community
Grievers Library brings together those who seek grief support and those who seek to support grievers through the sharing of free books and resources on grief and loss. Everyone is welcome to participate in our volunteer-based community project.
you are not alone
grievers
If you, or someone you know, is living with grief, please take a book or two from any of the Grievers Library boxes. They are there for you, labeled with topics intended to help you find the right one for your needs.
You are welcome to keep the book, share the book, or return the book for others in need.
office volunteers
The Grievers Library welcomes volunteers to provide administrative support, including sorting and labeling books; reading, editing and mounting grief notes on the website; database updates; ordering replacement books; stocking book crates for delivery to library stewards, etc. Some tasks can be done remotely; others require working in our Ballard office.
library stewards
Do you have time to be a volunteer “library steward?” Library stewards visit their designated Book Box weekly to determine which books have been removed and restock with similar titles; library stewards keep records of all book borrowing activity (notes and phone photo) and contact the office to request replacement books, as required.
grief professionals
The Grievers Library is working to connect with grief professionals across Seattle – ministers, rabbis, imams, funeral directors, grief therapists, plus national authors and publishers. Let us know if you work in the “grief space” and we will add you to our database, plus provide a PDF or printed copies of our informational brochure for you to share with your clients/congregants.
community activities
2023
May 30, 2023 at 7:30pm
Grievers Library hosted a resource table at "Presence within Absence – Connections with the Deceased," a presentation by Jennifer Levin with Rebecca Creighton at Town Hall - Seattle.
25 books distributed.
March 15, 2023
Sadly, our Book Box at Greenwood Senior Center was the victim of an arson attempt leaving it unusable. We opened a new Book Box, without fanfare, at the entrance to Crown Hill Cemetary in North Ballard. (NW 87th and 12th Ave NW)
February 26, 2023
Hosted a resource table at the Safe Crossings Foundation Community Fair: "Giving Love. Guiding Grief" led by their Youth Advisory Council, located at the Seattle Children’s Hospital Sand Point Learning Center. 75 books distributed.
January 20, 2023
Presented to the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club by invitation of Dennis Newell. We appreciate the opportunity to meet business and community leaders to discuss how grief affects everyone and to introduce the Grievers Library mission to an audience of 40. 4 books distributed.
2022
October 26, 2022
Attended the Spousal Support Group at the Greenwood Senior Center at the invitation of GL volunteer, Mary Viggiano. Presented the scope of our work to an appreciative group. 14 books distributed.
October 9, 2022
Hosted a resource table at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention "Out of the Darkness" community walk at Seattle Center. Met 50+ curious participants and distributed 35 books to grieving parents, spouses, siblings, teens, friends and colleagues who have lost a loved one to suicide.
October 7, 2022:
Visited Vashon Senior Center and met with Program & Volunteer Manager Pamela Wickard to discuss siting an Affiliate Book Box in close proximity to their Center in the downtown area. Attended a "Sharing is Healing" grief support group that meets at the center on Fridays led by Diane Brenno.
October 4, 2022
Attended the Annual Luncheon of Safe Crossings Foundation. After a year of Zoom meetings, we met our colleagues serving children in the grief community face to face, including ED Josh Clements from Our Treehouse in Bellingham. SCF supported our work in 2022 with a $1,500 grant. Thank you!
September 30, 2022
Presentated at the Greenwood Senior Center, GL's first public talk in the community with loyal volunteers in attendance. We met our first Library Steward, Will Ringness, who volunteered to re-stock Book Box #1 on Fridays.
August 11, 2022
Book Box #1 Launch Party in front of the Greenwood Senior Center. Live music. Welcoming speeches. Cookies + lemonade. And, a group of enthusiastic supporters. The 1st Grievers Library Book Box is now open 24/7! See video HERE. (Speaker in the photo is Jane Dore, SPD Community Service Officer & GL donor)
August 5, 2022
An Op Ed, "grievers mini library filled with solace," written by volunteer Project Manager Pamela Belyea was published in the Seattle Times announcing the public launch of the Grievers Library. A positive buzz has begun! Read article HERE.
May 25, 2022
Grad student, Sandra Bobman, presented her end-of-year Capstone project in front of her UW Library Sciences peers explaining her work in collection development, especially curating the Grievers Library WorldCat lists, at the Grievers Library during the Winter and Spring quarters.