Seattle City Council Passes Option C Funding for The Seattle Public Library November 12, 2009

Today, November 12, 2009, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to increase the General Subfund (GSF) support for library services by $860,000 in 2010.  As described in the Seattle City Council’s green sheet Tab 94, Action 1, Option C, Version 1, “[$860,000] would restore 140 of the library operating hours that would be eliminated per the 2010 Proposed Budget.  Increasing GSF support for library services by $860,000 would also allow the Library Board to reinstate some of the 27 staff positions (18.8 FTE [Full Time]) that would be eliminated under the 2010 Proposed Budget.”

The new operating hours for The Seattle Public Library will look like this with Option C as per the Seattle City Council’s green sheet Tab 94, Action 1, Option C, Version 1

 Central:

• Hours remain at the current seven day, 62 hour weekly schedule

Ballard, Beacon Hill, Broadview, Capitol Hill, Douglass-Truth, Greenwood, Lake City, Northeast, Rainier Beach, Southwest and West Seattle:

• Open 7 Days per week (60 hours per week): 
• Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 8 pm;
• Friday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm;
• Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm

Columbia, Delridge, Fremont, Green Lake, High Point, International District/Chinatown, Madrona-Sally Goldmark, Magnolia, Montlake, NewHolly, Northgate, Queen Anne, South Park, University and Wallingford:

• Open 5 Days per week (35 hours per week, closed Friday and Sunday): 
• Monday – Tuesday, 1 pm – 8 pm;
• Wednesday – Thursday, 11 am – 6 pm;
• Friday:  CLOSED;
• Saturday 10 am – 6 pm;
• Sunday:  CLOSED

Art, Family, Playgrounds and Greenlake Library November 8, 2009

“On a typical Sunday outing we’ll take our bikes and scooters down to the lake, have breakfast, play at the playground, go to the library and go home,” Greenlake patron Rebecca Albiani told us over morning coffee.  The library serves an important role in both her family and professional life. Her eldest son, 8, “is an avid reader; it would bankrupt us to keep him in books by purchasing them,” she said. His current reading list: Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians, Septimus Heap books,  and 39 Clues. The youngest son, 6, “memorizes books so he needs a constant flow of simple stories as he learns to read.”

In professional life, Rebecca “gives talks for general audiences at the Frye Art Museum.” For the past ten years she’s lectured on everything from ancient Egypt to Pop Art. “I couldn’t do that without the library. Every month I have a new topic. 95 percent of my research materials come from the public library,” she said. Wouldn’t the UW Art Library be a stronger resource, we wondered, but Rebecca said the public library’s catalogue is usually ample. “The public library has THE book on the Index of American Design, for instance, which is the New Deal program I’ll be lecturing on in December. I could get a UW library card but it’s so much more convenient to walk to my public library [Greenlake Walkscore: 89] where I know people who work there and I don’t have to worry about parking.”

“The library is a crucial leveling factor. Plus it is simply a wonderful community gathering place” she told us. “When I think about the proposed library budget I worry about Saturday hours and Sunday closures in particular. On Sunday I see people on computers or sitting in the magazine section—that’s where my husband goes. There are always a lot of families reading to kids or kids coloring. At the playground I often hear moms saying, “Shall we go to the library now?”

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Please support Library hours in the 2010 budget.

Seattle Neighborhood Blogs Take Up the Final Call to Action to Save Neighborhood Branch Library Hours November 7, 2009

Neighborhood blogs across Seattle are supporting the Friends of The Seattle Public Library!  Thanks to the Laurelhurst Blog, Rainier Valley Post, Wallyhood, Miller Park, Beacon Hill Blog, My Green Lake and Wedgewood Blog for getting your communities involved in this final email campaign and thanks to Blogging Georgetown, Capitol Hill Seattle, Fremont Universe, Greenwood, Magnolia Voice, PhinneyWood, Queen Anne View and West Seattle Blog for their earlier support.

Your past emails have made a difference!  Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell, and Licata are committed to preserving the current hours of operations at all neighborhood branches of The Seattle Public Library.  We have launched this final e-mail campaign targeted at Councilmembers Clark, Conlin, Drago, Godden, McIver, and Rasmussen to urge them to join Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell, and Licata in preserving our present neighborhood Library hours.  Please send the email outlined below today:

TO: sally.clark@seattle.gov; jan.drago@seattle.gov; tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov; richard.conlin@seattle.gov; jean.godden@seattle.gov; richard.mciver@seattle.gov

CC: tim.burgess@seattle.gov; bruce.harrell@seattle.gov; nick.licata@seattle.gov

SUBJECT:  $1.2 Million Restoration of Library Funds

TEXT: Dear Councilmembers Clark, Conlin, Drago, Godden, McIver, and Rasmussen,

Please join fellow Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell and Licata and vote for Option A to restore the 330 weekly service hours to keep our libraries open normal hours in 2010.

