>>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYONE, THE FEBRUARY 19, 2026
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
LIBRARIES, EDUCATION, AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT'S 2:02 P.M.,
I'M MARITZA RIVERA, CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LYNN?
>> HERE.
>> VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> RIVERA?
>> HERE. COUNCILMEMBER RINK IS
EXCUSED AS IS COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER UNTIL SHE CAN JOIN US
LATER IN THE MEETING. LET ME
HEAR THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A
COUPLE LATE, BREAKING
CORRECTIONS TO THE MATERIALS. WE
HAVE PROVIDED NEWLY PRINTED
MATERIALS FOR YOU AT YOUR DESKS,
COLLEAGUES, AND ALSO AT THE
TABLE FOR ANYONE OF THE PUBLIC
WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET AN UPDATED
ONE. AND OF COURSE, THE ONE THAT
IS ONLINE WILL BE UPDATED AS
WELL IF IT HASN'T ALREADY --
HASN'T BEEN DONE. IF THERE IS
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE WILL
NOW OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AND ZERO
REMOTE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
>> THANK YOU. GIVEN THAT, EACH
SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES AS
PER OUR COUNCIL RULES. CLERK,
PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE -- WILL BE MODERATED IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER. THE PUBLIC
MEANT PERIOD IS UP TO 20
MINUTES, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES. SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER THEY
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR TIME. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIST SPEAKER
ON OUR LIST. THE FIRST IN-PERSON
SPEAKER IS ALEX ZIMMERMAN.
>> YEAH, MY NAME ALEX ZIMMERMAN,
AND I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT SCHOOL
AND -- EDUCATION, THIS CAN NOT
BE SEPARATE, SO EDUCATION IS
SEPARATE NOW BECAUSE I GO TO
SCHOOL MEETING FOR THE LAST TEN
YEARS, MANY TIME, AND THREE
YEARS TRESPASS I HAVE FROM
BELLEVUE AND SEATTLE. SITUATION
RIGHT NOW IN SCHOOL, ABSOLUTELY
-- EXPLAIN TO HER IS A PROBLEM.
BOARD OF DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS MEAN. AND I SPEAK MANY
TIME. I HAVE SO MANY TRESPASSES.
MAKE RULES, WHAT IS LOOK LIKE A
CONCENTRATION CAMP. CHILDREN
FROM 6 TO 12 CANNOT UNDERSTAND
THIS. AND I TOLD YOU, HOW YOU
CAN DOING THIS? YOU BRING
CHILDREN TO CONCENTRATION CAMP
LIKE A NAZI. SO THEY QUIET RIGHT
NOW AND THEY SCARED. WHEN THEY
SCARED FROM 6 TO 12, THEY WILL
SCARED FOR THE REST OF THEIR
LIFE. THIS ABSOLUTELY PRINCIPLE
WHAT IS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. BUT
YOU DON'T DOING NOTHING FOR
STOPPING THEM. SCHOOL DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, EVERYBODY
KNOWS IT. LIBRARY DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY. I LOOK STATISTIC
RIGHT NOW FROM 2000 TO 2006 FOR
SEVEN YEARS, 30 PERCENTAGE. AND
I SPEAK RIGHT NOW, WITH PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN. --
PROXIMATE OR FOR SCHOOL YOU KNOW
WHAT THIS MEAN GO TO SALARY,
THEY DON'T GO TO CHILDREN. I
LIVE HERE FOR 40 YEARS, SO TWO
GENERATIONS. CHILDREN WHAT YOU
MAKE IN SEATTLE IS A PURE
ZOMBIE. THEY IDIOT. PEOPLE WHO
RIGHT NOW FROM 18 TO 50, YOU
KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN, IT'S A
SITUATION UNIQUE. YOU MAKE
SEATTLE A PURE -- IDIOT. VIVA
TRUMP. VIVA NEW AMERICA. VIVA
REVOLUTION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, ALEX. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS BRIAN LAWRENCE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR THE RECORD,
MY NAME IS BRIAN LAWRENCE, THE
CEO OF THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY FOUNDATION. WE ARE THE
NONPROFIT PARTNER OF THE LIBRARY
WORKING TO SECURE PRIVATE
DOLLARS AND ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC
SUPPORT OF OUR LIBRARY. THIS
PAST MONTH WE HOSTED A LOVE
LETTERS TO THE LIBRARY CAMPAIGN,
AND WE COLLECTED THOUSANDS OF
MESSAGES ACROSS THE CITY FOR
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DEMONSTRATE
THEIR LOVE OF THE LIBRARY. IN
FACT, MORE THAN 90 RETAIL
LOCATIONS HAVE HOSTED THESE
BOXES. THESE LETTERS REINFORCE
WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, WHICH IS
THAT SEATTLE LOVES ITS
LIBRARIES. OUR NEIGHBORS
UNDERSTAND HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO
HAVE A FIRST CLASS LIBRARY
SYSTEM. AND WE SEE EVERY DAY, WE
SEE THAT EVERY DAY IN ITS HIGH
USAGE IN THE AMAZING AND
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT THEY
OFFER IN THE PUBLIC SPACES THAT
THEY FIND SAFE AND SECURE. BUT
I'M WORRIED THAT SEATTLE'S
POSITION AS A LEADER AMONG
LIBRARIES IS IN JEOPARDY. WE
HAVE SEEN BUDGET CUTS OVER THE
YEARS, AND WE HAVE SEEN GENERAL
FUND OFFLOADING. AND YOU KNOW,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE SEE ALL THIS
IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY AS WELL, WHERE LIBRARIES
ARE BEING DEPRIORITIZED. AND AT
TIMES WHEN THERE IS A LITERACY
CRISIS IN AMERICA AND WE SEE A
HIGH USAGE IN OUR LIBRARIES, I
HOPE THESE MESSAGES RESONATE
WITH YOU WHEN WE SHARE THEM WITH
YOU AS WELL AS OUR LIBRARY STAFF
TO SHOW HOW IMPORTANT OUR
LIBRARIES ARE. AND WHEN YOU HEAR
ABOUT THE CURRENT IMPACT OF THE
LEVY FROM OUR LIBRARY COLLEAGUES
TODAY, AND YOU WORK WITH THE
MAYOR ON THE UPCOMING LEVY
RENEWAL PACKAGE, WE ASK THAT YOU
TAKE THIS LOVE FOR THE LIBRARY
THAT WE SEE INTO CONSIDERATION
AND MAKE THE INSTITUTION A
PRIORITY. PLEASE TREAT IT WITH
THE SAME LOVE AND AFFECTION THAT
OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE, AND I THINK
THIS YEAR PRESENTS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH OF YOU TO
LEAVE YOUR MARK ON THE
SEATTLE'S LIBRARY FOR THE NEXT
SEVEN YEARS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BRIAN. CHAIR, THAT
WAS OUR LAST REGISTERED SPEAKER.
>> ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
CLOSED. WE'LL PROCEED TO OUR
ITEM OF BUSINESS, CLERK, WILL
YOU PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY 2019 LIBRARY
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, TODAY
WE HAVE FOUR PRESENTERS,
INCLUDING CHIEF LIBRARIAN TOM
FAY, KIERSTEN NELSON, RICK
SHERIDAN, AND ROB GANNON. THEY
JOINED US AT THE TABLE.
COLLEAGUES, BEFORE WE GET TO
THEIR PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO
SAY SOME WORDS ABOUT THE LIBRARY
LEVY AND THE PRESENTATION THAT
WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAR. FIRST LET
ME SAY WELCOME TO A SPECIAL
MEETING OF THE LIBRARY,
EDUCATION, AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE. WE WERE ORIGINALLY
SCHEDULED TO MEET WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 11th AT 9:30 AT OUR
REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMITTEE,
BUT WE RESCHEDULED THE MEETING
TO TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SEAHAWKS
PARADE. WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, WHAT A GREAT
SEASON THEY HAD. AND WE ARE SO
-- IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING PARADE
IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE IT OR BE IN IT. AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. SO GO
SEAHAWKS. TODAY, THOUGH, IN
ANTICIPATION OF THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY LEVY RENEWAL,
WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM
OUR GREAT LIBRARY STAFF. WE WILL
BE LOOKING AT WHAT THE 2019 LEVY
HAS FUNDED IN DETAIL. A NOTE
THAT THIS OVERVIEW WILL BE
BROKEN INTO TWO PRESENTATIONS,
THE FIRST OF WHICH WE'LL HAVE
TODAY, AND NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE
THE SECOND HALF OF THE
PRESENTATION. AND THE REASON
WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY IS
BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW,
COLLEAGUES, IN TRUE RIVERA DUE
DILIGENCE FASHION, I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF THE
LIBRARY AS -- WITH AS MUCH
DETAIL AS POSSIBLE. AS I'VE
SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND IT
IS TRUE, SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES ARE BELOVED. THERE ARE
27 LIBRARY BRANCHES IN SEATTLE,
AND THEY ARE PART OF THE SOCIAL
FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AS
FAR BACK AS 2012 AND MORE
RECENTLY IN 2018, AND I'M SURE
BEFORE 2012, BUT WE HAVE SURVEY
RESULTS FROM 2012 AND 2018,
RESIDENTS HAVE SAID IN SURVEYS
THAT THEY SEE THEIR LIBRARIES AS
ESSENTIAL THIRD PLACES, A
CRITICAL EDUCATION RESOURCE, AND
THAT THEY ARE WORTH THE
INVESTMENT. MOST NOTABLY,
PATRONS HAVE CONTINUED TO TELL
US THAT LIBRARY HOURS ARE
PARAMOUNT TO THEM. THE NUMBER
ONE INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTED FROM
CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE CITY ARE
OPEN HOURS. NOT ONLY DO THEY
CARE ABOUT -- DEEPLY ABOUT OPEN
HOURS, THEY ALSO CARE ABOUT
ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS IN THE
FORMAT THAT THEY WANT, BOTH
PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL. AND
ENSURING LIBRARIES HAVE UPDATED
TECHNOLOGY WITH COMPUTER AND
INTERNET ACCESS. SPS IS
CURRENTLY FINALIZING THE 2025
SURVEY REPORT WHICH WE LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING AS WE CONSIDER
THE 2026 LEVY INVESTMENTS.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND NEXT
WEEK'S PRESENTATION ARE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES TO SHOW HOW THEY'RE
RESPONDING TO THE PRIORITIES OF
THE 2019 LEVY INVESTMENTS. IT'S
A CHANCE TO PUBLICLY SHOW THEIR
WORK, AS I LIKE TO SAY, TO THE
TAXPAYERS WHO SO GENEROUSLY
SUPPORTED THE LIBRARIES THROUGH
A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. THE SIX
AREAS OF INVESTMENT THAT WERE
INCLUDED IN THE 2019 LIBRARY
ARE, EXCUSE ME, THE 2019 LIBRARY
LEVY ARE HOURS AND ACCESS, BOOKS
AND MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY AND
ONLINE SERVICES, BUILDING
MAINTENANCE, HELPING CHILDREN,
AND ADMINISTRATION AND CENTRAL
COSTS. THAT MEANS TAXPAYERS
VOTED TO HAVE US PRIORITIZE
THESE SIX AREAS, WHICH IS WHAT
YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT TODAY
AND NEXT WEEK. COLLEAGUES, I
DON'T -- AND PUBLIC, MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, AND THOSE WHO MAY BE
WATCHING ON THE SEATTLE CHANNEL,
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I DON'T
TAKE IT LIGHTLY WHEN WE'RE
ASKING RESIDENTS TO TAX
THEMSELVES. THAT IS WHY IT IS
CRITICAL THAT WE SHOW THEM HOW
THEIR DOLLARS ARE WORKING AND
HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS
SEATTLE. AND TO THAT END, I WANT
TO BRIEFLY TELL YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING I JUST LEARNED TODAY.
THIS EVENING I'M ATTENDING A
RESIDENT MEETING AT THE MERCY
HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
COMPLEX IN MAGNUSSON PARK. I
NOTICED ON THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY'S MEETING THAT SPL WOULD
BE PRESENT. I ASKED ABOUT THAT
AND WAS TOLD THAT A LIBRARIAN
FROM THE NORTHEAST BRANCH COMES
TO EVERY MONTHLY RESIDENT
MEETING TO TELL FOLKS ABOUT
PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY AND TO
BRING BOOKS. THAT LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT AND CONSISTENCY AND
CARE IS REALLY AMAZING, AND I
WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT. AND I
KNOW THAT THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY IS DOING SIMILAR
ENGAGEMENT ACROSS ALL THE
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY.
THEY ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS IN
THE COMMUNITIES NEAR THE
BRANCHES SO THAT THOSE BRANCHES
ARE ABLE TO ADMINISTER PROGRAMS
THAT NEIGHBORS CARE ABOUT. I
KNOW THIS BECAUSE SINCE I
ARRIVED ON THE CITY COUNCIL,
I'VE ASKED SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES HOW THEY SERVE PATRONS
ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT
SPL IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY TO
ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING
THEIR NEEDS MET BY OUR LIBRARY,
AND I KNOW THAT OUR LIBRARY
STAFF IS DOING THAT UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF FAY. MANY OF
YOU KNOW, AS A KID LIVING IN A
LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE
INNER CITY IN THE BRONX, NEW
YORK, THE LIBRARY WAS A SAFE
PLACE IN MY UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT WAS THE ONLY PLACE THAT MY
MOTHER WOULD LET ME GO ON MY
OWN. I FELT SAFE AMONG THE
STACKS OF BOOKS, AND THAT
SPARKED A LIFELONG LOVE OF
READING. LIBRARIES ARE SO
IMPORTANT TO THE KIDS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND TO OUR SENIORS
AND EVERY AGE IN BETWEEN. NOW
LET'S MOVE ON TO TODAY'S
AGENDA AND LEARN MORE ABOUT
SPL'S LEVY-FUNDED SERVICES AND
PROGRAMS IN THE 2019 LEVY AND
THEN FOR THE RECORD I ALSO WANT
TO WELCOME COUNCILMEMBER ROB
SAKA, WHO I KNOW IS NOT ON THIS
MEETING -- SORRY, ON THIS
COMMITTEE, BUT I KNOW HE CARES
AND I INVITED ALL MY COLLEAGUES
IF THEY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND,
MANY OF THEM HAVE OTHER
COMMITTEE MEETINGS, EXTERNAL
COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND OTHER
ENGAGEMENTS, BUT I WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE
INCLUDED SO THEY TOO CAN HEAR
THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO PRESENT TODAY. SO THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR
ENGAGEMENT. CHIEF FAY, IF YOU'D
LIKE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND HAVE
YOUR TEAM STATE THEIR NAMES FOR
THE RECORD, AND WE CAN GET
STARTED. AND THEN COLLEAGUES,
THIS IS A FAIRLY ROBUST SLIDE
DECK. I WANT TO THANK THE
LIBRARIES FOR DOING THAT WORK TO
GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION, AND IF
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE RAISE
YOUR HAND AS WE GO ALONG SO
WE'RE NOT WAITING UNTIL THE END
OF THE WHOLE SLIDE DECK TO MAKE
SURE WE GET YOUR QUESTIONS
ANSWERED. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, CHAIR
RIVERA. I'M TOM FAY, I AM THE
CHIEF LIBRARIAN FOR THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND I'LL HAVE
MY COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES.
>> I'M KIERSTEN NELSON, AND I
DO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
ROB GANNON, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR THE
LIBRARY.
>> AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS,
I'M RICK SHERIDAN, I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL AND
STRATEGIC ADVANCEMENT.
>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US IN TODAY, AND I
WANT TO THANK MY TEAM FOR
GETTING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AS
WELL AS CHAIR RIVERA'S TEAM IN
HER OFFICE AS WELL AS HERSELF
GOING THROUGH THESE SLIDES AND
THIS INFORMATION OVER THE LAST
WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF. IT TAKES
A LOT OF TIME, APPRECIATE THE
DILIGENCE AND EFFORT EVERYONE
HAS PUT FORWARD. TODAY WE WILL
PROVIDE A REVIEW OF THE LEVY IN
THREE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT
CHAIR RIVERA MENTIONED. JUST AS
A REMINDER, THE 2019 LEVY WAS,
EXCUSE ME, $219.1 MILLION AT
THAT TIME. TODAY WE'LL BE GOING
THROUGH THE COLLECTIONS AND
BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND THE
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES
COMPONENTS. AND NEXT WEEK WE
WILL BE BRINGING BACK HOURS AND
ACCESS, HELPING CHILDREN WITH
LITERACY AND EARLY LEARNING, AND
LEVY IMPLEMENTATION AND
ADMINISTRATION COSTS.
>> THANK YOU, TOM. AGAIN, GOOD
AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. SO TO BEGIN OUR
PRESENTATION, WE WILL START WITH
A SORT OF GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET. THE SLIDE
IN FRONT OF YOU IS A CHART THAT
DEPICTS THE COUNCIL-APPROVED
BUDGET FOR THE LIBRARY IN 2026.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY OF
OUR FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE
CITY'S GENERAL FUND, ABOUT 58%,
AND THE LEVY CONTRIBUTES
ONE-THIRD, 33%, IN THE CURRENT
BUDGET YEAR. A SMALL PORTION OF
OUR BUDGET COMES FROM OTHER
SOURCES, INCLUDING THE
CITY-GENERATED REAL ESTATE
EXCISE TAX, FUNDS FROM THE
GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, AND
THEN ALSO LIBRARY GIFT FUNDS.
YOU'LL NOTE A VERY SMALL STRIPE
IN THAT BAR CHART TO THE RIGHT.
WE GENERATE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT
OF REVENUE AT THE LIBRARY, AND
THIS COMES LARGELY FROM PARKING
AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, PRINTING
ACROSS OUR BRANCHES, AND THEN A
SMALL AMOUNT FROM THE RECOVERY
OF LOST ITEMS, FEES WHEN WE
RECOVER LOST ITEMS. THE BULK OF
OUR BUDGET GOES TO OPERATIONS.
SO YOU SEE IN THE UPPER LEFT
HAND CORNER, ABOUT $100.25
MILLION IS DEDICATED TO ON
RACES. THIS IS PROVIDING STAFF
FOR OPEN HOURS, ACQUIRING BOOKS
AND MATERIALS, AND MAINTAINING
OUR BUILDINGS. THOSE ARE THE
CORE ELEMENTS OF A LIBRARY'S
BUDGET. SEATTLE IS NO EXCEPTION.
