As recently announced, the Library is upgrading a major IT system this September. Several of our services will be offline from 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6 until Wednesday, Sept. 16.

During this period, you will not be able to access your account or place holds on physical materials. Physical book checkouts will require staff assistance. You will be able to visit our locations; read e-books and e-audiobooks on Libby; attend Library programs; and use computers, printers, Wi-Fi and more. Learn more about more anticipated impacts on our blog.

Here are four simple things you can do now to significantly improve your Library experience in September:

1. Bring your library card to borrow physical books from Sept. 8 through Sept. 15

The Library is closed for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 7, but beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 8, please bring your physical or digital library card, or a screenshot or photo of the card’s barcode and number, to borrow physical items at any of our locations.

2. Hold on to your returns until early October

The Library has extended due dates for items that would normally be due during this offline service period. Book returns will be open, but please hold on to your checked out items until early October. Don’t worry about fines! We are a fine-free system thanks to the 2019 Library Levy.

3. Download and log into the SPL mobile app, Libby, and other digital services by Sept. 6

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to download and log into the SPL mobile app, Libby, and other digital services like Kanopy and Hoopla, before Sunday, Sept. 6. This will help you maintain access to those services during our offline service period.

You can use our app to add a digital library card to your mobile wallet. It’s a good backup if you don’t have your physical library card with you. And with our app, you will be able to access some Library services earlier in September. For instance, you will be able to place holds on physical materials through our app beginning Thursday, Sept. 17. Without it, you will need to contact Library staff for help placing holds until early October.

4. Bookmark www.spl.org/Update

Beginning at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, we will provide updates at www.spl.org/Update. Please bookmark that page for reference. We will continue to provide regular updates there until all Library services are back to normal.

Thank you for your understanding during this major system upgrade. We look forward to being back to normal operations on Thursday, Oct. 1. We also hope to see you in person at any of our locations across Seattle, where you will find books and programs, computers and Wi-Fi, and knowledgeable staff ready to assist you.

The Seattle Public Library

Flying down from Canada solo for my 40th.

My dad marked a milestone trip by grabbing a case of rum, sitting on a beach, and sharing drinks with any local who’d join him. His dad had his own version of that tradition during WWII, sharing a bottle with his squad and some of the allies they met along the way.

Figured I’d keep it going.

I’m catching DMB at the Gorge Friday, then I’ve got three completely open days and no interest in spending them doing tourist checklist stuff.

Anyone up for a drink and a story worth bringing home?

Boat, rooftop, dive bar, backyard, weird local tradition. I’m open.

Not looking for anything fancy. Just good people, a little rum, and something I can tell my kids about when I pass the tradition along.

40 year old male, married with kids, but have a lifetime of stories of my own.

Not sure how I missed Sleep coming to town. The Killswitch Engage show was moved from the Temple Theater to the Neptune.

On a personal note: Thank you to the people that helped me at the Ingested show Sunday at El Co. Took a hard elbow to the face/nose and a full-body stomp on the ankle which I found out the next morning was a double fracture. Cost of doing business.

Upcoming Shows in September

9/2/26 Funhouse: Filth, Defier, Within Caskets, Offities, Last Respite (hatrdcore)

9/8/26 Neptune Theater: Kamelot, Visions of Atlantis, Frozen Crown (symphonic)

9/12/26 Neumos: Eihwar (folk)

9/13/26 Funhouse: The Obsessed (doom-stoner)

9/13/26 Substation: Pallbearer, Ordh, Heldscalla (doom)

9/18/26 Moore: Chelsea Wolfe (doom/folk)

9/19/26 El Corazone: Unsane, CNTS, Coffin Break, Lilith (noise-sludge)

9/21-22/26 Neptune Theater: Sleep (stoner)

9/23/26 Neptune Theater: Elder (psychedelic)

9/23/26 El Corazon: Defeated Sanity, Revocation, Fuming Mouth, Weeping (tech death)

9/25/26 Showbox SoDo: Chat Pile, Soul Glo, Virga (death-sludge)

9/25/26 Real Art (Tacoma): IATT, Summoner’s Circle, Gravewitch (progressive melodeath)

9/26/26 El Corazon: Integrity, Earth Crisis, Judge, Witness Chamber (hardcore)

9/26/26 Showbox: Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Messa (psychedelic)

9/27/26 El Corazon: Ensiferum, Firewind, Veriteras, InPathos (melodeath)

9/27/26 Substation: Author & Punisher, Guiltless, Haunted Horses (industrial)

9/28/26 Neptune Theater: Igorrr, Secret Chiefs 3, Violent Magic Orchestra (avante-garde)

9/29/26 Neptune Theater: Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Rivers of Nihil, Judiciary (metalcore)

New Tours Announced in August

10/7/26 El Corazon: PEELINGFLESH, Gridiron, Outta Pocket, Grounds For Assault, Flesh (slam)

10/23/26 El Corazon: Havok, Hellripper, Slackjaw, Xoth (thrash)

10/25/26 El Corazon: Bigg Ass Truck I.E., Chamber, Mugshot, Load Tha Nine (hardcore)

11/1/26 Airport Tavern (Tacoma): Pain of Truth, Missing Link, Fatal Realm & Locked Shut (hardcore)

