>>> ALL RIGHT.
GOOD
MORNING, EVERYONE. THE MARCH 11,
2026 MEETING
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
THE LIBRARY LEVY WILL COME TO
ORDER.
IT'S 9:32 A.M.
I'M MARITZA RIVERA, CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>>
JUAREZ.
>> HERE.
>> KETTLE.
LIN.
>> HERE.
>>
RINCK.
>>
PRESENT.
>> SAKA.
>>
HERE.
>>
STRAUSS.
>>
HERE.
>> FOSTER.
VICE CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>>
PRESENT.
>> CHAIR RIVERA.
>> PRESENT.
>> THERE ARE SEVEN COUNCILMEMBER
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
TODAY WE'LL BE HEARING AN
OVERVIEW OF THE 2019
LIBRARY LEVY FROM THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY TEAM.
IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE
THREE IN- PERSON SPEAKERS AND NO
REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU.
GIVEN THAT EACH WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES, CLERK, WILL YOU
PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS?
>> 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 WHICH THEY ARE
REGISTERED.
WE WILL START WITH
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST, THEN
REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS IS LEFT OF
THEIR
TIME.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MATT
HILLMAN.
>> MY NAME IS MATT HILLMAN.
I SERVE AS THE BOARD
PRESIDENT FOR THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY
FOUNDATION.
THE FOUNDATION IS PROUD TO
BE THE LIBRARY'S NONPROFIT
PARTNER.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR
SPACES, COLLECTION AND
PROGRAMMING.
THE FOUNDATION HELPS FUND
MORE THAN 50 INITIATIVES THAT
PRODUCE THOUSANDS OF FREE
PROGRAMS AND
EVENTS. THIS PROGRAMMING IS
BOOSTED BY
LEVY SUPPORT THAT KEEPS
OUR LIBRARIES OPEN, COMFORTABLE
AND
STAFFED BY OUTSTANDING
PROFESSIONALS. YET WE KNOW OUR
PUBLIC
WANTS MORE OF WHAT THEY LOVE,
MORE
ACCESS TO BOOKS, MORE CLASSES TO
LEARN NEW SKILLS AND
MORE PROGRAMS FOR KIDS AND
ADULTS TO
ENJOY.
THE 2019 LEVY MADE A BIG
IMPACT, AND NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE
FOR
THE 2026 LEVY TO MAKE A STRONG
STATEMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH
SEATTLE VALUES ITS LIBRARIES.
I LOVE THE TAG LINE FOR THE 2026
LEVY PROPOSED BY THE MAYOR
YESTERDAY.
READ, GROW, BELONG.
THAT SUMS UP THE LIBRARY'S
STRATEGIC VISION FOR EVERYONE
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS COMING MONTH, YOU HAVE A
GREAT RESPONSIBILITY TO
ENSURE OUR LIBRARIES' FUTURE,
TO WELCOME MORE PEOPLE IN TO
READ, GROW
AND FEEL A DEEP SENSE OF
BELONGING.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR
CITY AND OUR LIBRARY.
>> THANK YOU, MATT.
NEXT, WE HAVE
ANGEL SOULS AND
THEN ROSS BAKER. GOOD MORNING,
ANGEL.
>> GOOD MORNING.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ANGEL SOLIS.
I'M THE BOARD
OF THE FRIENDS OF SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY WHERE
I RECENTLY SERVE AS PRESIDENT.
OUR MISSION IS TO ELEVATE THE
LIBRARY AND --
>> PAUSE.
ANGEL, SORRY, WOULD YOU
MIND STEPPING UP?
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU AND WE SO
WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO
SAY.
THANK YOU.
YOU CAN START
AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO MY NAME IS ANGEL SOLIS
I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS
OF
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY,
WHERE
I RECENTLY SERVED AS PRESIDENT.
OUR MISSION IS TO ELEVATE THE
LIBRARY AND INSPIRE LOVE OF
READING READ
ING.
SEATTLE IS A UNIQUELY GREAT
PLACE TO BE A READER.
WE ARE WE HAVE A TRULY WORLD
CLASS
LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WORKS HARD TO MEET THE
INSATIABLE
APPETITE FOR READING.
24 BOOKS ARE CHECKED OUT EVERY
MINUTE, MORE THAN 13 MILLION A
YEAR, PHYSICAL BOOKS, E-
BOOKS, AUDIO BOOKS.
CHECKOUTS HAVE SURGED IN
THE SEVEN YEARS SINCE THE
LIBRARY
LEVY WAS RENEWED.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THE USE
OF OUR WONDERFUL LIBRARY
COLLECTION
GROWING AT THIS RATE.
WE ALSO KNOW HOW MUCH STRAIN
IT PUTS ON THE LIBRARY BUDGET.
THE LEVY IS SO ESSENTIAL
TO THESE COLLECTIONS.
OF COURSE, IT FULLY SUPPORTS
OUR PEAK BOOKS PROGRAM,
WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL ENJOY.
IT PROVIDES SO MANY BOOKS AT THE
LIBRARY IN DIFFERENT GENRES,
AGE RANGES AND LANGUAGES.
IT HELPS FURNISH THE
DEEP DIVERSE COLLECTION WE ALL
ENJOY.
I'M EXCITED THAT THE 2026
VY WOULD ADD TO THESE
ESSENTIAL READING RESOURCES.
I HOPE YOU TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO ADD EVEN MORE
BOOKS TO THE
LIBRARY.
OUR CITY'S DEMAND FOR BOOKS
IS ONGOING AND IS GROWING AS IT
SHOULD.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP OUR
LIBRARY KEEP UP AND MEET OUR
NEED TO READ AND LEARN AND GROW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, ANGEL.
ROSS BAKER.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ROSS BAKER AND I
SERVE ON THE EMERITUS BOARD FOR
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOUNDATION.
I'M A SEATTLE NATIVE, A
SIX- DECADE USER OF THE
LIBRARY AND A PROUD RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT
4.
OUR CITY HAS AN EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US AS
THE LIBRARY SUCCESSFULLY
CONCLUDES THE 2019 LEVY AND WE
LOOK TO
THE 2026 LEVY.
BALLOT MEASURES OFFER A
RARE CHANCE TO MAKE DEEP
INVESTMENTS IN THE PROJECTS OUR
PUBLIC SYSTEMS REQUIRE,
ESPECIALLY
FOR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER
THE LIBRARIES FOR ALL CAMPAIGN
IN
THE '90s AND EARLY 2000s.
SOME OF YOU ARE TOO YOUNG.
THAT TRANSFORMATIVE EFFORT
RESULTED IN THE BUILDING OF
THE WORLD FAMOUS CENTRAL LIBRARY
AND THE RENOVATING OF BEAUTIFUL
NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES.
THAT WAS MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO.
THE NEWEST LIBRARIES IN
OUR SYSTEMS ARE TURNING 20 YEARS
OLD
THIS YEAR.
THE CITY AND OUR LIBRARY
HAVE MADE
MORE IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS
DURING THE LAST 20 YEARS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE MOST RECENT
LEVY, THAT INCLUDES THE
EXPANSION OF THE LAKE CITY
BRANCH, THE CLIMATE CONTROLS AT
NORTHEAST, SOUTHWEST AND ELSE
WHERE.
THE CURRENT E LEVY'S
SEISMIC RETROFIT OF THE GREEN
LAKE
BRANCH AND THE UNIVERSITY
BRANCH.
THE WEAR AND TEAR IS STARTING
TO SHOW ACROSS THE LIBRARY
SYSTEM.
THE LIBRARY'S LONG LIST OF
NECESSARY MAINTENANCE NEEDS
AND FACILITY UPGRADES KEEP
THE BUILDING SAFE AND
WELCOMING. WE HAVE MORE HISTORIC
BRANCHES IN NEED OF HISTORIC
PRESERVATION. I HOPE YOU CAN
SEIZE THE
OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY THIS
YEAR'S LEVY TO ADDRESS SOME
OF THOSE CAPITAL NEEDS.
THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF
PATRONS WILL BENEFIT FROM
INVESTMENTS
WE MAKE TODAY.
LET'S KEEP OUR LIBRARIES, OPEN,
INVITING, USABLE,
WELL MAINTAINED AND THE
WONDERFUL EDIFICES OUR CITY'S
PATRONS AND
RESIDENTS DESERVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, ROSS.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS?
>> CHAIR, THAT WAS THE
LAST REGISTERED SPEAKER.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
CLOSED.
WE'LL PROVIDE TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
CLERK, CALL ITEM ONE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, OVER VIEW
OF THE 2019 LIBRARY LEVY
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
COLLEAGUES, ALL RIGHT,
WELCOME TO THE FIRST SELECT
COMMITTEE
ON THE LIBRARY LEVY.
IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE'RE
GOING
TO BE REVIEWING THE MAYOR'S
PROPOSED 2026 LIBRARY LEVY
RENEWAL LEGISLATION
TRANSMITTED YESTERDAY MARCH
10th.
TODAY WE'RE LOOKING BACK AT
THE 2019 LEVY INVESTMENTS.
BEFORE WE START THAT LOOK BACK,
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S
TEAM ESPECIALLY DEPUTY MAYOR
AND CENTRAL BUDGET OFFICE
DIRECTOR.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK CHIEF
LIBRARIAN TOM FAY, THE
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
INCLUDING THE
PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, RON
CHU, FAITH PETTIS AND THE
WHOLE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
TEAM FOR
THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS
PROPOSAL.
I WANT TO ALSO, COLLEAGUES,
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME
TO MEET WITH ME AND TELL ME
YOUR PRIORITIES AS
PART OF THIS PROCESS.
I SHARED OUR
COLLECTIVE INTERESTS IN MY
CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS THIS
PROPOSAL IS TAKING SHAPE AS
THE 2026 PROPOSAL IS TAKING
SHAPE.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE
WORK TOGETHER, THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, COUNCIL, THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, THE BOARDS THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY
DEPARTMENTS, THAT WE HAVE
BETTER OUTCOMES FOR ALL
OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS CITY.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO
RECOGNIZE MY AMAZING TEAM.
I CANNOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT
THEM. NICK DUDA ON THE POLICY
SIDE,
JACOB EVANGER WHO KEEPS ME ON
TRACK AND WENDY SYKES MY CHIEF
OF STAFF.
WE OFTEN LEAVE OUR STAFF UNTIL
THE END BUT THESE ARE THE
FOLKS THAT ARE OFTEN
UNNAMED AND DO ALL THE HARD
WORK.
CHIEF FAY, YOUR STAFF AT THE
LIBRARIES AND THE GREAT
WORK THEY DO.
TEAM, I KNOW SOME OF US
HAVE HARD STOPS TODAY.
SO I'M GOING TO SAY CHIEF TOM
FAY AND HIS TEAM ARE HERE
WITH US TODAY TO PRESENT AN
OVERVIEW OF THE 2019 LEVY
INVESTMENTS.
THIS IS REALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO SHOW
OUR WORK.
THIS IS HOW WE CAN LET THE
TAXPAYERS WHO SO GENEROUSLY
SUPPORTED THE LIBRARIES
THROUGH THE PROPERTY LEVY KNOW
HOW
THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING
SPENT.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS
A CONDENSED VERSION OF THE
2/20/19 OVER VIEW PRESENTATIONS
WE
HEARD THE LIBRARIES GIVE AT THE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THE PAST
TWO COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS RELATED
TO THE NEW LEVY FOR OUR
NEXT MEETING ON MARCH 25th WHEN
THE EXECUTIVE AND CHIEF FAY AND
HIS TEAM WILL BE BACK TO PRESENT
ON
THE NEW LEVY.
THIS MEETING TODAY IS TO
REALLY GROUND US ON THE 2019
LEVY INVESTMENTS AS THEN WE
START TAKING UP THE WORK OF THE
NEW
LEVY. THE 2019 LEVY INVESTMENTS
WERE
CATEGORIZED IN SIX
BUCKETS, HOURS AND ACCESS, BOOKS
AND
MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY AND
ONLINE SERVICES, HELPING
CHILDREN, BUILDING MAINTENANCE
AND ADMINISTRATION AND CENTRAL
COSTS.
COLLEAGUES, LET'S MOVE ONTO
TODAY'S AGENDA AND LEARN
MORE ABOUT THESE LEVY FUNDED
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS.
AND I WILL SAY, COLLEAGUES,
THIS WILL NOT BE NEW TO ANYONE
WHO SITS ON THE COMMITTEE
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS
OVERVIEW.
THIS IS A CONDENSED VERSION.
IF YOU WANT THE LONGER
VERSION, I WILL REFER YOU TO
THE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE ON
OUR
WEBSITE FOR THE COMMITTEE.
TODAY WE'LL GET THE QUICK
OVERVIEW AND WE REALLY
WILL FOCUS ON THE 2019 LEVY
INVESTMENTS.
CHIEF FAY AND YOUR TEAM
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR
THE
RECORD.
THEN YOU CAN GET
STARTED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR RIVERA.
I'M TOM FAY, THE CHIEF
LIBRARIAN FOR THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY.
>> RICK
SHERIDAN.
>> KAY TANG DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY
EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT FOR
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY.
>> ROB GANNON, THE DIRECTOR
OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
>> I WANT TO SAY COUNCIL
FOSTER HAS JOINED US AS WELL.
GO AHEAD, CHIEF FAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR
INFORMATION ON THE 2019 LEVY AND
TO START US
OFF THIS MORNING, ROB
GANNON WILL
PROVIDE A LIBRARY BUDGET
OVERVIEW.
>> GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WE'LL START WITH A GENERAL
OVERVIEW OF THE LIBRARY'S
BUDGET.
ASSUMING THIS
LIBRARY PRESENTATION IS VISIBLE.
THERE WE GO.
EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU.
AGAIN, TO BEGIN WE'LL
START WITH A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
THE
LIBRARY'S BUDGET.
THE CHART ON THIS SLIDE DEPICTS
THE COUNCIL APPROVED BUDGET FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2026.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE $102.
5 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET AND A
$2.6 MILLION CAPITAL BUDGET.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING IS
PROVIDED BY THE CITY'S GENERAL
FUND, ABOUT 58%.
THE CURRENT LEVY CONTRIBUTES
ABOUT ONE- THIRD TO OUR OVERALL
BUDGET. A SMALL PORTION OF OUR
BUDGET COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES
INCLUDING CITY
GENERATED REAL ESTATE EXCISE TAX
FUNDS,
FUNDS FROM THE GENEROUS SUPPORT
OF
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
LIBRARY FOUNDATION AND ALSO SOME
LIBRARY GIFT FUNDS.
WE GENERATE A SMALL AMOUNT
OF REVENUE FROM THINGS
LIKE COLLECTING PARKING FEES
AT OUR CENTRAL LIBRARY, PRINTING
COSTS AT ALL OF OUR BRANCHES AND
RECOVERY OF LOST ITEMS, THE
FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE LOST
ITEMS. THE BULK OF OUR BUDGET
GOES TO
OPERATIONS.
IT PROVIDES FOR STAFF,
WHICH IN TURN PROVIDES ALL THE
OPEN HOURS
FOR OUR SYSTEM.
IT ALLOWS US TO ACQUIRE
BOOKS AND MATERIALS, AND IT
ALLOWS US
TO MAINTAIN OUR BUILDINGS.
THE LIBRARY HAS A
SMALL CAPITAL BUDGET FOR
MAJOR PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT
ACQUISITION.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
>> SORRY, COLLEAGUES.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LITTLE BIT
OF A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY WITH
THE SLIDE DECK.
>> THAT'S OKAY, MADAM CHAIR.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW ME, OLD
SCHOOL, YEAH.
PAPER.
>> YOU HAVE YOUR PAPER.
I DO TOO.
>> I DO TOO.
GOT PAGE
NUMBERS. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> I'LL JUST -- YEAH.
>> I WILL JUST SAY I WAS
MOCKED EARLIER BY ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES
FOR PRINTING MY PRESENTATION ON
PAPER THIS MORNING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> NOT BE MOCKED!
>> WE'RE ALL GETTING MOCKED
THEN, ROB.
GO
AHEAD.
>> LOOKING BACK OVER THE
PERIOD OF THE CURRENT LEVY, IN
THIS
SLIDE YOU SEE BOTH THE GROWTH OF
LIBRARY'S BUDGET OVER THAT
SEVEN- YEAR PERIOD AS WELL AS
A BREAKDOWN BY MAJOR FUND OF HOW
THE LIBRARY BUDGET IS COMPRISED.
YOU'LL SEE A GENERAL TREND
OF GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR WITH
MINOR
FLUCTUATIONS IN SOME OF THOSE
YEARS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PORTION
OF THE FOUNDATION FUNDING THAT
THIN GREEN SLICE AT THE TOP HAS
GROWN OVER THE PERIOD, AS HAS
THE GENERAL FUND IN TERMS OF
AMOUNT.
THERE'S ALSO A NOTABLE
GROWTH IN THE SIZE OF THE LEVY
PORTION.
MUCH OF THIS GROWTH IS IS
BUILT INTO THE LEVY TO ACCOUNT
FOR
INFLATION AND INCREASED
COSTS, WHICH INCLUDES SALARIES
ACROSS ALL LIBRARY OPERATIONS.
BUT SOME OF IT IS
ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO SHIFTS FROM
THE GENERAL FUND ONTO THE LEVY.
