>> [ MUSIC ]
>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE,
THE APRIL 25th, 2024 MEETING OF
THE LIBRARY'S EDUCATION AND
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9:31 A.M.,
I AM MORITZ I RIVERA, CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> PRESENT, AND LET'S LET THE
RECORD REFLECT THAT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH
WILL JOIN US SHORTLY, THANK
YOU.
>> FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, THERE ARE TWO
ITEMS OF BUSINESS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA, WE HAVE TWO
PRESENTATIONS BOTH FROM THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. THERE
IS NO OBJECTION THAT THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED A WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
AGENDA, WHICH ARE THOSE TWO
ITEMS FROM THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARIES PRESENTATIONS. , HOW
MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY, WE HAVE ONE IN
PERSON SPEAKER.
>> THANK YOU, THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER: THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS UP TO 20 MINUTES,
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED, WE WILL START
WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST,
AND ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF
IN PERSON, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE
ONLY ONE TODAY, SO WE WON'T
HAVE A NEED TO DO THAT.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF YOUR
TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN, WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE SPEAKER ON THE
LIST. NEXT FIRST SPEAKER IS
ALEX ZIMMERMAN.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> PLEASE PAUSE THE TIMER, I
AM PROVIDING YOU WITH AN
OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ENGAGE IN
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, THIS IS
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR AND IT IS
NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
COUNCIL RULES. DO YOU WANT TO
CONTINUE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. [ INAUDIBLE ]
BUT I CANNOT CHANGE YOU , [
INAUDIBLE ] YEAH, BUT LIBRARY
EDUCATION IN NEIGHBORHOOD [
INAUDIBLE ] CANNOT BE SEPARATE
, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY? WHEN
YOU SEPARATE ONE FROM ANOTHER,
EDUCATION GO DOWN MY PEOPLE GO
DOWN, CHILDREN GO DOWN, [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR THE LAST 20
YEARS. YOU MAKE 750,000 PEOPLE
ABSOLUTELY IDIOTS. [
INAUDIBLE ] I COME TO SCHOOL ,
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DOZEN
TIMES. IT IS 55,000 CHILDREN.
BRAINWASHED LIKE IN
CONCENTRATION CAMP.
>> SARAH, PLEASE PAUSE THE
TIMER, I AM PROVIDING YOU WITH
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDIRECT YOUR
COMMENTS TO AN ITEM ON THE
AGENDA, WE ARE DISCUSSING
LIBRARY IS.
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD YOU. [
INAUDIBLE ] CANNOT BE SEPARATE
ONE FROM ANOTHER. THIS A
PROBLEM. LIBRARIES MOST FOR
CHILDREN, BECAUSE WHEN YOU
GROW OLDER, YOU NOT CARE ABOUT
IT. NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU COME FROM
CHILDREN. 55,000. [ INAUDIBLE
] WAS THIS YOUR PROBLEM,
BECAUSE YOU ARE PRIMITIVE,
AGGRESSIVE, AND STUPID, I TOLD
YOU MANY TIMES, YOU CANNOT
SEPARATE ONE FROM ANOTHER. [
INAUDIBLE ] WHEN ONE PRINCIPAL
BROKE, EVERY [ INAUDIBLE ]
YOU STUPID BY DEFINITION, [
INAUDIBLE ] BECAUSE YOU DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS
PACKAGE -- THIS CANNOT BE A
SEPARATION. WHAT'S HAPPENED?
WE HAD SEATTLE RIGHT NOW WITH
[ INAUDIBLE ] FOR LAST 20
YEARS, BECAUSE YOU [ INAUDIBLE
] BECAUSE IDIOT CAN ELECT
ONLY IDIOT, IT IS NONE OTHER
CHOICE. SO, I ASK YOU RIGHT
NOW, STOP BEING IDIOTS , START
BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE
SMARTER, LITTLE BIT.
>> THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS, SO NOW WE
WILL PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ TODAY'S ITEM INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, A BRIEFING
FROM SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES
ABOUT THE SEATTLE READS
PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, THIS ITEM HAS
BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD . FOR
THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WE
ARE JOINED THIS MORNING BY
CHIEF LIBRARIAN TOM FAY. WE
ALSO HAVE WITH US BRANDON, THE
LITERATURE AND HUMANITIES
PROGRAM MANAGER AT SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARIES. THANK YOU,
BOTH, FOR BEING HERE, AND
PROCEEDING TO THE TABLE.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR
THE RECORD, THEN WE CAN LEARN
MORE ABOUT THE SEATTLE READS
PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE BOOK YOU
HAVE SELECTED FOR 2024.
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CHAIR RIVERA. I AM HAPPY TO
INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE , STASI
OF BRANDON, SHE IS OUR
HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING MANAGER
AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF
THE AUTHOR PROGRAMMING AND
HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING YOU SEE
AT THE LIBRARY, AND I WILL TURN
IT OVER TO HER FOR HER
EXCITING PRESENTATION ON OUR
SEATTLE READS BOOK THIS YEAR.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, TOM, AND
HELLO, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY. AS I
AM SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW,
SEATTLE IS A UNESCO CITY OF
LITERATURE, AND RECEIVED THAT
DESIGNATION BECAUSE OF OUR
WONDERFUL LITERARY ECOSYSTEM,
AND THE LIBRARY AND SEATTLE
READS ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NEED
A QUICK REMINDER, SEATTLE READS
IS A CITYWIDE BOOK GROUP THAT
ENCOURAGES EVERYONE IN THE CITY
TO READ AND DISCUSS THE SAME
BOOK. THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED
IN 1998 BY THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY AND HAS INSPIRED MORE
THAN 400 SIMILAR PROGRAMS
ACROSS THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY.
THE SELECTED BOOK THIS YEAR IS
PARABLE OF THE SOWER BY OCTAVIA
BUTLER. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
IN THE 26 YEAR HISTORY OF THE
PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN A
WORK OF SCIENCE FICTION AND
THE FIRST TIME THE LIBRARY HAS
CHOSEN A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR
AFTER THEIR PASSING. IT IS
ALSO JUST THE SECOND TIME THAT
WE HAVE SELECTED A BOOK BY AN
AUTHOR WITH SEATTLE AREA TIMES.
PUBLISHED IN 1993, THE PARABLE
OF THE SOWER OPENS IN THE YEAR
2024, AND OFFERS READERS A
CHANCE TO CONSIDER THE WORLD OF
THE BOOK AS IT RELATES TO THE
CURRENT DAY. BUTLER'S FUTURE
IS OUR PRESENT. AS PARABLE
OPENS, GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
AND ECONOMIC CRISES HAVE LED TO
SOCIAL CHAOS, THERE ARE
PERVASIVE WATER SHORTAGES, DRUG
EPIDEMIC, AND THE CRUMBLING OF
MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR
PROTAGONIST LAUREN IS SHELTERED
FROM MUCH OF THE SURROUNDING
ANARCHY, BUT SHE SENSES
IMMINENT DISASTER THAT SMALL
COMMUNITY REFUSES TO FACE, AND
WHEN DISASTER DOES STRIKE,
LAUREN AND A SMALL GROUP OF
FOLKS ARE FORCED TO FIGHT FOR
SURVIVAL. AS THEY FLEE UP THE
WEST COAST, A NEW VISION FOR
HUMANITY AND A NEW FAITH
GRADUALLY EMERGES. PARABLE IS
A RICH TEXT. SOME OF THE THEMES
INCLUDE CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS
LONG-TERM IMPACTS, EMPATHY,
COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND TRUST,
AND THE NAF BELIEF. NOW,
MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW OCTAVIA
BUTLER'S NAME, SHE HAS BEEN
REFERRED TO AS THE GRAND DAME
OF SCIENCE FICTION, SHE WAS THE
AUTHOR OF MANY NOVELS INCLUDING
KINDLING, FLEDGLING, PARABLE OF
THE SOWER, AND IT'S EQUAL,
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS LITERARY
AWARDS, BUTLER HAS BEEN
ACCLAIMED FOR HER STRONG
PROTAGONISTS AND SOCIAL
OBSERVATIONS IN STORIES THAT
RANGE FROM THE DISTANT PAST TO
THE FAR FUTURE. SHE MOVED TO
THE SEATTLE AREA IN 1999 AND
PASSED AWAY UP IN LAKE FOREST
PARK BACK IN FEBRUARY 2006.
USUALLY, SEATTLE READS BRINGS
A SELECTED AUTHOR TO SEATTLE
FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THIS YEAR,
WE HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
TO CREATE COMMUNITY LED
PROGRAMMING. THE LIBRARY IS
HOSTING PROGRAMS IN A DISPERSED
MODEL OVER THE COURSE OF
SEVERAL MONTHS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY WITH VERY DEEP COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT FROM ANY COMMUNITY
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE
DIVIDED OUR PROGRAMMING INTO
SEVERAL CATEGORIES, DISCUSS,
LEARN, DISCOVER, AND CELEBRATE.
AT THIS POINT, WE ARE HOSTING
MORE THAN 20 EVENTS FROM APRIL
THROUGH JULY, AND SOME
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A PANEL
DISCUSSION WHICH WILL EXPLORE
BUTLER'S INFLUENCE ON QUEER
WRITERS. [ INAUDIBLE ] A
FARMERS MARKET WITH BLACK
FARMERS, A CONVERSATION ON
HEALING BETWEEN EMBODIMENT
PRACTITIONER AND A LOCAL
LUMINARY , WIND DOWN
WEDNESDAYS, AN ONLINE SERIES OF
EVENTS WITH THE BLACK FICTION
WRITERS AND THINKERS. BY
SISTER SCI-FI, AND WORKSHOPS BY
DANTE, REAGAN JACKSON, AND
JORDAN AT THE GENIUS CONFERENCE
IN EARLY JUNE. WHILE WE ALWAYS
STRIVE TO INVOLVE COMMUNITY IN
SEATTLE READS ' PLANNING, THIS
YEAR IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL.
OCTAVIA HAD DEEP ROOTS IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND FOLKS HERE REALLY
WANTED TO CELEBRATE THAT. THE
MAJORITY OF THE PROGRAMMING IS
COMMUNITY LED AND ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS WERE INFORMED BY
ONGOING COMMUNITY LISTENING
SESSIONS THROUGHOUT LAST FALL
AND WINTER. WE ARE
COLLABORATING WITH A NUMBER OF
PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN WRITERS ALLIANCE,
CLARION WEST, ELLIOTT BAY BOOK
COMPANY, LANGSTON SEATTLE,
LOVING ROOM DIASPORA SALON,
SISTER SCI-FI, REPLACED BOOKS.
AND YOU MAY KNOW THAT WE GIVE
, IN ADDITION TO OUR CATALOG
COPY IS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH
OUR NORMAL LIBRARY CATALOG, WE
ALSO DISTRIBUTE ON CATALOG COPY
IS, SO THAT FOLKS THAT MAY NOT
HAVE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY FOR
WHATEVER REASON, MAY NOT HAVE A
LIBRARY CARD, STILL HAVE ACCESS
TO THE PROGRAM AND TO THE BOOK.