OPTIONAL:  I use the XYZ neighborhood branch for XYZ. OR Share a more personal message about why your neighborhood branch is important to you.

On Nov. 2, Seattle City Councilmembers began discussing four options to partially restore the 5% reduction in the endorsed Library budget. None of the options will prevent another one week furlough in 2010, but the best choice, Option A, does preserve Library hours in your neighborhood branch at their current level and prevents the loss of 27 Library staff positions.

The proposed hours reduction would mean that Beacon Hill, Broadview, Capitol Hill, Columbia, Delridge, Fremont, Green Lake, Greenwood, High Point, International District / Chinatown, Madrona-Sally Goldmark, Magnolia, Montlake, NewHolly, Northeast, Northgate, Queen Anne, South Park, University, Wallingford and West Seattle would be closed on Fridays and Sundays, plus operate at reduced hours – all year.

Thank you Seattle Neighborhood Blogs and their readers for all your support and dedication to your neighborhood library branches.  Please ask your Seattle friends and family to join you in this final email campaign to save neighborhood branch library hours.

How the Mayoral and City Council Candidates Stack Up on Library Funding November 3, 2009

For information on how the Seattle City Council candidates responded to our questions on Library budget issues, see the FSPL website for the 2009 edition of our newsletter.  

We didn’t receive responses from mayoral candidates Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn in time for newsletter publication, but here’s a link to a Seattle Times article about their positions.

Comic book author urges Council to consider teens April 28, 2009

John Lustig, of Last Kiss Comics, spoke to City Council on April 2o addressing library use and teens.   He remarked,  ”Publishing in general is down except for one aspect of the book business—which is exploding—largely fueled by teen and young adult readers.  I’m talking about graphic novels—or really, really thick comic books. In seven years, sales have increased 500 percent and last year were estimated at $375 million. Graphic novels are now a major attraction in libraries and bookstores. How major?  A few years ago, my daughter and her friends learned Japanese primarily so that they could read Japanese graphic novels.  Today, hundreds of these books have been translated and published and are more popular than ever. And kids are devouring them. But times are tough.  That means–for many kids—there’s only one place where they can find these books. Whether it’s graphic novels or Harry Potter or Moby Dick, it’s the library that’s going to keep our kids excited and reading. “  See what John said about his testimony and what others are saying about it at the last kiss blog.

Yes, teens are going to libraries. In 2007 the  American Libraries Association, through Harris Interactive, polled 1262 youth aged 8-18. Among respondents, 78% had a library card and 78% said they use the library to borrow books and other materials for personal use.  And yes, teens are feeling the economic challenges. 53 percent say they’re choosing activities that cost less money, 50 percent say they talk about the economy with their friends, and 14 percent of kids ages 15 to 17 say they contribute money to their family budget, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement.

But libraries are popular among all age groups. According to Harris Interactive, 2/3rds of America currently has a library card and almost all Americans (92%) say they view their local library as an important education resource. Seven in ten agreed their local library is a pillar of the community (72%), a community center (71%), a family destination (70%), and a cultural center (69%).

Thank you to everyone that testified or contacted elected officials this Spring to express support for libraries. Your voice made a difference.

Preserve library funds petitions presented to City Council April 21, 2009

Library supporters: Anne, Jennifer,John, Susan, Ali, and Kevin

Much of the public testimony before Seattle City Council’s budget meeting , April 20, 2009, was about the importance of our libraries.  Friends of The Seattle Public Library Vice President, Jennifer Johnson-Fong, presented petitions signed by more than 800 library supporters at: Wallingford, Northeast, Ballard, Queen Anne, Douglass Truth, Central, and Lake City Libraries  as well as from independent booksellers and the Friends of The Seattle Public Library Book Sale.

She told Council, “All of us who collected signatures on these petitions heard from people who recognize the value of The Library, not just in these hard economic times, but as a steadfast, egalitarian neighborhood institution that anybody in Seattle can visit.

Branch  patrons, book lovers from the Friends Booksale and Independent bookstores, and Seattle neighborhood residents are thanking you all for your past support and urging you to continue to preserve Library funding as you begin to think ahead to the budget for 2010.”

Friends of The Seattle Public Library thank all of you that helped with this Spring Campaign drive or who signed our petitions for preserving library funds. Thanks to many of you that emailed your elected officials with library support. Thanks as well to booksellers that graciously hosted a petition. Each and every one of you made a difference for The Seattle Public Library by bringing attention to the important ways it stabilizes families, individuals, and neighborhoods.

