and the NewHolly branch.

Volunteers will help students (mostly ESL) in grades one through 12 with homework assignments in school subjects including English, history, math, science, and more. Volunteers must have completed at least one year of college, and have experience as a tutor, parent, or teacher.

To volunteer as a homework helper, download a volunteer application here. For more information, contact Anne Vedella, volunteer services coordinator, at anne.vedella@spl.org or 206-386-4664.

Neighbors waiting for the Beacon Hill library to open in the morning. Photo by Jason Simpson.
Arts, Life on the Hill, Neighborhood Pride

Beacon Hill Library reader wins a Kindle

Photo by owenfinn16 via Creative Commons/Flickr.

The Seattle Public Library has announced the winners of 20 Kindle e-readers through the recently-completed 2012 Adult and Teen Summer Reading Program. Readers in the program entered to win a Kindle for every three books they read and reviewed.

Shirley Xu was the winner from the Beacon Hill Branch library. Congratulations to Shirley!

City Services, Education

Library to offer free computer classes

Photo by go-team in the Beacon Hill Blog Photo Pool on Flickr.
Need to learn computer skills? The Seattle Public Library will offer free computer classes at the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Ave. S.) during January and February. These courses include a series of classes for people who have little or no experience with computers, as well as a few more advanced classes.

All classes are free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but seating may be limited. For more information, call 206-386-4636.

The class list:

  • Computer Basics 1: Learn how to use a computer keyboard and mouse.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 2
  • Computer Basics 2: Learn how to use basic features of the Windows software operating system. The session will cover using the toolbars, scroll bar, and text boxes.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 9
  • Email Basics: Get a free email account and learn how to use it, including how to send email, send attachments, and use the address book.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 6
  • Internet Basics 1: Learn about Web browsers and how to navigate a Web page.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 23
  • Internet Basics 2: Learn how to use search engines, evaluate websites, and print from the Web.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 30
  • Library Catalog Basics: Learn how to search the Library’s catalog to find DVDs, CDs, books, and other materials, and how to reserve and renew items.
    10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, January 7
  • Downloading E-books & Audiobooks: Learn how to download e-books and audiobooks from the Library’s website.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 13
  • Web 2.0 Basics: Learn about blogs, wikis, Facebook, and more.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 27
Meetings

Save the date: Library wants your input on options for upgrading services

The Seattle Public Library is holding a community meeting next month to discuss improving library services, along with funding strategies to accomplish the needed improvements. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, from noon until 2 p.m. at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Ave. S.

Community members at the meeting will hear about suggested options for improvements in four essential service areas: collections, library hours, computer access, and building maintenance. They will also learn about ideas for stabilizing library funding into the future. There will be an opportunity for public comment on the various options.

City Librarian Marcellus Turner and Library Board members will be in attendance to hear what the community has to say.

For more information, see the Libraries for All project website or call 206-386-4636.

Neighbors wait for the library to open in the morning. Photo by Jason.
Clean and Green, Education

Chicks, bikes, and weeds: self-reliance classes coming to Beacon Hill

Want to raise chickens like this one? There's a class for that. Photo by Wendi.
[Edited at 4:06 p.m. to note that registration is required for the bicycle workshop. –Ed.]

The Seattle Public Library is hosting a series of “Urban Self-Reliance” workshops, including several here at the Beacon Hill Library branch. The workshops are free and open to the public, and registration is not required unless noted in the class description below.

These are the classes scheduled for the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Ave. S.):

“Bicycle Maintenance”: Basic bike maintenance techniques taught by instructors from The Bikery, a non-profit community bike project. Registration is required for this workshop; call 206-684-4711 to sign up. (1-3 p.m., Sunday, October 2.)

“Keeping Chickens in the City”: The basics of keeping chickens in the city, including starting with chicks, feeding and housing requirements, and more. (6-7:30 p.m., Monday, October 10.)

“Finding Edible Weeds in Your Garden and Lawn”: Local author and expert forager Langdon Cook will talk about how to use your backyard as an exotic produce aisle. (6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 26.)

Classes offered at other library branches include “DIY Seismic Home Retrofitting,” “Apartment Gardening with Amy Pennington,” “Introduction to Bike Commuting,” “Simple Sewing (Bags/Pillows/Potholders),” and more. For more information about the classes offered throughout the rest of the city, see the SPL website.

Crime

Neighbors help solve library purse snatching case

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Neighbor Kevin Haag posted this to the beaconhill mailing list yesterday. We are reposting with his permission:

A sad story (but with a happy ending):

At 7:30 tonight at the Beacon Hill library, I was unlocking my bike while—I found out later—in the children’s section, a young man pulled on a ski mask and snatched an elderly woman’s purse. He burst out the main doors behind me and ran northeast across Beacon Ave. Several of us chased him and at 18th and McClellan his ski mask and the purse were recovered. The young man got away, but witnesses returned to the library to offer descriptions to the police officer called in by the library staff. The purse was returned to the owner and her ID was still inside, but all of her cash was gone.

About one hour after I spoke with the officer at the library as a witness, he personally called to clarify what I had seen and informed me that everyone’s care paid off. He said that thankfully a neighbor noticed a young man acting suspiciously a few blocks away from where the purse was found, called 911 and ultimately SPD arrested the young man on a metro bus and
found the missing cash on him.

Thanks to everyone that spoke with SPD regarding the incident—especially the neighbor who happened to notice someone acting oddly on their street. I, for one, will recall this time less as a tragedy and more as a positive experience that really brought out the best in our community, including caring neighbors and a responsive police department.

Together we can proclaim that this is our community, and when you’re on Beacon Hill you will be cared for.

Thanks, Kevin!

Education, Local Events

Learn about e-books at Beacon Hill Library events

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The Beacon Hill Library is hosting two events in the next few weeks where you can find out more about digital audiobooks or e-books.

The first event, from 1:30-3 p.m. on May 2, is a class to demonstrate how to search for, check out, and download audiobooks from the library using the OverDrive digital book service. Registration is required for this class; please contact the library at 206-684-4711 to register and find out more information.

On May 21, the library is also hosting a drop-in Digital Book Roadshow that will give an overview of e-books, demonstrate how to transfer digital books to portable devices, and let you test drive various e-book readers. The presentation on e-books and readers starts at 3 p.m., followed by an informal Q&A session and test drive until 4 p.m.

Both the May 2 class and the May 21 roadshow are free and open to all. The Beacon Hill Library is located at 2821 Beacon Avenue South.

An assortment of e-readers. Photo by edvvc via Creative Commons.