SO, IN ADDITION TO THE NEARLY
1200 COPIES OF PARABLE THAT ARE
IN OUR CATALOG, WE ARE
DISTRIBUTING 1500 BOOKS IN OUR
COMMUNITY IN PAPERBACK AND
GRAPHIC NOVEL FORM WITH ABOUT
30% OF THOSE GOING SPECIFICALLY
TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES. WE
HAVE ALSO WIDENED OUR
DISTRIBUTION POINTS FOR THESE
COPIES TO INCLUDE NON-LIBRARY
LOCATIONS LIKE ARTWORK,
LANGSTON, AND LOVING ROOM. AS
YOU CAN TELL, I AM SUPER
EXCITED TO CELEBRATE SEATTLE
READS AND PARABLE OF THE SOWER,
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR
MONTHS WITH OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS. YOU SHOULD HAVE
RECEIVED A COPY OF THE BOOK AND
A LITTLE DISCUSSION GUIDE THAT
INCLUDES A LOT OF INFORMATION
ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND INCLUDES
MANY OF THE PROBLEM EVENTS THAT
WE ARE HOSTING THROUGHOUT THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND I REALLY
HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL BE ABLE
TO JOIN US FOR SEATTLE READS
THIS YEAR, THANKS.
>> A GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
STACIA, AND IT IS REALLY
WONDERFUL TO SEE A LOCAL BLACK
AUTHOR BEING RECOGNIZED IN
THIS WAY. SADLY, SHE IS NO
LONGER WITH US, AND IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN AMAZING TO HAVE HAD
HER HERE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT
IS REALLY AN HONOR, SO THANK
YOU FOR DOING THAT. I AM
REALLY EXCITED TO READ MY COPY
OF THE BOOK AND BE ABLE TO
DISCUSS IT WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
COLLEAGUES, ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER WILL?
>> I AM REALLY EXCITED IT IS A
SCI-FI BOOK. I HAVE A COPY AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING
THIS.
>> I READ THIS SORT OF MADE
PANDEMIC, AND IT WAS REALLY
TERRIFYING, AND I WILL SAY, I
ALMOST DIDN'T FINISH IT
BECAUSE I AM NOT A PERSON WHO
LIKES SORT OF GORY THINGS, AND
IT WAS A LITTLE VIOLENT FOR MY
TASTES AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I
PUSH THROUGH AND I'M REALLY
GLAD I DID, BECAUSE IT WAS AN
AMAZING BOOK. AND I THINK IT
WAS ALSO ABOUT THIS TIME THAT I
HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING
NANCY PEARL AT A COMMUNITY
EVENT, AND SHE ASKED ME, WHAT
ARE YOU READING THESE DAYS?
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ASKED BY
NANCY PEARL WHAT ARE YOU
READING THESE DAYS AND NOT HAVE
AN ANSWER, SO I WAS REALLY GLAD
TO SAY THAT I WAS READING THIS
BOOK, AND REALLY APPRECIATE --
I HAVE READ SEVERAL OF THE
BOOKS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF THE
PROGRAM. I HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED
IN ANY OF THE EVENTS YET, BUT
MAYBE I WILL JOIN THIS YEAR,
AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION THAT
THE COMMUNITY IS HAVING, SO
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, WE WOULD LOVE TO
SEE YOU THERE.
>> AND I WILL SAY, THERE IS AN
INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY WITH
THE GRAPHIC NOVEL, SO IF YOU
HAVE ALREADY READ THE BOOK,
WHICH I DID MANY YEARS AGO, I
AM A SCI-FI GEEK, THE GRAPHIC
NOVEL IT REALLY GIVES YOU AN
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE IT A
WHOLE LOT DIFFERENTLY, BECAUSE
IN YOUR MIND AS YOU READ, YOU
CREATE THE WORLD, AND NOW YOU
GET TO SEE IT THROUGH AN
ARTISTS INTERPRETATION, SO I AM
REALLY THANKFUL WE WERE ABLE TO
SECURE THAT AS WELL.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON
TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
SECOND ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, A BRIEFING
FROM BATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES
ABOUT THE 2023 ANNUAL LIBRARY
LEVY REPORT.
>> COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S
PRESENTATION ABOUT THEIR 2023
ANNUAL LEVY REPORT. CHIEF
LIBRARIAN WILL BE PRESENTING,
HE IS ALSO JOINED BY JOHN
AUSTERLITZ, THE LIBRARY IS
LEVY ADMINISTRATOR. JOHN, DO
YOU WANT TO JOIN US AT THE
TABLE, PLEASE? I WILL SAY THAT
CHIEF LIBRARIAN ESSAY WILL
FIRST RUN THROUGH THE ANNUAL
LEVY REPORT, AND AT THE
CONCLUSION OF THAT, HE WILL
ADDRESS THE RECENT LIBRARY
CLOSURES AND GIVE MORE
INFORMATION TO YOU ALL,
COLLEAGUES. I WILL ASK THAT
YOU PLEASE HOLD THE DISCUSSION
ON THE CLOSURES UNTIL THAT TIME
AND ALLOWED CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY
THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THROUGH
THE LEVY REPORT FIRST. ALL
RIGHT. PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF, JOHN, FOR THE
RECORD, AND THEN WE CAN LEARN
MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARY REPORT,
THE LEVY LIBRARY REPORT.
>> I AM JAN OSHA WITS, LIBRARY
LEVY ADMINISTRATOR.
>> AND I AM JOHN FAY, CHIEF
LIBRARIAN, AND I WANT TO THANK
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY FOR
ALLOWING US TO PRESENT OUR 2023
LEVY REPORT, AND I DO WANT TO
POINT OUT THAT THE WORK HERE
THAT YOU SEE IS OBVIOUSLY
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LIBRARY
SYSTEM, BUT THE PRESENTATION
YOU SEE TODAY IS A LOT OF
JAN'S WORK WITH HER COLLEAGUES
AND THE TEAM THAT PUTS THIS
ALTOGETHER, SO MANY THANKS. AND
I WOULD ALSO BE REMISSED ON
VOLUNTEER WEEK IF I DIDN'T
POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE ANGEL
SOLS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, WHO
IS OUR PRESIDENT OF OUR FRIENDS
OF THE LIBRARY. AND WE
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK OF OUR
VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY THIS
WEEK, AS WE HAVE SO MANY
DIFFERENT EFFORTS, HOMEWORK
HELP, ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT
LIBRARY FRIENDS DO EVERY DAY IN
SUPPORT OF LIBRARIES, SO I JUST
WANTED TO MENTION THAT BEFORE I
STARTED. AND AS STATED
EARLIER, THE LEVY ORDINANCE
REQUIRES THAT THE LIBRARY
PREPARE THIS REPORT AND HAVE
IT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BY
APRIL 15th. OUR BOARD OF
TRUSTEES HAST ACTUALLY APPROVED
THAT IN EARLY FIRST QUARTER OF
THE YEAR, AND THIS IS NOW
POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.STL.ORG. IN THIS
PRESENTATION, I WILL PROVIDE
SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT THE 2019
LEVY, DISCUSS INVESTMENT AREAS
PRIORITIZED IN THE LEVY,
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THOSE AREAS
AND SHARE OUR ROAD MAP TO THE
FUTURE. I WILL TRY TO MAKE MY
WAY THROUGH WEEKLY, SO THERE IS
AMPLE TIME FOR QUESTIONS. WE
ARE PROUD STEWARDS OF
SEATTLE'S 27 LIBRARIES,
INCLUDING THE CENTRAL LIBRARY,
WHICH IS TURNING 20 YEARS OLD
THIS YEAR. WE HAVE 26
NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES,
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
CENTER IN GEORGETOWN WHERE WE
SORT AND EMPLOY MATERIALS, AND
MOBILE SERVICES TEAM ENSURES
FOLKS WHO CAN'T ACCESS OUR
BUILDINGS CAN STILL GET THEIR
ITEMS. THE LIBRARY EXPERIENCE
AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF ACTIVE
PATRONS IN 2023, NEARLY 300,000
PATIENTS USED OUR SERVICES.
2.8 MILLION ITEMS, THESE ITEMS
ARE CHECKED OUT 13.4 MILLION
TIMES. IN PARTICULAR, INTEREST
IN OUR DIGITAL MATERIALS,
SINCE THERE IS AN EXTREME
INTEREST IN OUR DIGITAL
MATERIALS, SUCH AS E-BOOKS AND
AUDIOBOOKS. THEY CONTINUE TO
INCREASE IN USAGE. WE SAW A 15%
INCREASE FOR THESE ITEMS LAST
YEAR. OUR PUBLIC COMPUTERS AND
OUR WI-FI AND SOME OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR MANY IN
OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2023, WE
FACILITATED OVER 300 THOUSAND
PUBLIC COMPUTER SESSIONS. WE
ALSO BROUGHT BACK THOUSANDS OF
IN PERSON PROGRAMS IN 2023,
INCLUDING STORY TIMES, AUTHOR
TALKS, CLASSES, AND MORE. WITH
THAT BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR
SYSTEM, WILL NOT PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW OF THE LIBRARY LEVY,
THEN A DEEPER DIVE INTO OUR
2023 ACTIVITIES, WHICH ACCOUNTS
FOR THE FOURTH YEAR OF THIS
LEVY. THE LIBRARY'S LARGEST
FUNDING SOURCE CONTINUES TO BE
THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND, WHICH
PAYS FOR 68% OF THE COSTS FOR
HOURS AND ACCESS AT THE
LIBRARY. THE LEVY COMPRISES
APPROXIMATELY 30% OF OUR BUDGET
AND PAYS FOR ABOUT 29% OF OUR
HOURS AND ACCESS COSTS. VOTERS
FIRST APPROVED A LIBRARY LEVY
IN 2012 AFTER THE GREAT
RECESSION. AT THE TIME, MOST
OF OUR LOCATIONS WERE CLOSED
TWO DAYS A WEEK, OUR
COLLECTIONS HAD BEEN CUT, OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE WAS AGING, WE
HAD TO CLOSE SYSTEMWIDE EACH
YEAR FOR WEEKLONG FURLOUGHS.
THE 2012 LEVY ALSO PROVIDED
$123 MILLION THAT WE USED TO
RESTORE LIBRARY HOURS AND
SERVICES, IT INVESTED IN OUR
BUILDINGS AND EVEN BEGAN SOME
NEW SERVICES LIKE PICS, OUR
VERY POPULAR COLLECTION. IN
AUGUST 2019, VOTERS
OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE
RENEWAL LEVY TO FIND EXPANDED
SERVICES, WHICH I WILL GO INTO
IN THE NEXT SLIDES. BEFORE WE
MOVE ON, THOUGH, I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
ASSUMPTIONS OF OUR 2019 LEVY
PLANNING, BECAUSE THEY ARE
CRITICAL TO KNOW. WE ASSUMED AT
THAT TIME 2019 FUNDING, WE
ASSUMED A 4% INFLATION FOR LEVY
FUNDS, AND OTHER FUNDING
SOURCES WOULD KEEP PACE WITH
INFLATION, THOSE WERE THE
ASSUMPTIONS . FROM THE
PANDEMIC, THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET
AND STAFFING LEVELS, AS WELL AS
INFLATION, HAVE ALL BEEN
IMPACTED. IN THIS LEVY PERIOD,
INFLATION HAS EXCEEDED 4%,
ERODING THE LEVY IS BUYING
POWER. CUMULATIVE INFLATION
FROM 2019 IS 22.6%, COMPARED
TO OUR LEVY PLANNING ASSUMPTION
OF 17%. THIS MEANS OUR
INFLATION ASSUMPTIONS COVER
ONLY 75% OF OUR NONLABOR COST
INCREASES IN 2024. AND IN TERMS
OF CONSTRUCTION INFLATION,
THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH THE ROOF.
WE HAVE SEEN EVEN FURTHER
REDUCTIONS IN OUR PURCHASING
POWER WHEN IT COMES TO
CONSTRUCTION. THIS SLIDE SHOWS
HOW 2019 LEVY FUNDS WERE
INTENDED TO BE ALLOCATED OVER
THE SEVEN YEARS OF THE LEVY.
