Seattle Public Library is hosting 25 writing workshops for its Seattle Writes fall program series, now through December, at branches all over the city, including Greenwood and Broadview.

Workshops are free and open to anyone. Registration is not required, but seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors to the meeting room will open 30 minutes before each class. Attendees should bring a pen, pencil and paper, or fully charged laptop.

From 2-4 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., novelist Peg Cheng will teach that “fear is a natural part of the creative process and how you can use fear to propel your writing, rather than hinder it.”

From 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., author and educator Martha Brockenbrough will lead “First 500 Words – Make the beginning of your book as strong as possible in this free class for fiction and nonfiction writers.”

See the full Seattle Writes workshop schedule here.

Seattle Public Library is now out of solar eclipse viewing glasses.

SPL will livestream NASA’s Live Eclipse Megacast at 14 branches, including Greenwood, Broadview, Ballard, beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.

The Seattle Public Library needs Homework Help volunteers at 11 libraries – including Greenwood and Broadview – for next school year.

Homework Help volunteers support students by helping them understand homework assignments, develop literacy and mathematics skills, and prepare for college and careers. Volunteers mentor students in all academic subjects and may also specialize in college-prep subjects, like English and science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields.

Most of the students are first-generation Americans who speak a language other than English at home. Volunteers interact with students of all ages in small groups and individually.

Volunteers will provide Homework Help once a week when public schools are in session, and a commitment throughout the school year is requested. Visit www.spl.org/homeworkvolunteer for more information. Volunteer applications are due by Monday, July 31.

Homework Help volunteers are needed from Sept. 11, 2017, through June 14, 2018.

The Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., will close temporarily on Monday until sometime in April for renovation, including new carpet and improvements to public spaces and easier access to technology. The 15,000 square foot library was completely rebuilt in 2005 and is heavily used by patrons.

The book drop also will close during renovations. As always, patrons can return library materials to any Seattle Public Library branch.

Unless you’ve already chosen a specific library branch to pick up holds during the renovation, the library has automatically redirected holds to the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., for patrons whose zip codes are 98177, 98133 and 98125; and to the Ballard Library, 5614 22nd Ave. NW for all other patrons.

The Green Lake Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N., is normally closed on Fridays but will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Feb. 24 to accommodate Greenwood Library patrons. Some regular Greenwood Library programs will be provided at alternate locations. Check the Library’s calendar of events for a complete schedule.

The Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., will close temporarily on Monday, Feb. 13, until sometime in April for renovation. The 15,000 square foot library, which was completely rebuilt in 2005, has seen heavy use and needs new carpet and remodeling that will improve public spaces and increase access to technology.

Seattle Public Library is holding an open house from 5-6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, to explain more about the renovations and answer questions. City Librarian Marcellus Turner and other library staff members will be on hand.

The book drop also will close during renovations. As always, patrons can return library materials to any Seattle Public Library branch. When placing a hold on items, patrons can choose another library location for pickup. If patrons don’t select an alternate branch by Feb. 3, the library will automatically redirect holds to the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., for patrons whose zip codes are 98177, 98133 and 98125; and to the Ballard Library, 5614 22nd Ave. NW for all other patrons.

The Green Lake Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N., is normally closed on Fridays but will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Feb. 24 to accommodate Greenwood Library patrons. Some regular Greenwood Library programs will be provided at alternate locations. Check the Library’s calendar of events for a complete schedule.

After 12 years of heavy use, the interior will be improved to make the branch more enjoyable for patrons, who say they want quiet study spaces, areas where they can use a multitude of devices and collaborate with others, and spaces where they can sit with their children to read or use technology. Improvements are designed to make it easier for patrons to interact with one another, create flexible, open, welcoming spaces and improve access to technology.

Specific improvements include upgrading the meeting room, adding a laptop bar in the teen area, combining service desks, increasing seating options, adding electrical outlets to tables, and repositioning the public computers to reduce glare. The worn carpet in the branch also will be replaced.

An indoor-outdoor boulder that comes through an exterior glass wall into the children’s area will be removed due to ongoing moisture problems. The boulder will be moved across the street to a parcel designated to become a community park.

The improvement project will be conducted in two phases because it will take time to fabricate a new exterior glass wall for the area where the boulder was located. Most of the construction work will occur while the branch is closed in February and March. The branch is expected to reopen in April with a temporary exterior wall and briefly close again in May or June for about a week so the custom glass can be installed.

Our local libraries are busy these days. Here are some things to be aware of.