THANK YOU, RICK.
THIS NEXT SLIDE DEPICTS THE
SAME TIME SERIES, THOSE SAME
SEVEN YEARS OF THE CURRENT LEVY,
BUT THE FUNDING HERE IS DEPICTED
BY PERCENTAGE RATHER THAN DOLLAR
AMOUNTS.
YOU SEE THE FOUNDATION FUNDING
HAS AGAIN REMAINED RELATIVELY
CONSTANT OVER
THE PERIOD. AND THE PORTION OF
FUNDS
PROVIDED BY THE GENERAL FUND HAS
DECLINED, AND THE LEVY PICKS
UP A NOTABLE
PORTION OF THAT SHARE YEAR OVER
YEAR.
AS CHAIR RIFF VERA MENTIONED IN
HER OPENING REMARKS, THE LEVY
IS CATEGORIZED BY DIFFERENT
TYPES
OF PROJECTED SPENDING, AND
THIS CHART SHOWS HOW THOSE
BREAKDOWNS
OCCUR YEAR OVER YEAR.
BOTH THE 2012 AND 2019
EVIES MADE USE TO SHOWSHOW
-- [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
THE RELATIVE WEIGHT OF EACH
CATEGORY.
AS YOU CAN SEE ADMIN AND CENTRAL
COSTS, THE TINIEST STRIP OF
YELLOW AND HELPING CHILDREN,
ALSO A SMALL STRIP IN THE
LATER YEARS IN LIGHT BLUE, MAKES
UP
A SMALL PORTION OF THE LEVY.
HOURS AND ACCESS MAKES UP
THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR LEVY
BUDGET.
WE'LL ALSO DESCRIBE HOW
BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
ARE USED AND HOW THOSE FUNDS
SUPPORT LIBRARY OPERATIONS
OVERALL.
THE ORANGE SECTION PROVIDES
THE IMPORTANT SLICE OF HOW WE
DEVOTE OUR RESOURCES TO BOOKS
AND
MATERIALS.
SO WE'LL COVER EACH OF
THESE CATEGORIES IN OUR
PRESENTATION THIS MORNING, BUT
WE'LL
START OUR DETAILED PRESENTATION
OF LEVY CATEGORIES AND I'LL
TURN
IT BACK TO
TOM.
>> THANKS, ROB.
WE WILL BE STARTING OUR FIRST
ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE COLLECTION
AREA.
AS WE TALK ABOUT
COLLECTIONS, COLLECTIONS ARE
PHYSICAL
AND DIGITAL BOOKS, HISTORY
ITEMS SUCH AS HISTORIC PHOTOS,
MAPS, POSTCARDS AND OTHER I
FEMORA.
THEN WE HAVE UNIQUE
COLLECTIONS LIKE OUR AFRICAN-
AMERICAN
COLLECTION AT DOUGLAS TRUTH.
WE HAVE OUR LGBTQ+ COLLECTION
AT CAPITOL HILL.
AVIATION AND ZEEN COLLECTIONS AT
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND MORE.
WE ALSO COLLECT CDs AND DVDs.
WE HAVE PHYSICAL AND
DIGITAL MAGAZINES AND
NEWSPAPERS INCLUDING FREE ACCESS
TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES,"
THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL"
AND "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND OF
COURSE OUR SEATTLE TIMES AS
WELL.
STREAMING MUSIC, MOVIES AND TV
SHOWS THROUGH HOOPLA AND
CANOPY ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.
AND TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
COLLECTION, WE HAVE HAD, AS
NOTED HERE, WE ARE THE TENTH
LARGEST CIRCULATING E-
COLLECTION IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE A VORACIOUS READER
BASE IN SEATTLE AND THEY ENJOY
THEIR ACCESS TO THESE MATERIALS.
AND IT HAS ALSO BEEN A GOOD
INDICATION OF THE SHIFT TOWARDS
E-BOOKS AND E AUDIO BOOKS
ESPECIALLY DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND POST PANDEMIC.
DURING THE PERIOD OF THIS LEVY
WE'VE GROWN OUR COLLECTIONS
FROM
2. 4 MILLION TO 2. 9 MILLION.
AROUND 2 MILLION PHYSICAL
ITEMS, 1 MILLION DIGITAL ITEMS.
COLLECTIONS ALSO INCLUDE OUR
PEAK PICKS AND SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS WHICH WE'LL TALK
MORE ABOUT IN UPCOMING SLIDES.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED
OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS.
WE'VE PURCHASED THESE
WORLD LANGUAGE MATERIALS IN
SPANISH,
UKRAINIAN COLLECTION,
PORTUGUESE
COLLECTION. WE JUST RECENTLY
ADDED ED
DARA TO ENGLISH AND PASHTO TO
ENGLISH.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR E-
MAILS -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
OF COURSE WE'VE ALSO ADDED
OUR NEW MOBILE APP WHICH ALSO
HAD MATERIAL OR
INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN OTHER
LANGUAGES.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR ACCESS
TO LOCAL HISTORY.
WE CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE
NEW MATERIALS INCLUDING THE
VAST PAUL DOR PAT COLLECTION,
FAMOUS FOR SEATTLE NOW AND THEN.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON MANY
OTHERS. THESE DIGITAL ITEMS NOW
CONTAIN
33,000 WITHIN OUR COLLECTION.
HERE WE'LL SHOW THE SPENDING BY
FUNDING SOURCE FROM 2020 THROUGH
2026.
I'LL TURN THE NEXT SECTION BACK
TO ROB.
>> THE NEXT CATEGORY WE'LL
LOOK AT IS BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
SO AS WE LOOK AT THIS
CATEGORY HERE AGAIN A BROAD
OVERVIEW.
IN STRAIGHTFORWARD TERMS, THE
LIBRARY USES THESE RESOURCES TO
ADDRESS NEEDS IN THREE BROAD
AREAS.
WE DO MAJOR MAINTENANCE, WHICH
IS SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT
ALTER OR UPGRADE OUR
BUILDINGS AND THEIR INTERNAL
SYSTEMS.
WE DO ROUTINE AND SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS THE EVERYDAY WORK
OF MAINTAINING OUR BUILDINGS
SO THAT THEY'RE SUITABLE FOR
USE.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE DO
REPAIRS.
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT EMERGE AND
REQUIRE PROMPT ATTENTION.
THE LEVY PROVIDES FUNDING AND
MUCH- NEEDED SUPPORT IN EACH
OF THESE AREAS AS WE WORK TO
KEEP
OUR 26 BRANCHES, THE
CENTRAL LIBRARY AND MAINTENANCE
AND
OPERATIONS CENTER IN THE
BEST POSSIBLE CONDITION READY
FOR LIBRARY SERVICE, KEEPING IT
SAFE, READY, ACCOMMODATING
TO OUR STAFF, TO OUR PATRONS AND
ALL THE PUBLIC.
OUR BUILDING PORTFOLIO AS WE
HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT RUNS TO
COVER THE NEEDS OF
BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOW 20 YEARS
OLD
AND GROWING TO A HANDFUL THAT
ARE MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER
OF NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER
THE
SIX- PLUS YEAR PERIOD OF OUR
LEVY.
THIS INCLUDES TWO MAJOR SEISMIC
RETROFIT AND REMODELS.
THE FIRST AT OUR GREEN
LAKE BRANCH COMPLETED IN 2025,
AND IN THE ONGOING WORK AT OUR
UNIVERSITY BRANCH, WHICH WE ARE
CONFIDENT IS GOING TO OPEN LATER
THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
SOME TIME IN THE LATE
SUMMER/EARLY
FALL.
WE'VE ALSO DONE A NUMBER OF
ADA IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING
ACCESS TO
NUMBER OF RESTROOMS,
ENTRANCES AND ELEVATORS AND
ESCALATORS.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR
ABILITY TO BE A CLIMATE
RESILIENT
ORGANIZATION.
OUR GREEN LAKE BRANCH
WAS RECENTLY CERTIFIED AS LEAD
GOLD
CERTIFIED.
WE'VE DONE
ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS TO
TRANSITION
FROM FOSSIL FUELS AND OLD
HEATING AND
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.
AND WE HAVE NOW PROUDLY
MAINTAINED OUR
INSTALLED AIR- CONDITIONING AT
22
LOCATIONS.
WE DO ALL SORTS OF EVERYDAY
BUILDING MAINTENANCE,
INCLUDING MAJOR REPAIRS AND
RENOVATIONS.
MOST RECENTLY WE COMPLETED THE
GREENWOOD REROOFING PROJECT.
THIS IS A SYMBOL OF OUR AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THINGS
AS COMMON AS ROOF REPAIR AND
REPLACEMENT IS NECESSARY ACROSS
ALL OF OUR BRANCHES.