MY APOLOGIES. THERE WE GO,
THANK YOU, JAN. 40% OF THE
FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TOWERS AND
ACCESS, THIS IS STAFFING TO
KEEP LIBRARIES OPEN AND PROVIDE
ACCESS TO LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES, INCLUDING OUTREACH
AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY FIND
SOCIAL SERVICES, RELATED STAFF,
PROVIDE INFORMATION, REFERRALS
TO VULNERABLE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. PATRONS CONSISTENTLY
REPORT THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY
IS ADDITIONAL LIBRARY HOURS.
THE 2012 LEVY PROVIDED -- I'M
SORRY, I THINK THESE MIGHT HAVE
GOTTEN OUT OF -- AM I IN THE
RIGHT ORDER? I APOLOGIZE. AND
THEN 20% OF THE FUNDS WERE
DEDICATED TO COLLECTIONS,
ANOTHER CRITICAL AREA, AND ONE
WELL USED BY OUR PATRONS. THIS
CATEGORY INCLUDES FUNDING TO
MAINTAIN AND EXPAND OUR
PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL
COLLECTIONS AND INVEST IN
STREAMING SERVICES. IT HAS
ALSO SUPPORTED FINE FREE
BORROWING SINCE 2020, INVESTING
IN THE COLLECTION THAT IS ALSO
A HIGH PRIORITY. 13% OF THE
FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO
TECHNOLOGY, THIS CATEGORY
INCLUDES TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
SUCH AS PUBLIC COMPUTERS AND
PRINTERS, WI-FI ACCESS, AND
WI-FI HOTSPOT PROGRAM. IT ALSO
SUPPORTS OUR TECHNOLOGY
INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE OUR
WEBSITE AND OUR INTEGRATED
LIBRARY SYSTEM, WHICH HELPS US
MANAGE OUR CATALOG AND PATRON
BORROWING. THE LEVY DOES
INCLUDE A SMALL AMOUNT, 1%, TO
SUPPORT CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING.
THIS INVESTMENT AREA IS
FOCUSED ON CHILDREN AGES ZERO
THROUGH FIVE, WITH THE LEVY
SUPPORT, WE ARE PROVIDING MORE
PLANNING PROGRAMS FOR LITTLE
ONES AND OUR CAREGIVERS. THE
LAST ITEM AND THE SECOND
LARGEST INVESTMENT AREA IS
MAINTENANCE. THE LEVY PAYS FOR
ENHANCED LEVELS OF ROUTINE AND
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, THAT
ALSO FUNDS THE LIBRARY'S MAJOR
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, INCLUDING
SEISMIC UPGRADES TO THREE
HISTORIC CARNEGIE LIBRARIES.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR REVISED
2023 BUDGET VERSUS OUR ACTUAL
2023 SPENDING. IN 2023, WE
SPENT 93% OF OUR OPERATING
BUDGET, OPERATIONAL SAVINGS
WENT INTO OUR LOVE YOU FIND
BALANCE , WHICH IS BEING USED
TO COVER THE RECENT AWI
ADJUSTMENTS, 5% FOR 2023, AND
4.5% FOR 2024. RETROACTIVE
PAYMENTS THIS YEAR FOR 2023
ADJUSTMENTS AND BARGAIN LIVING
WAGE ADJUSTMENTS. THESE COSTS
WILL SHOW UP IN THE 2024
REVISED BUDGET. WE SPENT 29%
OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, LABOR
SHORTAGES, SUPPLY-CHAIN ISSUES,
AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION
BOTTLENECKS HAVE RESULTED IN
DELAYED SPENDING AND DELAYS IN
STARTING PROJECTS. THE
PROJECTS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE
LARGE, PAY-AS-YOU-GO, MULTIYEAR
PROJECTS. BUDGET AUTHORITY IS
AUTHORIZED UP-FRONT TO ALLOW
US TO ENTER INTO THESE
CONTRACTS AND SPEND THAT MONEY.
THE BUDGET AUTHORITY CARRIES
OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR UNTIL
SPENT. THE REMAINING AUTHORITY
IN THIS CATEGORY WILL BE SPENT
ON MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS,
REPLACEMENT OF OUR INTEGRATED
LIBRARY SYSTEM, AND SEISMIC
RETROFITS AND REMODELS OF THE
THREE HISTORIC CARNEGIE
LIBRARIES. NOW, DO A DEEPER
DIVE IN EACH OF THE MAJOR
INVESTMENT AREAS, STARTING WITH
HOURS AND ACCESS. AT THE END OF
THIS PRESENTATION, I WILL TALK
MORE ABOUT OUR RECENT
ADJUSTMENT TO OPEN HOURS. IN
APRIL 2023, THE LIBRARY
RESTORED HOURS TO PRE-PANDEMIC
LEVELS AND ADDED 90 HOURS A
WEEK THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
ALMOST EVERY BRANCH SAW AN
INCREASE IN HOURS. THE LIBRARY
IS OPEN 71,000 HOURS IN 2023
COMPARED TO 68,020 19. THIS IS
MORE OPEN HOURS THAN AT ANY
TIME SINCE 2009. WE ALSO
OPERATED PICKUP LOCKERS,
PROVIDING A 24/7 GOLD ACCENTS
AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THE
ADDED HOURS ARE SCHEDULED BASED
ON PRIORITIES WE HEARD FROM
4600 PATRONS THROUGH A SURVEY
ABOUT LIBRARY HOURS WE
CONDUCTED IN OCTOBER AND
NOVEMBER OF 2021. PATRONS TOLD
US THEY PREFERRED MORE WEEKEND
HOURS TO LATER EVENING HOURS,
AND MONDAY CLOSURES RATHER THAN
FRIDAY CLOSURES OR BRANCHES
OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK. WE BUILT
OUR SCHEDULE BASED ON WHAT
PATRONS TOLD US WAS MOST
IMPORTANT TO THEM.
PROGRAMMING. ALONG WITH
EXPANDED HOURS, WE WERE ABLE TO
BRING IN PERSON PROGRAMMING
BACK TO OUR LIBRARIES,
INCLUDING THE 25th ANNIVERSARY
OF SEATTLE READS, CITYWIDE
BOOK CLUB, JUST MENTIONED BY
STACIA. THE GLOBAL READING
CHALLENGE FOR ALL SEATTLE'S
CLOSE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS
CAN AUTHOR DISCUSSIONS,
CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND SO MUCH
MORE. 2023 OPERATION
CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCE.
OBVIOUSLY, WITH ALL THOSE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THERE CAME NEW
CHALLENGES. MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS, EXCESSIVE HEAT,
INTERMITTENT STAFFING
SHORTAGES, RESULTED IN
SCHEDULED AND UNSCHEDULED
CLOSURES, IMPACTING OUR ABILITY
TO CONTINUE OFFERING INCREASED
HOURS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE
CHART, THE GAP BETWEEN
SCHEDULED AND ACTUAL HOURS
SHOWS THE IMPACTS OF THESE
CHALLENGES. FOR BRANCHES
WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING, WE
HAVE SEEN INCREASED HEAT
CLOSURES, ESPECIALLY FOLLOWING
AN RULE CHANGE ABOUT INDOOR AIR
TEMPERATURES. OUR BRANCHES
WERE CLOSED 75 TIMES FOR MORE
THAN 200 HOURS DUE TO EXCESSIVE
HEAT. SORRY. THIS THE RIGHT
ONE?
>>> IN THE FALL, THE NEW HOLLY
NORTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST
BRANCHES WERE CLOSED FOR THE
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC HVAC
SYSTEMS, WHICH WILL PROVIDE
AIR-CONDITIONING AND PREVENT
HEAT RELATED CLOSURES AT THESE
LOCATIONS IN THE FUTURE. THE
CAPITOL HILL AND DOUGLAS TRUTH
BRANCHES WERE ALSO CLOSED FOR
BRIEF PERIODS DUE TO MAJOR
MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING HVAC
AND ROOF REPLACEMENTS, AND A
SEWER LINE REPAIR. IN ADDITION
TO THE EXTENDED CLOSURES AT
GREEN LAKE AND NORTHEAST, OUR
BRANCHES WERE CLOSED OVER 50
TIMES FOR MORE THAN 400 HOURS
DUE TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
WE ALSO HAD TO PERIODICALLY
CLOSE BRANCHES WHEN WE DO NOT
HAVE ENOUGH STAFF OR THE RIGHT
MIX OF EXPERIENCED STAFF TO
OPEN. WE OPENED LATE, CLOSED
EARLY, OR CLOSED ALL DAY MORE
THAN 50 TIMES, LOSING MORE THAN
300 HOURS AND 2023. STAFFING
SHORTAGES HAVE CONTINUED TO
IMPACT US IN 2024. THE LEVY
ALSO HELPED US REDUCE BARRIERS
TO ACCESS. IN 2020, JANUARY
2020, THE LIBRARY STOPPED
CHARGING LATE FINES FOR OVERDUE
MATERIALS. WE CLEARED ACCOUNTS
OF THESE CHARGES AND RESTORED
BORROWING PRIVILEGES FOR 18,000
PEOPLE. PATRONS ARE STILL
RETURNING MATERIALS AT ABOUT
THE SAME RATE. IN FACT, WE HAVE
SEEN A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN
ITEMS THAT ARE PERMANENTLY
LOST. WE HAVE ALSO MADE IT
EASIER FOR PATRONS TO REQUEST
THE WAIVERS FOR LOST ITEMS
ONLINE. IN THE PAST, PATRONS
WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME INTO THE
BRANCH OR SPEAK TO LIBRARY
STAFF ON THE PHONE. THE LEVY
ALSO HELPED FUND OUR SOCIAL
SERVICES TEAM, WHICH HAS
STARTED WEEKLY COFFEE AND
CONVERSATIONS HOURS, AS WELL
AS TEA AND DROPPINGS AT THE
CENTRAL LIBRARY. THESE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CREATE
INFORMAL AND WELCOMING SPACES
TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH OUR
STAFF AND EACH OTHER. WE
BELIEVE FOSTERING COMMUNITY
BELONGING AND CONNECTION IS A
CORE FUNCTION OF OUR WORK. THE
LEVY HELPED US GROW OUR DIGITAL
COLLECTIONS IN 2023 AS E-BOOKS
AND AUDIOBOOKS CONTINUED TO BE
IN HIGH DEMAND. THE COST OF
E-BOOK AND AUDIO LICENSING
MODELS, HOWEVER, IS BECOMING
UNSUSTAINABLE FOR LIBRARIES
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THESE TITLES CAN COST THREE TO
FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF
CONSUMER PAYS, AND MOST OF OUR
DIGITAL BOOKS NEED TO BE
REPURCHASED EACH YEAR.