Illumination Learning Studio is hosting free sessions of its “Little Movers” toddler music class from 10:30-11:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, and 10-10:45 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N. Each class is free but registration is required. Call the library at 206-684-4086 or register in person.

Little Movers is an introduction into the world of music for children ages 15 months to 3 years old. With 20 years of experience, Michael Piper from Illumination Learning teaches participants about echo and sequence, rhythm and movement.

“Hour of Code,” an introduction to computer science that is designed for anyone to learn coding basics, is from 2-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N, for anyone ages 8 and up. It’s free, but registration is required. Call the Broadview Library at 206-684-7519 or register in person. Drop-ins welcome if space is available.

The library is hosting free movies for all ages at many libraries in December, including the Greenwood Library. No registration required. “Finding Dory” (PG) at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20; and “The Secret Life of Pets” (PG) at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Two organizations have joined Seattle Public Library’s Museum Pass Program, which now offers free admission to 16 Seattle museums for Library cardholders. Seattle Public Theater and Seattle Architecture Foundation Tours have been added to the list, which also includes: The Burke Museum, The Center for Wooden Boats, EMP Museum, Henry Art Gallery, The Living Computer Museum, The Log House Museum, Museum of Flight, Museum of History & Industry, Nordic Heritage Museum, Northwest African American Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Asian Art Museum and Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience.

You can reserve a free pass to an individual museum once every 30 days, and may use one pass per week. All passes are good for up to two people — some passes even include free admission for kids ages 17 and under. Just go the Museum Pass webpage, enter your library card number and PIN, choose a specific date, and print the pass.

Library patrons also can now set their checked out items to auto-renew. The auto-renewal system is through Library Elf, a free online service available that helps track holds and due dates.

Library Elf has recently added an automatic renewal feature. Patrons can set up a free Library Elf account and activate Auto Renew, and Library Elf will attempt to renew items on their behalf when the items are getting close to the due date. Eligible materials will automatically be renewed according to standard renewal limits. Most items can be renewed twice if no one is waiting for them.

The frequency and timing of Auto Renews will depend on what a patron has chosen in the “Advance Notice” settings of their Library Elf account. Patrons can sign up for email notifications that will note if items were renewed or not renewed, or log into their Library account to check their current due dates.

Library Elf also provides notifications for holds waiting, pre-overdue materials and overdue materials for multiple Library accounts in one message. This service is especially useful for families trying to track multiple Library accounts. The service can even combine accounts of other participating library systems, including KCLS.

The Seattle Public Library will continue its existing notice services separate from the Library Elf service, including pre-overdue and holds waiting notifications by email.

Patrons wishing to reserve a library meeting room can now do so online, for dates beginning March 1, 2017. Create a free “Spaces” account to make, edit or cancel meeting room reservations. Reservations can be made up to 120 days in advance, and you can book up to 10 hours of meeting room use per month. The “Spaces” service is available at all branch libraries, except the Central Library and the NewHolly Branch.

Seattle Office of Emergency Management is hosting an earthquake retrofit class at the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.

The workshop is free but online registration is required.

This introductory workshop will provide information on how to seismically secure a house to its foundation, especially for houses built before 1980. Experienced home retrofit instructors will teach attendees on what tools are needed to retrofit a house and will discuss building techniques, the city’s free plan set and the permit process. The workshop is designed for all homeowners, whether they’re doing the work themselves or hiring a qualified contractor.

A roundup of news and events for the Greenwood and Broadview libraries:

The Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., is hosting a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematical) night from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, for families with children ages 5 and up. Free, no registration required. “This STEAM event will explore the science behind sound and music. Children will create their own maracas and tambourines, and learn how to craft a cup that imitates the sound of a chicken.”

Also on Sept. 27, from 4-7 p.m., King County Elections, as part of National Voter Registration Day, is celebrating its new Ballot Drop Boxes and registering people to vote at four library locations, including the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.

Learn how to earthquake retrofit your home with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Broadview Library. Registration required.

These introductory workshops provide information on how to seismically secure a house to its foundation, especially for houses built before 1980. Experienced home retrofit instructors will teach attendees on what tools are needed to retrofit a house and will discuss building techniques, the city’s free plan set and the permit process. The workshops are designed for all homeowners, whether they are doing the work themselves or hiring a qualified contractor.

Seattle Public Library is hosting its Seattle Writes fall program series with more than 25 free writing workshops at several locations, including these at the Greenwood Library:

• Conflict – The Machine of Fiction: Learn techniques to create and maintain conflict in your novel with author Karen Finneyfrock; 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12.
• Self-Publishing: Nuts & Bolts: A step-by-step guide to turning your manuscript into a book; 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5.

