Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion through Yiddish Literature
Inspiring Scientific Curiosity for Grown-Ups
Striking a Chord: Future Song Foundation Grant Allows for More Music Lessons
Discover Spokane’s Local Music Scene on Lilac City Records
Lilac City Local
A Spokane Public Library
Publication
Editor-In-Chief
Amanda Donovan
Managing Editor
Alina Murcar
Copy Editor
Skyler Noble
Contributing Writers
Alina Murcar
Sharma Shields
Skyler Noble
Andrew Chanse
Executive Director
Andrew Chanse
Board of Trustees
Alexi Castilla
Danielle DeJaegher
Kris Dinnison
Shelby Lambdin
Mari Margil
spokanelibrary.org
On the cover: A library visitor enjoys Spokane Zine Fest at Central Library in May 2025. (Credit: Tro Photography, LLC.)
We can’t wait to zine it up again at Spokane Zine Fest 2026, a free Zine Fair and Workshops, on May 30th from 11am-4pm at Central Library.
In this year’s Inlander “Best Of” community poll, all three top library spots were awarded to Spokane Public Library! Thanks for your vote, Spokane!
SPOKANE PUBLIC LIBRARY LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
All Spokane Public Library buildings sit on the traditional homelands of the four bands of the Spokane Tribe of Indians: sntútʔulixʷi, snxʷmeneʔi, s ̓qesciłni, and slʕʷotéw s̓ i (Upper Band, Middle Band, Lower Band, and Chewelah Band). Since time immemorial, the Spokane Tribe of Indians has lived and cared for these grounds. Identifying themselves as “sqélixʷ,” or “Flesh of the Earth.” We pay our respects to their Elders—past, present, and emerging. We show gratitude to the land, river, and peoples who have been fishing, hunting, harvesting, and gathering here for generations. May we learn from one another’s stories so that we may nurture the relationship of the People of the Spokane Tribe and to all those who share this land.
CENTRAL SHADLE PARK SOUTH HILL
The Library as a Place of Hope
Right now, some of us are living in moments where hope doesn’t feel grand or obvious. It can feel like shouting into a void, where voices blur together or disappear entirely. When so much feels beyond our control, protecting what’s closest to us becomes essential. That way, we can better show up for those around us and most importantly, ourselves.
For many of us at Spokane Public Library, we are sustained by the work we do every day. The library is a place of refuge, free, welcoming, and grounded in the belief that access to knowledge, creativity, and connection should belong to everyone. Even when the world feels overwhelming, the library remains a space where people can pause, learn, and feel held by something steady.
Over the past year, that steadiness has been tested. Significant cuts to federal, state, and local funding forced difficult conversations about how libraries can continue to serve their communities amid mounting challenges. In those moments, we returned to a simple truth: the library exists because of its community. Your stories—why you come here, what you find here, how the library has shaped your life—are our hope. Libraries have always faced challenges: budget pressures, censorship threats, misinformation, and the loss of shared public spaces. But our hope and purpose remain the same: people quietly reading, learning, creating, and growing. That is why libraries exist.
If your light feels small right now, the library is a place to tend it. Read. Make art. Learn something new. Borrow tools. Gather with others. Share your story when you’re ready or simply rest among stories that remind you you’re not alone.
Check out the titles listed on the right for a serving of hope. Your light is worth protecting. And when we bring our community together, we become something stronger.
By Skyler Noble & Alina Murcar, Managers, Marketing & Communication, Spokane Public Library
Roin is a multi-disciplinary artist and beadworker. After a spinal injury in 2010, Roin began making work as a form of protest and healing. They are proudly Séliš/ French/ Scottish stʕámiyaʔ (TwoSpirit). They live in unceded Spokane territories where they were raised. What do you see in this piece? Shadows? Planets? The human body? Or something else entirely?
Find this piece, part of the library’s permanent art collection, in the Central Library, Group Study C on the 2nd Floor.
Art Corner: Ascendant by Roin Morigeau
By Andrew Chanse, Executive Director, Spokane Public Library
Library Funding 101
Executive Director Andrew Chanse breaks down how Spokane Public Library pays for the services you enjoy and what decisions lie ahead.
Every day, Spokane residents rely on the library—for job searches, homework help, internet access, and a safe place to spend time.
Spokane’s libraries are utilized more than ever—but funding isn’t keeping up. Without changes, residents will see reduced hours, fewer programs, and possible branch closures.
In 2025, more than 1.3 million visits were made to our seven branches. Our meeting spaces were used for nearly 100,000 hours by students, small businesses, and community groups, and over 1.2 million books and eBooks were checked out.