EXACERBATING THE COSTS. IN
2012, DIGITAL MATERIALS
ACCOUNTED FOR 10% OF OUR TOTAL
CIRCULATION. IN 2023, IT WAS
MORE THAN 50%. THE FINANCIAL
REALITY OF INCREASING COSTS AND
INCREASING POPULARITY OF
E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOK MAKES
GRIND THIS IMPORTANT COLLECTION
DIFFICULT. WHENEVER A CERTAIN
NUMBER OF PATRONS PLACED A HOLD
ON A TITLE, WE PURCHASE ANOTHER
COPY TO KEEP OUR WAIT TIMES
REASONABLE. TO REDUCE COSTS,
WE RECENTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER
OF HOLDS PATRONS CAN PLACE ON
E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS FROM 25
TO 10. 95% OF OUR PATRONS HAVE
10 VOLTS OR FEWER. THROUGH
THIS REDUCTION, WE ARE ASKING
THE OTHER 10% OF THE PATRONS TO
BE MORE DELIBERATE IN THE HOPE
THEY PLACE. IN 2023, WE SPENT
$6.2 MILLION ON DIGITAL
MATERIALS AND $3.4 MILLION ON
PRINT AND OTHER MATERIALS FROM
OTHER SOURCES. TWO THE LEVY
ALSO HELPED US INCREASE THE
BREADTH AND DEPTH OF OUR
PHYSICAL COLLECTION. WE ADDED
OVER 211,000 MORE ITEMS IN
2023. WE ALSO FUNDED THE
POPULAR PEAK PICKS COLLECTION
AND ADDED 1500 TITLES TO OUR
WORLD LANGUAGES COLLECTIONS.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE
HAVE ALSO PERFORMED A DIVERSE
-- [ INAUDIBLE ] BACKGROUND,
EXPENSES, AND VOICES IN OUR
COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT, WE
ADDED OVER 500 ADDITIONAL
TITLES AND 2300 COPIES TO
INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR
MATERIALS IN 2023. THE VENDORS
WILL AUDIT OUR COLLECTION NOTED
WE HAD ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE
COLLECTIONS IN NORTH AMERICA
AND OUR CHILDREN'S COLLECTION
WAS PARTICULARLY DIVERSE.
>>> IN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, THE
LEVY HELPED US REPLACE 368
PUBLIC AND STAFF COMPUTERS, WE
ALSO ADDED 14 LAPTOPS AND
NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES TO ENABLE
BETTER VIRTUAL AND HYBRID
ENGAGEMENT WITH STAFF ACROSS
OUR SYSTEM. WE ALSO ADDED 17
DIGITAL VIDEO CARDS AT SEVERAL
LOCATIONS TO BETTER SUPPORT
VIRTUAL MEETINGS. PATRONS OFTEN
EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE
FOR OUR FREE PRINTING SERVICES,
WHICH THE LEVY HELPS SUPPORT.
IN 2023, PATRONS PRINTED 1.7
MILLION PAGES ON LIBRARY
PRINTERS. WE OFFER 10 FREE
BLACK AND WHITE PAGES OR THREE
COLOR PAGES PER WEEK. IN
ADDITION, WE ALSO LOANED 1150
HOTSPOTS TO THE COMMUNITY, THIS
INCLUDES 250 LONG-TERM HOTSPOTS
USED FOR INTERNET ACCESS AT
SITES SUCH AS TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, SHELTERS, AND MORE.
WE PARTNERED WITH 16 COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE
THESE AND PROVIDE ON-SITE
LIBRARY SUPPORT.
>>> DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, ALL
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING AT
LIBRARY IS POSITIVE FROM 2020
THROUGH LATE 2022. IN 2023, WE
WERE ABLE TO BRING MUCH OF THAT
BACK, INCLUDING LEVY SUPPORTED
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARNS
WITH LEVY SUPPORTED HOURS. WE
ARE ABLE TO BRING BACK IN
PERSON STRAIGHT TIMES, AND IN
2023, WE OFFERED OVER 500 OF
THESE 18 LIBRARIES AND ADD
ADDITIONAL PARTNER LOCATIONS.
>>> SORRY, Y'ALL. THE
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAN LEARN PROGRAM
OFFERS A CHANCE FOR CHILDREN
AND THEIR FAMILIES TO LEARN TO
PLAY TOGETHER. TO LEARN AND
PLAY TOGETHER. CHILDREN LISTEN
TO MULTILINGUAL STORIES, SING
SONGS, AND A SIMPLE CRAPS WITH
THEIR CAREGIVERS. FAMILIES
LEARN ABOUT THE CHILD
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY
RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
THE LIBRARY HAS HELPED US --
EXCUSE ME, THE LEVY HAS HELPED
US GROW THIS PROGRAM FROM FIVE
LOCATIONS TO SEVEN, ADDING
DAVID AND NEW HOLLY, TO BEACON
HILL, COLUMBIA, LAKE CITY,
RAINIER BEACH, AND SOUTH PARK
BRANCHES. MAINTENANCE AND
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. AS WE
SHARED EARLIER, THE SECOND
LARGEST INVESTMENT AREA AND THE
LEVY IS FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
WORK. CURRENTLY, WE ARE NEARING
COMPLETION OF THE SEISMIC
RETROFIT AND MAJOR RENOVATION
OF THE STRIKE GREEN LAKE
BRANCH, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO
REOPEN THIS SUMMER. THESE
RENOVATIONS INCLUDE
ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND
HVAC INSTALLATION. LATER THIS
YEAR, WE WILL START A SIMILAR
PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY
BRANCH. THE COLUMBIA BRANCHES
THIRD LOCATION SLATED FOR THIS
WORK. THE LEVY HAS ALSO HELPED
FUND NEW HVAC SYSTEMS AT THE
CAPITOL HILL NORTHEAST AND
SOUTHWEST BRANCHES, AS WELL AS
NEW AUTOMATED MATERIALS
HANDLING SYSTEM TO HELP US
SORT AND DELIVER MATERIALS.
MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY. I WANT
TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ITS
SUPPORT IN FINDING THE HVAC
SYSTEMS AT NORTHEAST AND
SOUTHWEST BRANCHES. COUNCIL
APPROVED $1.5 MILLION FOR
NORTHEAST AND $750,000 FOR
SOUTHWEST. HOWEVER, THE
NORTHEAST BRANCH ENDED UP
COSTING $2.5 MILLION WITH THE
INFLATION IN CONSTRUCTION, AND
SOUTHWEST COST $1.2 MILLION.
THE LEVY PROVIDED $500,000 TO
EACH OF THESE PROJECTS TO
ENSURE THEY COULD BE COMPLETED.
THE LIBRARY HAS ALSO BEEN
SEEKING SAID STATE AND FEDERAL
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE SEISMIC
UPGRADES AT OUR LIBRARIES. [
INAUDIBLE ] OFTEN NOT ENOUGH TO
COVER THE SIGNIFICANTLY
INCREASED COST OF
CONSTRUCTION. BASED ON RECENT
GRANT AWARDS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO LEVERAGE MORE MONEY FOR
THESE PROJECTS AND GET THEM
DONE, DESPITE ALL THESE
CHALLENGES.
>>> JUST TWO MORE ITEMS BEFORE
WE GET TO SOME QUESTIONS. THE
FIRST IS A LOOK AT WHAT IS
AHEAD FOR THE LIBRARY THIS
YEAR. IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
MONTHS, WE WILL OFFICIALLY
LAUNCH OUR NEW 10 YEAR
STRATEGIC PLAN. IT IS FOCUSED
ON COMMUNITY IMPACT AND EQUITY,
AND I AM EXCITED TO INTRODUCE
IT TO YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.
AS SHARED EARLIER, WE WILL
REOPEN THE GREEN LAKE BRANCH
AND PREPARE FOR THE RENOVATION
OF THE UNIVERSITY BRANCH. WE
PLAN TO LAUNCH A NEW LIBRARY
APP THAT WILL IMPROVE THE
PATRON EXPERIENCE. AND LASTLY,
WE ARE STARTING TO PREPARE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEVY
RENEWAL PROPOSAL IN 2026. THIS
LEVY PROPOSAL WILL HELP US
OVERCOME SOME OF THE BUDGETARY
CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING.
PARDON ME. LET'S SEE IF WE
CAN ACTUALLY GET THIS TO PLAY
FOR YOU. THIS SECOND ITEM IS A
SHORT VIDEO I WOULD LIKE TO
SHOW YOU, IT IS PART OF THE
MARKETING CAMPAIGN WE LAUNCHED
THIS YEAR TO HIGHLIGHT THE
LIBRARY'S IMPACTS ON PATRONS
AND STAFF. THIS VIDEO FEATURES
ONE OF OUR TERRIFIC STAFF
MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARY ACCESS.
HERE WE GO. IT IS OFF.
>> YOU ALSO FIND ME SHELVING
AND MOVING ABOUT THE LIBRARY.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] X DVDs, EVEN
MUSIC. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> STARTED TWO OF THEM HERE, MY
APOLOGIES. BECAUSE IT IS SO
LIMITED EVERYWHERE ELSE, THERE
IS NO OTHER PUBLIC SPACE, [
INAUDIBLE ] PROVIDING SPACE
FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU. CHIEF LIBRARY,
IF YOU WILL SHARE THAT WITH US,
WE CAN WATCH IT . OH. [
LAUGHTER ]
>> THERE WE GO, I THINK THAT
GOT US BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN
GOOD SHAPE.
>> ARE WE BACK ON TRACK?
LAUGHTER .
>> THE LAST PIECE IS ACTUALLY
FOR SOME REASON NOT COMING UP
EITHER, BUT WE HAD SOME GREAT
COMMENTS FROM OUR PATRONS THAT
I DID WANT TO MOVE INTO --
GET ALL OF THE MICROPHONES
WORKING. WE DO HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM
PATRONS IN THE LAST SLIDE, WE
WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE
THOSE AS WELL, BUT I DID WANT
TO GET A FEW THINGS DISCUSSED
BEFORE WE GET TO SOME GENERAL
QUESTIONS, AS I KNOW THERE HAS
BEEN SOME INTEREST, OBVIOUSLY,
AND RECENT CLOSURES THAT WE
HAVE , THAT WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THROUGH JUNE. AND I
WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME
BACKGROUND IN ALL OF THIS,
ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE
LEVY. THE LIBRARY IS LEVY IS
AN OPERATING LEVY, AND IN OUR
PARTICULAR CASE, IT IS REALLY
ALSO TIED TO GENERAL FUND.
THEY ARE INTERTWINED, FOR LACK
OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING IT.
AND SO, IT IS MANY TIMES
CONDITIONAL IN WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN GENERAL FUND, CAN
ALSO AFFECT WHAT YOU CAN
ACCOMPLISH IN LEVY FUNDS.
ESPECIALLY AS I SHARED EARLIER,
WHEN YOU HAVE ASSUMPTIONS
BUILT ON THE FACT THAT IN 2019,
ADDITIONAL HOURS , THE
ASSUMPTION WAS GOING TO BE THAT
WE HAD THE 2019 STOPPING AT
GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION, SO
THAT THE SMALLER AMOUNT OF
MONEY WE PUT TO OPEN HOURS
WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO
EXPAND. ANY TIME THOSE GENERAL
FUND NUMBERS OR STAFFING
NUMBERS GO DOWN, THAT THEN
AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO HAVE
THOSE ADDITIONAL HOURS. SO,
THAT IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT THAT. INFLATION
ALSO BE IN ANOTHER ONE,
INFLATION OUTPACING, INFLATION
THAT WAS PROJECTED IN THOSE
LEVIES, THAT ALSO START REALLY
TAKING DOWN YOUR BUYING POWER,
BOTH FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT
ALSO FOR STAFFING ACQUISITION.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THINK
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW, IS
COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE
KNOW THAT WE HAVE, MOST
CERTAINLY, AND THIS COUNCIL HAS
HEARD IT MANY TIMES, WHERE
SOCIAL ILLS, BECAUSE OF THE
LACK OF SOCIAL SAFETY NETWORKS
WE HAVE HAD AND THE DEGRADATION
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC POINT WE
KNOW THAT FOR OUR LIBRARIES
THAT SAFELY OPERATE, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
RIGHT STAFFING PACKAGE, THE
RIGHT MANAGERS OR SUPERVISORS,
AND HIS SUPPORT STAFF TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL TO BE. AND
SO, THAT ALSO HAS AFFECTED WHAT
WE HAVE AS OUR OPERATIONAL
MINIMAL STAFFING.