THE LIBRARY HAS ALSO A CAPITAL
COMPONENT TO ITS BUDGET, AS
YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THE CURRENT
YEAR WE HAVE ABOUT $2.6 MILLION
DEDICATED TO OUR CAPITAL
PROGRAM. THESE ARE FOR MAJOR
PROJECTS, MAINTENANCE, AND
EQUIPMENT ACQUISITIONS. SO AS WE
THEN DIVE DEEPER INTO THE
HISTORY OF OUR BUDGET AND THE
ROLE THAT THE LEVY PLAYS, WE
PRESENTED HERE AN OVERVIEW OF
THE LAST SIX YEARS OF ACTUAL
EXPENDITURE, AND THEN THE 2026
BAR REPRESENTS THE BUDGETED
AMOUNT FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. AND
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A BREAKDOWN
OF THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET BY
FUNDING SOURCE. AS YOU CAN SEE,
OVER THESE YEARS, THE LIBRARY
HAS EXPERIENCED SOME GROWTH IN
EACH OF THE MAJOR FUND TYPES. A
GENERAL TREND FOR GROWTH WITH
MINOR FLUCTUATIONS IN EACH YEAR.
SO THERE'S NOT A CONSISTENT OR
STRAIGHT FORWARD PATTERN TO THE
LIBRARY'S BUDGET GROWTH, BUT
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT BREAKS DOWN
BY CATEGORY THERE. THE PORTION
OF THE FOUNDATION FUNDING HAS
GROWN OVER THE PERIOD AS HAS THE
GENERAL FUND AMOUNT, BUT
THERE'S NO NOTABLE GROWTH IN
THE SIZE OF THE LEVY PORTION.
MUCH OF THIS GROWTH IS BUILT
INTO THE LEVY AS A FUNDING
DEVICE TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION
AND THE ANTICIPATED INCREASED
COSTS OVER THAT PERIOD. BUT SOME
OF THIS LEVY FUNDING GROWTH IS
ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO SHIFTS FROM
THE GENERAL FUND ON TO THE LEVY.
>> ROB, CAN I ASK A QUESTION
ABOUT THAT. SO WHEN YOU SAY A
SHIFT FROM GENERAL INTO THE
LEVY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND
TO THINGS THAT THE LEVY FUNDS
AND WE'RE TRANSFERRING OVER
GENERAL FUND TO MAKE UP THE
DIFFERENCE? OR CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, I GUESS.
>> I CAN, AND I'LL INVITE MY
COLLEAGUES ALSO TO HELP ANSWER
THAT QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER, IT
IS THE INVERSE OF WHAT YOU
DESCRIBED. IT IS THINGS THAT HAD
BEEN HISTORICALLY OR OVER THIS
PERIOD FUNDED BY THE GENERAL
FUND AND DUE TO PRESSURES ON
THAT RESOURCE AT THE CITY LEVEL,
THE LIBRARY'S BEEN ASKED TO
MOVE EXPENDITURE ON TO THE LEVY.
THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE
COURSE OF A NUMBER OF YEARS. ALL
OF THOSE TRANSFERS ARE ACCOUNTED
FOR IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS
THAT IS -- GOES THROUGH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE -- OR GOES
THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
THEN ULTIMATELY FINDS ITS WAY TO
COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
>> THANK YOU, ROB. AND ALSO, I
MEAN, BUT WE HAVE MORE LEVY
MONEY TO WORK WITH, BECAUSE I
ASSUME THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE
IN LEVY MONEY, SO IS THAT
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR -- I MEAN,
IT'S ASSESSED YEARLY, NO? THE
LEVY, HOW IT'S COLLECTED. AND
SO I ASSUME WE HAVE MORE LEVY
MONEY OVER THE COURSE OF THE
LEVY THAN ORIGINALLY
ANTICIPATED?
>> SO I'LL ANSWER THE QUESTION
AS I INTERPRET IT, AND THEN
PLEASE FOLLOW UP. THE LEVY DOES
ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE
YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES THROUGH
THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE COLLECTED
THROUGH THAT INSTRUMENT. AS IT
RELATES TO THE GENERAL FUNDS
TRANSFER, WHEN ITEMS COME OFF
THE GENERAL FUND AND ARE MOVED
ON TO THE LEVY, THAT USUALLY
MEANS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO
EXTEND THE EXISTING LEVY
RESOURCES. IT IS NOT THAT THERE
IS AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN
THE LEVY THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT
GENERAL FUND OFFSET. SO WE MAKE
PRIORITIZATION CHOICES FROM THE
LEVY AND SAY WE MIGHT -- IN
ORDER TO ABSORB THAT TRANSFER
FROM THE GENERAL FUND ON TO THE
LEVY.
>> OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU, ROB.
BUT THE LEVY ITSELF HAS STAYED
WHAT WE ANTICIPATED IT WOULD BE,
IT HASN'T DECREASED. WE DON'T
SEE A DECREASE SINCE 2019.
>> CORRECT, THAT'S CORRECT.
>> OVER THE ANTICIPATED $219
MILLION.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS, BECAUSE
THIS HAPPENED OVER COVID.
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU. THANK
YOU.
>> IT IS A FINITE RESOURCE IN
THAT SENSE, YES.
>> IN THAT SENSE, BUT IT DIDN'T
DECREASE, WHICH CAN HAPPEN IF,
FOR SOME REASON, THE PROPERTY
VALUES TANKED AND, YOU KNOW, WE
DIDN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN THROUGH
COVID.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, ROB. GO AHEAD, SORRY.
THANKS FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS
DURING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO OUR NEXT SLIDE HERE IS MEANT
TO SHOW THE SAME SERIES OF
YEARS, AGAIN THE LEVY PERIOD
FROM 2020 TO 2025, BUT THIS
EXPRESSES THE RELATIVE AMOUNTS
THAT EACH OF THE FUND CATEGORIES
PROVIDES. SO COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, OR CHAIR RIVERA, YOU'LL
SEE THAT OVER THE PERIOD OF THIS
LEVY, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE
GENERAL FUND HAS SOMEWHAT
GRADUALLY DECREASED OVER THE
PERIOD WHILE THE AMOUNT BORN BY
THE LEVY HAS INCREASED. THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOUNDATION'S PORTION HAS
REMAINED RELATIVELY CONSTANT
OVER THAT SAME PERIOD, EVEN
THOUGH THERE'S AN INCREASE IN
THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF THE
AMOUNT, THE RELATIVE VALUE HAS
STAYED FAIRLY CONSISTENT.
>> CHIEF FAY, DOES THAT MEAN YOU
WOULD HAVE USED LEVY MONEY IN
OTHER WAYS? I MEAN, WE HAVE THE
MONEY THAT HASN'T INCREASED.
>> YES.
>> SO IT'S A MATTER OF
PRIORITIZATION. BUT I THINK WHAT
THE GRAPH IS SHOWING IS THAT THE
LIBRARY BUDGET HAS INCREASED
EVERY YEAR SINCE 2020, ALL OF
THOSE LEVY YEARS.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO IN THAT SENSE, WHILE THERE
MIGHT HAVE BEEN MAYBE FUND SWAPS
BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE
LEVY, THE -- IT HAS INCREASED
OVER TIME.
>> CORRECT. AND WHEN WE HAVE
THOSE SWAPS INTO THE LEVY, IT
DOES MEAN THAT SOMETHING ISN'T
GOING TO BE DONE THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN PLANNED IN THE LEVY. A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THIS YEAR
THAT WE'RE IN. WE NEEDED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE MADE THE
BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT WE NEEDED
TO. WE NEEDED TO TAKE $5 MILLION
FROM THE LEVY THAT HAD BEEN
DEDICATED FOR A PROJECT, THE
COLUMBIA REINFORCED MASONRY
PROJECT. AND WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO DEFER THAT ONE. AND THAT
WAS A DECISION WE MADE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN THE
HOURS OF OPERATION AND NOT HAVE
TO HAVE A REDUCTION IN STAFFING
OR HOURS.
>> GOT IT, THANK YOU, CHIEF FAY.
>> SO AS THE CHAIR REFERRED TO
IN HER OPENING COMMENTS, THE
LEVY IS BROKEN INTO CATEGORIES.
THESE CATEGORIES HAVE REMAINED
CONSISTENT OVER BOTH THE 2012
LEVY AND THE 2019 LEVY. WHAT
THIS CHART DEPICTS IS HOW -- HOW
EACH OF THE CATEGORIES FROM
ADMINISTRATION AND CENTRAL COSTS
ALL THE WAY TO HOURS AND ACCESS
ACCOUNT FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH
THE LIBRARY IS SPENDING THOSE
LEVY DOLLARS. TOM MADE MENTION
IN HIS INTRODUCTION THAT WE WERE
DESCRIBING EACH OF THESE
CATEGORIES IN DETAILS OVER THE
COURSE OF THE PRESENTATION. THIS
SLIDE IS MEANT ONLY TO PROVIDE
THE BROAD CONTEXT. AS YOU CAN
SEE, ADMINISTRATION AND CENTRAL
COSTS IN YELLOW AND HELPING
CHILDREN IN LIGHT BLUE MAKE UP A
VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE LEVY.
HOURS AND ACCESS, WHICH WE'LL
BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT WEEK,
MAKES UP THE LARGEST PORTION OF
THE LEVY. SO WE'LL BE
DISCUSSING THE THREE CATEGORIES
IN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY,
BUILDING MAINTENANCE, WHICH
YOU'LL SEE REPRESENTED IN THE
DARK BLUE, TECHNOLOGY THE GREEN,
AND THEN THE ORANGE SECTION
SHOWS THE LEVY SOURCES DEDICATED
TO BOOKS AND MATERIALS. AND SO
WE WILL START OUR DETAILED
PRESENTATION THERE. AND I WILL
TURN IT BACK TO TOM UNLESS THERE
ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, TOM.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>> SO THE FIRST CATEGORY IS
COLLECTIONS, AND I WANT TO GIVE
A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING
OF COLLECTIONS, BECAUSE IN
LIBRARY LAND WE SOMETIMES USE
THAT TERM INTERCHANGEABLY TO
DISCUSS COLLECTIONS. SO IN THE
BROADEST SENSE, IF WE THINK
ABOUT IT AT THE 30,000-FOOT
VIEW, THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HAS A COLLECTION, THAT IS THE
NEARLY 3 MILLION ITEMS THAT WE
HOLD EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR
PHYSICALLY. WE THEN HAVE THINGS
THAT WE REFER TO THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TYPES OF COLLECTIONS, A
CHILDREN'S COLLECTION. THAT
AGAIN CAN BE AT THE ENTIRE
SYSTEM LEVEL. THAT COULD BE AT A
BRANCH LEVEL. AND THEN WE HAVE
SPECIAL AND AND UNIQUE
COLLECTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
A LITTLE MORE GRANULAR. THEY MAY
BE SOMETHING LIKE THE COLLECTION
AT THE DOUGLAS TRUTH LIBRARY,
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLECTION.
IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING OF THE
SPECIAL COLLECTION AROUND MAPS
OR OTHER EPHEMERA. SO JUST TO
GIVE A GROUNDING WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT COLLECTIONS, IT'S -- WE
USE THOSE WORDS INTERCHANGEABLY.
BUT IN THIS CASE, WE'RE
PRIMARILY TALKING ABOUT BOOKS
AND MATERIALS. SO THIS SLIDE IS
BREAKING DOWN WHAT THE
COLLECTIONS INCLUDE. WE HAVE
PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL BOOKS,
HISTORY ITEMS, HISTORIC PHOTOS,
MAP, POSTCARDS, ALL TYPES OF
OTHER EPHEMERA. THE UNIQUE
COLLECTIONS I MENTIONED, DOUGLAS
TRUTH, THE LGBTQ+ COLLECTION ON
CAPITOL HILL, AVIATION AND ZINE
COLLECTIONS AT CENTRAL AND
SEVERAL OTHERS. WE, OF COURSE,
HAVE DVDs AND CDs, THEY'RE
STILL POPULAR, EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE HARDER TO FIND THESE
DAYS FOR SURE. AND WE ALSO HAVE
PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL MAGAZINES
AND NEWSPAPERS THAT WE HAVE FREE
ACCESS TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES",
"THE WASHINGTON POST", "THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL," AND OF COURSE,
WE HAVE THOSE WHO LOVE MOVIES
AND MUSIC. WE HAVE STREAMING
VERSIONS OF THAT THROUGH OUR
HOOPLA AND CANOPY PLATFORMS.
>> CHIEF, DO WE HAVE -- I
NOTICED SEATTLE TIMES WAS ABSENT
FROM THIS LIST, DO YOU -- IS
THAT --
>> WE DO HAVE "THE SEATTLE
TIMES" AS WELL, YES.
>> I WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
KNEW THEY COULD ACCESS "THE
SEATTLE TIMES".
>> WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO IT ALL
THE WAY BACK IN HISTORY AS WE DO
THE POST INTELLIGENCER. WE HAVE
THAT ENTIRE COLLECTION DIGITALLY
AS WELL. SO FOLKS CAN DEFINITELY
FIND THE HISTORY OF SEATTLE
THROUGH OUR NEWSPAPERS.
>> AND ON YOUR UNIQUE
COLLECTIONS, THIS WAS REALLY
GREAT TO SEE, ARE THESE LOCATED
AT DIFFERENT BRANCHES OR HOW
DOES IT WORK?
>> IT DOES. IT GENERALLY IS
SOMETHING THAT GROWS OUT OF A
NEED IN A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE LGBTQ+
COLLECTION IN CAPITOL HILL.
TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY FOR THE
LGBTQ FOLKS. AND THEN, OF
COURSE, SOME OF THESE SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS LIKE THE AVIATION
AND ZINE COLLECTIONS, SOME OF
THOSE, AGAIN, ARE -- END UP
BEING ALMOST LIKE SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS, SO THEY HAVE TO
TAKE ADDITIONAL HANDLING TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE CARED FOR.
AND MANY OF THOSE END UP BEING
WHAT WE CONSIDER A REFERENCE
COLLECTION, MEANING YOU CAN'T
CHECK THAT MATERIAL OUT. THE
DOUGLAS TRUTH COLLECTION,
HOWEVER, YOU CAN CHECK OUT,
WHICH IS GREAT. THAT'S A VERY
STRONG COLLECTION, ONE OF THE
LARGEST COLLECTIONS ON THE WEST
COAST.
>> WONDERFUL. AND IF A COMMUNITY
HAS A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN
SEEING A UNIQUE -- BECAUSE NOT
EVERY COMMUNITY'S REPRESENTED
HERE, WOULD THEY WORK WITH YOUR
FOLKS TO IDENTIFY IT AND THEN
YOU ALL LOOK INTO CREATING A
UNIQUE COLLECTION, FOR INSTANCE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. SOMETIMES IT'S
OPPORTUNISTIC IN THAT WE
ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS
TO DONATE A COLLECTION. THAT CAN
HAPPEN. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, SOMETIMES
WHAT HAPPENS IS AS REQUESTS COME
IN FOR MATERIAL AND WE SEE THOSE
REQUESTS MORE AND MORE IN
CERTAIN LOCATIONS, IT REALLY
HELPS US -- OUR PEOPLE SELECTING
BOOKS TO KNOW THAT, OKAY, WE
NEED TO START GETTING MORE OF
THIS MATERIAL. A GOOD EXAMPLE OF
THAT IS MATERIAL IN OTHER
LANGUAGES. THAT'S ONE OF THE
WAYS WE FIND IT. THE SYSTEM DOES
SOMETHING CALLED FLOATING, WHICH
MEANS THAT IF YOU CHECK OUT A
BOOK AT BEACON AND RETURN IT AT
BEACON, BUT MAYBE THAT BOOK WAS
DELIVERED FROM THE CENTRAL
LIBRARY, THAT BOOK'S GOING TO
STAY AT BEACON. AND WHAT HAPPENS
IS OVER TIME, PEOPLE START
NOTICING THAT, WOW, THERE'S A
LOT MORE OF THIS MATERIAL HERE,
MAYBE WE SHOULD BE BUYING MORE
OR MOVING MORE OF THE
COLLECTION. SO WE DO THAT EVERY
DAY, LOOKING AT THOSE
COLLECTIONS.
>> GREAT SO IT'S --
>> AND YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE TO
BE AT THAT LOCATION TO GET
ACCESS TO THOSE BOOKS. YOU CAN
BE AT BROADVIEW AND ACCESS BOOKS
FROM THE DOUGLAS TRUTH, THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLECTION
HOUSED AT DOUGLAS TRUTH.
>> THANK YOU, KIERSTEN. WHAT
I'M HEARING YOU, CHIEF, SAY, IS
IF A BOOK IS CONSISTENTLY AT ONE
BRANCH, IT HELPS YOU IDENTIFY
THERE'S THAT INTEREST FOR THAT
SUBJECT AT THAT BRANCH.
>> AND THAT -- YES, THAT IS THE
BEAUTY OF FLOATING COLLECTIONS.
IN MY EARLY DAYS, THAT WAS NOT
AN OPTION IN LIBRARY SYSTEMS,
BUT TODAY THAT REALLY HELPS US
BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY MOVING TO
WHERE PEOPLE NEED THE MATERIAL.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
>> ALL RIGHT. IN THIS NEXT SLIDE
WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE COLLECTION. WE ARE THE
TOP -- IN THE TOP TEN OF
E-CIRCULATION IN THE WORLD.