This level of use reflects how essential the library has become— but it also comes with rising costs. Staffing, utilities, digital materials, and maintaining safe, modern buildings are all becoming more expensive each year.
How the Library is Funded
Most of the library’s funding comes from the City of Spokane, with additional support from a voter-approved property tax levy. In 2025, the library operated on a $14.2 million budget.
$9.3M (67%)
The City’s General Fund contribution to the library is $9.3M. This is the library’s primary source (67%) of funding that pays for day-to-day operations like staffing, hours, collections, and programs.
The amount is set each year by the Mayor and City Council. In 2025, it made up just 3.5% of the city’s $268M budget—and was reduced by $487K (5%) after remaining flat for the previous two years.
The Levy is a voter-approved property tax that directly supports library services. It contributes 18% of the library budget, or a total of $2.5M. Voters approved this tax in 2013, 2017, and 2024. For the owner of a median-priced home in Spokane ($418,000), this amounts to about $28 per year. The current levy expires in 2027.
$2.5M (18%)
Other funding sources:
• Bonds: A $77 million bond, approved by voters in 2018, funded the construction and renovation of all of our current library buildings. These funds could only be used for facilities—not operations—and have now been fully spent. All promised projects have been completed and are heavily utilized by the community.
• Friends, Foundation, and Grants (0.8%): Community partners contribute a small but meaningful portion of funding. In 2025, this totaled $128,534. We are grateful for their support.
• Reserves (Savings): When funding falls short, the library uses reserves to fill the gap. In 2025, $1.8M was used to maintain our level of service. At the current rate, these reserves will be depleted by 2027.
Together, these funding sources are no longer keeping pace with the cost of maintaining current library services.
What We’ve Cut
Like many households, the library has already reduced spending and made difficult choices to stay within budget—while working to limit the impact on the community.
So far, these changes have included:
• Reducing or eliminating select services and subscriptions
• Scaling back the number of items available to borrow
• Leaving positions unfilled when staff resign or retire
• Delaying technology and vehicle replacements
• Limiting staff travel and training
• Adjusting hours to reduce staffing costs
Many of these changes have not been highly visible—but they have already reduced what the library can offer. These steps are not enough to close the gap. Without additional funding, deeper and more visible cuts will be necessary.
What’s at Risk
If funding doesn’t increase, these impacts are likely:
• Branch closures
• Reduced library hours
• Staff layoffs
• Fewer programs and services
• Fewer materials to borrow
These changes would directly affect access to library services across Spokane—especially for those who rely on them most.
Delivering Library Vision
Even within financial constraints, the library continues to evolve and focus on our vision for the future. Demand remains high for services such as meeting spaces, digital resources, technology access, and lifelong learning opportunities.
We are dedicated to delivering on our library vision, even if it is on a reduced scale. Maintaining the level of service Spokane residents rely on will require community support, sustainable funding, and ongoing commitment from City leadership.
Introducing Vision 2030
Libraries are more than just places to check out books— they’re hubs for learning, creativity, and connection. Hearing directly from the community on the library experience they want helps us understand what Spokane needs most.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, library administration led staff and the community through a comprehensive planning process to create a 5-year vision for Spokane Public Library. We call this plan Vision 2030.
Nearly 2,000 community members participated in the process, providing feedback virtually through the ThoughtExchange platform, in-person community outreach, and focus groups. We heard that these are the priorities of our community:
• A Place to Belong: As a civic organizer, we will bring neighbors together.
• Trust Through People: Our staff will reflect the neighborhoods they serve and strengthen community trust.
• Inclusive & Responsive Spaces: Our spaces will offer a sense of comfort and possibility.
• Partnership & Community Power: We will work alongside schools, nonprofits, businesses, and neighborhoods, to co-design programs and services that reflect community priorities.
• Digital Opportunity & Innovation: We will extend digital opportunity by providing tools and training.
• Sustainability & Stewardship: We will nurture community resilience in Spokane for generations to come.
• Cultural Memory & Local History: The library will preserve, curate, and provide access to Spokane’s diverse histories and cultural stories.
• Fiscal Responsibility & Funding: We will secure the library’s future through sustainable funding and transparent stewardship of public resources.
• Lifelong Learning & Discovery: The library will remain Spokane’s hub of literacy, learning, and discovery— where imagination meets opportunity at every stage of life.
Learn more here: go.spokanelibrary.org/Vision2030
By Alina Murcar, Manager, Marketing & Communication, Spokane Public Library
Virtual Book Club
A Jewish Refugee in New York by Kadya Molodovsky
Wednesday, March 25 at 12pm
Aonce-prominent language throughout Eastern Europe, Yiddish is now only spoken by an estimated 500,000 to 1 million people. After the devastation of the Holocaust, the world lost around half of its Yiddish-speaking population.