CONTRACTUALLY, WE HAVE THE
MINIMUM STAFFING LEVEL PACKAGE,
BUT THEN AS THE LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE LIBRARY, WE
ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH OF
THOSE CASES, EACH BRANCH, AND
ALSO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE
OPERATIONAL MINIMUMS SHOULD BE,
TO DETERMINE THAT EVERYONE IN
THAT BRANCH CAN SUCCESSFULLY
USE IT AND SAFELY USE THE
SPACE. SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT ALSO AFFECT
THE LIBRARY AS WE MOVE THROUGH
THIS PARTICULAR TIME. WE HAVE
ALSO SEEN, AS WE TALK ABOUT
HAVING THINGS LIKE A HIRING
FREEZE, WE KNOW THE IMPACT OF
THAT, WE KNOW THAT IS ACTUAL
VACANT POSITIONS, BUT ONE OF
THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE SEEN,
AGAIN, POST-PANDEMIC, IS
ADDITIONAL TYPES OF LEAVE THAT
BOTH THE STATE AND THE CITY HAS
PROVIDED OVER THE LAST THREE TO
FIVE YEARS, IT IS A BENEFIT FOR
STAFF, WE ENCOURAGE STAFF TO
TAKE THAT, BUT WE HAVE ALSO
SEEN INCREASED USES AND FML,
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE USE AS
WELL, AND WE DO WANT STAFF TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND
THEMSELVES THROUGH ALL THE
BENEFITS THEY ARE GIVEN, BUT
THESE ALSO ADD TO THAT VACANCY,
SO WE HAVE OFTEN WHAT YOU CALL
HARD VACANT, THOSE POSITIONS
THAT ARE LEFT VACANT, THAT IS A
HARD VACANT, THEN YOU HAVE SOFT
VACANCY. AND FOR OUR
ORGANIZATION, THAT RUNS AT
ABOUT 14%, SO AS YOU CAN SEE,
IF YOU RUN INTO COMBINATION OF
HIRING FREEZE, YOUR NORMAL
VACANCY, EXCUSE ME, YOUR
NORMAL LEAVE USAGE, THEN YOU
ARE GOING TO END UP HAVING A
REALLY HIGH NUMBER WHEN THOSE
TWO COMBINED, SO ALL OF THOSE
THINGS HAVE LED TO SOME OF THE
CHANGES AND CHALLENGES WE HAVE
HAD TO COME UP WITH OF LATE.
AS WE LOOK AT -- AND I KNOW YOU
WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS LATER
IN THE YEAR, THE BUDGET
CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN STATED
FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS,
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE HIRING
FREEZE BEING PUT IN PLACE, I DO
HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO NOT
FOLLOW ANY OF THAT, I DO, BUT
OBVIOUSLY, THE MAYOR AND HIS
TEAM AND THE CITY BUDGET
OFFICE ALSO HAVE INFORMATION
THAT IS CONCERNING TO THEM, SO
THE LIBRARY ACTUALLY IS
MAINTAINING THE HIRING FREEZE
FOR NOW, UNTIL WE WORK OUT OUR
BUDGET. I AM VERY, VERY
THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE A VERY
COLLABORATIVE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I HAVE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS,
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST
COLLABORATIVE I HAVE WORKED
WITH, AND THE CITY BUDGET
OFFICE HAS BEEN AS WELL. I DO
FEEL WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE TO
A SITUATION THAT WILL PUT US IN
A BETTER POSITION, EITHER
TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, OR
AS WE START 2025. SO, I KNOW
THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES, AND
THERE ARE GOING TO BE A FEW
MORE, AS WE HAVE TO KEEP THIS
HIRING FREEZE UNTIL WE SORT
SOME THINGS OUT IN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS, BUT WE WILL MOST
CERTAINLY BE TALKING TO ALL OF
YOU AND YOUR TEAMS ABOUT WHAT
WE ARE DOING , WHEN YOU'RE
DOING IT, AND TRY NOT TO HAVE
IT BE A SURPRISE. SOME OF
THESE THINGS ARE UNFORTUNATELY
MOVING VERY FAST, AND I HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF
THE DAY, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
ALL OF OUR SERVICES. I OFTEN
TALK ABOUT THIS AS A VISUAL,
WHICH IS WE HAVE A SIX FOOT
SQUARE, THAT IS ALL OF OUR
SERVICES , PROGRAMS, HOURS, AND
TEMPORARILY, WE NEED TO MAKE IT
A FIVE FOOT SQUARE, UNTIL WE
CAN RESOLVE WHAT THE ISSUES
ARE WITH THE BUDGET AND WHAT
OTHER CHALLENGES WE MAY FACE
WITH THE BUDGET. AND WITH
THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE,
BECAUSE THERE ARE PROBABLY A
FEW. NEXT THANK YOU, CHIEF
LIBRARIAN FAY AND JAN FOR THE
PRESENTATION. I HAVE A COUPLE
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, AND
THEN WE WILL WELCOME YOUR
QUESTIONS AS WELL. THERE IS
ONE THING -- WELL, A COUPLE
THINGS -- TEETH ESSAY, I JUST
WANT TO UNDERSTORY A FEW
THINGS THAT YOU SAID THAT
ACTUALLY DO HAVE AN IMPACT AS
WELL ON THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET.
AND THAT IS THE FACT THAT, AS
YOU STATED EARLIER, THE
LIBRARY LEVY DOES NOT FUND ALL
OF THE LIBRARIES, IT OWNS ABOUT
A THIRD, I DON'T THINK YOU
GAVE A NUMBER, BUT I THINK YOU
HAVE SEEN THAT, SO THE
REMAINDER IS MOSTLY GENERAL
FUNDS, SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT
DURING THE PANDEMIC AND BECAUSE
OF INFLATION, HAD IMPACTS ON
GENERAL FUND, IT WILL HAVE AN
IMPACT ON THE LIBRARY'S
BUDGET, INCLUDING LIBRARY
HOURS. THE OTHER THING THAT
YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY, AND I
WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
ACTUALLY -- I WANT TO PUT SOME
FOCUS ON THIS, BECAUSE IT IS
IMPORTANT, LIBRARIES DID A
COST OF LIVING WAGE INCREASE
FOR EMPLOYEES, WHICH THEN ALSO
IMPACTS YOUR BUDGET, BECAUSE
YOU HAVE TO SET FUNDS UNSIGHTED
TO DO THE WAGE INCREASE, WHICH
IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO HIRE
MORE PEOPLE, SO I DON'T WANT
FOLKS TO LEAVE HERE THINKING
THAT, UM, THIS HIRING FREEZE
IS A BIT OF A BUZZWORD, AND I
DON'T WANT PEOPLE LEAVING
HERE, THINKING THAT IT IS --
ALL THE ISSUES ARE THE HIRING
FREEZE. THERE ARE REAL ISSUES
WITH THE PANDEMIC AND THE
INFLATIONARY COST. AND ALSO,
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO WAGE
INCREASES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES
WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD,
AND THAT HAS IMPACTS, INCLUDING
THE FML, THAT SOME EMPLOYEES
TAKE, WHICH IS A BENEFIT THAT
THE LIBRARY IS PROVIDED, JUST
LIKE THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS ,
PROVIDES, BUT THAT HAS IMPACTS.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IS THE ELECTRONIC BOOKS
HAVING A HUGE IMPACT AS WELL,
ON THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET. THIS
IS A CITY, I THINK I READ
SOMEWHERE, WE ARE EIGHTH IN THE
WORLD FOR E-BOOKS USAGE, AND
THAT IS VERY COSTLY, AND HAS A
HUGE IMPACT AS WELL ON THE
BUDGET. AND IT WILL HAVE A HUGE
BUDGET IMPACT ON THE ABILITY
-- ALL OF THESE THINGS I JUST
MENTIONED HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON
THE ABILITY TO INCREASE HOURS
AT THE LIBRARY. AND SO, IT IS
NOT JUST THE HIRING FREEZE,
WHICH I ALSO UNDERSTAND YOU
HAVE EXEMPTED CERTAIN POSITIONS
IN ORDER TO MANAGE FOR THAT,
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. TWO
OTHER POINTS, COLLEAGUES, IS
THAT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, THE PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN
EXPERIENCED AT MOST LIBRARY
BRANCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
NOT JUST IN SEATTLE, AND SO,
YOU HEARD CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY
TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY
HAVE TO DOUBLE UP STAFF AT SOME
OF THE BRANCHES IN ORDER TO
DEAL WITH THAT, AND THEN
LASTLY, I WILL SAY THAT WHEN
YOU SAID CONTRACTUALLY, YOU
MEAN WITH THE UNIONS, SO YOU
HAVE CONTRACTS WITH YOUR LABOR
UNIONS FOR HOW -- HOW MUCH
STAFFING NEEDS TO BE AT EACH OF
THOSE LIBRARIES, SO IT IS NOT
SOMETHING JUST THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE UNIONS
TO SET THOSE LIBRARY HOURS AS
WELL, SO THAT HAS AN IMPACT,
AND YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY, IN
TERMS OF THE WEEKEND HOURS,
THAT IS ALSO PART OF THIS
CONTRACTUAL -- EXCUSE ME,
CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS THAT YOU
HAVE WITH THE UNION, AND THE
REASON WHY I WANT TO POINT THAT
OUT, IS BECAUSE I KNOW AND I
HAVE HEARD CONSTITUENTS SAY
THAT THE LEVY PROMISED MORE
WEEKEND HOURS, AND I KNOW THAT
WHAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE IN TERMS
OF REDUCTIONS INCLUDES
REDUCTIONS DURING THE WEEKENDS,
AND SO, I REALLY WANT TO
ADDRESS THAT PART OF THE
ISSUES IS THAT YOU HAVE THESE
CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT [
INAUDIBLE ], SO WE ALSO NEED
TO GET THE FULL PICTURE AND THE
FULL INFORMATION, SO FOLKS
REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS
REDUCTION OF HOURS IS COMING
FROM, INCLUDING THAT
ELECTRONIC BOOK ISSUE, WHICH,
YOU KNOW, IT IS VERY POPULAR,
AND SO, IN SOME CASES , OR YOU
CAN LOOK AT IT AS, YOU KNOW,
IF YOU CAN DO LESS ELECTRONIC
BOOKS PERHAPS MAYBE, AND MORE
HOURS, BUT THE ELECTRONIC BOOKS
ARE SO POPULAR, SO THAT IS WHAT
YOU ARE MANAGING OR, [
INAUDIBLE ] , SO FOLKS
UNDERSTAND. COLLEAGUES, ARE
THERE QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER
WOO?
>> I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, SO I
AM KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH KING COUNTY
LIBRARY SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND
SEATTLE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO
KING COUNTY, BUT DOES KING
COUNTY HAVE ACCESS TO SEATTLE
>> YES, WE HAVE BORROWING
AGREEMENTS WITH MULTIPLE
LIBRARY SYSTEMS.
>> I AM JUST REALLY CURIOUS
ALSO, WHY DO DIGITAL BOOKS COST
MORE? ARE WE JUST PAYING MORE
FROM THE PUBLISHERS OR IS THIS
A CORPORATION?
