City of Readers: Time for a New Library Levy

By Jean Godden

Seattle residents will make one of the year’s most important decisions on Aug. 4 voting on a critical issue: whether to replace the seven-year Library Levy that expires this year.

Much rests on the outcome. The Seattle Public Library with its central library and 27 branches is among this city’s most valued assets. It’s impossible to overstate the library’s impact. Consider the numbers: Seattle’s library now has 430,000 active card holders. Last year the library scored 3.4 million in-person visits, 1,300 story times, 6,000 students enrolled in after-school Homework Help, 400,000 hours of computer time, 2.1 million pages printed, and 5,800 programs including author events, business help, English and citizenship classes.

The Library Levy is essential; it makes up more than a third of the library’s budget and funds a quarter of its staff. The Levy invests in buildings that are neighborhood cornerstones and increases access to education and knowledge at a time when our basic values are under attack. The library is in the forefront fighting censorship and protecting democracy.

Failure to pass the Library Levy would be a disaster in so many ways, certain to result in branch closures, hour reductions and staff layoffs. Half of the budget for books and materials would need to be cut. Failure would fall heavily on digital books, 57 percent of all checkouts, because they cost libraries between 3 and 5 times more than print books.

https://www.postalley.org/2026/06/03/city-of-readers-time-for-a-new-library-levy/