• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 7, Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Auditorium (206-386-4636)
• Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave. S. (206-684-4711)
• 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. (206-684-4089).

Join City Librarian Marcellus Turner and members of the Library Board to discuss how to sustain and deliver quality services now and into the future. Be a part of the discussion! Attend a meeting or give your feedback online.

Nancy is the author of Book Lust and a half-dozen other titles that provide book recommendations for every type of reader. She developed “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book,” a program that has inspired similar “One City One Book” campaigns across the country. Nancy is a frequent contributor to NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Monday’s signing provides an opportunity to meet a bone fide library legend.

While at the FriendShop pick up a copy of the 2012 Friends planner, which features Nancy on its cover, to plan next year’s reading. The shop also features a wide variety of unique gifts for book-lovers and others with discriminating tastes on your holiday shopping list. All proceeds from sales at the FriendShop support The Friends of the Seattle Public Library.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday!

The Friends of the Seattle Public Library

What does a five-star rating mean? Think of it as a measure of a library’s return on investment. Each library dollar invested in The Seattle Public Library is outperforming expectation. Use of the library is well above the mean and dollars invested are returning a high level of civic benefit. Another way to think about the  five-star rating is to consider it as a measure of library use. In the hardship of this economy when city officials are wondering where to invest scant resources to make the greatest difference, your demand is demonstrating the need for and effectiveness of the library.

Seattle beautifully upgraded the Central Library and our entire neighborhood system in 1998 believing then that the future needed better libraries in a technological age.  In the 21st century, this visionary investment has led to a great return in civic capital.   No one could have foreseen in 1998 that our libraries would rate five stars.  They are returning every dollar we invest by meeting high levels of demand with quality service.

When we invest in libraries, we invest in the present and in generations to come.  Please join us in supporting  The Seattle Public Library.

As the City Council reviews the Mayor’s budget, please show your support for funding libraries. You can do so in the following ways:

1) Email the City Council. You can contact the Council via this online form intended for 2012 budget feedback. Create your own message or use the sample letter at the bottom of this page.

2) Contact councilmembers individually. Make your support for libraries known to individual members of the City Councity. A list of phone numbers and email addresses for councilmembers can be found here.

3) Join the Friends at a public hearing. Show your support for libraries in person at a City Council Budget Committee Public Hearing. Hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, October 26th at 5:30 p.m. Meetings take place on the second floor of City Hall, located at 600 Fourth Avenue. If you would like to stand up with the Friends, email advocacy@friendsofspl.org.

When you reflect on the Seattle Public Library system, what three things first come to mind?

The first three things that come to mind are the Columbia City Library, the Friends of the Library Book Sale, and our need to care for what we’ve built.

The Columbia City Library is “my” branch library. It’s a place that looks like a classic library, hosts community events, provides a safe and constructive place for young people to engage with information and each other, and it’s a branch where I think the levy did a great job adding space.  I’ll cheat here and say I also think of the Rainier Beach branch (we live in between the two). I appreciate the way the branch has become even more of a community focal point for kids. Whether it’s a homework club or Ofcr. Cookie’s Chess Club, that branch saves lives and broadens horizons.

I have worked the Friends Book Sale in the past. I associate the event with the late, great Doug Lorentzen, a long-time volunteer who was a true evangelist for Seattle’s libraries. Doug made sure I had an invitation to work a shift and, more importantly, made sure I took advantage of the opportunity. Seattle is lucky to be a city of people who care about books (in all their forms) and about how information can empower and change lives. Doug was a great evangelist for the role the libraries and library volunteers play in our system.

Finally, I think often in my job about how we must care for what we’ve built both in terms of the physical buildings and in terms of what people find valuable inside the buildings. In this economy we have had to make tough decisions involving the collections budgets, capital spending and staff schedules. I’m committed to ensuring we have a great system. I appreciate the partnership with the Friends of the Seattle Public Library and the Foundation in making this commitment come true.

Given the myriad of essential human services provided by the City of Seattle, where do you rank funding for the Seattle Public Library?  Would you put it in the top, middle or bottom tier of priorities? 

I have joined colleagues on the Council in consistently ranking libraries as a high priority for funding under the umbrella investment area of safe, healthy neighbors and safe, healthy neighborhoods. Healthy, high-functioning social capital machines like libraries work hand-in-hand with youth violence prevention programs, anti-poverty programs and police to make Seattle a great place to make a life.  After basic food and shelter, services like libraries, community centers and education support must be present to help people not just survive but advance.

The Seattle Public Library has sustained budget cuts of nearly $10 million from its annual budget since 2009, resulting in Friday closures at 15 branches, employee furloughs, lay-offs, and a decrease in the collections budget. Given the City revenue shortfalls projected for 2011 and 2012, what are your views on maintaining funding for Library hours, staffing, collections, programs and services?

The Seattle Public Library has done the best job of any city entity of stepping back to assess priorities in service and management, making tough decisions, and presenting the context and rationale for these tough decisions.  Staff have weathered difficult changes in service; difficult not just because of the impact on paychecks, but also because of the impact on their mission. We invested minimally in collections and must return to a more robust level if we are to keep pace with demand and the pace of change in formats and sources of information.

I believe we face another 2-3 difficult years before the city budgets have breathing room. It’s my hope that we can maintain steady funding this year and then begin serious discussions of long-term funding strategies (e.g. a special taxing district).