>> YES, WE ARE PAYING MORE, SO
YOU, AS A CONSUMER, CAN
ACTUALLY BUY -- LET'S USE
E-BOOK, YOU CAN BUY AN E-BOOK
FOR ABOUT 10 BUCKS. THAT SAME
E-BOOK MAY END UP COSTING US
30 OR 40 BUCKS, BECAUSE THEY
SEE LIBRARIES, AT LEAST IN THIS
REALM, AS COMPETITION, EVEN
THOUGH WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN
CIRCULATING PHYSICAL BOOKS FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS, AND IT
HASN'T IMPACTED THEIR
BUSINESS, BUT FROM THE
BEGINNING, E-BOOKS AND
AUDIOBOOKS, THAT HAS BEEN THE
CONCERN OF PUBLISHERS, THAT WE
SOMEHOW WOULD EAT INTO THEIR
BUSINESS, WHEN IN FACT, WE KNOW
WE ACTUALLY DAYLIGHT AND
HIGHLIGHT AUTHORS AND TOPIC
THAT PEOPLE WOULD NOT DISCOVER
NORMALLY THROUGH TYPICAL
MARKETING OF PUBLISHERS. BUT
WITH THAT, I WILL GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE OF A BOOK THAT WE HAD,
BRITNEY SPEARS HAD A BOOK OUT
LAST YEAR TOWARDS THE END OF
THE YEAR. ALL THE PHYSICAL
MATERIAL WE BOUGHT, AND THEY
WERE OBVIOUSLY IN THE HUNDREDS
FOR A SYSTEM THIS SIZE AND
INTEREST IN THE MATERIAL, THOSE
PHYSICAL ITEMS, BECAUSE WE GET
DISCOUNTS ON THOSE, COST US
ABOUT $2800-$2900 FOR ALL
THOSE HUNDREDS OF ITEMS. AND
AN EQUIVALENT, BUT SOMETIMES A
LARGER NUMBER, BECAUSE MORE
PEOPLE CONCERN DIGITAL,
E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS COST US
OVER $3500 FOR THE SAME
MATERIAL. THAT IS THE
STAGGERING DIFFERENCE IN THIS
TYPE OF MATERIAL, AND THAT'S
THE REASON WE HAVE DONE SOME
THINGS AROUND CHANGING THE
NUMBER OF HOLDS. AGAIN, WE
LOOK AT EVERYTHING [ INAUDIBLE
], WE KNEW THAT 90% OF OUR
FOLKS HAD 10 ITEMS OR LESS,
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE CAN'T
CONSUME THAT MUCH IN THE COURSE
OF TWO OR THREE WEEKS, BUT WE
HAD SOME END-USERS THAT ARE
SOMETIMES MAYBE JUST BANKING
IT AND SAYING I WILL PUT IT
HERE AND MAYBE I GET IT FROM
CASEY LS OR KING COUNTY
COLLEAGUES, MAYBE I WILL GET A
PRINT BOOK, BUT IF THEY DON'T
PICK IT UP, WE DON'T KNOW THAT
UNTIL THEY DON'T PICK IT UP,
YET WE BOUGHT TOWARDS TRYING TO
FULFILL THAT REQUEST. SO, IT
GETS VERY COMPLICATED, AND SO,
WHEN I ASKED MY TEAMS TO LOOK
AT THINGS FROM A DATA
PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS THE
SOLUTION WE CAME UP WITH, TO
TRY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE, BECAUSE I WANT AN
E-BOOK OR AUDIO COLLECTION THAT
IS NOT JUST , YOU KNOW, THIS,
AND SOMETHING VERY POPULAR, I
ALSO WANT ONE THAT HAS SOME
DEPTH AND BREADTH, AND IF WE
ARE ONLY BUYING -- CONTINUING
TO BUY POPULAR, WE WILL NEVER
GET THE DEPTH AND BREADTH, AND
WE ALSO NEED TO DEVELOP THAT AS
WE GO FORWARD IN TIME. MORE AND
MORE WILL BE PRODUCED IN
DIGITAL. IT IS A COMPLICATED
ONE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK
TO YOU ALL ABOUT IT IN OTHER
SESSIONS, BECAUSE THERE ARE
SOME THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT
AS LIBRARIES IN THE STATE THAT
THAT AREA, OTHER STATES ARE
DOING SO, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT
IT IS NOT THE SAME FAIR USE
AS IS APPLIED TO PHYSICAL
MATERIAL. A COMPLICATED ISSUE,
AND TRYING TO SUM IT UP IN TWO
MINUTES HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR TRYING.
ANOTHER QUESTION, HOW CAN
COMMUNITY SUPPORT YOU? WHEN
IT COMES TO VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS,
OBVIOUSLY VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CANNOT KEEP LIBRARY IS OPEN,
BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE
VERY CONCERNED , AND ALSO, WHAT
IS YOUR ASK FROM US, THE CITY
COUNCIL?
>> WELL, I THINK TO ANSWER
YOUR FIRST QUESTION, WE HAVE A
GREAT FOUNDATION, AND
OBVIOUSLY, IT IS THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, AND
FOLKS CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE
AND DONATE. THEY HAVE A NUMBER
OF CATEGORIES TO DONATE TO,
MAYBE YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN
E-BOOKS THAT YOU WANT TO DO
EQUITY PROGRAMMING, SO THEY
HAVE A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES,
THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER, THEY
SUPPORT US IN SO MANY WAYS, AND
ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO LEVERAGE
LEVY FUNDING AS WELL AS GENERAL
FUNDING TO DO MORE FOR THE
PUBLIC, SO THAT IS ONE WAY .
OUR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, AS
I MENTIONED, IS ANOTHER GREAT
GROUP IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER.
THEY DO SO MANY THINGS THAT WE
CAN'T GET OUT TO DO. THEY
ACTUALLY PROVIDE CLASSROOM SETS
TO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. YOU
KNOW, AND THEY NEED OBVIOUSLY
MORE RESOURCE THERE, MORE
PEOPLE TO HELP, AND MORE
DONATIONS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT. SO, THAT IS ANOTHER WAY.
AND THEN AS FAR AS COUNCIL, I
THINK IT IS GOING TO BE THE
SAME THING THAT I ASK WHEN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE LIBRARY,
AND THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE
COMES TOGETHER, IS THAT WE WORK
TOWARDS SOLUTIONS. YOU KNOW,
THIS IS NOT COMBATIVE, WE HAVE
A SERIOUS ISSUE IN THIS CITY
WITH THE BUDGET, THERE ARE
GOING TO BE THINGS THAT WE HAVE
TO DO THAT ARE GOING TO BE
HARD, AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE
GOING TO HEAR THAT, YOU ARE
GOING TO SEE THAT, AND I AM
SORRY FOR THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT
AS A GROUP, WE WILL BE ABLE TO
WORK THIS OUT, AS I HAVE TALKED
TO SEVERAL OF YOU OVER TIME OR
HAD TIME WITH YOU LONGER THAN
SOME, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING
TO BEAR, BECAUSE THIS IS A
CRITICAL SERVICE. AND I KNOW
THE MAYOR BELIEVES THIS IS A
CRITICAL SERVICE. HIS MOTHER
WORKED FOR THE LIBRARY FOR
YEARS, SO I KNOW THAT HE HAS
THE BEST INTENTIONS AND WE WILL
GET THROUGH THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I HAD MY HAND RAISED, BUT I
SEEM TO BE IN A WEIRD ZONE
HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. YOU SORT
OF ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS
ALREADY ABOUT WHAT IS LEADING
TO THE STAFFING SHORTAGES , AND
THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, WHAT
IS THE REMEDY TO THIS COST
DIFFERENTIAL, SOUNDS LIKE
LEGISLATION AT THE STATE LEVEL
IS PROBABLY THE WAY THAT IS
GOING TO HAVE TO GO, IS THAT
RIGHT?
>> WE AS LIBRARIES ARE ALSO
LOOKING AT -- ARE THERE OTHER
-- AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE
MORE PROVIDERS BECOMING
AVAILABLE, SO HOW DO WE
ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTE SOME OF
THIS? BECAUSE THERE MAY BE
BETTER PROGRAMS THROUGH OTHER
PROVIDERS. THERE IS REALLY
PRIMARILY ONE LARGE PROVIDER
OF E-BOOKS TO LIBRARIES, THERE
ARE A FEW MORE STARTING TO CROP
UP, AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL
HAVE SOME BETTER OPTIONS FOR US
AS WELL. COMPETITION ALWAYS
HELPS WHEN YOU HAVE VERY FEW
PUBLISHERS, THAT IS NOT TO SAY
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF LITTLE
PUBLISHERS, BUT THOSE BIG
PUBLISHERS ARE DOWN TO ABOUT
FOUR. AND THEN THEY SET DEALS
WITH THE DISTRIBUTION AND THEY
ARE GOING TO SET IT WITH ONE
POINT WE GOT A LITTLE MORE
MONOPOLISTIC THAN WE WOULD LIKE
TO SEE, AND I THINK ALSO THE
COMPETITION WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL.
>> [ CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
>> STAFFING AND EVERYTHING AND
HOW COMPLICATED AND
MULTIFACETED IT IS, I'M GLAD
SHE AND OF THOSE ADDITIONAL
POINTS, IT'S THE SAME , WE
ARE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF
ONES. WEATHER IS NEED WE ARE LO
AT THE OPPORTUNITY MAPS. WE
ARE LOOKING AT, AS I DIRECTED
STAFF, PLEASE LOOK AT ALL OF
OUR PROGRAMMING AND THAT
PROGRAMMING IS NOT JUST IN THE
WALLS OF THE LIBRARY. HAVE A
LOT OF PROGRAMMING THAT OCCURS
IN DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
BUT REQUIRE THE STAFF FROM
THOSE BUILDINGS. SO PLEASE LOOK
AT ALL THOSE FACTORS, AS WELL,
SO THAT WHEN WE ARE GOING TO
SAY WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE
BUILDING, WE ARE NOT DISRUPTING
, WHERE WE HAD 25 KIDS COMING
IN AND THEY EXPECT US TO BE
THERE. MS. THOSE 25 KIDS ARE
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SHOW UP
THE NEXT TIME. THAT'S KIDS,
THAT'S TEENAGERS. THEY WERE
TASKED WITH REALLY LOOKING AT
ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS, AS WELL.
THEY LOOKED AT A LOT OF USED
DATA, OF COURSE. THAT'S A BIG
PIECE OF IT, BUT WE WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT, AS WE LOOKED AT
REGIONS THROUGHOUT THOSE
CITIES, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
WE HAD SOMETHING ADJACENT I'M
A REASONABLY ADJACENT TO FOLKS
IN THE CITY THAT WAS ALSO OPEN.
AT SOME POINT, REALLY TRYING TO
HAVE SOME THAT WERE REALLY
OPEN, REGARDLESS, AND NOW THERE
ARE ALWAYS THINGS THAT CAN
IMPACT US AND THAT'S OUR
CONCERN, AS WE KNOW WE HAVE
TOLD HOURS REDUCTIONS FOR A
LITTLE WHILE LONGER. WE KNOW
THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN
IMPACT US LIKE HE EVENTS . ALL
OF THAT FOR OUR BUILDINGS THAT
DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING,
THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM
AND WE ALSO, AS WE ARE LOOKING
AT THESE HOURS AND KNOWING THAT
SUMMER IS COMING, HOW CAN WE
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
HANDLE THINGS WITH OUR
CONDITION OPEN. WE'VE ALSO
ASKED OURSELVES, CAN WE BE
NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO
BE ABLE TO, EVEN IF ONE IS NOT
OPEN DURING A HEAT EVENT, CAN
WE DO THAT? CAN WE SWITCH? AND
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST. WE
BELIEVE WE CAN PROBABLY IN THE
FUTURE, SHORT OF SOMETHING ELSE
THAT IS IMPACTING US. THERE'S
A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO IT
AND, AGAIN, AS CHAIR RIVERA
STATED, WITH SOME OF OUR
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH
SCHEDULING , IT DOES MAKE IT
CHALLENGING WHEN WE ARE LOOKING
AT WEEKENDS. WE DO HAVE A
WEEKEND ROTATION FOR STAFF SO
THAT STAFF MEMBERS TO GET A
WEEKEND, TRY TO HAVE A HUMANE
SCHEDULE FOR PEOPLE AND A
REALISTIC ONE FOR FOLKS.