I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS
JUST AN OVER VIEW OF THE FUNDS
WE USE FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE
ACROSS EACH FUND TYPE,
GENERAL, LEVY AND PRIVATE FUNDS.
THERE'S GOOD HEALTHY SUPPORT
GENERAL FUND BUT THE
LEVY PROVIDES AN
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PORTION
OF OUR
OVERALL MAINTENANCE SPEND.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
RICK, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT OUR
NEXT CATEGORY.
>> SO THE NEXT LEVY
CATEGORY WE'LL EXAM IS THAT OF
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES.
THE LIBRARY LEVY IS AN IMPORTANT
FUNDING SOURCE FOR
TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE SERVICES
EFFORTS.
IT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE
THE PUBLIC AND STAFF THE
TECHNOLOGY
THEY NEED SUCH AS COMPUTERS,
PRINTERS, LAPTOPS, SELF-CHECKOUT
STATIONS AND CATALOG
STATIONS ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
IT SUPPORTS CRITICAL ACCESS TO
THE INTERNET, BOTH WIRED AND
WIRELESS AND OUR HOT SPOT
LENDING PROGRAM.
IT KEEPS OUR SYSTEM
SAFE WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN THIS
WORLD
OF GROWING CYBER THREATS.
IT OFFERS NEEDED RESOURCES FOR
OUR CAPITAL I.T. EFFORTS
WHICH INCLUDES THE
INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT UNDERPINS THE LIBRARY'S
WORK.
TURNING TO HIGHLIGHTS OF
THE ITEMS DELIVERED
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE
SERVICES, THANKS TO LEVY
RESOURCES
THE LIBRARY HAS INCREASED ACCESS
TO TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL TOOLS
FOR THE PUBLIC, COMPUTERS, WIFI
ACCESS, PRINTING AND COPYING
ARE SCANNING ARE AVAILABLE AT
ALL
LOCATIONS FOR PATRONS TO USE.
WIFI HOT SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE
FOR CHECKOUT BY THE PUBLIC AS
WELL.
ALL OF THESE OFFERINGS ARE
IMPORTANT IN A WORLD THAT'S
INCREASINGLY DIGITAL AND WHERE A
LACK OF ACCESS CUTS
OFF RESIDENTS FROM
PARTICIPATING IN THE LARGER
WORLD.
WE'VE RELEASED A NEW MOBILE
APP PATRONS CAN USE TO BROWSE
OUR
CATALOG, CHECK OUT DIGITAL
AND PHYSICAL BOOKS AND EXPLORE
RESOURCES.
THIS HAS BEEN DOWNLOADED OVER
25,000 TIMES.
THE LEVY HAS FUNDED
IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR TECHNOLOGY,
OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR SECURITY.
PRIOR TO OUR 2024
RANSOMWARE ATTACK WE HAD BEGUN
INVESTING
IN THIS AREA.
WE HIRED A CYBERSECURITY
ANALYST TO GROW AND MATURE
OUR PROGRAM AND HAVE DEPLOYED
ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO PROTECT THE
SYSTEM.
SPL HAS INSTALLED NEW
NETWORK SWITCHES SYSTEM WIDE TO
IMPROVE STABILITY AND
PERFORMANCE OF
OUR NETWORK AND WE'RE PREPARING
TO LAUNCH A NEW INTEGRATED
LIBRARY SYSTEM LATER THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE
TECHNOLOGICAL BACKBONE OF ALL
LIBRARY OPERATIONS AND A NEW
SYSTEM
WILL PROVIDE A BETTER
LENDING EXPERIENCE FOR PATRONS
AND
STAFF.
AND OUR LAST SLIDE IN THIS
AREA IS ONE THAT SHOWS LEVY
FUNDING COMPARED TO GENERAL FUND
AND
OTHER PRIVATE FUNDS
DEVOTED TO TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE
SERVICES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, RICK.
THE NEXT CATEGORY IS OPEN
HOURS AND ACCESS.
LIBRARY STAFFING IS WHAT
ALLOWS US TO KEEP OUR LIBRARIES
OPEN AND PROVIDE ALL OF THESE
SERVICES.
THE LEVY FUNDS 25% OF
ALL LIBRARY POSITIONS.
BY PROVIDING LIBRARY OPEN HOURS
WE PROVIDE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO
27 SAFE AND WELCOMING PUBLIC --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
OVER 1. 8 MILLION PHYSICAL
BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS,
INFORMATION SERVICES STAFF WHO
ANSWER
MANY THOUSANDS OF QUESTIONS EACH
YEAR
THROUGH OUR ASK US SERVICE
WE ANSWERED OVER 37,000
QUESTIONS IN 2025, INCLUDING
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOURS, SERVICES,
RESEARCH
REQUESTS,
PROGRAM INFORMATION AND MUCH
MORE.
WE HAVE FREE PUBLIC
MEETING ROOMS AT 22 LOCATIONS,
FREE
PRIVATE STUDY ROOMS AT 17
LOCATIONS, THOUSANDS OF FREE
PROGRAMS EACH YEAR AND ACCESS
TO FREE WIFI, COMPUTERS, DEVICE
CHARGING, ASSISTED TECH AND
MUCH MORE.
FINALLY, OUR BUILDINGS ACT
AS CRITICAL COOLING, WARMING
AND CLEAN AIR CENTERS FOR
THE COMMUNITY DURING ADVERSE
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
OPEN HOURS AT CENTRAL
ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS TO TWO
MUSIC PRACTICE ROOMS, RENTABLE
MEETING ROOMS FOR PRIVATE
EVENTS,
A LEVEL EIGHT ART
GALLERY, COURTESY PHONES AND AND
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
LAB CALLED OUR LEAP LAB.
AS WE LOOK AT LIBRARY HOURS WE
CURRENTLY OFFER 1398
SYSTEMWIDE HOURS PER WEEK, A
MODEST
INCREASE OVER 2019 HOURS OF 1377
PER WEEK.
THAT MEANS AROUND EIGHT TO
TEN HOURS OF SERVICE AT OUR
LOCATIONS.
14 LOCATIONS ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS
A WEEK, 12 ARE OPEN SIX DAYS A
WEEK.
WE DETERMINE THIS ON PATRON
USAGE, NEED, CAPACITY AND
UNION CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS.
STABILIZED OPEN HOURS HAVE
BEEN REALLY WHAT WE HAVE FOCUSED
ON
IN THIS LEVY AND OVER THE
LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES,
SYSTEMWIDE CLOSURE DUE TO
COVID- 19, FOLLOWED BY A
CHALLENGING HIRING
ENVIRONMENT DURING THE GREAT
RESIGNATION, FOLLOWED BY
CITYWIDE
HIRING FREEZE AND SOME CUTS TO
OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION.
HOWEVER, IN 2025 WE
INTRODUCED FIXED SCHEDULES.
THIS HELPED STABILIZE OPEN
HOURS FOR PATRONS AND PROVIDED
MORE
PREDICTABLE SCHEDULES
FOR LIBRARY STAFF.
SO WHEN WE CONSIDER INCREASED
LIBRARY ACCESS, ONE OF THE
MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM
THIS CURRENT LEVY IS GOING FINE
FREE.
IN 2020 THE LEVY FUNDED
THE ELIMINATION OF OVERDUE
FINES.
WE FOUND THAT DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACTS OF OVERDUE
FINDS IN AREAS OF THE CITY,
PARTICULARLY
IN AREAS WITH LOWER MEDIAN
INCOMES.
IT WAS A HUGE WIN FOR
ACCESS.
FOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT
LIBRARY MATERIALS BEING
RETURNED PATRONS CONTINUE TO
RETURN
ITEMS AT ABOUT THE SAME RATE.
WE STILL REQUIRE ITEMS TO BE
RETURNED.
AND WHILE WE CHARGE LOST ITEM
FEES FOR ITEMS NOT RETURNED
WE ALSO WAIVE THOSE FEES AND
RESTORE ACCESS IF AND WHEN
THE ITEM DOES EVENTUALLY FIND
ITS WAY BACK TO US.
ONLY ABOUT 8% OF ITEMS
CHECKED OUT ARE OVERDUE AT ONE
TIME.
THE OTHER ITEM WE ADDED
DURING THIS PERIOD IS THE 24/7
HOLDS
PICKUP LOCKERS AT SEVEN
LOCATIONS. THIS ALLOWS PATRONS
ACCESS
TO OUR COLLECTIONS AT THEIR
CONVENIENCE.
THESE TRULY ALLOW YOU TO PICK
UP YOUR REQUESTED MATERIALS
24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A
WEEK.
THE OTHER ACCESS IMPROVEMENT WAS
AUTOMATIC RENEWALS FOR
ITEMS WITHOUT HOLDS.
YOU CAN HAVE THESE ITEMS
RENEW UP TO THREE TIMES.
