Congratulations to our colleagues at the King County Library System for being named the Gale/Library Journal 2011 Library of the Year, arguably the biggest honor in the library world. One of the busiest libraries in the U.S., KCLS serves more than 1.3 million King County residents each year, circulating more items than any other library system in the country. Some of the lucky recipients of KCLS services? The thousands of preschoolers who’ve been paired with adults who share books with them weekly through…

In response to the Excessive Heat Warning and Air Stagnation Advisory issued by the National Weather Service, King County government has designated several “cooling centers” in Auburn, Black Diamond, Federal Way, Redmond and Tukwila. Click here for a complete list of locations.

City of Seattle facilities, including parks, libraries and the Seattle Center are offering people a way to cool off and stay safe during the heat of the day. Click here for more information.

And finally, Seattle City Light offers advice…