11/8/26 El Corazon: Exhumed, Savage Master, Jarhead Fertilizer, Molder (death metal)

11/12/26 El Corazon: Static Dress, I Promised The World, Car Underwater, Sherane (alt metal)

11/15/26 Showbox: Russian Circles, Primitive Man (post-metal)

11/25/28 El Corazon: Distant, Heavy//Hitter, Torn Open, Katywentmissing (deathcore)

11/27/28 Showbox SoDo: Amity Affliction, blessthefall, Orthodox, and Buried in Spring (metalcore)

11/28/26 El Corazon: Bodysnatcher, Gideon, Psycho-Frame, Volatile Ways (slam)

12/9/26 Crocodile: Born Of Osiris, Miss May I, Convictions, Downspring (djent)

Credit to No Clean Singing for the monthly shows. All new tour announcements received via Instagram updates.

Metal Injection has dropped off precipitously since Sony bought them out, so they’re no longer reliable for national tours that do not come to Seattle.

DM me if it's you. I called 911 and chased the guy down and no one from the department ever called me back to ask for the video

Are these your keys? If so they are at gasworks on a tree stump colored with rainbow.

Why is this happening in seattle!? Wtf...

Sooo I’m staying by with friends at the moment, but am very close to being completely unhoused. I tried applying for low income housing, but everythings full or no ones gotten back to me.

Does anyone have resources? or somehow know of apartment listings or looking for roommates/housemates that are like 800$ or below?

I’m really running out of options and not sure what to do.

Thank you so much.

I very regularly use the 554 to go from Seattle to issaquah’s transit center. Unfortunately the 554 got removed for reasons that I don’t know. Is there any new bus that goes to issaquah?

I know this isn’t a Seattle specific issue but this is where I live so I’m gonna rant.

I find it extremely rude and inconsiderate to be walking while smoking your cigarette. Especially if you know you have people behind you. Vapes not so much. I don’t mind the smell of watermelon ice. But if you’re actively smoking a cigarette why must you walk and do it. I don’t want your smoke blowing in my face my entire walk. Especially when I’m down wind. Can’t you just stand to the side for two minutes and enjoy your smoke. The lack of self awareness in this city sometimes is baffling!

End rant.

(Edit) I see I’ve pissed off a lot of smokers. If this felt targeted at you and you felt a sense of defensiveness maybe you’re part of the problem.

Edit 2: Every argument against my point is basically the Seattle mentality of not my problem I don’t care if it negatively affects someone around me. I bet y’all park like assholes too. Y’all have fun name calling and fighting it out in the comments. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Opinions don’t have to be mean and name calling. ✌🏼

I feel like The Murder City Devils deserve their due. What a unique, badass, PNW, punk band. Their members went on to play in Modest Mouse and Pretty Girls Make Graves. PECKED BY THE SEAGULLS! HANGIN FROM THE GALLOWS! SWINGIN IN THE BREEZE! DRIPPIN SOMETHIN ON STREET!!!

The last few days they were expecting almost a half an inch for Wednesday and like .3 for Thursday. I was so excited for a big long rain 😭

As we approach a potential strike with Seattle Public Schools. I was doing some online research to try and better understand why we don’t have enough budget to pay our teachers and it feels line we are constantly underfunding everything.

I came up with some a top 10 list of where Seattle tax dollars go in 2026 below.

The amounts ade attribution estimates based on taxes generated by Seattle residents/ businesses including those collected by the City, county, regional agencies, etc.so I estimated each agency’s tax-funded amount attributable fo Seattle’s portion of the relevant tax not agency’s entire budget

Theses numbers are far from exact and I backed into many them from 2024 or 2025 numbers asreference points.

I think this gives a pretty good picture of where Seattleites’ tax dollars are going, ranked highest amount to lowest. Interested to see if this looks off to anyone or notice ant interesting patterns that emerge.

2026 Seattleite tax allocations

1. Sound Transit ~$625–675M

(Seattle-origin sales tax, MVET, property tax and rental-car tax supporting Sound Transit)

1. Seattle Public Schools ~$500–650M

Primarily Seattle property-tax levies, including operations and capital levies.

Difficulty identifying the portion state taxes generated in Seattle that is attributable here.

1. King County Metro ~$350–400M

Primarily Seattle's share of Metro's countywide sales-tax and property-tax funding.

1. SDOT ~$300–350M

Seattle-origin tax support allocated to the transportation department not entire $674M budget.

1. Seattle Police Department ~$285–300M

Mostly Seattle General Fund/tax support after

1. King County government ~$250–275M

Seattle's share of countywide property/sales-tax-supported general government.

1. Seattle Parks & Recreation ~$210–225M

Includes Seattle Parks District property tax plus tax-supported City funding.

1. Seattle Fire Department ~$200–225M

fire operations for Seattle not the entire department budget

1. Seattle Human Services ~$140–175M

Tax-supported portion of city human-services spending, not state/federal grants.

1. Seattle Office of Housing ~$125–150M

   housing investments through the City's General Fund and levies

Estimated 2026 tax burden generated by Seattle

- Washington State: ~$4.1–$6.5 billion

- City of Seattle: ~$1.2–$2.0 billion

- King County: ~$0.8–$1.5 billion

- Regional governments/agencies: ~$1.2–$2.0 billi

Total: ~$7.3–$12.0 billion per year