McCarver second grader Debbie White (left), Central first grader Wendy Wright and McCarver sixth grader Floyd Franklin were photographed in 1968 holding the three bunnies that were given as special prizes at the Easter Egg Party that was held in Wright Park on the Friday before Easter, 1968. (Richards Photographs Studio, D153814-1R) When 63-year-old Pierce County resident Debra White Mosby was 7 years old, her photograph was taken by Richards Photography Studio during an Easter Egg Party held in Wright Park. The event featured egg decorating and an Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Hilltop Mult ..read more

Explore the poetry within the collections in Northwest Room! Here are some of our favorite highlights:   Laureate Listening Project: The Laureate Listening Project was orchestrated by Tacoma Poet Laureate Lucas Smiraldo between 2013 and 2015. Community members from Tacoma and beyond lent their voices to this project, reflecting on the profound significance of specific places in their lives through the art of poetry. These audio recordings capture the unique personal narratives of each of the poets. These recordings echo the spirit of Tacoma’s landscapes and memori ..read more

Need to change the branch where you pick up your library holds? Please follow these steps to select an alternate holds pickup location: Log in to your "My TPL" account at tacomalibrary.org Using the dropdown arrow next to your name, choose "My Settings" Under "Account Preferences," look for the heading "Holds and Pickup Locations" and click "Change" Select your new holds pickup location in the dropdown menu and be sure to click "Save Changes" Need help? Call or visit any library for assistance. Changing your preferred pickup location will determine the branch for future holds. It ..read more

Need to change the branch where you pick up your library holds? Please follow these steps to select an alternate holds pickup location: Log in to your "My TPL" account at tacomalibrary.org Using the dropdown arrow next to your name, choose "My Settings" Under "Account Preferences," look for the heading "Holds and Pickup Locations" and click "Change" Select your new holds pickup location in the dropdown menu and be sure to click "Save Changes" Need help? Call or visit any library for assistance. Changing your preferred pickup location will determine the branch for future holds. It w ..read more

Nothing says “must read” quite like a Librarian’s stamp of approval!   Every month LibraryReads.org releases the top picks for the month, as voted on by Librarians across the country.    Subscribe to Tacoma Library’s e-Newsletter service and get the Library Reads picks and more delivered straight to your inbox.   Check out the LibraryReads picks for April 2024: The Husbands The Rule Book Happy Medium Ghost Station The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods Late Bloomer Extinction Home Is Where The Bodies Are Table For Two: Fictions ..read more

Fern Hill Library will be temporarily closed for an estimated five weeks to replace its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The closure begins Tuesday, April 16, and the library is anticipated to reopen by Tuesday, May 28. Fern Hill Library has long needed its HVAC system replaced. Last summer, the outdated air conditioning system struggled to keep the building cool during the heat wave. “We are prioritizing this repair so that the library is ready to welcome patrons for the busy summer season, especially for the Summer Reading Challenge,” stated Facilities Manager Phil T ..read more

A construction crew member is climbing a ladder into the ceiling of one of the newly framed areas on the first floor of Main Library. The library is currently closed for updates. The work to reimagine Main Library continues! Construction crews are busy inside the building installing HVAC, plumbing, and framing out new spaces. One of these new spaces is the much-anticipated makerspace. The makerspace will be a destination for all Tacomans who are interested in tinkering, making, problem solving, and learning. The space will feature STEAM tools for all ages ranging from robotic LEGOs, Raspberry ..read more

Image from The News Tribune 5/30/1982 p.91 Happy International Women's Day! In this post we are highlighting Washinton's first women lawyer, Bertha Snell.  Bertha M. Denton was born in Born in Ottawa, Illinois in 1873. As a young woman she spent long hours at her uncle’s law office where she read deeds, mortgages, and contracts to familiarize herself with as many aspects of the field of law as she could. When she was old enough, she studied business law in in Albany, New York before coming to Tacoma in 1899. In Washington State she served as a legislative intern and as secretary to Govern ..read more

Thanks to a generous donation from the Women’s Intergenerational Living Legacy Organization (WILLO), Tacoma Public Library is adding more titles written by diverse women authors from across the world.  The WILLO Collection will contain books selected by our Collection Development team and will include a custom-designed WILLO bookplate. The books will be spread across the library’s neighborhood branches.   Founded in Tacoma in 2013, WILLO has been a longtime partner of the library and our Northwest Room.  WILLO champions storytelling between generations of women sp ..read more

Are you passionate about childhood literacy and public libraries? Do you have ideas about how Tacoma Public Library can improve programs and increase participation in our Summer Reading Challenge? If so, join us to give your input in three 1-hour meetings. You will be paid $150 for participating in all three (two virtual, one in-person) meetings. We are especially looking for participation from parents/caregivers of children 0-18 currently living on the Eastside. Interested? Contact Neighborhood Services Manager Maria Shackles at 253-280-2989 or mshackles@tacomalibrary.org. Thank you for your ..read more