>> CHAIR, I HAVE ONE MORE
QUESTION.
>> SURE. OF COURSE. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT TOOLS AND
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THE PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUES? I KNOW THAT HAS
BEEN A HUGE ISSUE FOR LIBRARY
WORKERS, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT
HOW YOU WORK WITH HUMAN
SERVICES, WITH LEAD, WITH AS
PD?
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE ARE VERY
FORTUNATE THAT ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I DID DURING THE
PANDEMIC IS, PARDON ME, WORK TO
RESTRUCTURE -- PARDON ME. AND
WE BROUGHT THAT IN-HOUSE. WE
ALSO ESTABLISHED A SOCIAL
SERVICES LIBRARIAN AND WE HAVE
A MANAGER WHO, WHILE A
LIBRARIAN, DID SOCIAL WORK IN
NEW YORK AT A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT LEVEL IN HIS
EARLIER YEARS AND WITH THE
SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM, BECAUSE
WE HAVE ONE OF OUR SOCIAL
WORKERS HAS A MASTERS, WE ARE
ALSO ABLE TO EMPLOY INTERNS
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON , AS WELL. SO THAT
ALL STARTS FLUSHING OUT AND
ACTUALLY CREATES A NETWORK
THAT, FROM ALL OF OUR BRANCHES,
WE CAN NOW PROVIDE GREATER
RESOURCES. THIS SOCIAL SERVICES
TEAM AND SOCIAL SERVICES
LIBRARIAN CREATE REFERENCE
GUIDES FOR EACH REGION AND
AROUND BRANCHES. SO THAT WHEN
FOLKS COME IN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE
A RESOURCE,. MANY OF OUR
BRANCHES REALLY COMES FROM
RESOURCE DEFICIENCY. SOMEONE
NEEDS HOUSING OVERNIGHT. THEY
NEED SOMETHING TO HELP WITH
DRUG RELATED ISSUES. THERE
COULD BE MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES. HEALTH CHALLENGES.
THIS IS REALLY HELPING. AND
THIS IS NOT DONE IN A VACUUM.
WE WORK WITH HST. OUR FOLKS
STAY IN TOUCH. WE WORK WITH
CHIEF SMITH. OUR TEAMS ARE
GETTING TOGETHER TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT OUR WORK AND HOW WE MIGHT
WORK TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.
AND IT CANNOT BE ONE THING
TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. WHEN
THE MAYOR TALKS ABOUT ONE
SEATTLE, YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE
IN THAT. I'VE BEEN HERE NINE
YEARS. IF WE ARE GOING TO
SOLVE SOME OF THESE THINGS, WE
AS A LIBRARY CAN'T SOLVE ALL
OF IT. WE ARE ONE DOORWAY AND
ONE PLACE THAT PEOPLE COME AND
SO IF WE CAN BRING OTHER
SERVICES IN, WE WORK WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DO THAT,
WE BRING THEM IN AND PROVIDE
THEM SPACE. SAME THING WITH
CITY DEPARTMENTS AS THEY TRY TO
SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES, AS
WELL. IT'S A MULTIFACETED
APPROACH TO WORKING THROUGH
THESE.
>> YEAH. I THINK YOU SAID
LIBRARIAN AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
I HAPPEN TO ATTEND A TOUR
YESTERDAY OF CRISIS CONNECTIONS
AND GOT TO SIT IN, LISTEN IN
AS PEOPLE WERE CALLING 211 OR
CALLING 988, SOME OF THE
HOTLINES THAT WE HAVE AND IT
WAS INTERESTING TO LISTEN AS
THEY HELPED A CALL OR NAVIGATE
THROUGH A REALLY COMPLICATED
STRUCTURE OF SERVICES.
SOMEBODY WAS CALLING IN WITH A
RENTAL PROBLEM. THEY WERE
$100. THEY COULDN'T PAY $100
OF THEIR RENT SO THIS PERSON
WALKS THEM THROUGH 15 OR 20
DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE THEY
MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO TO GET THAT
$100 AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN
IMAGINE A LIBRARIAN ON SORT OF
THE FRONT END TRYING TO
NAVIGATE THAT WITH SOMEBODY. I
DO THINK THAT TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE CONNECTED SERVICES
THAT EXIST TO SORT OF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE ENCOUNTERING THE
CHALLENGES IS GOING TO BE AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WORK.
>> AND IT IS THAT NETWORK. IT
TRULY IS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD
SOME REFUGEES THAT WERE SENT
UP FROM A SOUTHERN CITY, I
WON'T MENTION AT THE MOMENT,
BUT SENT TO THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
ON A SUNDAY AT 5:00 . TWO KIDS
, TWO ADULT PARENTS , AND SAID
THE LIBRARY WILL HELP. WE
CALLED EVERY NETWORK, BROUGHT
OTHER PEOPLE IN LINE, WE WERE
FORTUNATE OUR FOUNDATION
PROVIDES US SOME FUNDING FOR
RESOURCES. IT MIGHT BE
LITERALLY BLANKETS, SLEEPING
ROLLS, FOOD. WE WERE ABLE TO
SET SOMETHING UP WITH MARY'S
PLACE FOR THE MOM AND THE
CHILDREN AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE
ADULT FATHER HAD TO TAKE THE
SLEEPING ROLL. CITING THE ONE
THING, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD YOU
BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE IT TAKES
A TOLL ON STAFF. I WAS IN THOSE
PUBLIC -- MANY YEARS IN A CITY
THAT HAD JUST AS MANY PROBLEMS
AS THIS, AND MORE, AND IT TAKES
A TOLL ON YOU. MENTALLY,
PHYSICALLY, WHEN YOU CAN'T
SOLVE THAT PROBLEM FOR SOMEBODY
AND THAT IS FACING YOU AND YOU
KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY THE
SAME THING THE NEXT DAY, IT'S A
VERY HARD THING FOR OUR TEAMS.
>> TRUST ME, SOMEONE WHO IS
HERE FOR THE PANDEMIC, I
UNDERSTAND.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE ALICE, AND THANK YOU,
CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY. LIBRARIES
WERE NOT BUILT TO BE TO PROVIDE
HUMAN SERVICES FOR FOLKS. WE
ARE PUTTING OUR LIBRARIANS IN
THESE DIFFICULT POSITIONS BY
ASKING THEM TO DO THINGS THAT
THEY DID NOT GO TO SCHOOL TO
DO. SO I REALLY WANT TO
UNDERSCORE THAT , AS MUCH AS,
AND YOU ARE DOING A LOT AND I
APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE THESE
PUBLIC SAFETY TEAMS AND THE
PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THAT, SO
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. AT
THE SAME TIME, I KNOW THAT IT
IS CHALLENGING FOR THE
LIBRARIES BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO. SO
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
THAT WE ARE NOT TASKING YOU
WITH SOMETHING THAT THE
LIBRARIANS ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO
HANDLE.
>> WE ARE DEFINITELY THE
LARGEST REFERRAL SERVICE YOU
HAVE IN THE CITY. IF WE HAVE
SOMEWHERE TO REFER PEOPLE .
>> YOU WILL.
>> WILL HAVE THE GREATEST
SUCCESS.
>> YES, JUST RECOGNIZING THAT
WE ARE PUTTING A LOT ON YOUR
TEAM, THAT IS RECOGNIZED.
COUNCILMEMBER , I THOUGHT I SAW
IT UP AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE
I'M NOT MISSING YOU SO IF YOU
HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT
WILL. IF YOU WANT TO UNMUTE, WE
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>> OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE.
>> CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION. I
THINK I AM ON, NOT A PANELIST,
SO I'M SORRY.
>> NO WORRIES, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, AND I SHOULD
HAVE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU --
TOWARD THE BEGINNING PART OF
THIS COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT. GO
AHEAD.
>> PLEASE DO, BECAUSE IT WILL
SAY ABSENT SO THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S A QUESTION, JUST A
COMMENT, AND I'M GOING TO TRY
TO BE WORKING WITH MY
COLLEAGUES ON THIS. IT'S JUST
OUR YOUTH AND I KNOW THAT WE ,
I SAW 1% INCREASE FOR CHILDREN
0 TO 5, WHICH I THINK IS
PHENOMENAL . ONE OF MY AREAS OF
CONCERN ARE OUR TEENS, MIDDLE
SCHOOL KIDS NOT HAVING PLACES
TO GO AFTER SCHOOL. SAFE PLACES
TO GO AND OUR DISTRICT,
DISTRICT THREE, WE HAVE FOUR
LIBRARIES. ONE OF THEM CLOSE IS
GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AND
GARFIELD HAS ALL THESE
DIFFERENT, THE NEIGHBORHOODS
HAS 70 DIFFERENT PLACES. YOU
HAVE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL,
YOU HAVE ALL THESE DAY CARES.
YOU HAVE THESE LIKE SCHOOLS
THAT ARE ALL AROUND THERE AND I
KNOW A LOT OF KIDS MIGHT COME
TO THE LIBRARY OR THEY GO TO
THE COMMUNITY CENTER, DIFFERENT
PLACES AND JUST WANTED TO HEAR
YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF LIKE MAYBE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO BE
AWARE OF THE COUNCIL FOR LIKE
ACTIVITIES FOR LEG YOUTH AND
TEENS AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW
THAT YOU ALL DO PHENOMENAL JOB
OF THE HOMEWORK HELP HE IS,
WHICH I THINK IS GREAT, BUT
JUST DIFFERENT OTHER ACTIVITIES
THAT COULD REALLY ENGAGE OUR
YOUTH TO UTILIZE THE LIBRARY.
>> I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE, AS WE START
BUILDING TO THE NEXT LEVY,
IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE
FOUND A DEFICIENCY IN OUR OWN
OPERATION IN THAT HAVING THAT
PROGRAMMING, WHICH HAS TO BE A
DIFFERENT ENGAGEMENT CYCLE . AS
WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT OUTREACH
ENGAGEMENT, YOU ARE LOOKING AT
A RECRUIT AND RETAIN. EVEN FOR
LIBRARY PATRONS. IT'S THE SAME
BUSINESS MODEL AS EVERYONE
ELSE. IT'S SO MUCH DIFFERENT
WITH TEENS. TEENS ARE RECRUIT.