I KNOW FOR ME THAT IS A
VERY HELPFUL AS I SOMETIMES
FORGET THAT I'M COMING DUE.
MANY LIBRARIES HAVE
TRANSITIONED TO THIS AND HAVE
ANYWHERE
FROM TWO TO FIVE RENEWALS.
THIS HELPS AUTOMATE THE PROCESS
FOR PATRONS AND IMPROVES
THEIR OVERALL EXPERIENCE.
IT DOES NOT IMPACT OUR
CIRCULATION STATISTICS OR THOSE
WAITING FOR MATERIALS.
WE ALSO INCREASED OUR SECURITY
PERSONNEL DURING THIS PERIOD.
THE LEVY FUNDS
NINE SECURITY OFFICER POSITIONS
OF THE 24
TOTAL SECURITY OFFICER STAFF.
THIS PARTICULAR CHART SHOWS
THE GENERAL FUND LIBRARY LEVY
AND PRIVATE
FUNDS DEDICATED TO HOURS AND
ACCESS.
I'LL TURN THE NEXT PORTION
OVER TO KAY.
>> THANKS, TOM.
SO OUR NEXT VY CATEGORY IN OUR
PRESENTATION IS HELPING
CHILDREN.
THIS IS A NEW CATEGORY
CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR OUR
2019
LEVY.
IT PROVIDED DEDICATED
FUNDING FOR ONE PARTICULAR
PROGRAM.
THAT WAS OUR KALEIDOSCOPE
PLAY AND LEARN.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM, THIS SUPPORTS
CHILDREN, PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
IN DEVELOPING A LOVE FOR READING
AT
A VERY YOUNG AGE.
IT IS PRIORITIZED TO
OUR COMMUNITIES IMPACTED MOST BY
SYSTEMIC BARRIERS, AND
IT SUPPORTS SCHOOL READINESS,
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AS WELL
AS SOCIAL SKILLS.
THESE ARE 90- MINUTE GUIDED PLAY
SESSIONS THAT WE HOLD AT SEVEN
OF OUR LIBRARY LOCATIONS
ACROSS THE CITY.
IT IS OFFERED IN MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES.
JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS,
THE LIBRARY SUPPORTS NEARLY 300
PLAY AND LEARN SESSIONS EACH
YEAR
ACROSS THE CITY.
THAT MEANS THAT'S ABOUT 7,000
PARTICIPANTS.
WHEN WE SURVEYED PATRONS, 83% OF
PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS SAID THAT
THE PROGRAM HELPED
THEM UNDERSTAND THE KINDS
OF ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT
THEIR CHILD WITH SCHOOL
READINESS.
THIS WAS A REALLY IMPACTFUL
PROGRAM.
AND WE COULD SEE
THIS PARTICULARLY IN OUR
SOUTHWEST REGION OF SEATTLE WHEN
A
KING COUNTY GRANT THAT HELPED
SUPPORT PLAY AND LEARN SESSIONS
ENDED.
AND THAT ENDED IN 2022.
AS STAFF WORKED WITH THE
CITY AS WELL AS OUR FOUNDATION
PARTNERS TO INCREASE FUNDING TO
HELPHELP SUPPORT THAT
CONTINUATION
OF THAT PROGRAM, AND THANKS TO
THAT SUPPORT, SPL WAS ABLE TO
STEP IN
AND WE NOW HAVE COVERAGE IN
DELLRIDGE, NEW HOLLY AND SOUTH
PARK. THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS US
THE
FUNDING RESOURCES BY BREAKDOWN.
THAT IS
IT FOR OUR HELPING CHILDREN
SECTION.
>> THANK YOU, KAY.
WE'LL CONCLUDE TODAY'S
DISCUSSION WITH A LOOK AT
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND
CENTRAL
COSTS.
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ONE PART-
TIME LEVY
ANALYST, THREE QUARTERS OF AN
FTE.
THEY PERFORM THE HIGH
LEVEL ANALYSIS AND REPORTING
THAT
YOU SEE EACH YEAR FROM THE
LIBRARY
AND HOW IT HAS UTILIZED THE
LEVY FUNDS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR TWO
PART-TIME FINANCIAL ANALYSTS
AT HALF FTE EACH.
THESE ALSO SUPPORT THE
DISTRIBUTION OF LEVY FUNDS
AND ALL THE ACCOUNTING
AND ADJUSTMENTS
NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF
THE YEAR.
THIS CATEGORY ALSO HELPS
FUND OUR CENTRAL COSTS THAT
ARE PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THIS WAS ADDED TO THE
LEVY DURING BUDGET DEVELOPMENT
IN
2023.
IT INCLUDES CENTRAL RATE BASED
ALLOCATIONS INCLUDING CITY
HR, SEATTLE I.T. AND FAS.
DEPARTMENTS RECEIVING
THESE ALLOCATIONS ARE POSITIONED
TO
BUDGET FOR THEM EACH YEAR
AND THE LEVY DOES SUPPORT THIS
IN
A PARTICULAR APPORTIONMENT OF
THE FUNDS FROM THE LEVY.
IN 2023, THE BUDGET
OFFICE EVALUATED THE LIBRARY
BUDGET AND
DETERMINED THAT THE CENTRAL
COST SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO
THE LIBRARY OPERATIONS FUNDED BY
THE
LEVY CONSISTENT WITH THE
SAME PRACTICE OF
ASSIGNING THOSE CENTRAL COSTS TO
THE GENERAL
FUND. CENTRAL COSTS FOR 2024 AND
2025 ARE INCLUDED ON THE NEXT
SLIDE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE
NUMBERS YEAR OVER YEAR FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND CENTRAL
COSTS.
AND THAT ENDS OUR BRIEF
OVERVIEW.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF FAY AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION AND THE OVER
VIEW OF THE 2019 LEVY
INVESTMENTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE,
COLLEAGUES, THERE WERE MANY.
I WILL SAY THAT IN TERMS OF -- I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE PIECE I
THINK IS CRITICAL OF THE
MANY PIECES THAT ARE CRITICAL,
BUT EACH LIBRARY BRANCH WORKS
WITHIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO
REALLY ASSESS THE NEEDS AND
INTERESTS
OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY PARTNER WITH
THE CONSTITUENTS
THAT LIVE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
AS
THEY'RE DETERMINING WHAT
PROGRAMS
WOULD GO IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THAT PIECE IS IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO
DO A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH
TO THE PROGRAMMING THAT HAPPENS
AT
EACH OF THESE NCHES.
THEY REALLY WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY IN THOSE BRANCHES
TO DETERMINE WHAT
PROGRAMS SHOULD BE THERE.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK
THE SAME IN EACH BRANCH.
AND THAT IS WHY, BECAUSE
THEY WORK WITH THE FOLKS.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU MIGHT SEE A
SLIDE, YOU'RE SEEING A
SNAPSHOT AND YOU MIGHT BE
WONDERING
WHY ARE THESE PROGRAMS HERE AND
NOT
THERE, AND MAYBE YOU MIGHT BE
CONCERNED.
BUT, IN FACT, THEY'RE
WORKING WITH THOSE CONSTITUENTS
IN THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS TO DETERMINE
WHAT IS GOING TO BEST SERVE
THEIR
NEEDS, AND THAT ISIS THEY
DO IN THOSE BRANCHES.
I JUST THINK THAT'S AN
IMPORTANT ASPECT TO THIS AND ONE
THAT ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING IN
OUR
CONSTITUENTS SHOULD REALLY KNOW.
AND WE THANK YOUR STAFF
FOR DOING THAT.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES.
AS I SAID EARLIER, THIS
WAS MEANT TO BE -- IT'S ALMOST
LIKE A SOFT LAUNCH, BECAUSE
WE'RE NOT
YET TALKING ABOUT THE NEW
LEVY, BUT REALLY WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE SHOWED OUR WORK ON
THE
PAST LEVY AND HOW IMPORTANT THE
LEVY IS TO THE LIBRARY OVERALL.
WE LOVE OUR LIBRARIES
IN SEATTLE AND WE WANT TO
SUPPORT
THE CONTINUATION OF THE
SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARIES
PROVIDE TO
ALL OF US.
ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
JUST AS YOU SAID, THIS IS THE
OVERVIEW OF WHAT HAVE WE DONE
ALREADY.
I'LL MAKE A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS
RIGHT NOW AND THEN WE'LL
JUST CONTINUE LOOKING FORWARD.
I'M CURRENTLY AT MY DISTRICT
OFFICE IN THE BUILDING THAT IS
THE VALLEY BRANCH LIBRARY.
A LOT OF WHAT DIRECTOR FAY
SHARED ABOUT THE BOOK RETURN
AND PICKUP THAT IS OUTDOORS
RIGHT
HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S REALLY
HELPFUL.
I SEE PEOPLE USING IT ALL THE
TIME.