Spokane Public Library was selected as one of 40 libraries nationwide to participate in the Yiddish Book Center’s Public Libraries Program on the theme “Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion through Yiddish Literature.” The Yiddish Book Center’s mission is to revitalize the Yiddish language and share the rich Jewish life, religion, and culture surrounding it. This helps foster vibrant cross-cultural dialogue and discussion in our communities.
The library received a grant for staff travel and training and the funds will also be used to produce the events listed below and for materials for the library collection. Learn more at spokanelibrary.org/between-two-worlds.
Virtual Book Club
Salt Houses by Hala Alyan (Salt Houses was chosen by the Yiddish Book Center for its exploration of the refugee experience)
Wednesday, April 22 at 12pm
Book Discussion
Tevye the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem
Sunday, May 17 at 2:45pm at Shadle Park Library
Virtual Book Club
Zelmenyaners: A Family
Saga by Moyshe Kulbak
Wednesday, September 30 at 12pm
Yiddish Music with Meshugga Daddies
Sunday, April 26 at 1pm at Central Library
Film Screening
Welcome to Yiddishland
Sunday, April 26 at 2pm at Central Library
Film Screening
Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles
Sunday, May 17 at 1pm at Shadle Park Library
Inspiring Scientific Curiosity for Grown-Ups
It’s never too late to develop your sense of discovery. That’s what the team at local nonprofit Science Speaks Spokane wants you to know. Their question for you: When you explore your curiosity of the world without fear of judgment and failure, what happens next?
Since 2021, Science Speaks Spokane and Spokane Public Library have collaborated on a variety of science programs for kids, using the scientific method to learn about the melting point of ice, color chromatography, pH, DNA, and so much more.
“Our main goal is promoting scientific literacy in the home and inspiring people to think more logically to answer their own questions in our community,” said Kat Hart, director and president at Science Speaks Spokane.
“The library itself promotes core concepts we believe in, like knowledge for everyone,” said Kat. Through these programs, Science Speaks and the library provide a positive environment to learn and
build a supportive community where it’s safe to ask questions.
To help kids feel more confident in their experiments, Science Speaks factors in a positive control every time, so kids feel excited by the outcome of following directions and achieving the desired result. Of course, not every experiment ends in guaranteed success. Kat wants kids to experience this, too, so they can learn and grow from what went awry.
Kat recalled a moment where a child was disheartened because they didn’t achieve a predicted outcome in their experiment. She sat down next to him and encouraged him to try a different variable. Having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset— staying flexible and curious—can encourage kids to keep engaging with science. “I want them to experience failure because as a scientist that’s what we experience most often.”
“If you breed curiosity as a youngster, their curiosity to
Ready to get curious? Start here!
By Skyler Noble, Manager, Marketing & Communication, Spokane Public Library
continue into adulthood makes it easier and more comfortable to fact check, which is something we desperately need in the time of the internet,” said Ken Porter, Science Speaks Spokane director and treasurer.
A great way to engage adults in the scientific method is to encourage them to join their kids in the experimentation process. Caregivers can support their child in their work and exploration, but they may also learn something new and see the world in a different way, too.
“Part of what is nice about curiosity for little kids is teaching them about failure and them being wrong. Those two things are okay and will happen a lot,” said Ken. “As we grow older, people forget that and negatively reinforce that behavior. Part of it is understanding that as humans we will be wrong and that we don’t know everything. It gives you more opportunity to make these learning experiences and be more curious about getting a fuller picture.”
A Truer, Deeper Voice: Solitude, Nature, and Art with Michael N. McGregor
By Sharma Shields, Writing Education Specialist, Spokane Public Library
Spokane Public Library is excited to host a workshop with Michael N. McGregor at Riverside State Park this spring, “Solitude, Nature, and Art: Deepen Your Awareness and Creativity.”
At the beginning of his recently published memoir, An Island to Myself: The Place of Solitude in an Active Life, writer Michael N. McGregor quotes a journal entry he penned on the island of Patmos in 1992:
“All I ask of life are times like this, times of peacefulness when I can contemplate. I don’t mind rushing about and dealing with difficult people. I don’t mind having to work at something that doesn’t mean much in order to pay for food and a place to live. I don’t mind difficulties that are beyond my control or sickness or tiredness. These are life. I ask only that in the midst of them I can come to a quiet place—inside or out—where I can write and learn peace and truth.”
Michael was kind enough to respond to our questions about solitude and art over email.