Library supporters who came to the budget meeting today are patrons from: Queen Anne, Highpoint, West Seattle, Mt Baker, Northeast, Central, and Douglass Truth libraries. If you’d like to help Friends of The Seattle Public Library keep our library system strong and vibrant contact us at advocacy@friendsofspl.org.

Looking toward a lean 2010 budget

Last week’s announcements of budget reductions to the library’s capital and operations budget drew both sighs of relief and concerns for the future. Our mayor’s support of day to day hours ensures that people who are turning to the library now for computer access, budget relief, and needed resources will continue to enjoy the benefits of a strong library system. However, the announcement of a one week closure of the library system in August ’09 drew concerns from several citizens at today’s City Council budget meeting.

The  President of the Seattle Public Library Foundation, Susan Adkins,  said, “The Seattle Public Library has proven itself to be an incredibly important resource to the citizens of Seattle in the past six months. During this difficult economy the number of people using the Library has increased even more than the high numbers we have experienced since the rebuilding of Central and all the branches. Patrons are using our services to seek employment, get help with taxes, research opportunities for job training, and enjoy free programs and classes for children, teens, and all ages.

The Central Library and all the branches provided a warm safe haven during the severe snow events in December. Our doors remained open for students, stranded workers and homeless to find shelter.

Now the Library System is challenged, along with all city funded entities, by budget cuts for both 2009 and 2010. We are grateful to the mayor for preserving our branch hours in 2009 by restoring $500,000 to our budget. However we are very concerned about protecting brach hours in 2010.

It is quite likely that our City will continue to face economic challenges next year. Our staff needs to meet the growing and diverse needs of our customers. They count on our Library, they count on our staff, they count on our resources and they count on our open doors.”

 

The City Council cannot change or impact the Mayor’s budget reductions in ’09, but, in a discussion among councilmembers, Council determined that they can provide a forum for public comment and can consider current public feedback as they look ahead to the 2010 budget process. Today’s morning meeting was the last of three morning meetings scheduled by the Budget committee for public comment. A hearing for additional comment begins at 5:30 p.m. Wed, April 22, in City Council Chambers. Please show your support for  preservation of the library’s budget in 2010. Can you join us at the Wed evening hearing? RSVP advocacy@friendsofspl.org

Without Hesitation: Queen Anne Library patrons sign petition April 13, 2009

 

“Good morning, I’m with Friends of The Seattle Public Library, would you be interested in signing a petition urging Seattle City Council to preserve Library funding?” That was the greeting that Friends vice president Jennifer Johnson-Fong gave to her fellow library patrons between 10 am and 12 noon on Saturday, April 11 on the sidewalk  outside the Queen Anne Library.

“So many patrons reached for my clipboard without any hesitation,” said Johnson-Fong, “I’m so pleased that I collected that many signatures [68] in two hours. It really shows how busy the Queen Anne branch is, which reflects the huge increase in usage of all neighborhood branches of The Seattle Public Library since the economic downturn. I remember talking to one couple who said they are currently unemployed. But they were really interested in knowing more about what they could do beyond signing the petition. I directed them to our Friends blog where they could find out more about the effects of the economy on The Library’s usage and the potential of cuts to The Library budget. I encouraged them to e-mail their story to Seattle City Council members directly. I wished them both luck with their job searches and told them how much I appreciated their willingness to do more. Clearly, this couple considers The Library an essential service in their lives.”

“Another woman I spoke to said she hadn’t ever used her Library before she became unemployed. Happily, she found another job and is now a faithful library user and enthusiastically signed the petition.”

“I got to connect with people who really appreciated that I was there volunteering to help them raise their voice in support of The Seattle Public Library. I saw patrons of every age today, and really that’s what libraries are about — they are about all people enriching their lives. I’m really honored to have the chance to present these signatures from my fellow Queen Anne Library patrons to the Seattle City Council this coming Monday, April 13^th at the Special Budget meeting. Hopefully, we’ll have even more signed petitions from other neighborhood branches for the Monday, April 20^th meeting.”