THAT'S REALLY THANKS TO OUR
PASSIONATE READERS HERE IN
SEATTLE. IT SHOWS THE SHIFT OF
PATRONS TOWARDS E-MATERIALS
VERSUS PHYSICAL MATERIALS. THAT
SHIFT HAPPENED DURING THE
PANDEMIC. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE,
WE WEREN'T OPEN, SO THE DIGITAL
COLLECTION WAS THE ONLY WAY TO
HAVE ACCESS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
DURING THE TIME OF THIS LEVY, WE
HAVE GROWN OUR COLLECTION FROM
2.4 MILLION TO 2.9 MILLION. WE
HAVE 2 MILLION PHYSICAL ITEMS
AND ABOUT A MILLION DIGITAL IN
OUR COLLECTION. WE ALSO HAVE,
EXCUSE ME, WE ALSO -- SORRY, I
JUST NOTED THIS HERE TODAY ON MY
OWN, WE ALSO MOVE A LOT OF THESE
BOOKS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. AND
REALLY, THESE CHECKOUTS ARE
OCCURRING ALL THROUGHOUT THE
DAY. WE RUN 24/7. YOU CAN GET AN
E-BOOK ANY TIME OF THE DAY. YOU
CAN GO TO OUR PICKUP LOCKERS AND
PICK UP YOUR HOLDS OUTSIDE THE
LIBRARY BRANCH. SO AS YOU LOOK
AT THE BIG NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE,
ALMOST 13 MILLION CIRCULATED
ITEMS LAST YEAR, THAT EQUATES TO
24 BOOKS PER MINUTE BEING
CHECKED OUT. EVERY SINGLE DAY,
EVERY SINGLE HOUR HERE IN THE
CITY.
>> WOW. CHIEF FAY --
>> SORRY, YES?
>> ON THE E-BOOKS, FIRST OF ALL,
I JUST REALLY WANT TO NOTE IN A
LATER SLIDE YOU'RE GOING TO SAY
YOU ALL ARE TENTH IN THE WORLD.
>> YEP, WE ARE TENTH IN THE
WORLD.
>> NOT NATIONALLY.
>> NO.
>> TENTH IN THE WORLD FOR
E-BOOKS. THAT'S REALLY WORTH
MENTIONING. THAT IS AMAZING. AND
LATER WHEN WE GET TO THAT SLIDE,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT -- I KNOW
THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES ON THE
E-BOOKS, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THOSE LATER. I DO HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT THE -- WHAT ARE
THE GOALS FOR THE E-BOOKS? I
MEAN, IS THERE A GOAL THAT WAS
ARTICULATED AND THAT'S HOW YOU
-- IS THERE MORE YOU CAN TELL US
ABOUT THAT?
>> MOST CERTAINLY, THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION. DEMAND IS A BIG
PIECE OF IT, BUT REALLY WHAT
LIBRARIES ARE LOOKING AT IS HOW
CAN WE HAVE THE BEST FULFILLMENT
OF WHAT THAT PATRON WANTS OR
NEEDS. THAT'S WHY WE DO SPEND A
LOT OF EFFORT ALSO LETTING
PATRONS KNOW THAT A PHYSICAL
BOOK MAY BE AVAILABLE. WE'LL
TALK ABOUT IT HERE IN A LITTLE
BIT AROUND PEAK PICKS. THAT'S
ANOTHER WAY FOR PATRONS TO GET
THAT PHYSICAL ITEM THAT THEY
WALK IN, SEE IT ON THE SHELF,
AND JUST GO. SO WE DO A LOT
AROUND TRYING TO MEET THE
FULFILLMENT NEEDS OF PATRON,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET ONLINE AND
YOU FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WELL,
I'M NUMBER 1,400 FOR THIS BOOK,
THAT'S NOT REALLY GOING TO BE
SATISFYING. SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO
IS MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT OUR
RATIOS OF HOLDS TO ACTUAL ITEMS
AND THEN WE CAN BUY MORE TO
ADDRESS THAT FULFILLMENT NEED.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE GOAL
COMES IN, AND THEN A LOT OF IT
IS, AGAIN, AS I SAID, THE
DEMAND, BECAUSE OF THE SHIFT.
AND WE DO EXPECT THAT TO
CONTINUE TO GROW AS PEOPLE
BECOME MORE AND MORE FAMILIAR
WITH THE PLATFORMS AND JUST FEEL
MORE COMFORTABLE USING
E-MATERIALS.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. SO IT'S NOT
STATIC, IT MOVES ACCORDING TO
WHAT THE DEMAND IS. I DO WANT TO
STATE FOR THE RECORD,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER HAS JOINED
US. WELCOME, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. GO AHEAD, CHIEF, THANK
YOU.
>> YES, TALKING MORE OF THIS
PARTICULAR SLIDE AGAIN, WE'VE
ALSO INCREASED OUR LANGUAGE
ACCESS. WE PURCHASED MORE AND
MORE WORLD LANGUAGE MATERIALS.
WE PROVIDE SPANISH LANGUAGE
COLLECTIONS AT ALL LOCATIONS
NOW. WE'VE ADDED UKRAINIAN
COLLECTIONS AS WELL. THAT'S
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, AND
ADULTS. THOSE ARE AT CENTRAL
THAT CIRCULATE SYSTEMWIDE. WE
ADDED PORTUGUESE THIS LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, ALL AGES. AND THAT IS
ALSO AT CENTRAL AND CIRCULATES
SYSTEMWIDE. THIS PARTICULAR
LANGUAGE, PORTUGUESE, WAS NOTED
LAST YEAR IN SOME OF OUR
COMMUNITIES AS SEATTLE HAS SEEN
MORE IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
FROM ANGOLA. WE'VE ADDED
BILINGUAL, DARI TO ENGLISH AND
PASHTO TO ENGLISH BOARD BOOKS
FOR KIDS AVAILABLE AT CENTRAL
AND BEACON HILL. AND OF COURSE,
YOU CAN REQUEST THEM ANYWHERE.
AND WE'VE INCREASED OUR
TRANSLATION AND TRANSCREATION OF
COMMUNICATION MATERIALS SUCH AS
LIBRARY CARD APPLICATIONS,
WELCOME EMAILS, AND OTHER
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS AND EVEN ON
OUR MOBILE APP SO PEOPLE HAVE A
BETTER ACCESS TO OUR SYSTEM BUT
ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE
MIGHT HAVE IN THE LANGUAGES THAT
THEY PREFER. WE'VE ALSO
INCREASED OUR ACCESS TO LOCAL
HISTORY. WE CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE
NEW MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE
VAST PAUL DORPAT COLLECTION, HE
WROTE SEATTLE NOW AND THEN. AND
OTHERS WHERE WE NOW HAVE 33,000
DIGITAL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE
DIGITIZED OVER THE YEARS AND
VERY PROUD OF THE COLLECTION
THAT WE HAVE. ALL RIGHT, THIS
NEXT SLIDE IS A LOOK AT THE
AMOUNT OF LEVY FUNDING THAT IS
SPENT ON COLLECTIONS. SO YOU CAN
SEE THAT BOOKS AND MATERIALS IS
IN THE BLUE AND GIVES YOU A
SENSE OF THE PERCENTAGE, AS WELL
AS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT IS
SPENT ON COLLECTIONS. MOVING TO
THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS A LOOK
AT OVERALL COLLECTION SPENDING
BY FUNDING SOURCE, AND I WANT TO
POINT OUT HERE SPECIFICALLY THAT
THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF THE BOOKS
AND MATERIALS, THE ACQUISITION
AND PROCESSING COSTS AND FEES,
MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION COSTS,
WHICH ALSO INCLUDE THE LABOR TO
DO ALL OF THOSE FUNCTIONS. SO
THIS IS NOT JUST BOOKS AND
MATERIALS, THIS IS ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO
GET A BOOK IN A PERSON'S HAND
ALL THE WAY TO A DELIVERY TO A
BRANCH.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF, IT'S A
GOOD REMINDER THAT ALL OF THIS
TAKES STAFF TIME FROM OUR TRUSTY
GREAT STAFF AT THE LIBRARIES.
>> AS I POINT OUT, FOR THOSE
BOOKS TO END UP AT YOUR LIBRARY
WITHIN A DAY OR, TWO WE HAVE
FOLKS PROCESSING AT THE BIG
MACHINE IN GEORGETOWN QUITE A
FEW HOURS A DAY. OUR DRIVES ARE
OUT AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING
STARTING THE ROUNDS OF DELIVERY.
SO WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE
LIBRARY WORKING ALMOST 24 HOURS
SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY. THIS NEXT
SLIDE GIVES YOU THE NUMBERS
BEHIND THAT PREVIOUS CHART, LAYS
OUT THE SPENDING IN THE GENERAL
FUND, LIBRARY LEVY, AND FROM
PRIVATE FUNDS. MOVING TO THIS
NEXT SLIDE, THIS ONE IS A LOOK
AT SPENDING BY FUNDING SOURCE
FOR ONLY THE BOOKS AND THE
MATERIALS. SO THIS GIVES YOU AN
IDEA WHAT THE COST IS FOR ALL OF
THAT MATERIAL I MENTIONED
EARLIER. THERE'S NO LABOR
INVOLVED, NO LABOR COSTS IN
THESE NUMBERS. AND THE LEVY NOW
PROVIDES 55% OF OUR SPENDING ON
BOOKS AND MATERIALS, AND THAT'S
AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO NOTE.
>> MM-HMM.
>> AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE
PRIVATE FUNDS AS WELL HAVE
INCREASED OVER TIME AS THERE'S
OBVIOUSLY BEEN MORE RELIANCE ON
OTHER SOURCES OTHER THAN THE
GENERAL FUND. MOVING TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, THIS IS GIVING YOU A
SENSE OF THE PHYSICAL VERSUS
DIGITAL SPENDING ON MATERIALS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW PHYSICAL
MATERIAL, WHERE WE SIT WITH
THAT, AND HOW MUCH EVERYTHING
HAS NOW MOVED TO THE DIGITAL
SIDE OF THE EQUATION. MOST
CERTAINLY HAS BEEN VERY STEADY
OVER THE PERIOD OF THE LEVY.
MOVING TO THE NEXT. HERE YOU CAN
SEE PHYSICAL MATERIAL AND
DIGITAL MATERIAL AND THE AMOUNT
SPENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND
VERSUS THE LEVY. AND THIS ALSO
GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE NUMBER
OF ITEMS PURCHASED FROM THOSE
FUNDS YEAR OVER YEAR.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. AND I THINK
WHAT'S NOTABLE HERE THAT YOU
AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, I KNOW,
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ABLE
TO ADD LESS TITLES TO THE
DIGITAL, BUT THEY COST MORE. SO
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ITEMS
PURCHASED FOR PHYSICAL AND
DIGITAL, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE,
AND IT'S JUST THAT COST
INVOLVED. BECAUSE OF THE
LICENSING FEES, AND I KNOW WE'LL
TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
>> AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT
SINCE OUR FOUNDATION COLLEAGUES
WERE HERE TODAY AS WELL, THEY
SUPPORT THE LIBRARY IN A VERY
BIG WAY AROUND COLLECTIONS. THEY
ARE SUPPORTING THIS YEAR ALONE
15,000 FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
COLLECTION, 65,000 FOR BIOGRAPHY
AND LITERARY CLASSICS, 6,000 FOR
GENEALOGY, 200,000 FOR
CHILDREN'S MATERIALS, AND
835,000 FOR GENERAL COLLECTION
SUPPORT. SO A BIG THANKS TO OUR
COLLEAGUES AND ALL OF OUR
GENEROUS DONORS FOR THEIR WORK
ON OUR BEHALF.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF, AND
SHOUT-OUT TO BRIAN LAWRENCE WHO
GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER, AND
HE AND I MET, PRESIDENT OF THE
FOUNDATION, AND THEY DO SUPPORT
A LOT IN THE SPACE. AND BRIAN
SHARED SOME REALLY GREAT BOOKS
AND TOOLS FOR KIDS, BOOKS THAT
TALK TO YOU AS A WAY TO REALLY
HELP KIDS WITH READING. AND SO I
KNOW THE FOUNDATION IS AN
INVALUABLE PARTNER.
>> YES, IF YOU RUN INTO BRIAN
WITHOUT SOME OF THOSE BOOKS IN
HIS HANDS, THOSE TALKING BOOKS,
IT'S A RARITY. HE HAS ACTUALLY
GOTTEN A LOT OF DONORS BECAUSE
OF THAT. IT IS A GREAT FORMAT
FOR KIDS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE'LL
LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE
COLLECTION AND WE'LL LOOK AT
THE PHYSICAL COLLECTION BY
LOCATION. SO AS YOU LOOK AT
THESE NEXT SLIDES, THEY ARE
GOING TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL
SENSE OF THE COLLECTION GROWTH
AND/OR DECREASE ACROSS THE CITY
AROUND EACH OF THE LOCATIONS.
WE'VE BROKEN THIS DOWN INTO
THREE AREAS. THIS IS MID CITY
AND DOWNTOWN. YOU CAN SEE THE
BRANCHES LOCATED ON THE MAP TO
THE RIGHT. AND THIS IS FOR THE
PERIOD BETWEEN 2020 AND 2025.
THESE DON'T GENERALLY CHANGE
DRAMATICALLY YEAR OVER YEAR.
WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOMETIMES
DECREASES YOU MIGHT ASK, WELL,
WHY IS THAT? IT COULD BE A
NUMBER OF FACTORS. MANY TIMES
IT'S A SMALL LOCATION, AND SO
TO MAKE IT MULTIPURPOSE AND TO
HAVE AVAILABILITY OF ANOTHER
TABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
SOMETIMES WE REDUCE COLLECTIONS,
WE LOOK AT WHAT COLLECTIONS ARE
MOST RELEVANT OR IMPORTANT FOR
THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, AND WE
TRY TO SIZE IT SPECIFICALLY FOR
THAT. AND AGAIN, KNOWING THAT
ANYONE CAN REQUEST EITHER
IN-PERSON OR ONLINE MATERIAL TO
LAND AT A BRANCH, WE DON'T
ALWAYS NEED TO ABSOLUTELY FILL
IT FROM FLOOR TO CEILING AS
MAYBE WE DID IN THE OLD DAYS.
THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND
GETTING THE MATERIAL MOVED
AROUND MAKES IT PRETTY QUICK.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. THAT'S
IMPORTANT. YOU CAN BE AT ONE
BRANCH AND REQUEST A BOOK
THAT'S AT A DIFFERENT BRANCH,
AND YOU GET IT TO THE PEOPLE
THERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AREA OF THE
CITY, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE
COLLECTION SIZES HERE. THIS IS
NORTH SEATTLE. AND I'LL NOTE
THAT THE UNIVERSITY AND GREEN
LAKE, SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ARE
SKEWED BECAUSE OF CLOSURES FOR
THE SEISMIC RETROFITS WE'VE
COMPLETED AT GREEN LAKE AND ARE
UNDERTAKING AT UNIVERSITY. SO
JUST SOMETHING TO NOTE. AND THEN
WE'LL MOVE TO SOUTH SEATTLE,
AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS
HERE. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO
PHYSICAL CIRCULATION BY
LOCATION. I THINK THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT ONE FOR FOLKS TO SEE.
THIS AGAIN IS MID CITY AND
DOWNTOWN. THIS SHOWS THE
CIRCULATION GROWTH OVER THE
PERIOD AND LIFE OF THE LEVY THUS
FAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE
DOING WELL IN CIRCULATION
INCREASES. WE'LL MOVE OVER TO
NORTH SEATTLE. YOU'LL ONCE
AGAIN SEE THE INCREASES
EVERYWHERE. THE NOTED EXCEPTION
AGAIN IS GOING TO BE UNIVERSITY,
WHICH IS CLOSED AND UNDER
CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN SOUTH
SEATTLE. YOU CAN SEE
CONSIDERABLE INCREASES HERE AS
WELL OVER THE LEVY PERIOD. AND
NOW ONE OF, I KNOW, A FEW
PEOPLE'S FAVORITES THAT PEOPLE
TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME IS PEAK
PICKS. AND WHAT PEAK PICKS IS IS
A COLLECTION OF NEW AND POPULAR
BOOKS WITH NO HOLDS OR WAITS.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE A
PHYSICAL BOOK, AND THE WHOLE
IDEA IS THAT YOU ARE JUST
OVERJOYED THAT WHEN YOU WALK IN,
THAT BOOK YOU ARE ON HOLD FOR OR
REALLY WANTING TO GET, THAT
NEWEST TITLE IS RIGHT THERE AND
YOU'RE ABLE TO GRAB IT, CHECK
IT OUT, AND START READING. VERY
POPULAR. FOR SURE SOMETHING THAT
WE GET ASKED ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
AND IT HAS AT ANY GIVEN TIME
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 60 TO 65
TITLES THAT ARE IN THAT PEAK
PICKS COLLECTION. THAT CHANGES
EVERY MONTH. SOMETHING IS GOING
OUT, MEANING IT'S NO LONGER IN
PEAK PICKS, AND SOMETHING NEW IS
COMING IN. SO YOU SHOULD ALWAYS
BE FINDING SOMETHING NEW ALMOST
EVERY TIME YOU COME INTO A
PHYSICAL LOCATION.
>> AND ALL THE LOCATIONS HAVE
PEAK PICKS.
>> THEY DO. THEY DO. SOME HAVE A
LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE AND MAY
HAVE A FEW MORE THAN OTHERS. AND
WE DO THAT, AGAIN, SIZED BY THE
POPULATION SERVED. THESE ARE
MOST CERTAINLY SOME OF THE MOST
CIRCULATED BOOKS, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE. THEY ARE THE MOST
POPULAR TITLES. IN 2025 THESE
TITLES CIRCULATED OVER 147,000
TIMES, SO VERY, VERY POPULAR.