The Central Library downtown will be showing the presidential and vice presidential debates on the big screen in its auditorium.

• First Presidential Debate: 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26
• Vice Presidential Debate: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4
• Third Presidential Debate: 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19

Now that school is back in session, remember that Seattle Public Library offers free, in-person homework help for students K-12 at 10 libraries, including Broadview, from 4-7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. The library is looking for more Homework Helpers. Email Anne Vedella, volunteer services coordinator, at volunteer@spl.org to request a volunteer application.

Local author Rebecca Morris will read from her latest true crime book, “A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal and a Cold-blooded Murder,” co-written with Gregg Olsen, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 18, at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.

The reading is free. Couth Buzzard Books will have Morris’s books available for purchase and signing by the author.

In “A Killing in Amish Country,” Amish wife Barbara Weaver is happy with her family and her faith in Apple Creek, Ohio. Her husband Eli, however, is tempted by technology and eventually masterminds a murder. It is only the third murder in hundreds of years of Amish life in America, and the task of seeking justice falls to Edna Boyle, a young assistant prosecutor.

Morris, a New York Times best-selling author, is also a veteran journalist who worked in radio and television news in New York City; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle. Before she began writing true crime books, Morris was a freelance writer for The Seattle Times, The Oregonian, People, Entertainment Weekly and other publications.

Seattle Public Library is looking for mentors for K-12 students for the next school year. Homework Help volunteers are needed at 10 Library locations, including the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.

Homework Help volunteers will mentor K-12 students who are working on homework assignments, developing literacy and mathematics skills and preparing for college and careers. They provide help with all academic subjects up to the eighth grade level and may specialize in subjects up to the college-prep level.

Most of the students are first-generation Americans who speak a language other than English at home. Volunteers must be comfortable interacting with students of all ages in small groups and individually.

Volunteers will provide Homework Help once a week when public schools are in session, and a commitment throughout the school year is requested. Visit www.spl.org/homeworkvolunteer for more information. Volunteer applications are due by July 25, 2016.

SPL librarians are offering personalized “Your Next Skill” learning plans.

Expand your personal or professional expertise by learning salsa dancing, woodworking, computer coding, running a successful Kickstarter campaign, or how to cook Thai food. Whatever your learning goals are, Your Next Skill will set you up with personalized suggestions you use to can get started on according your own timeline.

To get your list, go to yournextskill.spl.org. Fill out a brief form with your name and email address and say what you’d like to learn and how you want to learn it. Options range from reading or listening to books, watching videos, downloading resources and attending free or paid classes online or in-person.
Within four days, you will receive a personalized list of resources to learn your next skill. For examples, visit yournextskill.spl.org/examples/.

SPL’s Summer of Learning is in full swing, with hundreds of reading, science, art and other programs for kids and families through Sept. 4. This theme is “Astounding Tales of Nature!” and encourages reading and activities around science, technology, engineering, arts and math. All programs are free.

Children and teens can learn to program robots, create video games, learn songwriting, take digital photos, make crafts with electronic circuits, design stop motion animation videos and more. Some classes require registration, which will open up online two weeks before the first class begins at each Library location.

Children who take part in Summer of Learning will receive a free Explorer’s Handbook packed with fun nature-related activities. Participants who complete five activities in the handbook, read 30 or more days over the summer, or solve the Super Secret Mystery Challenge will have their names placed on the Wall of Astounding Explorers at their home library.

Teens who take part in Summer of Learning will receive a free Read to Win game board. Participants who complete a reading challenge will be entered in a prize drawing for a $10 Starbucks card; each teen can enter up to five times.

Families with young children ages 0-4 can pick up a fun flier filled with nature-related activities to do together with babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The Early Learner flier will be printed in English, and a printable versions are available online in Amharic, Chinese, English, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya and Vietnamese.

The Library offers summer programming because research shows that during the summer young people can forget a certain amount of what they learned during the school year. Educators call that the “summer slide.” The Summer of Learning program mitigates the summer slide and teaches children and teens 21st century learning skills, such as teamwork, critical thinking and digital skills.

The Library has partnered with the Burke Museum to offer free family admission, for up to two adults and four children, when families bring an Explorer’s Handbook or an Early Learner flier from July 1 to October 31, 2016.

When the weather gets hot, most SPL locations have air conditioning to help patrons cool off. Libraries in and near our neighborhood with air conditioning include:

• Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
• Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.
• Ballard Library, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
• Wallingford Library, 1501 N. 45th St.
• Northgate Library, 10548 5th Ave. N.E.