The Friends are busy collecting signatures at as many branches as possible, but don’t have enough volunteers to petition the branches they reach more than once. If you didn’t get a chance to sign the petition but want to show your library support you can email your councilmembers tell them how you use The Library and ask them to support Library funding: jean.godden@seattle.gov, tim.burgess@seattle.gov, sally.clark@seattle.gov, richard.conlin@seattle.gov, nick.licata@seattle.gov, bruce.harrell@seattle.gov, richard.mciver@seattle.gov, jan.drago@seattle.gov, tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

Seattle City Council is cutting 43 million dollars from the new 2009 City budget. It’s unknown as yet what services will be cut. The Queen Anne petition will be presented during public comment at the Special Budget meeting in City Council Chambers on 13 April at 10:30 am. If you’d like to attend or get more information on how you can help, please email advocacy@friendsofspl.org

The Newest Superheroes: Your Neighborhood Librarians April 9, 2009

 If there was any doubt that your neighborhood librarians should be given superhero status, take a look at this New York Times article about how the economic downturn is putting new stresses on libraries and librarians. Librarians are facing increased demands as “first responders” to patrons who are seeking help in filling out job applications and unemployment forms, using the library’s computers and free wi-fi access, looking for language and citizenship training, borrowing books and DVDs for free entertainment, and dealing with the emotional strains of making do with much less. Even Nancy Pearl’s beloved Librarian Action Figure might find it difficult to deal with all of these demands.

So how can you help? First of all, take the time to thank your neighborhood librarians – a kind word goes a long way. Second, consider volunteering at the Library – there are many different ways you can get involved. Third, email City Councilmembers and ask them to preserve funding for the Library: jean.godden@seattle.gov, richard.mciver@seattle.gov, bruce.harrell@seattle.gov, sally.clark@seattle.gov, tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov, jan.drago@seattle.gov, nick.licata@seattle.gov, tim.burgess@seattle.gov, richard.conlin@seattle.gov.

If you’re looking for books that feature fictional librarians, here’s a list from the Library’s Shelf Talk blog. And although the following books don’t feature librarians, consider the book recommendations below from the Friends’ Board meeting in April. You can just click on the links below to get to the SPL site to reserve a copy of these books. Quoted book review excerpts are reprinted with permission from Booklist.

Bone [Vol. I], Out from Boneville, by Jeff Smith. “One of the most acclaimed new comics of recent years, Bone is a Tolkien-meets-Pogo fantasy about the Bone cousins, who leave their home, Boneville, for adventures in the outside world. . . . Smith, with his clean draftsmanship and flawless comic timing, has been compared to comics masters Walt Kelly (Pogo and Carl Barks (creator of Uncle Scrooge McDuck). Like Pogo Bone has a whimsy best appreciated by adults, yet kids can enjoy it, too . . .” — Gordon Flagg   This review was written in 1995, and there are many other volumes available.

Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, by Muhammad Yunus with Karl Weber. Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, which lends small amounts of money to poorer individuals to help them start small businesses. This is an inspiring tale about the possibilities of “micro-lending”, and businesses that are helping people while still being profitable.

Why I Wake Early : New Poems, by Mary Oliver. This is a lovely collection of poems about nature and contemplative ideas, and encourages us to slow down and appreciate nature.

Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese. This is Verghese’s first book of fiction, and starts in a charity hospital in Ethiopia while spanning three continents and several generations. This garnered a starred review in Publishers Weekly.

A Hand to Guide Me, Denzel Washington with Daniel Paisner. Actor Denzel Washington, a national spokesman for the Boys and Girls Club of America, has collected stories from over 70 celebrities (including himself) of how mentors made a difference in their lives. Contributors include Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Gloria Steinhem, Whoopie Goldberg, Bonnie Raitt, Cal Ripken, and more.

Readers, who are your favorite neighborhood superhero librarians?

Budget Gap up to 43 Million April 8, 2009

Friends of The Seattle Public Library, library supporters, and Facebook members who joined the cause of Friends of The Seattle Public Library are coming together to tell elected officials why library funding needs to be preserved. Turnout at city council budget meetings is encouraging. We’ve had strong showings at the first two meetings. Please try to join us at the last two meetings: April 13 and April 20 at 10:30 a.m. in City Council chambers. RSVP to advocacy@friendsofspl.org

If you can’t join us at an event, please email your councilmembers and ask them to preserve library funding. That’s all you need to say. If you’d like to be more informed or articulate, peruse this blog. You’ll find the testimony of fellow supporters, statistics, and talking points. The budget gap is now 43 million dollars. Cuts are coming. One councilmember expects the library to be part of a threesome of services that’s hit the hardest. Your emails of support make a difference. jean.godden@seattle.gov, bruce.harrell@seattle.gov, tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov, richard.mciver@seattle.gov, jan.drago@seattle.gov, richard.conlin@seattle.gov, tim.burgess@seattle.gov, sally.clark@seattle.gov, nick.licata@seattle.gov

Please help the library stay strong and vibrant. Neighborhood by neighborhood, our libraries provide a city wide network for resource and service distribution to our most vulnerable groups: children, teens, seniors, job-seekers, immigrants, unemployed, homeless, financially strapped families, displaced and disenfranchised individuals. For many Seattle citizens, libraries are not just a simple enjoyment or a way to save money –they’re a necessity.