ALL RIGHT, THIS NEXT SLIDE,
DIGITAL MATERIALS. I HIGHLIGHTED
EVERYTHING HERE ON THE RIGHT. WE
HAVE -- MANY TIMES FOLKS ARE
THINKING JUST ABOUT THE E-BOOKS
AND THE E-AUDIOBOOKS. MOST
CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE A FAN OF
OUR STREAMING PRODUCTS, MUSIC,
TV, MOVIES, WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE
AVAILABLE AS WELL. DIGITAL
MAGAZINES. DIGITAL COMICS. ONE
OF MY FAVORITES WHEN I ACTUALLY
HAVE TIME JUST TO MAYBE ENJOY A
COMIC, IT'S A FUN ONE TO USE AS
WELL. MOVING ON TO THIS NEXT
SLIDE HERE. WE HAVE OUR DIGITAL
MATERIALS. THIS IS SIZE AND USE
OF E-BOOKS AND THE AUDIO. JUST
LOOKING AT THESE, YOU CAN SEE
OUR COLLECTION HAS GROWN BY
135,000 ITEMS SINCE 2020. AND
DIGITAL CHECKOUTS HAVE GROWN BY
OVER 2.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A 50%
INCREASE OVER THE LIFE OF THE
LEVY. AND THIS NEXT SLIDE GIVES
YOU THE NUMBERS BEHIND THAT
PREVIOUS CHART. WE'VE INCLUDED
THE DIGITAL SPENDING, WHICH HAS
STAYED RELATIVELY FLAT. AND
AVAILABLE FUNDING HAS REMAINED
FLAT AS WELL. AND OVER TIME, OUR
PURCHASING POWER DIMINISHES. FOR
SOME OF THOSE REASONS YOU
MENTIONED, THE COSTS ARE GOING
UP FOR E-MATERIALS. THE GREATER
DEMAND ON E-MATERIALS, MEANING
WE NEED TO JUST BUY MORE OF THEM
TO MEET AND THAT FULFILLMENT
COMPONENT THAT I MENTIONED
EARLIER. SO IN THIS, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS. AND
HERE IN THE RECENT PAST, WE'VE
LIMITED THE NUMBER OF DIGITAL
HOLDS THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE FROM
25 TO 10. IN SOME CASES, WE'VE
HAD TO EXTEND THAT RATIO I
TALKED ABOUT, THAT HOLDS TO ITEM
RATIO, BECAUSE OF THE COSTS. AND
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A REDUCTION
IN BUDGET. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A
PRIORITIZATION OF HAVING TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE WE
COULD MAINTAIN HOURS, SO IT IS A
BALANCING ACT.
>> I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO LOSE
SIGHT OF THE FACT WE ARE TENTH
IN THE WORLD FOR E-BOOKS. SO
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT NOTE. YES,
THE DEMAND, THERE'S MORE
DEMAND, AND BEING TENTH IN THE
WORLD IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL.
WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW
POPULAR IT IS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU ALL ARE DOING SO MUCH TO
INCREASE THAT DEMAND. IF WE'RE
TENTH IN THE WORLD, I DON'T --
WHO'S NUMBER ONE?
>> NUMBER ONE SWINGS BACK AND
FORTH FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT LOS
ANGELES, THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES, IS NUMBER ONE.
SINGAPORE IS NUMBER TWO. OUR
COLLEAGUES AT KCLS, I THINK WERE
FIVE THIS YEAR. WE SWING BACK
AND FOURTH AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
AS WELL. SO IT DOES MOVE.
>> YEAH.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE TOO THAT DURING THE LIFE OF
THIS LEVY, THERE HAS BEEN AN
INCREASE IN POPULATION, AND IF
WE JUST LOOK AT EVEN THE LAST
DECADE, WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBER,
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'VE
HAD FOR COLLECTIONS HAS NOT
GROWN TREMENDOUSLY, AS THIS KIND
OF FLAT LINE INDICATED. AND SO
WE KNOW THAT WE DO NEED TO
INCREASE THAT OVER TIME TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH ITEMS
AND MATERIAL FOR PEOPLE TO
CONSUME. THE POPULATION WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO GROW HERE,
AND IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO MEET
THAT NEED GOING FORWARD.
>> I DO THINK THE WHOLE
LICENSING FEE IS AN ISSUE, BUT I
KNOW YOU HAVE A SLIDE -- ANOTHER
SLIDE AFTER -- A COUPLE AFTER
THIS ONE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT
TOO.
>> SURE, AND I'M HAPPY TO, AS
WE WRAP THIS UP, IF THERE'S
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THE
COLLECTION PIECE, I CAN MOST
CERTAINLY ANSWER ONES THAT
HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF.
>> AND SO OUR NEXT SLIDE IS --
TALKS ABOUT BOOKS UNBANNED. I
KNOW MANY OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS
HAVE HEARD ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.
IT'S FOR ALL TEENS AND YOUNG
ADULTS IN THE U.S., AGES 13 TO
26. WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO OUR
ENTIRE DIGITAL COLLECTION, AND
THIS WAS LAUNCHED WITH THE
BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY IN 2023,
NOW HAS SIX LIBRARIES ALSO
ACROSS THE COUNTRY
PARTICIPATING. SEATTLE WAS THE
SECOND ONE TO DO THIS, AND
REALLY THIS WAS AN EFFORT TO
COMBAT CENSORSHIP AND BOOK
BANNING. WE KNOW NOW THAT
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING
THINGS GOING ON AROUND
INFORMATION, LACK THEREOF,
MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION,
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO
THIS. SINCE WE STARTED THIS,
WE'VE HAD 25,000 SIGN-UPS,
730,000 CHECKOUTS OVER THIS
TIME. AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO NOTE HERE THAT THIS IS
COMPLETELY PRIVATELY FUNDED BY
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOUNDATION'S GENEROUS AND
PASSIONATE DONORS. WHEN I'M OUT
WITH DONORS, THEY TALK ABOUT
THIS PROGRAM PROBABLY MORE THAN
ANY BECAUSE OF ITS IMPACT ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. AND IF YOU'VE EVER
HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT
OUR BOOKS UNBANNED LINK ON OUR
WEBSITE, THERE ARE SO MANY
STORIES FROM FOLKS ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING ACCESS IN
SOME OF THESE STATES THAT HAVE
JUST BANNED MATERIAL IN GENERAL.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. AND THOUGH
THIS IS A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE
LEVY AND THIS PROGRAM IS NOT
LEVY FUNDED, IT REALLY GOES TO
SHOW THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE THIS IS
FULLY FUNDED BY THE FOUNDATION.
SO IT WASN'T REALLY MEANT TO
SHOW SOMETHING THAT'S LEVIED
BUT JUST A GREAT PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE FOUNDATION THAT IS
REALLY MEANINGFUL TO KIDS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY THOSE
IN CITIES WHERE THEY HAVE BANNED
BOOKS, UNFORTUNATELY. SO IT
HOLDS GREAT VALUE, IT'S A
SOURCE OF PRIDE, AND IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SO
GRATEFUL TO THE FOUNDATION FOR.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU FOR
THAT. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON
TO IMPACT ON LIBRARY PATRONS.
OUR PATRONS PROVIDE US FEEDBACK
EVERY DAY. THERE'S A FEW
EXAMPLES OF IT HERE. AND IF YOU
LOOK AS WE GO THROUGH THESE
PRESENTATIONS TODAY AND NEXT
WEEK, WE'LL PROVIDE SOME OF
THOSE QUOTES. BUT OUR PATRONS,
YOU KNOW, REALLY TELL US THAT IT
IMPROVES THEIR CHILDREN'S
READING SKILL, ENRICHES THEIR
LIVE, AND SAVES THEM MONEY. AND
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS
POINT THIS OUT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT HOW MANY ITEMS WE
CIRCULATE. YOU KNOW, THAT 13
MILLION ITEMS WE CIRCULATED LAST
YEAR, BIG NUMBER. WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE ROI OF THAT, ONE OF
THE THINGS WE KIND OF THINK
ABOUT OR CONSIDER IN LIBRARIES,
AND THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A
GENERAL RULE OF THUMB, IS THAT
TAKE AN AVERAGE COST OF ABOUT
$20 PER BOOK. YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE THINGS HIGHER. YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE THINGS LOWER FOR
SURE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT 13
MILLION ITEMS, THAT WAS $256
MILLION IN VALUE PROVIDED BACK
TO RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE AND
THEIR ABILITY TO CHECK OUT THAT
MATERIAL FREELY. SO IT GIVES YOU
A SENSE OF REALLY HOW WE ARE
PROVIDING THAT RETURN ON
INVESTMENT. MOVING TO SOME
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AS
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU ARE
TELLING HERE, E-BOOKS AND
E-AUDIOBOOKS ARE REALLY OF GREAT
INTEREST TO PATRONS. WE KNOW WE
HAVE THE FUNDING LIMITATIONS WE
TALKED ABOUT AND THE RISING COST
IN THOSE SUBSCRIPTION MODELS ARE
THE THINGS THAT CAN REALLY STYMY
US IN PROVIDING BROADER
COLLECTIONS OVER TIME.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. AND
COLLEAGUES, THIS IS SOMETHING
CHIEF FAY AND I HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE WHOLE TIME I'VE BEEN
ON THE COUNCIL, SO FOR THE LAST
COUPLE YEARS, ON THIS CHALLENGE
OF THESE LICENSING FEES ARE SO
EXPENSIVE. AND THAT IS WHAT
MAKES PROVIDING THE E-BOOKS SO
EXPENSIVE. AND SO CHIEF, I KNOW
THAT THERE ARE SOME EFFORTS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON HOW TO --
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE
LICENSING FEES. BECAUSE THAT'S
NOT SOMETHING CITIES CAN DO
UNILATERALLY. AND IF YOU HAVE
INFORMATION, I'D LOVE FOR YOU
TO SHARE WITH COLLEAGUES, AND I
WOULD LOVE AN UPDATE ON, YOU
KNOW, WHERE ARE WE ON TRYING TO
GET PUBLIC LIBRARIES MORE ACCESS
AT A LOWER COST FOR, YOU KNOW,
GIVEN THESE LICENSING FEES.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION. AND IT'S INTERESTING,
WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT
THINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE'VE
SEEN STATES TRY TO ADDRESS THIS,
AND THAT'S GENERALLY GOING TO
RUN UP AGAINST ALL KINDS OF
ROADBLOCKS. WE'VE SEEN
INDIVIDUAL LIBRARIES OR CITIES
TRY TO ADDRESS THIS. I HAVE BEEN
WORKING AND KIERSTEN HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH THE STATEWIDE
LIBRARY DIRECTORS TO REALLY SEE
IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO
AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL TO AT
LEAST BEGIN UNDERSTANDING HOW
MUCH IS BEING SPENT ON THIS.
THESE ARE ALL TAXPAYER DOLLARS,
HOW MUCH IS BEING SPENT ON THIS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE EFFORTS
WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD THIS
SUMMER TO BE ABLE TO INFORM THE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT THOSE COSTS,
THE CONCERNS AROUND THE COSTS,
AND THEN THE LONG-TERM CONCERN
OF NOT HAVING A PERPETUAL
LICENSE. MEANING THAT THESE ARE
SUBSCRIPTIONS. WHEN YOU GO INTO
A LIBRARY, YOU EXPECT TO SEE A
BOOK. YOU WANT TO SEE THAT
EITHER PHYSICALLY OR DIGITALLY.
DOWN THE ROAD WHEN NOW AN AUTHOR
ISN'T HOT, SUBJECT ISN'T HOT,
20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND THE
PUBLISHER DOESN'T WANT TO PUT
IT OUT ANYMORE, IF IT WAS ONLY
IN THE E-REALM, IT JUST DOESN'T
EXIST. AND WHAT A LOSS OF ALL
THAT INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT. AND
IT'S NOT EVEN CONTAINED IN THE
LIBRARY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE
WANT TO RESOLVE. AND I THINK
THAT WILL HAVE A COST. I THINK
WHAT WE NEED TO DO -- AND I'VE
BEEN TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE'S NOT
A BIGGER EFFORT WITH A LOT OF
THE LARGER SYSTEMS -- TO SEE IF
WE CAN BRING, INSTEAD OF TRYING
TO TAKE THIS FROM A LEGISLATIVE
POINT OF VIEW WHERE WE'RE ALL
AT ODDS IS BRING THE PUBLISHERS
TO THE TABLE. BRING THE
MIDDLEMAN GROUP THAT PROBABLY IS
MAKING A LOT OF THE PROFIT TO
THE TABLE AS WELL AND SAY HOW
CAN WE ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER TO
SOLVE A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS? AND
WE DON'T EXPECT IT FOR FREE,
BUT MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER
OPTIONS AROUND SUBSCRIPTIONS.
MAYBE THERE ARE DIFFERENT
NUMBERS THAT WE CAN USE. MAYBE
THERE'S WAYS FOR THE SMALLER
SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE BEING
A RURAL LIBRARY. WE'RE
FORTUNATE BEING THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY. IMAGINE BEING A
RURAL LIBRARY WITH A $5,000 BOOK
BUDGET. THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO
FAR. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BUY
ANYTHING IN THE E-REALM. SO
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON NOW. I'VE BEEN
HAVING SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS
WITH FOLKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN
THE LAST MONTH, MONTH AND A
HALF, AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO PUT SOME EFFORT. AND
THAT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE
THOSE LIBRARY SYSTEMS BUT REALLY
WHAT WE -- WHAT WE ALL BELONG TO
IN THE BIG URBANS, CALLED THE
URBAN LIBRARY COUNCIL. THAT
REPRESENTS 200 OF THE LARGEST
LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN NORTH
AMERICA, AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT
THAT GROUP CAN REALLY HELP TO
BRING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE TO
START DISCUSSING THIS, BECAUSE
IT IS A LONG-TERM PROBLEM FOR
SURE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE,
CHIEF. AND I THINK WORKING WITH
THE PUBLISHERS IS SOMETHING THAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND ALSO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU
KNOW, LIKE IN THE MUSIC WORLD,
IN THE BOOK WORLD AUTHORS NEED
TO GET PAID FOR THEIR BOOKS. AND
SO THAT IS IMPORTANT AS WELL.
AND WITHIN THAT IS THERE A WAY
TO WORK WITH THE PUBLISHERS FOR
LIBRARIES, A SPECIFIC SUBSET OF
FOLKS THAT ARE BUYING LICENSES
TO HAVE THEIR CONSTITUENCY READ
THESE BOOKS, IS THERE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO A CARVE OUT
FOR LIBRARIES. AND THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE
INCREASING COSTS, AGAIN, WE'RE
TENTH IN THE COUNTRY, I MEAN IN
THE WORLD, AND THAT'S STILL --
WE STILL HAVE MORE DEMAND, BUT
WE ARE TENTH. IMAGINE BEING NOT
EVEN IN THE WORLD. WE'RE
PLAYING ON THE WORLD LEVEL,
BEING NOT EVEN PLAYING AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL. TO YOUR POINT,
SO.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE TO WANT
AUTHORS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE
PAID. AND THAT -- BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT THEIR WORKS
TO SURVIVE.
>> MM-HMM.
>> AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT,
YOU KNOW, I DO WORRY ABOUT.
PROBABLY IN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX
YEARS, PROBABLY MORE THAN I EVER
THOUGHT OR WORRIED ABOUT. THAT
REALLY, TRULY, ENTIRE TOPICS,
ENTIRE AUTHORSHIP COULD BE LOST
AS THE E-REALM TAKES OVER AND
MORE AND MORE OF THIS INDUSTRY.
WITH THAT, I'M SURE YOU'RE
TIRED OF HEARING ME TALK, SO I
-- THE REASON I HAVE ASKED ROB
AND RICK HERE TODAY IS TO HAVE
THEM GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE
OTHER SECTIONS, AND I'M MORE
THAN HAPPY TO INTERCEDE WHEN
NECESSARY, BUT I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO ROB FOR OUR NEXT
PORTION.
>> THANK YOU, TOM. SO MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE, I'M GOING TO
MOVE US INTO THE NEXT TOPIC, THE
NEXT LEVY CATEGORY, WHICH IS
BUILDING MAINTENANCE. AND OF
COURSE, WE ALL HAVE A BROAD
UNDERSTANDING THAT LIBRARIES ARE
INSTITUTIONS, LIBRARIES ARE THE
COLLECTION OF MATERIALS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE, BUT LIBRARIES ARE
ALSO FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT THE
BUILDINGS AND THE SPACES THAT WE
CREATE FOR OUR PATRONS AND OUR
COMMUNITIES TO COME AND TO
ENJOY, TO EXPLORE, AND TO ENRICH
THEIR LIVES. IN ORDER TO DO
THAT, WE ARE IN A POSITION TO
MAINTAIN ALL OF THOSE FACILITIES
AND THE LEVY PLAYS A CRITICAL
ROLE IN HELPS US DO THAT. AS A
-- JUST AS A BROAD OVERVIEW, I
DO WANT TO SORT OF DIFFERENTIATE
BETWEEN THE TYPES OF MAINTENANCE
THAT WE DO TO KEEP OUR BUILDINGS
SAFE AND READY AND ACCESSIBLE TO
THE PUBLIC. MAINTENANCE CAN FALL
INTO THREE -- ANY NUMBER OF
CATEGORIES, BUT WE GENERALLY
THINK OF THEM AT THE LIBRARY IN
THESE CATEGORIES. SO FIRST,
MAJOR MAINTENANCE. THESE ARE THE
SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT WE
TAKE ON THAT ALTER OR UPGRADE
OUR BUILDINGS. EITHER TO
CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS OR TO
ADDRESS MAJOR ISSUES. THERE'S
ALSO ROUTINE AND SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE. THIS IS REALLY THE
EVERYDAY WORK OF MAINTAINING OUR
BUILDINGS AS WELCOMING
ENVIRONMENTS, AS SAFE
ENVIRONMENTS, AS CLEAN
ENVIRONMENTS SO THAT THEY'RE
SUITABLE FOR THE USE OF THE
PUBLIC. AND THEN I'M SURE
EVERYBODY IS PROBABLY WELL
FAMILIAR WITH THE NOTION THAT
REPAIRS FALL UNDER THE
MAINTENANCE CATEGORY AND ALL
SORTS OF THINGS COME UP ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. SOMETIMES THEY
ARE EMERGENT ISSUES, SOMETIMES
THEY JUST REQUIRE OUR PROMPT
ATTENTION. BUT THIS IS HOW WE
SPEND THE BULK OF OUR
MAINTENANCE DOLLARS. THERE'S
SOME EXAMPLES ON THAT SLIDE, AND
I'M HAPPEN UP PI TO TALK ABOUT
ANY OF THEM, BUT IT IS A BROAD
CATEGORY OF MAINTENANCE ACROSS
-- OR BROAD DEFINITION THAT WE
USE FOR MAINTENANCE. I WANTED TO
HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN
OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM LOOKING
BACK RETROSPECTIVE TO THE PERIOD
OF OUR LEVY. THERE HAVE BEEN
SOME NOTABLE LARGE-SCALE
PROJECTS. TOM HAS MENTIONED OUR
UNREINFORCED MASONRY PROJECTS,
WHICH WE SOMETIMES SHORTHAND AS
OUR SEISMIC RETROFIT PROJECTS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED TWO OF THOSE
IN THE PERIOD OF THE LEVY. THE
GREEN LAKE BRANCH WAS COMPLETED
IN 2026. AND THE UNIVERSITY
BRANCH IS WELL UNDERWAY AND WE
ARE CONFIDENT THAT IT IS GOING
TO BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR
AND SHOULD BE RE-OPENED TO THE
PUBLIC IN THE FALL. OUR
UNREINFORCED MASONRY PROJECTS
ARE NOT SIMPLY ABOUT THOSE
PARTICULAR PROJECTS, STRUCTURAL
REINFORCEMENT, WE ALSO USE THIS
AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PRIORITIES
THROUGH THE LIBRARY. LIKE MAKING
OUR SPACES MORE ACCESSIBLE,
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO
RESTROOMS, TO ELEVATORS, TO
ENTRANCES, AND WE ALSO HAVE USED
THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
IMPROVE OUR CLIMATE RESILIENCY,
MAKING THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES
MORE EFFICIENT AND TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF CONTEMPORARY
TECHNOLOGY AND REDUCING OUR
DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS. WE
ALSO HAVE JUST A WIDE VARIETY OF
CONVENTIONAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING
MAJOR ROOF REPAIRS, RANGING FROM
STRAIGHT FORWARD ROOF
REPLACEMENTS AT A PLACE LIKE THE
GREENWOOD BRANCH, WHICH WAS
COMPLETED JUST RECENTLY, BUT
ALSO THE QUEEN ANNE BRANCH,
WHICH HAS A HISTORIC SLATE-TILE
ROOF AND REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL
OF EFFORT TO MAKE THAT UPGRADE.
THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF OTHER
PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON
THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM, AND WE'RE
CALLING OUT A NUMBER OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS HERE. WE HAVE MADE
SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS TO HVAC
SYSTEMS, HEATING, VENTILATION,
AIR CONDITIONING, COOLING, AT
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. NOT ONLY
INTRODUCING MORE CONTEMPORARY
SYSTEMS BUT ALSO ADDING COOLING
SYSTEMS TO PLACES THAT DID NOT
HAVE THEM PREVIOUSLY. WE, AS TOM
MENTIONED EARLIER, MOVING
MATERIALS THROUGH OUR SYSTEM IS
NO SMALL FEAT, AND PART OF WHAT
THIS LEVY DID WAS REPLACE WHAT
WE REFER TO AS OUR AUTOMATED
MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM THAT
HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN LOCATED AT
OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY. SO WE BOTH
REPLACED THAT SYSTEM BUT ALSO
RELOCATED THAT SYSTEM INTO A NEW
BUILDING, A NEW MAINTENANCE AND
OPERATIONS CENTER, AND THE LEVY
NOT ONLY HELPED US OR NOT ONLY
HELPED US WITH THAT REPLACEMENT
AND RELOCATION BUT IT ALSO
PROVIDES VITAL MAINTENANCE TO
THAT SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN
MAINTAIN IT AND HAVE IT
FUNCTIONING WELL INTO THE YEARS
AHEAD. WE'VE MADE A NUMBER OF
UPDATES AND RENOVATIONS AT
CRITICAL BRANCH LOCATIONS. THE
SOUL POLE AT THE DOUGLASS-TRUTH
BRANCH HAD A RENOVATION. I
MENTIONED THE ROOF PROJECTS, AND
THE HIGHLIGHTS JUST KEEP GOING
AND GOING. MORE HIGHLIGHT
INCLUDED ON THIS SLIDE. WE MADE
CHANGES TO RESTROOM ACCESS,
ESPECIALLY DURING COVID. WE
RETROFITTED SPACES. WE'VE MADE
LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS IN GARAGES
AND ON MAIN FLOORS WITH MORE
SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING THAT TAKES
LESS ENERGY BUT ALSO LESS
MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE DONE --
WHEN I MENTION EVERYDAY
MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE INCREASED
THE FREQUENCY THAT WE DO
PRESSURE WASHING AT SOME OF OUR
MORE HIGH TRAFFICKED BRANCHES,
INCLUDING CENTRAL, THE PLAZA, ON
THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING ON THE
FIFTH AVENUE SIDE AND THE FOURTH
AVENUE SIDE, THE PLAZA AT
BALLARD, MUCH MORE CLEANING AT
OUR CAPITOL HILL AND LAKE CITY
BRANCHES. IF ANYBODY HAS
NOTICED, OUR CENTRAL BRANCH HAS
QUITE A FEW WINDOWS, AND WE HAVE
TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STAY
CLEAN. THEY'RE ALSO PART OF THE
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE
BUILDING. AND THEN OVER THE
PERIOD OF THE LEVY, THOUSANDS OF
WORK ORDERS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
EVERYTHING FROM, AS IT SAYS
HERE, GRAFFITI REMOVAL TO
REPAIRING CARPETING AND
FURNITURE, TO ADDRESSING WHAT
SEEMS LIKE AN ENDLESS RANGE OF
PLUMBING ISSUES AND MANY, MANY
MORE. THIS NEXT SLIDE, SORT OF
IN A CONSISTENT FORMAT -- OH, I
APOLOGIZE.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, BECAUSE
THE REST I KNOW IS JUST THE
COSTS INVOLVED, ON THE AIR
CONDITIONING AT 22, SO THAT
MEANS FIVE DO NOT HAVE AIR
CONDITIONING, IS THERE A
SCHEDULE FOR THE OTHER FIVE? IS
IT THE HOPE OF WITH THE NEW LEVY
WE WOULD COMPLETE THE OTHER --
AND WHERE ARE THEY?
>> YES, APOLOGIES,
COUNCILMEMBER, I DIDN'T SEE
YOUR HAND. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION.
>> NO WORRIES.
>> WE HAVE FOUR PROJECTS
SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR. I
DON'T REMEMBER THE FIFTH, BUT I
CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR
YOU. WE'LL BE DOING COLUMBIA
THIS YEAR, WEST SEATTLE,
FREMONT, AND QUEEN ANNE. SO
THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT SHOULD
BE -- WELL, WILL BE COMPLETED
DURING THIS CURRENT LEVY TERM.
THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING
PERMITTED AND SHOULD BE FULLY
READY TO GO.
>> GREAT. SO BY THE END OF THE
YEAR WE SHOULD HAVE 26 OF THE 27
DONE? THAT'S TERRIFIC.
PARTICULARLY AS THINGS ARE
HEATING UP, IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO HAVE A
PLACE TO COOL OFF.
>> WELL, AND I WANT TO ALSO
NOTE, AGAIN, HOW WE LEVERAGE ALL
TYPES OF FUNDING. MUCH OF THIS
CAME FROM SOME EFFORTS TO GET
FEDERAL FUNDING AND STATE
FUNDING.
>> MM-HMM.
>> AND AS EVERYONE MIGHT RECALL,
WE ALSO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
REPLACING ANY KIND OF FOSSIL
FUEL BURNING PLANTS THAT WE
MIGHT HAVE. SO ANY TIME WE'RE
GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE AIR
CONDITIONING, WE HAVE TO DO THE
ELECTRIFICATION COMPONENT OF A
BUILDING, WHICH MEANS WE TAKE
OUT ALL THOSE FOSSIL FUELS. SO
IT'S NOT JUST A SIMPLE COST OF
PUTTING AN AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM IN, IT'S ALL OF THAT
OTHER WORK THAT GOES ALONG WITH
IT.
>> THAT IS SO CRITICAL. THANK
YOU, CHIEF, FOR HIGHLIGHTING
THAT AS WELL.
>> I'LL CONTINUE HERE. THIS
SLIDE IS A DEPICTION OVER THE
YEARS OF THE LEVY PERIOD SHOWING
HOW MUCH OF THE LEVY FUNDS GOES
TO BUILDING MAINTENANCE. SO
YOU'LL SEE A NOTABLE INCREASE
IN '23, '24, AND '25. THOSE
ROUGHLY COINCIDE WITH OUR MAJOR
SEISMIC RETROFIT PROJECTS AND
ACCOUNTS FOR THE BULK OF THAT
SPENDING. WE ARE -- WE WOULD
HAVE SEEN A LARGER INCREASE ALSO
OR A LARGER AMOUNT IN 2026 BUT
FOR THE DEFERRED PROJECT THAT WE
REFERRED TO EARLIER. BUT WE DO
LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT LEVY
PERIOD IN THE HOPES THAT WE CAN
FIX THE RETROFIT FOR THE
COLUMBIA BRANCH. THIS LAST SLIDE
JUST SHOWS THE BALANCE OF
GENERAL FUND AND LEVY FUND.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE
THAT THE GENERAL FUND DOES GIVE
US A BASE AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE,
BUILDING MAINTENANCE, AND
SUPPORT OF THE PERSONNEL THAT DO
ALL OF THAT IMPORTANT WORK, BUT
IT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT OR
HAS NOT GROWN CONSISTENT WITH
THE DEMANDS AND THE NEEDS OF THE
LIBRARY SYSTEM. SO THE LEVY
PLAYS AN INCREASINGLY CRITICAL
PART OF FUNDING THE WAY IN WHICH
WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR BUILDINGS,
MAKE THOSE IMPORTANT UPGRADES,
AND THINK ABOUT MAKING OUR
SPACES CONTEMPORARY TO THE USES
OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS SLIDE
SIMPLY DEPICTS THE DOLLARS THAT
SIT BEHIND THAT CHART. AND AS WE
HAVE BEEN SHOWING, OUR -- THE
LEVY PROVIDES CRITICAL RESOURCES
THAT DON'T JUST MEAN BUDGETARY
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LIBRARY,
THEY ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTING OUR
PATRONS. AND OUR PATRONS VALUE
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO
KEEP OUR BUILDING SAFE AND
ACCESSIBLE. PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY
COMMENT ABOUT WHAT A PLACE THE
LIBRARY IS TO COME, HOW
CONNECTED THEY FEEL TO OUR
COMMUNITIES AS A RESULT OF THE
LIBRARY'S PRESENCE AND A RESULT
OF THE PROGRAMMING. IT ALSO
OFFERS A SAFE PLACE FOR MANY OF
OUR POPULATION THROUGHOUT THE
CITY FROM YOUNG ADULTS AND TEENS
TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LOOKING
FOR DAY-TO-DAY RESOURCES TO BE
IN A PLACE THAT IS WELCOMING AND
SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE. FINISHING
THIS SECTION ON CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES, AS I'VE
GENERALLY ALLUDED, WE HAVE MANY,
MANY CHALLENGES OR MANY
OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS OUR SYSTEM
TO CONTINUE BUILDING OUT AND
MAINTAINING OUR BUILDINGS. SEVEN
OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE OVER 100
YEARS OLD, AND THOSE REQUIRE
SPECIAL AND OFTENTIMES VERY
EXPENSIVE MAINTENANCE. BEING
ABLE TO DO THAT WORK AND KEEP UP
WITH ALL THE OTHER MAINTENANCE
REQUIREMENTS CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
FOUR BRANCHES ARE STILL YET TO
BE SEISMICALLY REINFORCED, SO WE
HAVE UPCOMING UNREINFORCED
MASONRY PROJECTS THAT STILL NEED
TO BE COMPLETED. I MENTIONED
COLUMBIA AS BEING DEFERRED, SO
WE ARE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE THAT
IN THE UPCOMING PERIOD, BUT WE
KNOW THAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE
AT WEST SEATTLE, FREMONT, AND
QUEEN ANNE. THOSE HISTORIC
BUILDINGS BUILT IN THE CARNEGIE
ERA OF LIBRARIES NEED TO HAVE
THEIR MASONRY REINFORCED SO THEY
CAN STAND FOR THE NEXT 100
YEARS. AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND INCREASING
CHALLENGE WITH VERTICAL
CONVEYANCES, HOW WE KEEP OUR
ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS WELL
MAINTAINED AND OPERATING. SO
THOSE ARE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS AND WILL
LOOK FOR A WAY TO ADDRESS. LEVY
INVESTMENTS DO CREATE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE THESE
IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE CHANGES,
UPGRADES AND ADDRESS NOT ONLY
THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BUT,
AGAIN, TO ENTER INTO A PHASE
WHERE WE'RE DOING PLANNED
MAINTENANCE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP
OUR BUILDINGS FULLY UP TO CODE
AND UP TO THE NEEDS OF OUR
PATRONS. AS TOM MENTIONED
EARLIER, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO WE
LOOK TO STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS
OFTEN TO LEVERAGE THE AMOUNT OR
TO EXTEND THE AMOUNT THAT THE
LEVY AND THE GENERAL FUND
PROVIDE. AND THAT BECOMES A
CRITICAL PIECE TO OUR ABILITY TO
DO THINGS LIKE MAKE BROAD
IMPROVEMENTS TO A SPACE, NOT
JUST A STRUCTURAL UPGRADE OR NOT
JUST ADDING HEATING AND COOLING
UPGRADES.
>> AND I KNOW IN THE PAST THE
CARNEGIE LIBRARIES HAVE RECEIVED
SOME FUNDING FROM THE FEDS. I
DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH
THAT TODAY, BUT UP TO LAST YEAR,
I GUESS, THERE HAS BEEN
OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK, CHIEF,
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAP INTO.
>> WE HAVE, FORTUNATELY, BEEN
ABLE TO RECEIVE OVER THE YEARS
SOME FEDERAL EARMARKS. WE ALSO
RECEIVED SOME FEMA GRANTS FOR A
NUMBER OF EFFORTS. I CAN HAPPILY
SAY THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THOSE
FUNDS WHEN WE'VE ASKED FOR
REIMBURSEMENT. SO WE HAVE BEEN
FORTUNATE IN THAT REGARD. WE
KNOW IT WILL LIKELY BE A LITTLE
TOUGHER AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL
OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE
YEARS, POTENTIALLY, BUT WE
CONTINUE TO PUT FORWARD WORKING
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE GRANT REQUESTS
AND/OR EARMARK REQUESTS TO OUR
REPRESENTATIVES.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> AND WE DO HAVE A CURRENT
EARMARK OUTSTANDING, AND FEMA'S
PORTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY BUDGET, WHICH
IS, OBVIOUSLY, CURRENTLY
UNFUNDED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
SO SHOULD THAT GO THROUGH,
SHOULD THEY FUND FEMA, WE DO
HAVE AN EARMARK FROM
REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SMITH.
>> GREAT.
>> FOR THE COLUMBIA BRANCH.
>> GREAT. GREAT TO HEAR, THANK
YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
>> ALL RIGHT. I'LL PASS THIS
NEXT SECTION OFF TO MY
COLLEAGUE, RICK SHERIDAN.
>> MADAME MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS,
THE LAST LEVY CATEGORY WE'LL
LOOK AT TODAY IS THAT OF
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES.
THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES MANY
THINGS I'M SURE YOU'RE
FAMILIAR WITH, AND PROBABLY SOME
THINGS THAT I'M SURE ARE A
LITTLE MORE BACK OF HOUSE TO
SYSTEMS LIKE THE LIBRARY. IT
INCLUDES PUBLIC AND STAFF
TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS COMPUTER,
PRINTERS, LAPTOPS, SELF-CHECKOUT
AND CATALOG STATIONS ACROSS OUR
LIBRARY SYSTEM. IT PROVIDES THE
INTERNET ACCESS, THE SPL
NETWORK, BOTH WIRED AND
WIRELESS, AND FUNDS OUR HOT SPOT
PROGRAM. IT SUPPORTS DIGITAL
SECURITY, BOTH THE STAFFING AND
THE MONITORING TOOLS WE NEED TO
KEEP OUR SYSTEM SAFE. AND IT
FUNDS CAPITAL I.T., SUCH AS THE
MAJOR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE,
SERVERS, SWITCHES, THAT SUPPORT
OUR TECHNOLOGY USE.
>> RICK, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER HAS A QUESTION. PROBABLY
ABOUT THE PRIOR SLIDE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE
LIBRARY'S TEAM, AND I APOLOGIZE
FOR MY LATE ARRIVAL. WE HAD A
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING WHERE I
AM VICE CHAIR, SO APPRECIATE YOU
WELCOMING ME LATE TODAY. I DID
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE 40.
I -- AS YOU KNOW, I REALLY CARE
ABOUT OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE,
AND I APPRECIATE THE CHIEF
LIBRARIAN FOR OUR PREVIOUS
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. I
WONDER IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO JUST
-- AND I'M SURE WE'LL GET INTO
THIS WHEN WE GET FORWARD FACING
WITH THE LEVY -- BUT BEING ABLE
TO PUT SOME NUMBERS ON THIS,
THESE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS THAT
YOU REFERENCE ON SLIDE 40 WITH
THESE CHALLENGES AND HOW THEY
MIGHT BE PHASED IN IN THE COMING
YEARS.
>> YES. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT,
AND WE HAVE A VERY LARGE NUMBER
THAT WE KNOW IS FACING THIS AS
WE LOOK AT THAT 20 AND 30-YEAR
WINDOW. AND I REMIND FOLKS ALL
THE TIME THAT THE CENTRAL
LIBRARY AT THE END OF THIS NEXT
LEVY THAT WE ARE CONTEMPLATING
WILL BE NEARLY 30 YEARS OLD. AND
SO WITH THAT, THERE'LL BE A LOT
OF NEED FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE
REPLACEMENT IN MANY CASES OR
SUPPORT, BUT YES, WE DO HAVE
NUMBERS. ROB'S TEAM HAS DONE A
GREAT JOB OF DETERMINING WHAT
THAT ALL LOOKS LIKE, DOWN TO
EVEN INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS LIKE
HVAC DOWN TO WINDOWS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT THAT ALSO HAVE PART OF
THE STRUCTURE. IT IS NOT
SOMETHING YOU CAN CHEW OFF ALL
AT ONCE. AND IT MOST CERTAINLY
WILL NOT BE SOMETHING WE CAN GET
DONE IN ONE LEVY. AND IT MAY
ALSO, AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES ROB TALKED ABOUT
FOR ENHANCING SPACES, IT MAY
REQUIRE SOMETHING LIKE A CAPITAL
BOND TO MOVE THOSE EFFORTS
FORWARD IN A WAY THAT'S GOING
TO PROVIDE ENOUGH FUNDING TO DO
THE WORK. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A
LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS
MIGHT COME ABOUT. THE LEVY IS
MOST CERTAINLY ONE OF THE TOOLS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT
THE NUMBERS THAT I'M SURE YOUR
TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER. AND I
KNOW I'M SURE WHEN WE SEE IT,
THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW A BIT OF
STICKER SHOCK, BUT IT'S HELPFUL
TO HAVE THAT CONTEXT. AND I SAY
IT REALLY WITH THE SPIRIT OF
KNOWING -- AND I KNOW MY
COLLEAGUES ARE AWARE OF THIS AS
WELL -- THAT WE HAVE LEVY LIDS
THAT WE WILL COME UP AGAINST, OR
LEVY MAXES THAT WE WILL COME UP
AGAINST. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL NEEDS IN
OUR SYSTEM. AND TO YOUR POINT,
CHIEF LIBRARIAN, EVEN IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT TO THE END OF THE
LEVY THAT WE WILL NEED TO PUT
FORTH TO VOTERS THIS YEAR SO
THAT WE CAN DO THAT LONG-RANGE
PLANNING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
TAKING CARE OF OUR REALLY
IMPORTANT CAPITAL ASSETS. SO
I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND
YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. THANK YOU.
AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT CHIEF FAY HAS BEEN WORKING
ON WITH HIS TEAM. IT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE NOT NOT
CONSIDERED, AND IT IS SOMETHING
HE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS AND JUST HOW
TO BEST -- BECAUSE IT'S A
ROTATIONAL PIECE. AS YOU FIX
BUILDINGS, OTHER BUILDINGS ARE
AGING, AND THEN AS YOU FIX THOSE
BUILDINGS, THE ONES YOU FIXED
PRIOR ARE AGING. IT'S A CYCLE.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE
LOOKING AT, AND IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION WITH THE GENERAL
FUND AND THE OTHER SMALLER
SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT THEY
MAKE A PLAN. IT'S PART OF THEIR
LIBRARY PLAN THAT THEY WORK WITH
THE LIBRARY BOARD ON HOW THEY
ARE GOING TO DO THOSE
INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE
PIECES WITH THE FUNDING WE DO
HAVE. SO WE CAN GET MORE
INFORMATION ON HOW THEY
PRIORITIZE THAT. BECAUSE TO
CHIEF'S POINT, WE'RE NOT GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN ANY ONE
LEVY PERIOD. YEAH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
>> SO LEVY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS
CATEGORY OF TECHNOLOGY AND
ONLINE SERVICES INCLUDE
INCREASED ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY
AND DIGITAL TOOLS SUCH AS
PROVIDING THE PUBLIC ROBUST
ACCESS TO WI-FI, COMPUTERS,
PRINTING, COPYING AND SCANNING
AND MUCH MORE. ALL OF WHICH IS
EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN
GROWING DIVIDE THAT EXISTS
WITHIN AMERICA AND WHAT WE KNOW
FROM OUR PATRONS IS THAT FOR
SOME OF THEM THIS, QUITE
FRANKLY, IS THEIR ONLY WAY OF
ACCESSING THE DIGITAL WORLD. SO
IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN
APPLYING FOR A JOB OR SEEKING
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
WITHOUT THE LIBRARY'S ACCESS,
YOU ARE LOCKED OUT. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THIS. WE INTRODUCED A NEW APP IN
2025. PATRONS CAN BROWSE OUR
CATALOG, CHECK OUT PHYSICAL AND
DIGITAL BOOKS, AND FURTHER
EXPLORE OUR SPL RESOURCES. AND
WE'VE HAD OVER 25,000 DOWNLOADS
IN THE APPLE AND ANDROID STORES
TO DATE.
>> NICE.
>> TURNING TO IMPROVED SYSTEMS,
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SECURITY.
PRIOR TO OUR 2024 RANSOMWARE
ATTACK, WE WERE ALREADY
INVESTING IN THIS AREA. AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE, THE ATTACK
ACCELERATED OUR NEED TO INVEST
MORE. SO WE'VE RECENTLY HIRED A
CYBERSECURITY ANALYST TO GROW
AND MATURE OUR DIGITAL SECURITY
PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY SPL HAS
INSTALLED NEW NETWORK SWITCHES
SYSTEMWIDE. LASTLY, WE'VE BEGUN
PREPARING FOR A NEW INTEGRATED
LIBRARY SYSTEM SET TO LAUNCH
LATER THIS YEAR. WE WANTED TO
SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
AND OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS
COMPLETING IT. IT WILL REPLACE
OUR EXISTING SYSTEM KNOWN AS
HORIZON, WHICH IS NO LONGER
SUPPORTED BY OUR VENDOR AND IS
AT END OF LIFE. THIS TECHNOLOGY
IS THE BACKBONE TO OUR
TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, USED FOR
PATRON ACCOUNT, BOOK HOLDS, LOST
ITEM FEES, AND MORE. THE NEW
SYSTEM, POLARIS, WILL STABILIZE
OUR CORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
IMPROVE THE USER EXPERIENCE FOR
PATRONS AND STAFF. WE EXPECT IT
WILL DECREASE HOLD TIMES, ALLOW
FOR BETTER INTEGRATION WITH OUR
MOBILE APP, AND PROVIDE MORE
ACCURATE COLLECTION INFORMATION
FOR OUR STAFF. WE ALSO THINK
IT'LL ENHANCE OUR SERVICE TO
PATRON THROUGH BETTER ACCOUNT
ACCESS AND A BETTER CHECKOUT
EXPERIENCE, AN EASIER PAYMENT
SYSTEM FOR LOST ITEM FEES, AND A
MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS. WE
EXPECT IT WILL TAKE US THREE
DAYS TO BRING THIS SYSTEM ONLINE
LATE THEY ARE FALL. WE'RE
PLANNING TO HAVE A PERIOD OF
TIME OVER A LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND
WHERE WE BRING OUR SYSTEMS DOWN
AND BRING THIS NEW POLARIS
SYSTEM UP.
>> RICK, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US
-- SO THIS WAS A LEVY PROMISE,
WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? I THINK
THERE'S A GOOD RESPONSE, BUT IT
DOES -- IT MADE ME THINK, GIVEN
THAT IT'S -- THIS IS THE LAST
YEAR OF THE LEVY, IT TOOK THIS
LONG TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
IT'S NOT UP AND RUNNING YET. SO
WHAT ARE THE REASONS?
>> IT WILL BE DELIVER WITHIN THE
LEVY TIMEFRAME. FOR US I THINK
IT WAS A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING
THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS AVAILABLE
IN TERMS OF THE MARKETPLACE, AND
MAKING SURE WE WERE REPLACING
THIS OLD SYSTEM WITH SOMETHING
WORTH THE INVESTMENT. IT'S A
MATTER OF SORT OF BALANCING A
REAL SIGNIFICANT ASK OF THE
SYSTEM AND PATRONS AGAINST OTHER
NEEDS IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY.
>> AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF
INTERRUPTERS IN THIS, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY WAS COVID, WHICH MADE
IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO ANY
OF THAT TYPE OF WORK. THE
RANSOMWARE ATTACK ALSO SET THIS
BACK ABOUT SIX MONTHS BECAUSE
ALL I.T. CAPACITY WAS TAKEN IN
RESOLVING THE RANSOMWARE ATTACK
AT THAT TIME. AND THEN, AS RICK
MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
VERY LARGE-SCALE PROJECT. THIS
IS, ACTUALLY, I SPENT 15 YEARS
OF MY CAREER IN LIBRARIES AND
I.T., THIS IS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT AND MOST DIFFICULT
AND MOST PUBLIC-FACING PROJECT
THAT WE WILL UNDERTAKE. AND SO,
YES, IT HAS TO BE -- IT HAS TO
BE RIGHT. AND IT TAKES PROBABLY
THE MOST CAPACITY OF ANY OTHER
EFFORT IN THE LIBRARY TO DO
THIS. IT AFFECTS ALMOST EVERY
SINGLE PERSON WORKING IN THE
LIBRARY, AND IT MOST CERTAINLY
WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON EVERY
SINGLE PATRON WHO USES IT.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. I SUSPECTED
THERE WAS A GOOD REASON, BUT I
WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION
THEY MAY HAVE. THIS WAS A 2019
GOAL, AND IT'S NOW 2026, IT'S
NOT QUITE IMPLEMENTED YET. IT
WILL BE LATER THIS FALL, AND IT
BEARS MENTIONING THAT THE DUE
DILIGENCE PIECE, RICK, IS MUSIC
TO MY EARS, AS YOU KNOW. AND --
BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, YOU
KNOW, IT'S ALSO QUITE A
CHALLENGE TO CONVERT SYSTEMS, AS
WE SAW WITH WORK DAY. SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE
INTENTIONALITY OF THIS PIECE,
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE
THREE DAYS BEING JUST THREE DAYS
AND KEEPING FINGERS CROSSED AND
TOES CROSSED.
>> AFTER THE MENTION OF WORK
DAY, I HOPE EVERYONE WILL KNOCK
ON WOOD AND THROW SOME SALT AND
EVERYTHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE.
>> EXACTLY. THANK YOU.
>> SO TURNING BACK TO THE
NUMBERS, HERE'S A LOOK AT THE
LEVY FUNDED DEDICATED TO
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES
2020 THROUGH 2026. AND HERE'S
THE OVERALL FUNDING ACROSS ALL
SOURCES FOR TECHNOLOGY AND
ONLINE SERVICES. SO THE GENERAL
FUND, THE LEVY THAT OBVIOUSLY
LAYERS ON TOP OF IT, AND THEN
PRIVATE RESOURCES THANKS TO THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOUNDATION. HERE ARE THE NUMBERS
BEHIND THOSE FINANCIALS. NOW, WE
WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND DO A
DEEPER DIVE ON SOME ELEMENTS OF
OUR TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE
SERVICES OFFERINGS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. AND I
WANTED TO START FIRST WHERE THE
HOT SPOT PROGRAM. AND SO FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T
FAMILIAR WITH IT, ESSENTIALLY
THE LIBRARY LENDS ELECTRONIC
DEVICES THAT YOU CAN TAKE HOME,
PLUG INTO AN OUTLET, AND YOU
HAVE ACCESS IN YOUR APARTMENT OR
YOUR HOME TO THE INTERNET. AND
SO WE HAVE OVER 1,100 DEVICES IN
PUBLIC CIRCULATION THAT ARE
CHECKED OUT OVER 7,000 TIMES IN
2025, WHICH REPRESENTS A 38%
GROWTH IN THIS PROGRAM IN TERMS
OF CHECKOUTS SINCE 2020. IT'S
THE MOST POPULAR ITEM IN OUR
COLLECTION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE
MORE THAN 1,400 HOLDS AGAINST
THE WI-FI HOT SPOTS THAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE CHECKED OUT,
WHICH SPEAKS TO THE NEED IN OUR
COMMUNITY FOR ACCESS TO THE
DIGITAL WORLD.
>> MM-HMM.
>> WE ALSO HAVE A SEPARATE
COLLECTION OF OVER 300 DEVICES
FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE
CALL OUTREACH HOT SPOTS. AND
THIS HELPS EXTEND OUR REACH BY
VIRTUE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM
PARTNERING WITH TRUSTED
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN
THEN CONNECT THEIR CLIENTS TO
THE ONLINE WORLD VIA HOT SPOTS.
THE TOTAL WI-FI HOT SPOT PROGRAM
COSTS ABOUT $300,000 PER YEAR,
WHICH INCLUDES THE COST OF THE
DEVICE, DEVICES, EXCUSE ME,
SUPPLIES, AND THEN THE DAILY
EXPENSES AS WELL.
>> RICK, DO YOU MIND, FOR THOSE
OF US NOT AS TECH SAVVY, THE
WHOLE PUBLIC VERSUS THE
OUTREACH, HOW DOES THE -- SO THE
OUTREACH, I IMAGINE, IS THIS
NEXT SLIDE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE
PARTNERS THAT HELP US. WE SHARE
WI-FI WITH THEM, HOT SPOTS WITH
THEM, THE PUBLIC, IS THAT THE
ONES AT THE LIBRARY? AND HOW
DOES SOMEONE GO ABOUT CHECKING
THAT OUT?
>> YOU SIMPLY CHECK IT OUT LIKE
YOU WOULD ANY OTHER ITEM IN THE
LIBRARY'S COLLECTION. LIKE A
BOOK. NOW, UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE'S A LONG LIST IN TERMS OF
PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE TO SECURE
ONE OF THOSE DEVICES, BECAUSE
YOU CAN USE IT FOR UP TO 21
DAYS. AND SO GIVEN NUMBER OF
DEVICES CAN THE DEMAND, THERE IS
A WAIT LIST. HOWEVER, IT IS
SIMPLY AS EASY AS SAYING TO A
LIBRARIAN, I'D LIKE TO BE
PLACED ON THE WAIT LIST IN ORDER
TO CHECK OUT A DEVICE.
>> AND IN THE INTERIM, THERE ARE
COMPUTERS AT THE LIBRARIES, AT
ALL THE BRANCHES, THAT FOLKS CAN
USE WHEN THEY SHOW UP.
>> ABSOLUTELY, CORRECT.
>> AVAILABLE WHILE THEY'RE
THERE, BUT THEY CAN DO THAT AS
WELL.
>> IN FACT, WE'LL GET TO IT A
COUPLE SLIDES LATER ON IN THE
DECK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT DIGITAL
ACCESS AVAILABLE INSIDE OUR
LIBRARY BUILDINGS.
>> THANKS, RICK.
>> CERTAINLY. THROUGH OUR WI-FI
HIGH SPOT PROGRAM, WE PARTNER
WITH OVER 45 COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP ADDRESS
DIGITAL ACCESS. A FEW OF THEM
ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE. WE
PRIORITIZE ORGANIZATIONS BASED
ON COMMUNITY NEED AND WE LOOK TO
PARTNER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS
TO HELP SPREAD ACCESS OF THE
LIBRARY THROUGH BOOKS AND
LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UPS. SOME OF
THESE DEVICES ARE INSTALLED
LONGER TERM, AND SOME ARE MERELY
LENT TO THE ORGANIZATION FOR A
SHORTER DURATION PERIOD. SO JUST
AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES, THOSE HAVE
BEEN LENT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES
ON ALMOST A SEMIPERMANENT BASIS,
BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE POPULATIONS HAVE ACCESS
THE INTERNET SO THEY CAN PURSUE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY,
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO
WITH THAT PARTNER, WE'RE
LOOKING TO A LONGER TERM LOAN.
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE A
SUMMER OF LEARNING PARTNER, WE
MIGHT LEND THEM THAT DEVICE OVER
THE SUMMER, SO AS THEY'RE
HOSTING EVENTS TO SUPPORT
LEARNING AND LITERACY FOR YOUTH
THAT THEY ARE BASICALLY ABLE TO
USE THAT DEVICE TO SUPPORT
INTERNET ACCESS, WHETHER IT BE
FOR CHILDREN OR THE PARENTS THAT
ACCOMPANY THEM TO THAT PROGRAM.
SO CHAIR RIVERA, GOING TO YOUR
POINT ABOUT COMPUTER ACCESS
INSIDE OF OUR FACILITIES, THE
NEXT THREE SLIDES ARE ABOUT THE
DIGITAL ACCESS USAGE THAT WE SEE
INSIDE OF OUR LIBRARY BRANCHES.
SO WITH THE FIRST SLIDE, SHOWS
MID-CITY AND DOWNTOWN. THESE
SHOW BOTH THE DESKTOP DEVICES
AND LAPTOPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE
AT EACH LOCATION FOR FREE. AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER, EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT TO THE PATRONS THAT
RELY UPON THEM. WE'VE SEEN
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH ACROSS THE
SYSTEM WHEN COMPARED TO USE IN
2020. IF YOU TURN TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, THAT IS NORTH SEATTLE. IT
SHOWS, OBVIOUSLY, THE BRANCHES
THAT ARE LOCATED IN THAT REGION.
IF SHOULD NOTE THAT THE
UNIVERSITY BRANCH IS DOWN IN
TERMS OF USAGE BECAUSE OF OUR
SEISMIC RETROFIT PROJECT THAT
BEGAN IN 2025. AND THEN THE LAST
SLIDE SHOWS PUBLIC COMPUTER USE
IN SOUTH SEATTLE. AGAIN, THIS IS
ALL DESKTOP AND LAPTOP USAGE
INSIDE OF THOSE FACILITIES. SO
WHEN IT COMES TO LIBRARY
TECHNOLOGY, PATRONS TELL US THAT
WE HAVE MADE IT SIMPLE FOR THEM
TO USE OUR RESOURCES AND THAT
THE CONNECTIONS WE PROVIDE MAKE
THEIR LIVES EASIER. AND SO THESE
TWO PATRON QUOTES THAT ARE HERE
ON THE SCREEN REALLY HIGHLIGHT
THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE THINK
MANY LIBRARY PATRONS FEEL ABOUT
THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES,
PROGRAMS, AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE
OFFERED BY THE LIBRARY. WE'VE
REACHED THE LAST SLIDE OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES
SECTION. HERE ARE THE CHALLENGES
AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT SPL SEES
IN THIS AREA. AS TO CHALLENGES,
CYBERSECURITY THREATS REMAIN TOP
OF MIND AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF
OF OUR 2024 RANSOMWARE ATTACK.
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO IMPROVE
MONITORING, DETECTION
CAPABILITIES BECAUSE THE THREAT
TO ALL ONLINE SYSTEMS IS ONLY
INCREASING. OVER THE --
ANTI-VIRUS ALERTS, THE MAJORITY
COMING FROM PATRON-FACING
DEVICES. WE'VE BLOCKED 718
PHISHING ATTEMPTS USING EMAIL
SECURITY CONTROLS. SO CONTINUED
INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA WILL
ONLY GROW IN IMPORTANCE FOR THE
LIBRARY SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, WE
ALL KNOW THAT THE RAPID
EXPANSION OF A.I. IS A CHALLENGE
FOR US AND FOR INFORMATION
PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE WORLD.
WE SEE THAT MISINFORMATION,
DISINFORMATION SPREADS ALL THE
MORE QUICKLY BECAUSE OF A.I.
SYSTEMS THAT EXIST THAT PEOPLE
ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.