THEY GO OUT. THEY RECRUIT . A
NEW GROUP COMES IN. IT'S NOT
AS IF WE DON'T WANT TO RETAIN,
BUT THE REALITIES OF LIFE AND
THE TRANSITION FROM TEEN TO
YOUNG ADULT. WE WILL SEE THEM
BACK AGAIN WHEN THEY ARE
PARENTS. OR THEY ARE GOING TO
COLLEGE AND THEY FOUND AND
REDISCOVERED US AGAIN. SO WE
KNOW THERE IS GOING TO BE THAT
GAP AND IT DOES REQUIRE MORE
TYPES OF PROGRAMMING. IT
REQUIRES MORE PARTNERS. IT
REQUIRES SPACES IN THE CITY
THAT ARE REALLY DEVELOPED FOR
TEENS. THIS IS A CITY THAT
I'VE SEEN THAT DOES NOT
NECESSARILY HAVE AS MANY OF
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND I MEAN
THAT FOR TEENS WHEREVER THEY
ARE AT IN THE CITY. BUT
ESPECIALLY IF WE LOOK AT SOME
OF OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THERE'S JUST ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING. THE ONLY THING THERE
MIGHT BE A LIBRARY AND IF WE
ARE LUCKY, A COMMUNITY CENTER
OR A REC CENTER TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE AND I THINK THAT
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT. THAT'S WHY WE TAKE OUR
PARTNERSHIP SO SERIOUSLY AND IT
IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE
ALSO NEED TO DEVELOP IN THAT
NEXT LEVY. AND BY DOING THAT,
IT'S ALSO RECRUITING THE
RIGHT TYPE OF STAFF. MAYBE NEW
SKILL SETS, BUT ACTUALLY
RECRUITING FROM COMMUNITY
BECAUSE THAT'S THE OTHER
PIECE. PEOPLE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THEMSELVES, THEY HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES THEY MAY NOT
EXPLORE AND THERE HAS TO BE
TRUST, AND SOMETIMES THAT IS
COMING FROM COMMUNITY. SO THOSE
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE
REALLY WORKING ON THAT WE ARE
LAYING OUT IN OUR STRATEGIC
PLAN BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO
BE VERY CRITICAL AS WE MOVE
FORWARD IN THE NEXT LEVY. IS TO
ACTUALLY START FLESHING THAT
OUT. ONE OF MY REAL BIG AREAS
OF INTEREST IS THE FACT THAT WE
HAVE OVERSOLD COLLEGE EDUCATION
AND NOT ENOUGH IN TECHNICAL AND
VOCATIONAL. I DO BELIEVE THAT
THE LIBRARY, WITH SOME OF ITS
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHILE
OFTEN FOCUSED ON ADULT, CAN
ALSO MOVE INTO THAT REALM OF
YOUTH AND QUITE HONESTLY, THAT
STARTS A LOT YOUNGER THAN
PEOPLE THINK. NEEDS TO
STARTING MIDDLE SCHOOL. PEOPLE
NEED TO KNOW IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY. I WAS A RULE KID.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I
WOULD DO. THE ONLY THING I SAW
WAS WELDING. I GOT TO BE AN
APPRENTICE WELDER. THAT WAS MY
WAY OUT. AND SOMEBODY JUST
HAPPENED TO PICK ME UP AND SAY
HEY, HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
THAT IS THE KIND OF THING
LIBRARIES CAN DO. WE CAN
PRESENT THOSE KIND OF
OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE TO HAVE
GREAT PARTNERS. WE HAVE TO HAVE
SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO
POINT PEOPLE OTHER THAN US BUT
TO CHAIR RIVERA'S POINTS, WE
CAN TO BE THE SOLE PROVIDER.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
OUR CITY TALK ABOUT LIKE, KIDS
ARE HANGING OUT AT THE SAFEWAY
PARKING LOT OR THEY ARE HEADING
OUT AND IT'S LIKE WHERE ELSE
ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO? YOU
KNOW? OR SOMETIMES THEY FEEL
LONELY, THE ONLY SAFE PLACE TO
GO IS A STARBUCKS, THEY DON'T
HAVE THESE ACTIVITIES OR THINGS
TO DO AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE PARENTS.
WE HAVE TO ENGAGE THEM BETTER
AND FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND A
LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE
IN THE CITY. I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR WEBSITE BEING
ABLE TO NAVIGATE AND FOR PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ARE
AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
IT'S REALLY EASY AND
ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH. I DID SAY I HAD
A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN I
GOT TO COMMENTS AND NOT THE
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WANTED TO
GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BUT I'M
GOING TO GET BACK TO THE
QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE A SUMMER
PROGRAMMING FOR USE, SUMMER IS
COMING AND THIS I SHARE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH IS
CONCERNED FOR WHERE OUR KIDS
ARE GOING TO GO AND YOU'VE
HEARD ME SAY HERE BEFORE WHEN I
WAS GROWING UP THE LIBRARY WAS
THE PLACE THAT I WENT TO,
ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE
TO GO AND IT REALLY IS A PLACE
THAT CAN BE A PLACE WHERE KIDS,
YOU KNOW, GO, HAVE WERE
SOMEWHERE SAFE TO BE AND
DISCOVER A WHOLE WORLD AMONGST
ALL THE BOOKS. I STILL READ
BOOKS IN PRINT. BUT IT IS A
PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO AND DO
THAT AND SO I WONDER ABOUT YOUR
SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND WHETHER
THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED OR, YOU
KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT
OCCURS ACROSS THE CITY.
>> SO IT WILL OCCUR. WE HAVE
WHAT WE CALL OUR SUMMER OF
LEARNING, WHICH IS LEARNING AND
READING ALL MESSED UP TOGETHER.
REALLY HAS A STEM OR STEAM
BASIS TO IT AND ONE OF THE,
AGAIN, MULTIFACETED REASONS
POINTED OUT HERE A COUPLE OF
TIMES AROUND THE REDUCTION IN
HOURS IS TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT
I HAVE A LIBRARY AND AND OTHER
STAFF IN SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO
DO THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
TO SCHOOLS WITH TEACHERS AND TO
BE ABLE TO STILL HOST OUR
PROGRAMMING, BOTH IN THE
LIBRARY AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, AGAIN, SHRINKING TO THE
RIGHT SIZE TEMPORARILY SO ALL
THE SERVICES CAN BE OFFERED IS
REALLY KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF
THE SUMMER. BUT YES. IT WILL
GET OUT OUR SUMMER OF LEARNING
PROGRAM RAMPING UP AND IT WILL
CONCLUDE, PROBABLY JUST A
COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL
STARTS UP AGAIN AND THEN WE
SHIFT INTO SCHOOL SUPPORT FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
>> GREAT TO HEAR. THANK YOU,
CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY . AND THEN
I JUST WANTED TO GET BACK TO, I
HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
ONE IS, ARE YOU SEEN CHANGES
TO WHO IS COMING INTO THE
LIBRARY AND UTILIZING THE
LIBRARIES IN PERSON . SINCE
YOU'VE HAD MORE PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES AT THESE BRANCHES. THE
REASON I ASK, ALSO THINKING
ABOUT USES, PARENTS MIGHT HAVE
FEELINGS, BECAUSE THAT HAS
BEEN PUBLICIZED ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY OR ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE
EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE,
WHETHER IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON
FOLKS COMING TO UTILIZE THE
LIBRARY SERVICES AND THEN,
ALONG WITH THAT, ARE THERE SOME
BRANCHES THAT HAVE BEEN MORE
IMPACTED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES THAN OTHERS.
>> YES. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE A BRANCH IN SOME LOCATION
THAT WILL HAVE A HIGHER IMPACT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT FOLKS HAVING
CONCERNS. AT TIMES, I DO
BELIEVE THEY MIGHT IF THEY SAW
A PARTICULAR INTERACTION. ONE
THING THAT OUR STAFF IS GREAT
AT AND THAT WOULD BE OUR
SECURITY TEAM OR IT COULD BE
OUR FRONTLINE STAFF. WE PROVIDE
A LOT OF DE-ESCALATION
TRAINING. WE ALSO DO A LOT OF
DEBRIEFING AFTER INCIDENTS. WE
REALLY WORK TO HAVE PEOPLE BE
SUCCESSFUL AND YOU KNOW, WHEN
I LOOK AT IT, EVEN THOUGH WE
HAVE THESE ISSUES, MOST THE
TIME, WE CAN TURN INTO A
SITUATION IN WHICH THE PERSON
MAY HAVE TO LEAVE FOR THE DAY
AND COME BACK. PEOPLE HAVE BAD
DAYS. YOUR WET, YOU ARE COLD,
YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO START
THE DAY IN THE WRONG PLACE. BUT
YOU KNOW, I WATCH MY OFFICERS
AT CENTRAL EVERY MORNING,
GREETING EVERYONE. OFTEN BY
NAME. OUR STAFF, WHEN I TALK
ABOUT THE COFFEE CHAT AT
BALLARD AND AT CENTRAL, THE
REASON FOR THAT IS TO KNOW
PEOPLE, KNOW THEIR NAMES, AND
BRING ALL OF OUR HUMANITY AND
REMEMBER . THEY WANT THE SAME
THING WE ALL WANT. WE WANT
FOLKS AT TIMES, THOSE WITH
MENTAL HEALTH, WITH DRUG
ADDICTION ISSUES AND HOUSE
THOSE INDIVIDUALS. BUT THEY
ALL WANT WHAT WE WANT. AND WE
NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IN OUR
STAFF DOES IT EVERY DAY. THEY
ARE THE MOST COMPASSIONATE AND
EMPATHETIC PEOPLE AND REALLY,
THAT IS WHAT WE TRY TO BRING TO
THE TABLE AND MOST THE TIME,
THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM. BUT WE
DO KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY,
THERE'S GOING TO BE THOSE
OCCASIONS WERE IT WON'T AND
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE
MADE US RETHINK OUR STAFFING
OBLIGATIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO COVER THOSE
SITUATIONS.
>> YOU ARE NOT NECESSARILY
SEEING A DECLINE IN RESIDENCE
UTILIZING THE LIBRARY SERVICES
BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUES.
>> OVERALL, AS POINTED OUT IN
THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE SEEING
INCREASES IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY
CATEGORY AND ACTUALLY PRETTY
HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE
PROGRAMMING NUMBERS HAVE ALSO
COME UP AS FAR AS ATTENDANCE
AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I THINK
BACK TO PROBABLY BEFORE MARCH
OF LAST YEAR, WE HELD AN EVENT
AT CENTRAL AND WE HAD ABOUT 25
PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE . TWO
MONTHS LATER AND I DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT WAS. IT WAS THE SUMMER
MONTHS BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THERE WAS A FULL HOUSE AND
IT'S REMAINED THE SAME AS
WE'VE HAD THESE PROGRAMS AND
THAT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE
ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN
AREA. AS WE KNOW, IT'S TAKEN
SOME TIME FOR THINGS TO GET
BACK BUT YES. IS MORE
MOVEMENT, THERE'S MORE
ACTIVITY. AS YOU CAN SEE,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEENS ARE
TRYING TO REACTIVATE SPACES.
ALL OF THAT HELPS.
>> GREAT TO HEAR IT. THANK YOU,
CHIEF LIBRARIAN. AND THANK YOU
TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT THEY
DO. THE LIBRARIES ARE DOING SO
MUCH WITH SO LITTLE AND REALLY,
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
THE WORK OF YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
YOU ARE A GREAT RESOURCE TO THE
COMMUNITY AND I'M SO GLAD TO
HEAR THAT IT'S BEING UTILIZED
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE
WILL HAVE YOU BACK FOR MORE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MORE
THINGS HAPPENING AT THE
LIBRARY, PERHAPS EVEN RELATED
TO E-BOOKS . IT'S VERY MUCH A
HOT TOPIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
NOT JUST IN THE STATE. SO
SUPER APPRECIATE THAT. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TODAY. COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ? THEN ,
THANK YOU, CHIEF LIBRARIAN FAY.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. ALL
RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS, THIS CONCLUDES THE
APRIL 25th, 2024 MEETING OF THE
LIBRARIES, EDUCATION, AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE. OUR
NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, MAY
9th, 24, AT 9:30 A.M. IF
THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
THIS MEETING WILL BE ADJOURNED.
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS,
IT IS 10:50 A.M., AND THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK
YOU, COLLEAGUES.