Spokane Public Library (SPL): When did you first experience the impact of solitude on your artistic life?
Michael N. McGregor (MNM): At the age of 27, I went to the island of Patmos in Greece to
write a novel. It was winter and I was alone there for two months. I must have thought that solitude could enhance my art-making to do such a thing, but I was unprepared for how profoundly being alone in that way would deepen the writing experience. Without distractions, what I wrote became more vital, more alive, more all-encompassing.
SPL: How do you see solitude and art conversing?
MNM: Solitude is an invitation to get to know ourselves more intimately while shutting out the noise that can negatively influence art: worries about what others think or how successful we are or whether our career is advancing (or even starting). The self and the art that comes out of it are shy creatures. In solitude, they can emerge together, speaking in a truer, deeper voice. Solitude makes uninterrupted attention possible, and uninterrupted attention–to both ourselves and the world around us–helps us see below the surface to where the heart beats, and where colors, patterns, and meanings reveal themselves.
SPL: What first steps would you recommend for developing a practice of solitude?
MNM: As with anything new, it’s best to start simply. If you want it to become a habit, a simple start makes it more likely you’ll enjoy it rather than see it as something you have to do. Find a quiet place where you can sit for 20 minutes. Don’t try to do more than that at first. If you can be in nature or look out at nature, that’s ideal, but anywhere is fine. Let yourself just be there, without an agenda. Whatever you’re looking at, focus on becoming aware of what you’re actually seeing (and hearing and smelling) rather than relying on your preconceptions. A tree is not just a “tree”; it holds colors and patterns and lines and substance and movement and beauty. It also holds feeling and association and meaning. All of these elements are personal, and it is from them that solitude births art.
Workshop: Solitude, Nature and Art: Deepen Your Awareness and Creativity, with Michael N. McGregor (FREE) Riverside State Park Bowl & Pitcher Kitchen Shelter Sunday, April 26th, 2-4 PM
Books about Solitude and Wonder
Woods & Words: The Story of Poet Mary Oliver, written by Sara Holly Ackerman; illustrated by Naoko Stoop
This Stonewall Children’s Literature Award Honor Book is an inspiring and enriching picture book biography that explores the life and work of beloved poet Mary Oliver. It shines a light on Mary’s belief that there are treasures and poems all around us in nature, waiting to be discovered.
Raising Hare: A Memoir by Chloe Dalton
A fascinating meditation on freedom, trust, loss, and our relationship with the natural world, explored through the story of one woman's unlikely friendship with a wild hare.
An Island to Myself: The Place of Solitude in an Active Life by Michael N. McGregor
In his twenties, Michael N. McGregor traveled to the remote Greek island of Patmos to spend two winter months alone, 6,000 miles from home. It was a time before cellphones and the internet, when even a phone call was costly. Although he expected his solitude to be meaningful, he wasn't prepared for how it would change him.
Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic by Susie Spikol
This enchanted guide offers 50+ magical activities for everything from finding hidden flower fairies in your own backyard to making a special wizard staff to creating a tiny woodland village, and making your own forest potions.
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy
A seminal work that expands how we talk about the natural world and the environment as National Book Critics Circle Criticism finalist Camille T. Dungy diversifies her garden to reflect her heritage
Aflame: Learning from Silence by Pico Iyer
From the bestselling author of The Art of Stillness, a revelatory exploration of the abiding clarity and calm to be found in quiet retreat. Radiant, intimate, and gripping, Aflame offers ageless counsel about the power of silence and what it can teach us about how to live, how to love, and, ultimately, how to die.
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
This is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar. Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters— caretakers of ancient willow trees—who cannot be separated, even in death.
Striking a Chord
Future Song Foundation Grant Allows for More Free Music Lessons
By Alina Murcar, Manager, Marketing & Communication, Spokane Public Library
You don’t often see the word “free” associated with music lessons, but at Spokane Public Library, free is the name of the game. For more than eight years, the library has offered free music lessons to the community, helping aspiring musicians discover the joy of playing music.
In recent years, booking a lesson became difficult due to popularity. Recognizing the need to expand access, Music Education Specialist Andy Rumsey began looking for ways to grow the program beyond what one instructor could provide.
That search led to a partnership with the Future Song Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to music education and instruments for young people and individuals in need. The foundation, founded by Spokane natives Myles Kennedy and Selena Kennedy, awarded the library a $13,500 grant beginning in 2024. Since then, the partnership has transformed the scope of the library’s music lessons.