ADDITIONALLY, THE ETHICAL USE OF
A.I. IS IMPORTANT TO THE
LIBRARY, AND SPL WANTS TO ENSURE
OUR PATRONS ARE SUPPORTED WHEN
IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCES. AS FOR OPPORTUNITIES,
THE UPCOMING 2026 LEVY
RENEWAL'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO INVEST MORE IN HELPING TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
CHALLENGES. AND WE ALSO SEE THE
FACT THAT THE PATRON USES ARE
CHANGING WHEN IT COMES TO
TECHNOLOGY, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
ARE BRINGING THEIR OWN DEVICES
INTO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, WHICH
MAY AFFORD US AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF
DEVICES WE OFFER, THE SYSTEMS WE
OFFER IN A WAY THAT MIGHT MAKE
MORE SENSE FOR EVOLVING PATRON
TASTE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND
IT BACK TO CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY.
>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU
ALL FOR LISTENING AND FOR THE
GREAT QUESTIONS TODAY. AS
MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'LL BE
BACK NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT
HOURS AND ACCESS, HELPING
CHILDREN, AND THE ADMINISTRATION
AND CENTRAL COSTS. I DO WANT TO
NOTE FOR FOLKS IF YOU HAVE MORE
INTEREST IN THE LEVY, OUR
WEBSITE HAS ABOUT 25 REPORTS
THAT ARE BOTH QUARTERLY AND
ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE LEVY THAT
HAVE A LOT OF NARRATIVE DATA AND
ALSO QUOTES FROM PATRONS, ET
CETERA. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SEE MORE, THERE IS MORE THERE IN
THAT SAME AREA ON THE WEBSITE IS
ALSO OUR IMPACT REPORTS, WHICH
GIVES A GREAT VISUAL
REPRESENTATION OF A LOT OF THE
WORK EACH OF THE YEARS. SO I
INVITE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT IF YOU'D LIKE SOME
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AND WITH
THAT, I'LL CONCLUDE.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. AND
COLLEAGUES, AS PART OF THE LEVY,
EVERY YEAR THERE'S AN ANNUAL
REPORT THAT THE LIBRARIES, SPL,
PUT TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE
LEVY. AND ALL OF THAT IS
CONTAINED ON SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY'S WEBSITE. SO I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO THERE TO
READ THE REPORTS. AND THERE'S A
LOT OF OTHER INFORMATION
CONTAINED. AND AS I STARTED,
INTROED THIS PRESENTATION, I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH
COMMITTEE WE HAD AS MUCH
INFORMATION AS WE COULD WITH THE
TIME THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY SHOW
OUR WORK TO THE PUBLIC ON ALL
THE LEVY INVESTMENTS. AS YOU CAN
HEAR, THIS WAS ONLY HALF OF THE
FULL PRESENTATION. THERE IS A
LOT HAPPENING AT SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES, AND IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR THAT
BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE THEIR LEVY
DOLLARS AT WORK. THE LEVY FUNDS
MANY, MANY IMPORTANT PROJECTS AT
THE LIBRARY FROM -- LIBRARY,
FROM MAINTENANCE TO TECHNOLOGY
TO BOOK ACQUISITION TO E-BOOKS.
IT REALLY -- AND WHAT WE DIDN'T
REALLY TALK ABOUT, WHICH I KNOW
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE NEXT
PRESENTATION, BUT I MENTIONED IT
EARLIER, BEARS MENTIONING AGAIN,
ALL OF THIS WORK IS DONE BY A
TEAM OF REALLY AMAZING LIBRARY
STAFF, STAFFERS. REALLY WANT TO
GIVE YOUR TEAM ACROSS ALL
BRANCHES A SHOUT-OUT. I WAS
LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE WITH YOU AT
THE BROADVIEW BRANCH WHERE THE
TEAM WELCOMED ME ON A SATURDAY
BECAUSE OF OUR LIBRARIES ARE
OPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. AND
THE FOLKS THERE, THE STAFF, THE
LIBRARY STAFF, ARE JUST SO
WELCOMING AND SO HELPFUL. AND SO
HAPPY TO BE THERE. AND SO
CHEERFUL. IT'S REALLY -- TO
WELCOME OUR KIDS AND OUR
GROWNUPS AND TO HELP WITH
ANYTHING FROM LOOKING UP --
LOOKING FOR A BOOK TO HELPING
WITH -- EXCUSE ME, USING THE
COMPUTERS AND THE TECHNOLOGY.
ANYWAY, SO COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE
ANY -- I DON'T SEE ANYONE'S
HANDS FOR QUESTIONS, BUT HAPPY
TO -- IF ANYONE HAS A --
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE SLIDES
THAT YOU HAVE. I THINK THEY
START ON 50 AND 51 THAT SHOW
THE, JUST LIKE, I MEAN,
ASTRONOMICAL, I THINK IS FAIR TO
SAY, GROWTH IN THE PUBLIC
COMPUTER SESSIONS ACROSS THE
LIBRARY SYSTEM. I WONDER ABOUT
HOW THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR
ABILITY TO SUPPORT ALL THE FOLKS
WHO WANT TO ACCESS OUR PUBLIC
COMPUTER SESSIONS, IF THAT SORT
OF MANIFESTS AS BACKLOGS OR A
NEED FOR ADDITIONAL COMPUTERS
AND SPACE OR ANY OTHER
INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT US TO
BE TAKING AWAY FROM, I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, 204% GROWTH, 190% GROWTH,
ET CETERA.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT'S ACROSS ALL THOSE
PLATFORMS. SO ONE OF THINGS THAT
WE DO IS MONITOR IF THERE IS ANY
KIND OF BACKLOG, WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN? IN SOME SPACES THERE IS NO
MORE ROOM TO PUT ANOTHER TABLE,
RIGHT? BUT WE COULD MAYBE
PROVIDE A LAPTOP, AND SOMEBODY
COULD SIT IN A CHAIR, A MORE
COMFORTABLE CHAIR AND DO THAT.
WHAT WE SEE NOW MORE A SHIFT TO
IS MORE USE OF OUR WI-FI.
>> MM-HMM.
>> SO MORE PEOPLE COMING IN JUST
WANTING REALLY STABLE AND FAST
INTERNET CONNECTION FOR WHATEVER
PURPOSE THEY MIGHT HAVE. AND SO
WE SEE THAT SHIFT NOW MORE INTO
REALLY THE WI-FI UTILIZATION.
COMPUTER USE WE FEEL IS VERY
STABLE, STILL A DEMAND, STILL A
NEED, BUT WE ARE NOT SEEING IT
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE LONG QUEUES.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO NOW
PROVIDE PEOPLE MORE TIME. WHEN
WE STARTED, PROBABLY EVEN WHEN
THIS LEVY STARTED IN 2020, THERE
WOULD HAVE BEEN LONGER TIMES
BECAUSE WE WERE LIMITING PEOPLE
TO AN HOUR OR 90 MINUTES. NOW WE
CAN PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE
TO ACTUALLY DO MORE THINGS THAT
THEY NEED TO DO. YOU CAN IMAGINE
THE FRUSTRATION OF JUST ABOUT
GETTING YOUR RESUME DONE AND
SAY, YOU'RE DONE, FOR THAT
REALLY IMPORTANT JOB. SO WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY BALANCE A
LOT WITH HAVING ACCESS TO WI-FI,
LAPTOPS, OTHER TYPES OF PORTABLE
DEVICES TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE
ACCESS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW YOU
MADE SOME CHANGES TO ALLOW
CONTINUITY TO HAVE ALL OF THE
BRANCHES OPEN. IS IT ALL THE
BRANCHES ARE NOW OPEN SEVEN DAYS
A WEEK, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> NO, THEY'RE NOT ALL OPEN
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
>> I'M FORGETTING THE DETAILS.
>> IT WAS IN THE MID-CITY EAST
REGION. DOUGLASS-TRUTH AND
CAPITOL HILL AND MONTLAKE.
>> GOT IT. ON THE HEELS OF THAT,
I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU, HOW DO I
WANT TO SAY THIS, UNDERSTAND IF
THERE'S MORE DEMAND FOR
EXPANDED HOURS FOR OUR LIBRARY
SYSTEM. AGAIN KNOWING THAT WE
CAN'T ALWAYS MEET EVERY DEMAND
THAT THERE IS BUT HOW YOU
UNDERSTAND THAT, IF YOU COULD
JUST SHARE THAT WITH US PLEASE.
>> SURE. WE DO LOOK AT THAT
ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERY
LOCATION, EVERY COMMUNITY, AND
WHAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO DO,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THE GENERAL FUND
IS OFTEN UNDER CONSTRAINTS, AND
WE KNOW THAT THE LEVY IS TIED
INTEGRALLY WITH THE GENERAL
FUND, SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS
WITH THE GENERAL FUND, IT
IMPACTS THE LEVY. WE'RE VERY
CONSCIOUS NOW MAKING SURE WHAT
PACKAGE WE PUT TOGETHER IN HOURS
IS ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED. AND
THAT'S WHY WHEN WE HAVE THESE
DISCUSSIONS AROUND BUDGET WE
HAVE TO PUSH BACK MANY TIMES,
SAYING THAT PARTICULAR REDUCTION
WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT IN STAFFING
AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT WE
CAN OPERATE. AND SO WE'RE VERY
CAREFUL NOW TO SAY THIS IS A
PACKAGE WE KNOW IS MAINTAINABLE
AND SUSTAINABLE. AND WE DO KNOW
WHEN ASKED WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE SHOWN WHAT IT WOULD COST TO
DO THESE THINGS. IT BECOMES A
HIGH COST TO ADD ADDITIONAL
STAFF FOR HOURS. AND THEN YOU
HAVE TO LOOK AT IS THERE TRULY
THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT? IF
YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FIVE PEOPLE
IN A LOCATION, THAT EXTRA HOUR
OR THAT EXTRA HALF DAY, WAS THAT
WORTH THE COST OF HOWEVER MUCH
THAT STAFFING WAS? SO WE LOOK AT
ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS IN
THERE, AND WE KNOW THAT ACCESS
IS IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE
LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS. LIKE
KIOSKS WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY
JUST HAVE A KIOSK WITH A PARTNER
ORGANIZATION THAT SOMEBODY CAN
GO IN AND GET A BOOK. TRYING TO
REALLY CREATE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
ACCESSING MATERIALS THAN JUST
YOUR TRADITIONAL LIBRARY.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> WE'LL ALSO BE COVERING MORE
OF THAT IN NEXT WEEK'S
PRESENTATION TOO. SO YOU'LL GET
SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHT.
>> YES, HOURS AND ACCESS WILL BE
IN NEXT YEAR'S PRESENTATION,
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT
QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS,
WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY
DOES, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO
BE MORE DEMAND AND NEED THAN
WE'RE ABLE TO FILL. THAT'S
JUST THE NATURE OF THE WORK. AND
WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT
CHIEF FAY AND THE TEAM, HIS
ENTIRE TEAM AT SPL, IS THAT THEY
ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ON HOW THEY
GO ABOUT HAVING TO MAKE THAT
PRIORITIZATION. AND WHAT I SAID
EARLIER ABOUT BY BRANCH AND
WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES ON WHAT
THE NEED AT EACH OF THOSE
BRANCHES ARE BASED ON EVERY
COMMUNITY WHERE A BRANCH IS
LOCATED HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS. AND
SPL HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB
OF WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO
BE ABLE TO MEET AS BEST THEY
CAN. SO I THINK THEY'VE DONE A
REALLY GREAT JOB. YES, WE CAN
ALWAYS DO MORE IF WE HAD MORE
FUNDING, BUT I REALLY DON'T
WANT TO LOSE THE FACT AS WE'RE
CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT THE
MORE THAT WE NEED ON ALL THAT WE
HAVE. BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES
YOU CAN LOSE THAT WHEN YOU'RE
HAVING THE CONVERSATION ON THE
MORE NEED IS MAKING SURE THAT WE
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THAT WE HAVE AND
ALL THAT SPL HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO
AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING
ABLE TO BE PROVIDED TO
COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN, WANT TO
SHOUT-OUT THE FOUNDATION,
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
PROGRAMMING THAT THE
FOUNDATION'S ACTUALLY PAYING
FOR BECAUSE SPL'S NOT ABLE TO
PAY FOR. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT
AS WELL. SO THEY'VE BEEN GREAT
PARTNERS ON THE PROGRAMMING FOR
KID'S PROGRAMMING, SENIOR'S
PROGRAMMING, THINGS OF THAT
NATURE. REALLY WANT TO SHOUT-OUT
SPL FOR THAT AND REALLY
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YES, WE CAN
ALWAYS DO MORE AND NEED MORE,
AND THE LEVY HAS REALLY
SUPPORTED A LOT. SO THANK YOU.
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK
YOU TO CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY AND
YOUR TEAM HERE FOR THIS VERY
INSIGHTFUL OVERVIEW. AS SOMEONE
WHO DOES NOT HAPPEN TO SIT ON
THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE THAT
OVERSEES OUR LIBRARIES, YOU
KNOW, I WAS, BEFORE THIS
PRESENTATION, MUCH LESS FAMILIAR
FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT OF ALL
THE TERRIFIC WORK YOU ALL DO.
LIBRARY CARD HOLDER, GO
OCCASIONALLY WITH MY KIDS AND
FAMILY, BUT NOW I SEE FIRSTHAND
ALL THE TREMENDOUS WORK IN A
POWERPOINT DECK FORMAT THAT GOES
INTO DELIVERING THESE EXCELLENT,
EXCELLENT, MISSION CRITICAL
COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT HAVE A
STRONG TRADITION IN THIS, NOT
ONLY OUR CITY, BUT THIS COUNTRY
IN TERMS OF PROVIDING PEOPLE
WITH EMPOWERMENT, EMPOWERING
PEOPLE WITH EDUCATION,
INFORMATION AND TO IDEALLY, I
HOPE, CHANGE OUR SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES. IN MY OWN OFFICE
TODAY, AND MY HOME OFFICE, I
HAVE A DEPICTION OF THE LIBRARY,
WHICH IS A JACOB LAWRENCE
PAINTING. DEPICTION FROM JACOB
LAWRENCE, WHO EVERYONE KNOWS IS
A FAMOUS HARLEM RENAISSANCE-ERA
ARTIST. AND IN THE LIBRARY,
THERE'S COMMUNITIES PILED UP,
HUDDLED AROUND IN A LIBRARY
HUDDLED AROUND BOOKS. AND MY
INTERPRETATION OF THAT IS
EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION
EMPOWERMENT, WAY OUT IN BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER. SO LOVE OUR
LIBRARY, LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
LEARN MORE HERE TODAY. AS -- AND
I KNOW WE'RE MEETING HERE IN
THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, LOOKING
FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION,
CHIEF. AND BEFORE I ENTERED
POLITICS A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS
A TECHNOLOGY LAWYER. WHAT I MORE
SPECIFICALLY -- A PRODUCT LAWYER
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY A DIGITAL
SECURITY, CYBERSECURITY LAWYER.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS KIND OF
GEEKING OUT BY SOME OF YOUR
PRESENTATION PORTIONS AS WELL.
BUT I WILL SHARE, YOU KNOW, SOME
OF MY PRIORITIES PERTAINING TO
LIBRARIES, BECAUSE I JUST --
HAVING THE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES
AND THINGS THAT I'VE
EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE, I NEVER
WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE
EVER WORKED AT A PLACE LIKE
MICROSOFT OR META OR SUPPORTED
THESE, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES PROVIDING
SERVICES THAT EVERYONE USES
EVERY DAY IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM.
AND I WANT MORE PEOPLE TO HAVE
THAT. SO IT SHOULD BE NO
SURPRISE THAT ADDRESSING DIGITAL
EQUITY, SO DIGITAL EQUITY
INITIATIVES, VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. AND BRIDGING THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE. DIGITAL DIVIDE,
DIGITAL EQUITY, IN TERMS OF
SUBSTANTIVE DIGITAL SKILLING
INITIATIVES, GETTING PEOPLE MORE
FAMILIAR WITH NOT JUST HOW TO
USE THE TECHNOLOGY BUT HOW TO
CREATE, INCLUDING WRITING CODE.
AND THERE'S A SEPARATE LEVY
THAT WE WORKED ON FOR THAT WITH
THE FEP LEVY THAT VOTERS
GENEROUSLY APPROVED LAST YEAR. I
THINK THE OPPORTUNITY AS IT --
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MANIFEST
ITSELF HERE IS MOST OF US TAKE
INTERNET, JUST BASIC INTERNET
ACCESS, FOR GRANTED. EVEN IN
THIS CITY. AND SO BRIDGING THAT
DIGITAL DIVIDE BY BRINGING
BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS TO
PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS
CONTRACT OF PEOPLE GOING TO
LIBRARIES. INDEED, I HAVE
PHYSICAL LIBRARIES, INDEED, I
HAVE DEPICTIONS OF THAT.
ARTISTIC DEPICTIONS OF THAT. AND
I LOVE -- WE SHOULD ALL
CELEBRATE AND TREASURE THAT.
THAT WILL ALWAYS, I THINK, BE
THE CASE FOR LIBRARIES. BUT YOU
KNOW, WE ALSO NEED TO MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT. AND IN
TERMS OF PROVIDING THIS CORE
ESSENTIAL SERVICE, MEETING
PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, ONE
WAY TO DO THAT IS DIGITAL HOT
SPOTS. AND THERE WAS SOME
INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. SO
LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL --
MORE ABOUT WHAT THE SPECIFIC
NEED IS, WHAT THE TRENDS ARE,
AND SOME POTENTIAL EXPANSION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT. LOW-COST
INTERNET REFERRALS. SO AS WE
KNOW, INTERNET ACCESS, AGAIN,
MISSION CRITICAL. WE ALL RELY
HEAVILY ON IT. AND NOT EVERYONE
NEEDS, EVEN IF INFINITE
RESOURCES, FREE INTERNET. BUT
WHAT ABOUT LOW-COST INTERNET
OPTIONS? I'LL TURN THAT ONE
INTO A QUESTION. DO WE HAVE
LOW-COST REFERRAL OPTIONS FOR
PEOPLE WHO MEET CERTAIN
THRESHOLDS? WHAT DOES THAT
CURRENTLY LOOK LIKE, AND ARE
THERE ANY EXPANSION
OPPORTUNITIES WITH THAT?
