Seattle Library downtown

[Really Nice!]

I need to rethink my purchasing decisions and cookbooks are at the top of my list.

Does anyone know about the selection and variety of cookbooks at the Seattle library downtown? I went yesterday morning but they don't open until 1 P.M. on Sundays and couldn't go at that time.

[tsquare]

Check the new book shelves as well as the stacks. In the local libraries, I frequently find something to take home. And then, you can always put a reserve on anything in the system and it will be delivered to the library of your choice. The depth in the system is quite good.

[laurel]

Yeah, I second the reserve thing. My neighborhood library is rather small, but I can reserve anything and I'll get it immediately. Of course sometimes this means I get 10 books one week and none the next...

[kiliki]

Ditto. www.spl.org lets you reserve online, which I always do as the selection on the shelves if often quite slim.

[Misa]

You can reserve them online, however, and pick them up at any location, which I do sometimes.

Having said that, the downtown library does, indeed, have a TON of cookbooks. Since I like to look through my cookbooks before checking them out, I usually make the trip down there if I'm looking for "Hmm... what sounds fun?" as opposed to "I want something specific."

And, if you look online to find the book you want, but don't want to wait for it to be reserved, you can always go to the specific library that it is located at.

[halland]

I love the library for cookbooks. I use the library to test out cookbooks before I purchase them

Hal

[gingerpeach]

I love the library for cookbooks.  I use the library to test out cookbooks before I purchase them

Hal

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Ditto. Online access is wonderful, and they will send you an email when the book you're reserving is in. They have a great selection of cookbooks to check out, and the downtown branch has current and back copies of Cook's, Saveur, Gourmet, etc. Am currently having fun with Alford and Duguid's Hot Salty Sour Sweet.

[Blue Heron]

I love reserving cookbooks using the online system and then pick them up at my local branch. The loan period is only 3 weeks, but unless there is a hold on them for someone else, you can renew them 2 times (also online). I currently have 2 Patricia Wells cookbooks on loan, and the French Farmhouse Cookbook. They also give you an email notice a few days ahead of when the loan period expires. Overall, it's really an excellent service.

Edited December 7, 2004 by Blue Heron (log)

[ladybugseattle]

Downtown is pretty good with the cookbooks I concur. Remember the collection is split tween those that circulate and those in the reference section, but you can freely browse both sections sort of on the same level of the Spiral, with a few special oldies you have to ask a librarian to retrieve like "The Epicurean" At home I browse the catalog and use Amazon.com in another window to use their "if you liked this book..." feature to find similar items. If the Library doesn't have it you can request a purchase or interlibrary loan with a few clicks and keystrokes.

[laurel]

I have a link in my bookmarks toolbar that looks for an isbn number in the url of the page you are on, then searches the Seattle libraries for it. That means that if I'm browsing Amazon, I can just click on it and it'll tell me if the library has it, then request a hold in a couple more clicks.

LibraryLookup has links for the Seattle library and many others.

[heyjude]

Linda Saunto is the very enthusiastic and lovely curator of the library's culinary collection (and a friend of mine). If you ask for her when you go in, she will happily give you a tour, answer questions and help you find what you need. She'll also take requests for books you think the library should have. Tell her I sent you.

[pupcart]

Linda Saunto is the very enthusiastic and lovely curator of the library's culinary collection (and a friend of mine). If you ask for her when you go in, she will happily give you a tour, answer questions and help you find what you need. She'll also take requests for books you think the library should have. Tell her I sent you.

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[pupcart]

I just used the library to borrow a cookbook. Having a friend who was recently diagnosed, I had browsed Amazon for prostate cancer diet and nutrition information, and came up with something called the Prostate Cancer Cookbook by Buffy Sanders. I ordered it from the Seattle Library system to be picked up at my local branch. It came in last Saturday, and we have been cooking out of it ever since. Basically, it is a vegan diet, quite the shock for us Francophile cheese and cream lovers. Lots of soy, tomato sauce/paste, green tea and cruciferous veggies.

We will return the book when the 3 weeks is up because there are cookbooks with more interesting vegan style recipes, but this one was essential for the initial research and educational information. One of these days I will get around to posting a question on this board about good restaurants with vegan choices...we still love to eat out!

[tsquare]

I just used the library to borrow a cookbook.  Having a friend who was recently diagnosed, I had browsed Amazon for prostate cancer diet and nutrition information, and came up with something called the Prostate Cancer Cookbook by Buffy Sanders. I ordered it from the Seattle Library system to be picked up at my local branch.  It came in last Saturday, and we have been cooking out of it ever since. Basically, it is a vegan diet, quite the shock for us Francophile cheese and cream lovers. Lots of soy, tomato sauce/paste, green tea and cruciferous veggies.

We will return the book when the 3 weeks is up because there are cookbooks with more interesting vegan style recipes, but this one was essential for the initial research and educational information. One of these days I will get around to posting a question on this board about good restaurants with vegan choices...we still love to eat out!

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Here's a local book:

Accidental Vegan

By Devra Gartenstein

She recently opened a takeout place in Ballard. -"PattyPan"

Also, check out Lucky Palate on line.