As the Library’s new strategic plan states, “changes in how people access and use information, interact with one another, and in the resources, tools and capabilities needed to operate effectively in today’s society require new approaches to the services and resources that the library provides”.  What is your vision for the library of the future, and how would you support SPL’s evolution over the next 5 years?

This is a great question – both fun and a little scary to think about. Over the long-run, no matter how much information moves to the web or the net or the cloud, I believe we will still want and need libraries in our neighborhoods. I believe there’s something gained via the interaction with the librarian, other patrons, and the value-added programs of libraries. Changes in technology have already changed our libraries’ internal design and staff functions. And yet the library is still about helping people access, use and re-configure information to yield greater knowledge, confidence and connections. Over the next five years I hope to be involved with the next chapter of the Seattle library system as a new librarian arrives and we slowly emerge from the recession.  In five years we will have successfully found a steady long-term funding source and lead in the evolution of libraries. In five years Seattle will remain a leader in information access and community value.

When you reflect on the Seattle Public Library system, what three things first come to mind?

The availability of a world of information and culture, free of charge, to anyone who wants it; the budget cutbacks and funding difficulties of recent years; and the wonderful new neighborhood branches made possible by last decade’s levy.

Given the myriad of essential human services provided by the City of Seattle, where do you rank funding for the Seattle Public Library?  Would you put it in the top, middle or bottom tier of priorities? 

I would put it as a four on a scale of 1 – 10 with one being the highest. This makes it slightly more than a middle priority. It is not as critical as some of the literally life and death human services the city funds, but it is an essential part of the quality of life of many Seattle residents and should be recognized as such. Many low-income people, students, elders and immigrant and refugee citizens are dependent on the library for access to computers and technology. As we continue in a recession individuals seeking employment opportunities rely on the library system to job search, update resumes and complete online applications for employment.

The Seattle Public Library has sustained budget cuts of nearly $10 million from its annual budget since 2009, resulting in Friday closures at 15 branches, employee furloughs, lay-offs, and a decrease in the collections budget. Given the City revenue shortfalls projected for 2011 and 2012, what are your views on maintaining funding for Library hours, staffing, collections, programs and services?

I would work hard to maintain the current staffing, hours, and service levels, recognizing that the library system has already endured many painful cuts. If possible, should the city’s revenue improve in future years, I would look to restore lost funding. Should further cuts need to be made, I would look to minimize the additional impact on building hours and public access to services.

As the Library’s new strategic plan states, “changes in how people access and use information, interact with one another, and in the resources, tools and capabilities needed to operate effectively in today’s society require new approaches to the services and resources that the library provides”.  What is your vision for the library of the future, and how would you support SPL’s evolution over the next 5 years?

SPL must have sufficient funding to do what public libraries have always done: serve as free gateways of ideas, information and culture for whoever wants it. Regardless of the medium – whether it is printed, bound books and periodicals, e-books, video, the Internet, or social media, SPL must have the resources to not only provide access in the medium of a client’s choosing, but to provide training and guidance in how to use the new technology to find information.

More and more, Internet access and familiarity with new communications technologies are a near-prerequisite for most jobs and many basic daily life functions. Particularly for citizens who don’t have the personal equipment or training to utilize these media, SPL is not just a gateway but a resource to ensure that lower income or less technologically adept citizens are not left behind in the 21st Century economy. As such, I would work to ensure that SPL has the funding, staffing, and accessibility to not only preserve its existing functions, but also help user’s access information and culture across new and emerging media platforms.

When you reflect on the Seattle Public Library system, what three things first come to mind? 

1. City budget cuts to library funding
2. Friends of Seattle Public Library Book Sale
3. Two-thirds of Seattle residents hold a library card; and one-third say they use it at least once a year

Given the myriad of essential human services provided by the City of Seattle, where do you rank funding for the Seattle Public Library?  Would you put it in the top, middle or bottom tier of priorities?  

I would not hesitate to say that libraries are in the top tier of my budget priorities; and I group them with our parks and community centers as necessary services to provide our residents.

The Seattle Public Library has sustained budget cuts of nearly $10 million from its annual budget since 2009, resulting in Friday closures at 15 branches, employee furloughs, lay-offs, and a decrease in the collections budget. Given the City revenue shortfalls projected for 2011 and 2012, what are your views on maintaining funding for Library hours, staffing, collections, programs and services?

Maintaining its vast collection and the continued demands of new technology are important, but what is most critical for me is that our lowest-income and least-educated residents turn to our libraries for access to computers and the internet. For many in our community, our libraries are the only place to turn to research a school paper, search job listings and print a resume, or learn how to use e-mail to communicate with their grandchildren. In tough economic times like these, the free or low-cost activities provided by libraries and community centers are some of the only fun and educational opportunities families can afford. If we continue to cut operating hours, where will these residents turn to?

As the Library’s new strategic plan states, “changes in how people access and use information, interact with one another, and in the resources, tools and capabilities needed to operate effectively in today’s society require new approaches to the services and resources that the library provides”.  What is your vision for the library of the future, and how would you support SPL’s evolution over the next 5 years?

The Seattle Public Library must continue to transition to being a place to learn about and utilize new technologies for accessing information. It should also continue to explore new ways to offer services through its website, such as through video and audio streaming and borrowing of e-books.