>> WE DO HAVE THAT. SO WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF WAYS WE MIGHT PROVIDE
THAT THROUGH OUR REFERENCE DESK
WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASKING
QUESTIONS. WE MAY HAVE A
GATHERING OF FOLKS TO HAVE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN, SOME OF
WHOM MAY BE THOSE LOW-COST
INTERNET PROVIDERS. ACTUALLY, IT
WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAD A
GROUP IN DOING JUST THAT. THEY
WERE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY FOR
-- I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER --
MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS AT
DIFFERENT TIMES, AND THEY ARE
ABLE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE. WE
OBVIOUSLY PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE,
LET FOLKS KNOW ABOUT IT. THAT IS
A BIG IMPORTANT PIECE FOR US,
BECAUSE AS INDICATED WITH
RICK'S PRESENTATION ON HOT
SPOTS, THERE'S A LONG LINE OF
FOLKS WAITING FOR THOSE DEVICES.
AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T SERVE THAT
WHOLE NEED. I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THIS, THERE'S HOLES IN
THE CITY WHERE THERE'S JUST NOT
ACCESS, BROADBAND ACCESS. WE
ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS A COST
FACTOR FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THIS
CITY, EVEN AS WEALTHY AT TIMES
AS IT SEEMS TO BE, THERE'S MANY
THAT DON'T HAVE IT. SO WE KNOW
THAT WE ARE FILLING THAT NEED IN
SOME WAY, AND WE KNOW THERE'S
GREATER NEED BEYOND THAT. WE
WORK WITH SEVERAL PARTNERS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT WITH
OUTREACH HOT SPOTS THAT WERE
MENTIONED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
THOSE PARTNERS, HAVE THOSE
PRIORITIZED AUDIENCES THAT WE
KNOW LACK THOSE OPPORTUNITIES OR
THAT RESOURCE AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE ALIGNING WITH THOSE
PARTNERS THAT ARE PROVIDING
THOSE SERVICES TO PATRONS. SO
YES, THERE'S ALWAYS A GREATER
NEED FOR INTERNET SERVICES. AND
TO YOUR POINT ON THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE AND DIGITAL EQUITY, THAT
IS A GREAT CONCERN OF OURS. WE
DO HAVE AN ENTIRE TEAM THAT
WORKS ON THAT. YOU'LL HEAR MORE
ABOUT THAT AS WE EVEN LOOK AT
THE NEXT LEVY, BUT THAT IS A
CONCERN WITH A.I. HOW DO WE
ACTUALLY HARNNESS THAT? HOW DO
WE TEACH? HOW DO WE GET THE
PEOPLE TO NOT BE AFRAID OF IT
BUT TO UNDERSTAND IT? WHAT ARE
THOSE ETHICAL USES? ALL OF THOSE
THINGS A LIBRARY HAS A ROLE IN.
WE HAVE CLASSES, WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE THAT
THEY MAY NOT EVER GET ANYWHERE
ELSE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK
FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO
PROVIDE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO
IMPORTANT IS -- TO FURTHER THAT
PRIORITY THAT I MENTIONED IN
TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL
EQUITY OR ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE THROUGH DIGITAL EQUITY
INITIATIVES, DIGITAL NAVIGATORS
HELPING PEOPLE TO LEARN AND
NAVIGATE THE VARIOUS DEVICES AND
INTERNET. I SAW ON THE LIST OF
SORT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND
PROVIDERS ONE BASED IN MY
DISTRICT IN SOUTH PARK. AND YOU
KNOW, THEY HAVE FOLKS THAT HELP,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE'RE TALKING DIFFERENT
NATIVE TONGUES, AND SO THAT IS A
VERY IMPORTANT SET OF SKILLS AND
ASSISTANCE NEEDED AS WELL IN
FURTHERANCE OF THAT PRIORITY.
JUST CURIOUS, WHAT ARE SOME --
AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY A
MORE FOCUSED CONVERSATION AND
COULD FOLLOW UP OFFLINE AND HAVE
IN OUR OTHER CONVERSATION AS
WELL, BUT JUST HIGH LEVEL, WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE INDUSTRY TRENDS
THAT YOU ALL ARE SEEING TO
ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND
BUILD AND PROMOTE MORE DIGITAL
EQUITY INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES
TO LIBRARIES.
>> I THINK IT'S MANY OF THESE
THINGS AS WE'RE HAVING
DISCUSSIONS ON IT. I SEE ALMOST
A DIVIDE IN THE DISCUSSION. SO
SO MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION OUR
ERA IS BEING TAKEN BY THE A.I.
ELEMENT. AND THEN THE DIGITAL
EQUITY ELEMENT, REALLY THE --
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE IS
HOW DO YOU CREATE OPPORTUNITY,
HOW DO YOU CREATE ACCESS. A.I.
ALMOST NEEDS TO BE MERGED WITH
THAT. IT'S JUST A TOOL. AND SO
HOW -- I ACTUALLY ATTENDED A
NATIONAL EVENT HOSTED BY THE
DIGITAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF
AMERICA AT UW AND WAS ONE OF THE
PANELISTS THERE. AND I SAID WE
NEED TO QUIT THINKING OF THESE
THINGS AS TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
WE HAVE TO PULL THIS TOGETHER
AND UNDERSTAND THAT IS A TOOL.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
BETTER ACCESS AND BETTER
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARNING THE
TOOL. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT IN THIS WE ARE
RECOGNIZING, AGAIN, THAT WE NEED
TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE
AT, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT MAY
NOT ALWAYS BE AT THE LIBRARY.
HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH SOME OF
THOSE PARTNERS ALREADY DOING
THAT, WHICH THE LIBRARY HAS A
GREAT STRONG SUIT IN THAT. AND
THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY PLANS
ON HOW WE DELIVER THAT ACCESS
AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND I
THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE
STRUGGLE FITS AND STARTS THAT I
HAVE SEEN IN DIGITAL EQUITY HAS
REALLY STRUGGLED, ESPECIALLY
SINCE THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE HAD
BEEN MAKING STRIDES. I FEEL THAT
COMING OUT OF ALL OF THAT
THERE'S BEEN EVEN A GREATER
DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY. AND WE
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS
THOSE NEEDS. I'M HAPPY TO SAY
THAT NOW I SEE EVEN OUR -- SOME
OF OUR BRANCHES ABLE TO START
OFFERING THAT HELP AND
ASSISTANCE WITH DEVICES AGAIN.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY
GOT CURTAILED FOR A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME. SOME OF THAT COMES DOWN
TO STAFFING, HOW MUCH TIME DO
YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT.
BUT HOW CAN WE BE SMARTER? FIND
PARTNERS THAT CAN COME IN TO
HELP PROVIDE THAT? THOSE ARE
SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE'RE
UNDERTAKING AS WELL.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCESS
TO, YOU KNOW, ARTS AND CULTURAL
SPACES AND EVENTS. I THINK
THERE'S A MUSEUM PASS PROGRAM.
>> CORRECT.
>> AND ALLOWING ACCESS TO PLACES
LIKE THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM AND
WING LUKE MUSEUM AND THE SEATTLE
ART MUSEUM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT
THAT PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT AND
ALSO UTILIZATION RATES AND
POTENTIAL EXPANSION
OPPORTUNITIES WITH THAT.
>> WELL, I HAVE THE PERSON WHO
MANAGES THAT FOR ME RIGHT HERE.
SO I'LL HAND THAT OVER TO
KIERSTEN.
>> SO MUSEUM PASS PROGRAM IS ONE
OF OUR MOST UTILIZED PASS --
JUST PASSES WITHIN THE LIBRARY
SYSTEM. THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE
SLIGHTLY WAYLAID, SO THE NUMBERS
FOR 2025 ARE SLIGHT SKEWED. THE
PROVIDER THAT WE HAD THAT
ACTUALLY ADMINISTERS THE PASSES
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CHECK THEM
OUT ONLINE AND DON'T HAVE TO
COME INTO A BRANCH, THEY SHUT
THEIR DOORS WITH LITTLE NOTICE.
WE HAD TO GET A NEW PROVIDER AND
GET THE WHOLE SYSTEM UP AND
RUNNING. SO IT GOT A LITTLE BIT
OF A DELAY. THAT SAID, WE HAD, I
THINK IT WAS 40,000 PASS
CHECKOUTS IN 2025 ACROSS ALL OF
OUR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. SO
WE CURRENTLY HAVE OUR CURRENT
SLATE. WE REGULARLY REACH OUT TO
DIFFERENT CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS.
CHECK IN, SAY, HEY, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO JOIN OUR PROGRAM? THE
FOUNDATION COVERS THE COST FOR
THE MUSEUM PASS PROGRAM. AND SO
WE PAY A PORTION OF THE FEE, AND
THEY ALLOW US TO HAVE BETWEEN
TWO TO USUALLY FOUR PEOPLE ENTER
ON EACH PARTICULAR PASS. WE HAVE
SOME VARIOUS RESTRICTIONS AROUND
IT IN ORDER TO TRY AND GET AS
MUCH ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY AS
POSSIBLE SO YOU GET ONE PASS
CHECKOUT EVERY 30 DAYS, AND
THAT'S TO ANY OF THE PARTNER
INSTITUTIONS. IF YOU CANCEL
WITHIN THAT PERIOD, THEN YOU
IMMEDIATELY HAVE THE CHANCE TO
GO BACK AND RERESERVE. WE DO A
LOT OF FOCUS ON HIGHLIGHTING
THIS PROGRAM TO COMMUNITIES THAT
MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE THINK THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO
REACH OUT TO THESE -- OR ENGAGE
WITH THESE PARTICULAR CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS. SO THERE'S A LOT
OF IN LANGUAGE FOCUS ON MAKING
SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS WELL
UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS SOME OF
OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS IN CLOSE
CONNECTION WITH THOSE PARTICULAR
COMMUNITIES. BUT YES, LOOKING
FORWARD TO ALL OF THEM. WE
AREN'T JUST LOCATED
SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE SEATTLE
BOUNDS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD
PARTNERS THAT ARE DOWN IN PIERCE
COUNTY, UP IN EDMONDS. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE THE NATIONAL
RAILWAY MUSEUM, WHICH IS OUT IN
THE SNOQUALMIE AND NORTH BEND
AREA.
>> YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THE
THORNY PROBLEM OF
SUBSCRIPTION-ONLY, DIGITAL-ONLY
ACCESS TO CONTENT, SO AS A
TECHNOLOGY LAWYER, A PRODUCT
LAWYER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? MY
DAY-TO-DAY, HELPING ADVISE FROM
A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE ON
INNOVATIONS FROM IDEATION TO
PRODUCT LAUNCH AND FUTURE
ITERATIONS AND WORKING ON --
THAT INVOLVES INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. THAT INVOLVES, YOU
KNOW, DAY-TO-DAY NAVIGATING THE
REGULATORY SOUP OF -- INCLUDING
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS, DATA
PRIVACY, SECURITY, ALL THOSE
THINGS. WHEN WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THAT, I DIDN'T THINK -- I
WASN'T AWARE OF THAT PROBLEM
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE UNTIL YOU
MENTIONED IT, BUT IT MAKES
PERFECT SENSE. WHAT YOU'RE
ULTIMATELY TALKING ABOUT,
HOWEVER, BECAUSE AS A CREATOR OF
CONTENT, YOU OWN EXCLUSIVE
COPYRIGHTS TO PUBLISH IT IN ANY
FORM AND ALL FORMS, ALL MEDIA,
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE ULTIMATELY
TALKING ABOUT IS A FUNDAMENTAL
CHANGE IN U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW. IF
YOU OR ANYONE LOCALLY IS ABLE TO
NAVIGATE AND THAT AND SOLVE
THAT, HAT TIPPED TO YOU. KUDOS.
GETTING CONGRESS TO ACT ON THAT,
I THINK THE MORE LIKELY PATH AND
SOLUTION IS WHAT YOU STARTED
TALKING ABOUT TOWARDS THE END IN
TERMS OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH
THE AUTHORS OR PLATFORM
PROVIDERS AND NEGOTIATING, YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT ACCESS MODELS.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, THAT'S WHAT
COMES WITH BEING A CREATOR. YOU
OWN THE RIGHTS TO HOW IT'S
VIEWED AND SHARED AND MONETIZED.
OKAY. FINAL QUESTION, THANK YOU
FOR ENTERTAINING ME HERE, AND
CHAIR, I REALLY DO LOVE THIS
STUFF. SO IT'S REALLY --
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE, AND I'LL LET
YOU HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION, BUT
I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT NEED TO
LEAVE.
>> GOT IT, YEP.
>> SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ASK IF
IT'S A SHORT ONE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU, FRIEND.
>> FRONTLINE LIBRARY WORKERS AND
STAFF ARE INCREASINGLY CALLED
UPON TO NAVIGATE AND HELP TRIAGE
AND PROBLEM SOLVE ANY NUMBER OF
ISSUES FOR WHICH REFLECT BROADER
SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. AND WHETHER
IT RELATES TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES, HOMELESSNESS, AND
THE LIKE, AND MOST AREN'T
SOCIAL WORKERS, MY
UNDERSTANDING. BUT INCREASINGLY
CALLED UPON TO NAVIGATE SOME OF
THOSE CHALLENGES. WHAT KIND OF
EMPOWERMENT AND RESOURCES DOES
THE LIBRARY MAKE AVAILABLE FOR
STAFF AT THESE BRANCHES AND, YOU
KNOW, THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS TO
ADDRESS THESE?
>> SURE. THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF
THINGS. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S
PROBABLY A LONGER CONVERSATION
THAN HERE, BUT WE LOOK AT -- TO
DEAL WITH THESE THINGS, EACH OF
THESE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW,
AGAIN, DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT
PEOPLE WALK IN THE DOOR WITH.
AND THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM
DRUG ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH,
HOMELESSNESS TO JUST GENERAL
QUESTIONS, RIGHT? PEOPLE COME IN
WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THEY BRING EVERYTHING IN
WITH THEM. AND SO WE ACTUALLY
SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH
DE-ESCALATION TRAINING WITH
STAFF. WE DO HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS
AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY THAT ALSO
WORK WITH OUR STAFF ACROSS THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM TO HAVE THEM HAVE
BETTER TOOLS TO WORK WITH
DIFFERENT POPULATIONS AND
DIFFERENT NEEDS AND
UNDERSTANDING ON HOW TO PROVIDE
THE BEST REFERRALS. AGAIN, THOSE
ALSO DE-ESCALATE CRISIS BY
MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THINGS THAT
PEOPLE NEED OR ARE SEEKING. WE
ALSO, EVEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR
SECURITY, WHICH SUPPORTS STAFF,
THOSE SAME SECURITY FOLKS THOSE
SAME DE-ESCALATION SKILLS THAT
THEY BRING TO THE TABLE, WHICH
IS AN IMPORTANT PART. OUR GOAL
IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE
SUCCESSFUL AT THE LIBRARY. AND
OUR TEAM, OUR LIBRARY STAFF,
BELIEVE THAT AS WELL. THEY WILL
GO TO EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL. THEY CARE
ABOUT PEOPLE. I THINK THAT'S
ALWAYS THE THING ABOUT PEOPLE
WHO WORK IN LIBRARIES AND TRULY
ARE THOSE PUBLIC SERVANTS. BEING
ONE MYSELF, I MEAN, I ALWAYS --
I ALWAYS TOOK HOME WHEN I WAS
FAILED TO ACTUALLY DELIVER WHAT
THAT PERSON NEEDED, RIGHT? AND
THAT'S THE THING THAT'S ALWAYS
THE MOST DIFFICULT AT THE END OF
THE DAY. AND THEN BEING ABLE TO
COME IN THE NEXT DAY AND SAY,
OKAY, THIS DAY STARTS OVER. I
JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH
A GROUP OF LIBRARY STAFF MAYBE
ABOUT A MONTH AGO. AND I SAID
THAT'S HOW I'VE HAD TO DEAL
WITH IT ALL MY YEARS IS THAT I
KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD MORE
SUCCESSES THAN FAILURES. AND
THEN YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE
DE-ESCALATION SKILLS. WE HAVE TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SOCIAL
WORKERS THAT ARE BRINGING THE
LATEST AND GREATEST IN
INFORMATION AND TRENDS IN HOW TO
SERVE THESE POPULATIONS. WE NEED
TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THAT.
IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS, AND IT
WILL BE AS OUR POPULATIONS
SHIFT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. FINALLY,
I NOTE THE MAINTENANCE AND
OPERATIONS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION,
WHICH IS ALSO VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT, BUT MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE ON
SOME -- INSTALLING A SECURITY
GATE AT THE HIGHPOINT BRANCH. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S
PRECEDENT FOR THAT. WE'VE BEEN
WORKING FOR SIX MONTHS PLUS
EIGHT MONTHS, NO SECURITY GATE.
INSTALLED TODAY, WOULD LOVE TO
WORK WITH YOU ALL OFFLINE AND
MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THAT
SECURITY GATE INSTALLED. BUT ALL
THIS TO SAY, HUGE PLUG FOR
OPERATIONS IN MAINTENANCE. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS.
>> I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE
CARE TEAM IS A PARTNER TO
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
>> THEY ARE.
>> SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE
IT ALL ON. WE HAVE SO MANY
RESOURCES ACROSS THE CITY, AND
ALL THE SISTER DEPARTMENTS
SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER TO
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MORE ROBUST
POINTS OF CONTACT BECAUSE WE ARE
PAYING FOR INVESTMENTS ON -- IN
OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. AND IT
ALL SHOULD BE COMPLEMENTARY. SO
I KNOW YOU WORK WITH THE CARE
TEAM AS WELL, WHICH IS NOW
ACROSS THE CITY. SO JUST BY WAY
OF SAYING THERE ARE MORE
RESOURCES THERE TOO THAT ARE NOT
JUST SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES
BUT THAT YOU PARTNER WITH. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, ALL RIGHT, THIS
CONCLUDES THE FEBRUARY 19
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LIBRARY,
EDUCATION, AND NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE. NEXT MEETING IS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th AT 9:30
A.M. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, THIS MEETING WILL
ADJOURN. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, IT'S 4:06, AND THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.