SO MANY PROGRAMS THAT YOU
TALKED ABOUT I SEE PEOPLE
UTILIZING EVERY DAY.
ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT YOU
DID THE IMPOSSIBLE IN SOME WAYS
AND
RESTORED THE GREEN LAKE BRANCH
LIBRARY WITH ITS HISTORICAL
PROTECTIONS AND REALLY MADE
A GEM OF A RESOURCE FOR SO
MANY PEOPLE AROUND ALL OF
NORTH SEATTLE BECAUSE GREEN
LAKE REALLY IS THE CENTER
OF EVERYTHING UP THERE.
JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS
MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL
THE WORK YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO
FAR.
YOU'VE SET US UP STRONG TO TAKE
ON THIS NEXT LEVY BECAUSE
YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED GOOD
RESULTS.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
YOU'RE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE CHAIR.
I REMEMBER CHAIRING
THIS COMMITTEE AND DOING THE
LEVY, SO
THANK YOU TO TOM AND RICK AND
ROB AND KAY.
>> KAY.
>> THANK YOU. JUST A FEW
COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO THANK
RICK.
I NEVER HEARD THE TERM BUT
NOW I'M GOING TO USE IT,
PHYSICAL
MEDIA.
MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
I'LL BE USING THAT TERM NOW.
YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
MAKES ME FEEL REALLY
OLD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW
DATES.
WAS IT 2019 WHEN WE STARTED
THE READING
PROGRAM? I KNOW THAT I WENT TO
THE ONE
ON LAKE CITY.
WAS THAT WHAT YOU SAID, 2019?
>> THE KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND
LEARNS?
>> UH-HUH.
>> THAT WAS CREATED
BY CITY COUNCIL IN THE 2019
LEVY.
I'M NOT SURE THE START DATE.
>> IT DID START IN
2019.
>>
YEAH.
>> SO THE MAP THAT YOU SHOWED,
THOUGH, I THOUGHT THAT IT
EXPANDED BEYOND -- BECAUSE I
KNOW THERE WAS ONE IN LAKE
CITY FOR SURE.
SO THE MAP THAT YOU SHOWED,
THAT'S UP TO DATE THEN?
SO WE CAN HAVE MORE
EXPANSION IN THE NORTH END.
I HAVE THREE LIBRARIES IN
D-5.
>> YES.
REMEMBER, IN 2019 WE DID GET IT
STARTED.
2020 SAW THE PANDEMIC AND MOST
PROGRAM EFFORTS STOPPED AT THAT
TIME. AS WE PICKED IT BACK UP,
WE
WERE LOOKING TO SEE WHERE WE HAD
PARTNERS THAT COULD HELP
PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE PROBABLY
A DIFFERENT MAP THAN WHAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE REMEMBERED AS
WE STARTED IN 2019.
WE ALSO ADDED ADDITIONAL
SITES DURING THE LEVY.
THE KING COUNTY NO
LONGER FUNDED ABOUT THREE OF THE
PROGRAMS
HERE IN THE CITY.
SO WE WERE ABLE WITH
LEVY FUNDING TO PICK THOSE
ADDITIONAL THREE SITES UP AT
THAT TIME.
THOSE ARE I BELIEVE IN
THE SOUTHEAST OR SOUTHWEST
PORTION OF THE CITY.
>> TOM, I THINK YOU KNOW MY NEXT
QUESTION THAT'S COMING.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
IF YOUR MAP IS INDEED UP TO
DATE, THAT'S JUST A NOTE.
PUT A PIN IN
IT. JUST A THOUGHT.
WE HAVE THREE LIBRARIES.
I'VE GONE TO AT LEAST FOUR
READINGS AT NORTH GAIT REAT
LIBRARY
WITH THE LITTLE ONES.
I DON'T THINK I'LL DO THAT
AGAIN WITH THE KIDS
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I WAS A
BIG HIT.
IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT EXPANDING
THAT I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES THAT USE ACCESS
THROUGH LIBRARIES IN D- 5
PARTICULARLY NORTH GATE AS WELL
AND WE
HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER THERE
AS
WELL.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD
TALK OFFLINE, I'D LOVER THAT
CONVERSATION.
WAS IT IN 2022 WHEN WE
ELIMINATED LATE FEES?
YOU SAID IT, BUT I
COULDN'T REMEMBER THE
DATE.
>> WE ACTUALLY ELIMINATED THEM
IN 2019.
IT WAS THE ONE THING WE
WERE ABLE TO GET STARTED IN
JANUARY OF 2019, YES.
EXCUSE ME, JANUARY OF 2020.
MY
APOLOGIES. JUST THREE MONTHS
BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC HIT WE WERE ABLE
TO ELIMINATE THOSE FINES.
>> SO WHEN DO WE MAKE THE
ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN WE SAID WE
WOULD ELIMINATE LATE FEES?
>> I DIDN'T HEAR THE FIRST
PART.
>> WHEN DID WE MAKE
THE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THE MAYOR
WHEN
WE ELIMINATED LATE FEES?
WAS IT 2022?
>> NO.
ACTUALLY YOU AND I WERE STANDING
THERE WITH THEN CHIEF LIBRARIAN
MAR CELLUS TURNER.
WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THE 2019 LEVY
IS WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THE LATE
FEES.
>> OKAY.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER ALL
THESE
DATES. AS YOU KNOW, THE FALL OF
WESTERN CIVILIZATION DID NOT
OCCUR WHEN WE GOT RID OF LATE
FEES.
SO I HOPE THOSE PEOPLE OUT
THERE THAT SENT ANGRY E- MAILS
TO
ME GOT OVER IT.
THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR 18,000
PEOPLE GOT BACK TO HAVING
ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY WHICH IS
PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHERE OUR TAX DOLLARS
GO.
THE PUBLIC NATURE IS KEEPING IT
PUBLIC, AND PUBLIC MEANS ACCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
TOM, YOU KNOW WE ALL TOOK
A BEATING FOR THAT.
>> YES, WE DID.
EVERYONE WAS MAD AT ME, BLAH,
BLAH, BLAH.
GET OVER IT.
WE DID IT.
IT WORKED JUST LIKE WE THOUGHT.
THESE PUBLIC SPACES ARE SO
CRITICAL, THE
WATERFRONT, SEATTLE CENTER, .
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE OUR GENERAL
FUND.
OUR JOB AS ELECTEDS IS TO
KEEP THEM PUBLIC.
THANK YOU CAN FOR THAT.
LOOKING AT THE PIE ON THE
BUDGET, A MAJORITY COMES
FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN
THE LEVY AND THEN PRIVATE FUNDS.
LAST TWO QUESTIONS.
FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF,
AND I USED TO KNOW THE ANSWER
TO THIS BUT I THINK I NEED A
REFRESHER.
WHAT INFORMATION CAN YOU GIVE
US THAT WE CAN PROVIDE IN OUR
CITYWIDE NEWSLETTERS FROM
YOUR
COMMS DEPARTMENT?
WE ALL PUT OUT WEEKLY
NEWSLETTERS ONLINE AND
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS DO SOCIAL
MEDIA AS WELL.
CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH
THINGS WE CAN PUT IN OUR
NEWSLETTERS
SO PEOPLE CAN USE OUR LIBRARIES?
AGAIN, I HAVE THREE IN MY
DISTRICT ALONE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, RICK SHERIDAN.
WE ARE HAPPY TO DO SO.
OBVIOUSLY ANYWAY WE CAN
AMPLIFY THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT
EXIST WITHIN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM
IN TERMS OF PROGRAMS OR
SERVICES,
WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE
THAT INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL
OFFICES SO YOU CAN HELP US IN
THAT TASK
OF MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE
AWARE OF EVERYTHING THE LIBRARY
SYSTEM
CAN OFFER.
CERTAINLY I WILL ASK KIERSTEN
NELSON TO CONNECT WITH YOU TO
MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING
THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.
WE DO HAVE A MARKETING TEAM THAT
DOES PUT TOGETHER E-MAILS FOR
PATRONS. PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR
THEM IF
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN YOUTH
PROGRAMMING OR A GENERAL ADULT
PROGRAMMING.
WE HAVE A REGULAR SERIES
OF E- MAILS THAT GO OUT THAT
CONSTITUENTS AND PATRONS CAN
SIGN UP FOR SO THEY CAN BE
FULLY IN TUNE WITH WHAT THE
LIBRARY IS
OFFERING.
WE'RE HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH
YOU TO GIVE YOU MORE
INFORMATION.
>> JUST SEND AN E- MAIL TO ALL
OF US SAYING HEY HERE'S
STUFF YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR
NEWSLETTER. THIS IS HOW WE WANT
TO
AMPLIFY THE PUBLIC USE OF THE
LIBRARY.
