Tag Archives: books

Little Free Library #2321, Tacoma

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Tacoma has two little free libraries which are part of the Little Free Library Project. http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/.

This “Little Free Library” is located at 4617 North 10th Street, Tacoma, WA. It is a darling blue box with a white door and a wine cork handle. Inside there are about a dozen books and of the few that I had previously read they are good quality reads. It is part of a community movement which offers free books. Per the Wikipedia article, there are currently over 200 of these libraries. There are building plans to create the containers or participate may design their own. Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more.

 

Tacoma Community College Library

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Yesterday I had a meeting at Tacoma Community College (TCC) and while there I stopped at the library. It had a wonderful, comfortable ambiance with plenty of study carrels, tables and of course resources.

http://www.tacomacc.edu/library/

Hidden Treasures in the Old Trolly Building

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Today we stopped at Hidden Treasures in The Old Trolley Building. The street address is 3902 South 12th.  The store’s space was larger than I first expected and includes a lovely tea room. Hidden Treasures really is packed full of interesting items — glassware, decorative items, vintage clothes, books, etc. And the owner’s (I think it was the owner) two darling dogs were there to interact with potential buyers. I’m thinking about going back for the rooster! More about Hidden Treasure here http://www.oldtrolleybuilding.com/hidden-treasures/index.html

The building was constructed in 1890 as the Steilacoom Line Powerhouse for the Tacoma & Steilacoom streetcar line. By 1896 it was being used for railroad car storage and in1912 it was being used for commercial fuel and feed storage.  In 1916 the railroad tracks were removed. In 1947 it was remodeled into the A-G Food Mart and Emmons Apartments. Other occupants have included a drugstore, meat market, salon, barbershop, paper products, hobby shop, furniture shop, lawn mower repair, sign maker, Radio & TV sales and repair, restaurant, carpet store and a preschool. More info about the building can be found here

http://www.oldtrolleybuilding.com/

 

Need a book?

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Need a book? by Gexydaf

Friday I went off to the Scholastic Books warehouse at 9631 Lathrop Industrial Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98512. I was on a mission to purchase books for two school libraries. Scholastic books is the largest children’s book seller in the world and there warehouse is only open to school employees and book fair volunteers. While the shopping itself can be a little overwhelming (so many books and people), the people are wonderful.

http://store.scholastic.com

While I was there I picked up ten copies of the new Wimpy Kid book (5 per school) because yes, it is just that popular!

http://store.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_Diary+of+a+Wimpy+Kid+6%3A+Cabin+Fever_51022_-1_10052_10051

 

UP Library

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Today I finally went to the new Pierce County Library at 3609 Market Place W. University Place, WA 98466. What a welcoming library it is! It is, the layout is open with lovely light (on a rainy day). I’m not use to self checkout, but it was so easy to grab the book I had on hold and scan away. I especially like how the space flows into the entry area. Based on the number of patrons, other folks are also enjoying the space.

http://www.piercecountylibrary.org/branches/west-county-branches/university-place/new-university-place/Default.htm

 

Barnes and Noble in Lakewood

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Barnes and Noble in Lakewood by Gexydaf

My dear husband bought himself a Nook and this evening we went for Nook training at the Lakewood Barnes & Noble. No, really. It is a darling little machine and the training was good. While I enjoy print books, I have no problem with ebooks and appreciate that I can order most books and have them in hand (as it were) in the matter of minutes. And I love that I can save space and perhaps even let some of my secondary books move on to a new home.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

 

Moore Branch Tacoma Public Library

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Today I ran into the Grace R. Moore Branch of Tacoma Public Library at 215 South 56th Street to pick up a book (Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses). The library’s webpage says “Coming to the pioneering community of Tacoma in 1884, Grace Moore missed the easy access to books she enjoyed in her native San Francisco. In 1886, Mrs. Moore led a group of 18 women to organize a circulating library in her South Tacoma home. The club’s charter members donated their personal collections of books and patrons paid 25 cents for the privilege of borrowing from the Puget Sound area’s first circulating library. Bachelors, wishing to use the home as a quiet place to read, paid 50 cents.” http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/Page.aspx?nid=55

The top photo was taken in October 2008 and the lower photos today.

Tacoma Wayzgoose

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IMG_0255.JPG

Originally uploaded by Gexydaf

Today dear husband and I went off to Wayzgoose Letterpress and Book Arts Extravaganza at King’s Books. The place was packed! I loved walking through the store and visiting each book. Such creativity!

http://www.kingsbookstore.com/

Cherie Priest@Garfield Book Company

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Today my dear daughter and I went to an author event at Garfield Books at208 Garfield st, Parkland, WA, 98442. The delightful Cherie Priest was there to talk about her new books, living in Seattle and an extensive variety of other topics. Dear daughter and I had read her Boneshaker and just loved it! The book is in the Steampunk genre and has determined characters in an alternate history version of Seattle. Her website is here http://www.cheriepriest.com/

The bookstore itself has a thoughtful selection of books, as well as a sundry items that college students might need. http://luteworld.plu.edu/

 

Update: Garfield Books closed in the fall of 2016. I hear that the students can purchase books at a new store in the PLU Library.

A Third Place, The Library Connection

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I was delighted to find a well used public library at the Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue today. Everything about the library clicked for me. The good things include the location in a busy enclosed shopping, the hours (Sunday!), the colorful, art filled decor, the materials selection (lots of foreign language books and books for the kids) and plenty of computers.

It’s worth noting that there is also a King County Library Connection at the South Center Mall and that many of the other free standing, more traditional libraries are open on Sunday.

http://www.kcls.org/crossroads/

This much used library branch made me think about the importance of having community space. Ray Oldenburg discussed this need for community area, which he called Third Places in his book The Great Good Place.