Before the grant, the library offered 257 music lessons in 2023. With the support of the Future Song Foundation, by 2025 the program offered nearly 1,000 lessons. “For the past three years, we have proudly supported the
library’s grant request to provide free weekend music lessons because it strongly aligns with our mission to expand equitable access to high-quality music
education for all,” said Selena Kennedy. “Public libraries are uniquely positioned as welcoming, community-centered spaces that reduce many of the traditional barriers to arts participation.”
The grant funding allowed the library to hire an additional parttime music educator and expand the program to include weekend lessons, making it easier for students and families to participate.
Experienced instructors Andy Rumsey and Jason Perry focus on cultivating confidence, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for music in every student they teach.
“I incorporate music theory into all my lessons, so that the students learn the fundamentals along with the joy of music,” said Andy Rumsey.
The inspiration behind the Future Song Foundation comes from the founders’ shared belief in the transformative power of music. Myles Kennedy knows that impact firsthand. Best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the rock band Alter Bridge, he has spent decades performing around the world.
“Music is a very powerful medium that can have a profound impact on a person’s life,” said Myles Kennedy. “Our goal is to help ensure anyone can experience the joy and satisfaction of learning to play an instrument if it’s something they aspire to do. Ultimately, that benefits the community as well as the individual.”
Selena Kennedy added, “This reinforces our belief that music education should not be a privilege, but an opportunity available to anyone with the desire to learn an instrument.”
Free Beginner Music Lessons
Where: Central Library
When: Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Students can choose from guitar, bass, drum, piano, and ukulele
Sign up at spokanelibrary. org/music-lessons
Andy Rumsey (left) pictured with Selena and Myles Kennedy.
By Alina
What does Spokane sound like? At Spokane Public Library, the answer is just a click away. Lilac City Records, the library’s local music streaming platform gives the community a place to hear and celebrate the music being created right here in Spokane.
people recognize the voices shaping their local culture.
“There is a huge value in understanding who your original songwriters are in your town,” said Olivia.
“Lilac City Records is an amazing resource because it’s the only place that is home to only local music. But also, get out
scene as a place where creativity thrives.
“You don’t have to move to Seattle, LA, or Nashville, you can do it right here, right now. Spokane is full of friendly, talented, supportive people.”
Launched in 2023, Lilac City Records cultivates and preserves a growing collection of local music. The platform is unique: it’s the only streaming service dedicated entirely to Spokanearea artists. Listeners can explore a wide range of genres, including blues, classical, rock, folk, pop, jazz, rap, and hip-hop—all created by musicians who call the Inland Northwest home.
For local artists, the platform offers more than just exposure; it creates a deeper connection between the community and the people making the music. Singersongwriter Olivia Brownlee, whose album This Is Where You Live is featured on Lilac City Records, says the platform helps
into town and find the original bands that are playing live music because those are the songs that are about you. Because you live here too.”
Local band Timeworm brings another voice to the platform with their album Interplanetary Flamingo Park Reunion. Known for their funky, playful sound, the group sees Spokane’s music
“Anyone can start a band. People have ideas, but not everyone goes and does something about it. Your local scene is the easiest way to make that happen. You don’t have to move to Seattle, LA, or Nashville, you can do it right here, right now. Spokane is full of friendly, talented, supportive people. If we’re doing it, you can do it too.”
Lilac City Records is even shaping the soundtrack of daily life around town. At Scale House Market—Spokane’s only yearround farmers market—the platform provides the background music for shoppers browsing local goods.
Some of the music on the platform was even recorded at Central Library’s recording studio, and artists whose albums or EPs are accepted receive a $200 stipend thanks to funding from the Spokane Public Library Foundation.
Listeners can explore Lilac City Records by visiting records. lilaccitylocal.com. Anyone can stream music for free, even without a library card. Those with a library card can download tracks for offline listening.
Timeworm.
Singer-songwriter Olivia Brownlee released her album This Is Where You Live at Central Library in April 2023.
Murcar, Manager, Marketing & Communication, Spokane Public Library
JOIN THE LARGEST BOOK CLUB ON THE WEST COAST!
JOIN THE LARGEST BOOK CLUB ON
Introducing the first ever, One Book, One Coast! Libraries across California, Washington, and Oregon are coming together to read George Takei's graphic novel, They Called Us Enemy. From his groundbreaking role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek to his decades of civil rights advocacy, Takei has used his voice to champion justice, equity, and belonging. Takei’s advocacy is deeply personal. As a child during World War II, he and his family were among the 125,000 Japanese Americans unjustly imprisoned in U.S. incarceration camps—a formative experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to civil rights and public service.
APRIL1 - MAY31,2026
Borrow a physical copy, get the book club bag with 10