THE POWERPOINT YOU GAVE US
TODAY, NOW THAT IT'S IN
THE PUBLIC REALM, WE CAN POST
THAT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS,
CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> GREAT.
MY LAST QUESTION IS AND THIS
IS MORE OF A PERSONAL ONE, BUT
HOW
DO WE DONATE COLLECTIONS OF
BOOKS? AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE A
TON OF
BOOKS.
I'M DOWNSIZING AND I WANT TO --
I GAVE SOME TO SOME TRIBAL
LIBRARIES AND HISTORIANS.
I'M WONDERING HOW I CAN
GIVE BACK TO THE SEATTLE
LIBRARY.
THAT CAN BE IN OUR NEWSLETTER
AS WELL, HOW DO WE DONATE BACK
INCLUDING
ART.
>> WE GENERALLY DON'T COLLECT
ART.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT BOOKS, IF THEY ARE
BOOKS
THAT MAYBE ARE OLDER BOOKS,
MANUSCRIPTS, THINGS LIKE
THAT THAT HAVE HISTORICAL
IMPORTANCE, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT
WE
MIGHT WANT TO COLLECT IN FOR
SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
GENERAL COLLECTIONS OF BOOKS,
OUR FRIENDS AT THE LIBRARY ARE
GREAT.
THEY DO TAKE BOOK
COLLECTIONS AND THEY DISTRIBUTE
THEM
THROUGH A NUMBER OF WAYS, COULD
BE
TO THE VETERANS HOSPITAL, COULD
BE THEIR BOOKS FOR
TEACHERS PROGRAM IF YOU HAVE
BOOKS FOR YOUNG
CHILDREN.
THEY'RE GREAT PARTNER IN ALL OF
THIS.
WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL
THE INFORMATION THERE FOR
YOURSELF AND/OR FOR YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AS
WELL.
>> AND THEN A QUICK FOLLOW-
UP, MADAM CHAIR, IF I
MAY.
>> YES, OF
COURSE.
>> TWO QUICK ONES.
SO YOU MENTIONED PAUL
DORPAT.
>>
YES.
>> IS HE STILL INVOLVED WITH THE
LIBRARY AND BEING LIKE
A HISTORIAN AND DOING
INFORMATION STUFF THAT
HE DOES?
>> NO.
HE HAS DONATED HIS
FULL COLLECTION TO THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN AT THIS
POINT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR
THE LAST TWO
YEARS, A LITTLE OVER TWO
YEARS TO DIGITIZE THAT
COLLECTION.
IT'S A VAST COLLECTION
OF MATERIALS SO IT WILL TAKE A
FEW YEARS TO FULLY BE DIGITIZED.
>> SO WITHOUT GOING INTO
THE WHOLE HISTORY OF MR. DORPAT,
LET ME JUST SAY THIS AND I MEAN
THIS IN A POSITIVE WAY ACTUALLY.
THIS IS WHY I WAS TALKING A
ABOUT THE DONATION.
MR. DORPAT WAS A WITNESS FOR
THE STATE IN A LITTLE CASE
CALLED --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] V WASHINGTON,
THE SHELLFISH
CASE THAT WE TRIED.
HIS ANALYSIS, OF COURSE, AND
HISTORY AND PICTURES WAS
IMPORTANT, BUT THE TRIBES
DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS, NOR NO ONE
WAS CONTAINING AND MAINTAINING
THEIR HISTORY, THEIR BOOKS,
THEIR ORAL
TRADITION. ALL THESE THINGS WE
DIDN'T HAVE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE
TRIBAL ASPECT HERE THAT I WANTED
TO
ENCOURAGE AND MAYBE YOU
CAN THINK ABOUT THIS IN YOUR
LIBRARY
STRATEGIC PLANNING TO REACH
OUT TO TRIBAL LIBRARIES, BECAUSE
I
KNOW THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON HAS A HUGE
COLLECTION OF WRITTEN ORAL
TRADITION ART
THAT WE GO BEYOND ART AND
HISTORY AND BOOKS AND
WRITINGS, JOURNALS AND ALL THOSE
THINGS.
I REMEMBER THINKING THAT, YOU
KNOW, AGAIN, OTHER PEOPLE WROTE
OUR HISTORY AND NOW ARE USING IT
AGAINST US.
EITHER WAY, WE WON.
MY POINT WAS THAT'S WHERE I
WAS GOING WITH HOW DO YOU
DONATE, HOW DO WE GET WORD OUT
TO PEOPLE
WHO READ OUR NEWSLETTERS
WHO DON'T JUST LIVE IN THE CITY
OF
SEATTLE.
I HAVE A HUGE READERSHIP
OF TRIBAL MEMBERS THROUGHOUT
THE NORTHWEST AND ELSEWHERE.
THAT'S MY POINT ON THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT
THAT OUT THERE AND
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS I
KNOW
THAT YOU DON'T COLLECT ART, BUT
I KNOW YOU HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL MARV AND OLIVER
PICTURE
ORIGINALORIGINAL I THINK AT
BITTER LAKE LIBRARY.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT?
>> YES.
WE HAVE BOTH PUBLIC ART AND WE
HAVE SOME ART THAT WE
HAD COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS
EARLY
ON IN OUR HISTORY OF COLLECTING
THINGS.
SO YES WE HAVE A VARIETY OF
ART WITHIN OUR SPACES.
>> I'VE BEEN WANTING THAT
MARVIN OLIVER ONE YOU HAVE AT
THE
LIBRARY FOR YEARS.
THAT BEING SAID,
YEAH, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL
PIECE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR,
FOR ING
ME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS
UPLIFTING THE IMPORTANT WORK OF
YOUR PRIOR
COLLEAGUES AND MAYOR DURKIN
FOR THAT
MATTER, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO
SAY ABOUT THE WAIVING OF THE
FINES, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT
YOU AND MAYOR DURKIN
CHAMPIONED, WHICH WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT
AND YOU HEARD CHIEF FAY SAY
TODAY THAT HAD NO IMPACT ON
CIRCULATION, WHICH WAS THE BIG
CONCERN I THINK FOLKS HAD AT
THE TIME.
I UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS, BUT
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT DIDN'T
HAVE AN IMPACT SEVEN YEARS LATER
AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
REALLY CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT
FOLKS HAVE ACCESS AND THEN ALSO
THE
OTHER COMPLAINT WAS THAT
PEOPLE WOULD RETURN THE BOOKS,
BUT THEY
ACTUALLY DO RETURN THE
BOOKS, BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAD TO
PAY THEY WEREN'T RETURNING
THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF
THE
FEES AND THEY COULDN'T PAY
FOR THE FEES.
ONCE THOSE WERE GONE, FOLKS DID
RETURN THOSE BOOKS AS WELL.
BOTH OF THOSE THINGS
PROVED TO BE TRUE.
IN THE INTERIM, YOU KNOW,
MAYOR DURKIN AND YOU AND OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SUPPORTED
THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD A HUGE
HAND IN PROVIDING ACCESS.
I THINK THAT'S
IMPORTANT, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
I THINK AS ELECTEDS COME AND
GO, WE REMEMBER THE INVESTMENTS,
BUT
WE DON'T ALWAYS REMEMBER
THE ELECTEDS THAT MADE
THOSE INVESTMENTS THAT WERE SO
CRITICAL TO PEOPLE.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE
YOU UPLIFTING THE WORK OF YOUR
PRIOR
COLLEAGUES, WHETHER IT BE IN
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR ON THE
COUNCIL
OR EVEN IN OUR NATIVE
COMMUNITIES.
THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS,
I SO APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.
THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL.
>> JUST A QUICK NOTE, MADAM
CHAIR, THAT IN INDIAN
COUNTRY LEADERSHIP IS SHARED AND
IT'S
CONTINUAL.
WE UPLIFT EVERYBODY.
I REALLY LIKE USING THE
WORD UPLIFT ALL THE TIME.
WE SHARE THAT LEADERSHIP AND WE
HONOR THOSE THAT MADE THE
PATH FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND
WE
DO THE WORK AND WE TELL THE
TRUTH
AS UNCLE BILLY WOULD SAY.
I'LL END ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. WE TELL THE TRUTH.
THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED, FRIEND.
THANK YOU FOR
WAITING.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
FIRST OFF, CHAIR RIVERA, I
WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR
YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDING
US THROUGH THIS VERY IMPORTANT
PROCESS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
TERRIFIC PARTNERSHIP AND
COLLABORATION
SO CLOSELY WITH ME AND MY
OFFICE, YOU KNOW, EVEN
BEFORE THIS PROCESS OFFICIALLY
KICKED OFF.
AND EXCITED TO CONTINUE
OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IN
THE COMING WEEKS AHEAD.
ALSO WANT TO THANK CHIEF FAY
AND YOUR TEAM HERE FOR SHARING
OUT THIS REALLY IMPORTANT
OVERVIEW
OF THE EXPIRING 2019 LEVY.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP
ON ALL THINGS LIBRARY SO FAR.
I DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT
OF SITTING ON THE MAIN
COUNCIL COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES
LIBRARIES, BUT THANKS TO
THE CHAIR THERE WAS A MUCH
MORE FULSOME BRIEFING ON THIS A
FEW WEEKS AGO THAT I HAD THE
PLEASURE OF SITTING IN ON
AND GOT A CHANCE TO DIVE DEEP
AND LEARN QUICKLY AND QUICKLY
GET UP
TO SPEED.
BETWEEN THAT AND OUR OFFLINE
CONVERSATIONS, CHIEF,
AND SUPPLEMENTAL CONVERSATIONS
WITH OUR CENTRAL STAFF EXPERTS
LIKE ERIC AND OTHERS, WE'RE
ABLE TO
DO THAT.
NOW I FEEL VERY PREPARED AND
READY TO ENTER THE FORMAL
COUNCIL CLUB DELIBERATIONS AND
REVIEW PROCESS.
DURING THAT TIME A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO DURING THE MORE KIND
OF FULSOME OVERVIEW, I ASKED A
LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF PESKY
QUESTIONS.
APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND
GRACE AND SHARING YOUR
INSIGHTS THERE WITH ME ON THOSE.
THOSE QUESTIONS AND WHAT
WE LEARNED IN THE CONVERSATIONS
WE HAD OFFLINE AS WELL
REALLY FORMED THE BASIS FOR KIND
OF
HOW I'M GOING TO BE APPROACHING
THIS
LEVY.
SO DISTILLING ALL THOSE
PESKY BUT VERY THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS DOWN TO THREE HIGH-
LEVEL PRIORITIES FOR HOW I'M
GOING TO BE APPROACHING THE
REVIEW OF THIS D LEVY PACKAGE
IS REALLY THREE THINGS.
FIRST IS ADVANCING
DIGITAL EQUITY AND CLOSING THE
DIGITAL
DIVIDE, DOING THAT BY EXPANDING
BROADBAND ACCESS TO
COMMUNITIES IN NEED, ESPECIALLY
WORKING
FAMILIES.
CAN DO THAT IN PART BY
PROMOTING DIGITAL SKILLING
INITIATIVES, HELPING PEOPLE
NAVIGATE
COMPUTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE SECOND THING I'M GOING TO
BE LOOKING FOR IS EXPANDING
ACCESS
TO
VIBRANT ARTS AND CULTURAL
EXPERIENCES.
BRICK AND MORTAR LIBRARY
LOCATIONS WILL ALWAYS BE A
THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF PACIFIC
SCIENCE CENTER IS ONE OF THE
PARTNERSHIPS, BUT EXPANDING
ACCESS, MEETING PEOPLE WHERE
THEY'RE AT AND LETTING MORE
PEOPLE ENJOY THE
WONDERFUL VIBRANT ARTS AND CIVIC
AND
CULTURAL EVENTS WE HAVE HERE.
AND FINALLY GOOD OLD FASHIONED
SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT AND
BORING TO SOME CAPITAL
UPGRADES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF
MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION
NEEDS
ACROSS OUR CITY.
IN THIS CONTEXT LIBRARY, BUT
IT DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE
LIBRARIES.
I'M NOT PARTICULARLY
INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO
DEFER THOSE
IMPORTANT CAPITAL
MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION
NEEDS.
SO MAKING SURE WE HAVE
SUFFICIENT INVESTMENTS TO
DO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
ONE CAN NONICAL EXAMPLE IS
THE HISTORIC WEST SEATTLE
BRANCH IN THE ADMIRAL DISTRICT.
IT IS A 100- PLUS YEAR OLD
HISTORIC CARNEGIE BUILDING.
THOSE IN THE KNOW KNOW
EXACTLY THE SIGNIFICANCE .
AMONGST OTHER MAINTENANCE,
MODERNIZATION, RENOVATIONS
NEEDS, THE WEST SEATTLE
BRANCH NEEDS THAT I LEARNED AT A
MINIMUM POTENTIALLY SEISMIC
UPGRADES, ACCESSIBILITY
IMPROVEMENTS, CLIMATE RESILIENCY
CHANGES, BASIC PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE, WINDOW RESTORATION,
INTERIOR REFRESHES, SAFETY AND
SECURITY UPGRADES,
CONTINUED HVAC IMPROVEMENTS .
THE LIST GOES ON.
NOT TO SAY ALL THOSE
THINGS NEED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY
ADDRESSED IN
THIS LEVY, BUT THAT FACILITY IN
PARTICULAR WE ALL KNOW IS IN
NEED, IS 100- PLUS YEARS
OLD CARNEGIE BUILDING.
I'LL BE CLOSELY REVIEWING THE
LEVY PACKAGE
PROPOSAL FOR THE ADEQUACY AND
SUFFICIENCY OF
INVESTMENTS INTO THAT
BUILDING IN PARTICULAR.
ALSO YOU AND I TALKED, WE WERE
SPITBALLING IDEAS TO BETTER
PROMOTE SKILLING INITIATIVES.
YOU MENTIONED THERE'S PRIOR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMPANIES
LIKE AMAZON, FOR EXAMPLE,
GETTING
THEM IN THE HIGHPOINT BRANCH
IN MY DISTRICT OR EVEN THE SOUTH
PARK BRANCH TO GET MORE PEOPLE
FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIGITAL
SKILLING
INITIATIVES AND ULTIMATELY THESE
BRO
PROFESSIONS. SO I'LL CLOSELY
REVIEWING FOR
THAT. IN ANY EVENT, ALL THAT TO
SAY
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
ALL FOR TAKING THIS IMPORTANT
FIRST THE BROADER PROCESS TO
PUT TOGETHER FOR VOTERS TO
CONSIDER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
COLLEAGUES?
ALL RIGHT, SIR.
THEN I'M GOING TO THANK
CHIEF FAY AND RICK AND ROB AND
KAY
ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND TO THE MEMBERS OF
THE AUDIENCE FOR BEING HERE
TODAY
TO LISTEN TO THIS IMPORTANT
OVERVIEW AND SHOWING OUR WORK
TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN
FEEL GREAT ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS
THEY'RE MAKING,
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE ASKING
A LOT OF
OUR TAXPAYERS.
SO IT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO
ME THAT WE ARE TELLING THEM WHAT
WE'RE DOING WITH THEIR MONEY
SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO FEEL
GOOD ABOUT A CONTINUED
INVESTMENT
IN THIS UPCOMING LEVY THAT I FOR
ONE AM VERY, VERY EXCITED
ABOUT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO
CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT OUR IMPORTANT
LIBRARIES.
AND THERE'S A LOT THAT WE
DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TIME TO
PRESENT,
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO
HEAR FROM YOU, COLLEAGUES, YOU
KNOW, BOTH IN OUR MEETINGS.
I KNOW YOU NEED TO SHOW YOUR
WORK FROM THE DAIS TO
YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT
YOU'RE WORKING ON.
THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN TALK
ABOUT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE GETTING RESPONSES TO YOUR
QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL THE
WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
I KNOW ALL THE POINTS YOU'VE
MADE THAT
LIBRARIES ADDRESSING A LOT
OF THOSE THINGS, AND IT'S
IMPORTANT
FOR YOU AND YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AND THE PUBLIC TO
KNOW IN WHAT
WAY. SO WE WILL CONTINUE AS WE
MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TO MAKE
SURE YOU AND OTHERS HAVE
INFORMATION
ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE
HIGHLIGHTING TODAY THAT I KNOW
ARE THINGS YOU CARE ABOUT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO
THE LINE COMMITTEE EVEN THOUGH
YOU DIDN'T
SIT ON THE LINE COMMITTEE.
I SAY DURING MY
BRIEFINGS, PLEASE COME WE'RE
GOING TO
HAVE THIS OVERVIEW.
I APPRECIATE YOU DID COME TO
THAT.
THAT'S EXTRA MEETINGS FOR YOU.
THAT JUST SHOWS TO THE PUBLIC
AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS
HOW COMMITTED YOU ARE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
NOT TO SAY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS
AREN'T EQUALLY COMMITTED
WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE
MEETING.
COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. LET ME GET TO THE END OF
OUR MEETING HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
SORRY.
SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS, THIS CONCLUDES THE
MARCH
11 SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE
LIBRARY
LEVY.
OUR NEXT SELECT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25th AT
9:30 A.M.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY
EXCITING MEETING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE
EXECUTIVE HERE, CHIEF BAY
AGAIN TO PRESENT THE 2026
LIBRARY
LEVY. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER
BUSINESS,
THIS MEETING WILL ADJOURN.
HEARING NONE --
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, IT'S 10:35 A.M.
AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.