April 11, 2019
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Subject:

Members of the Select Committee on the Library Levy
Asha Venkataraman, Council Central Staff
Issue Identification II for CB 119491: 2019 “Libraries for All” Levy Renewal

On April 11, the Select Committee on the Library Levy (“Select Committee”) will discuss
potential amendments that may be proposed to Council Bill (CB) 119491, the 2019 “Libraries
for All” Levy Renewal ordinance. The Select Committee met previously to discuss issues with
the proposed legislation and, as of this point, there are no outstanding issues of which Central
Staff are aware. This memo is therefore focused exclusively on the description of levy revisions
that Councilmembers have expressed an interest in exploring. In considering these options,
please note that the Library Board of Trustees (“Board”) has exclusive control over Library
expenditures, so any change in allocations for a specific purpose is subject to Board approval.
Background
The Library has proposed renewal of the 2012 levy, collecting $213.3 million over 2020-2026.
This amount includes $167.4 million to retain the core services funded by the 2012 levy
(including adjustments for inflation resulting in a $44.8 million increase from the 2012 $122.6
million levy) and an additional $45.9 million to enhance and improve services through further
investment.
During the April 8 Issue Identification session, the Select Committee discussed funding sources
for Library capital projects, the proposed fine-free policy, and the rising cost of e-materials. It
also considered potential changes to the levy, including adding air conditioning and elevators to
the three branches scheduled for seismic retrofits and opening a non-traditional library space in
the new Denny substation. Lastly, the Select Committee had a preliminary discussion about
amendments of interest to Councilmembers, including early childhood education and adding
more open hours systemwide.
Potential Amendments
1. Funding educational programming for children and youth (Councilmember González)
As previously discussed at the Select Committee meeting on April 8, the Library currently
provides programming targeted to children birth to three years of age. These programs include:
•
•
•
•

Baby Story Time,
English and Bilingual Kaleidoscope Play and Learn,
Pre-School Story Time,
Toddler Story Time,
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 •
•

World Language Story Time, and
Other story time programs

Annual patron attendance is approximately 107,000 patrons at about 2,900 events. The Seattle
Public Library Foundation funds a portion of this programming at a cost of $339,850 in 2019.
In addition, the Library provides additional educational programming for a Student Success
Program, which supports students from pre-school to high school. The Library also employs a
formal learning librarian to support these programs. The Seattle Public Library Foundation
provides the majority of the financial support for these programs at a cost of $156,750 in 2019.
Programs include:
Table 1: Student Success Program
Program
Learning Buddies

Target Age or Grade
K-3; 14-16

Homework Help

5-18

Middle School

12-14

Description
Teens and children reading and playing math
games together
Drop in service to help students with
homework and gain academic skills
Develop career, college, and life skills

Team Read

Second & Third Grade

Avoiding summer reading loss

Teen Service
Learning

14-18

Providing leadership opportunities through
project-based youth-led service learning

This potential amendment would replace Seattle Public Library Foundation support for both
sets of programs with levy funds at the cost described in Table 2.
Table 2: Costs to Maintain Educational Programming

Purpose
Maintaining 0-3
programming
with levy funds
Maintaining
Student Success
programming
with levy funds

$2,791,605

$398,001

Monthly Cost
to Average
Median
Household
$1.12
$0.09

$1,435,670

$205,096

$0.58

Cost Over Levy
Period

Average Annual
Cost

Annual Cost to
Average Median
Household

$0.05

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 2. Adding More Hours Systemwide (Councilmember O’Brien)
As discussed at the April 8 Select Committee meeting, in proposing the 2019 levy, the Library
considered how to respond to the community’s interest in in the seeing the Library restored to
its pre-recession hours of operation and possibly adding further open hours. The Library
determined that it could open all branch libraries for another hour on Sundays without any
additional levy cost, increasing the total system hours open by 26 hours per week. The Library
looked at three further options for extending hours. Two are reflected in the Mayor’s Levy
package: (1) to open on Fridays four libraries (Delridge, Green Lake, Wallingford, and New
Holly) which are currently only open six days a week, an additional 28 open hours per week, for
$1.8 million; and (2) to open three libraries (High Point, Chinatown-International District, and
South Park) for a longer time in the mornings and evenings, an additional 42 hours per week,
for $4.0 million.
The weekly hours of operation since 2010 for the Library system (all locations) are outlined in
Table 3, along with the options proposed in the levy package. Current library branch hours and
proposed hours for 2020 without additional levy-funded options are in Attachment A.
Table 3: Library System Historical Hours Open and Proposals for Increasing Hours
Time Period

N/A
-200
+102
+38

Cumulative
Total Hours
Open Per Week
1,437
1,237
1,349
1,377

+26

1,403

+28

1,431

Incremental
Hours Change

Pre-recession
2010
2013
2016
Proposed levy package additions
One more Sunday
hour at all branches
Open four branches
on Fridays
AM/PM hours to
three branches

+42

Reason for Change in Funding
Support
N/A
Recession financial constraints
Available 2012 Levy funds
Available 2012 Levy funds
Available 2012 levy funds

Proposed 2019 levy package
funds
Proposed 2019 levy package
1,473
funds

The last option the Library analyzed that was not included in the Mayor’s proposal would add
another open evening hour Monday through Thursday system-wide, for an additional four
hours per week at the Central Library and each of the 26 branches, totaling 108 hours per
week. This would mean 1,581 open hours per week system-wide. Levy costs to add these hours
starting June 1, 2020 are $6.2 million over the life of the levy, at an average annual cost of
$866,000. The average annual cost to an average median household is $2.47, or $0.21 per
month. The $6.2 million consists of $3.84 million for the Central Library, $1.9 million for the

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 branch libraries, and $572,000 for a floating custodian to respond to needs across all additional
open hours.
3. Feasibility Study for Co-locating Child Care Space at Libraries (Councilmember Mosqueda)
Currently, no Library locations are co-located with child care facilities. It may be possible to add
child care spaces to Library locations, either through redevelopment or further build out. The
feasibility study could include:
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•
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•

Specific requirements of child care center licensing;
Site-specific challenges such as outdoor space requirements, bathrooms in classrooms,
sufficient egress exits, and needed square footage;
Whether to cover capital or operational costs with levy funding;
Estimated capital and potential operational costs; and
Estimated operational costs, including food service, administrative space for staff,
storage space.

Councilmember Mosqueda, the Library, and the Executive are currently gathering more
information about the cost of a feasibility study to add child care space to the Central Library
and to all branches, which will be discussed a future Select Committee Meeting.
4. Providing Additional Security Officers (Councilmember Mosqueda)
Currently, the Library employs 19 security officers. Adding additional security officers would
help the Library to address the increasing operational challenges associated with its position as
an open space for the unsheltered population while ensuring the Library is accessible to all
members of the public. As currently staffed, prompt security responses to branch libraries can
be delayed. The Library describes its strategies for interactions between security officers and
patrons as a person-centered approach to build relationships.
Adding two officers would allow some increased capacity for training, more staffing flexibility,
and the ability to provide more prompt responses to branches. It would also meet the
recommendations from a 2010 study on library security. The cost of one security officer in 2019
is $60,792. Levy costs to add two officers are $1,263,540 over the life of the levy, at an average
annual cost of $180,506. The average annual cost to an average median household is $0.51, or
$0.04 per month.
5. Expanding the Community Resource Specialist Program (Councilmember Mosqueda)
Currently, the Library contracts with the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) for a
Community Resource Specialist (CRS) program. This program connects patrons, primarily those
that self-identify as homeless, to resources related to issues such as housing, health, and social
services and can also perform a vulnerability assessment (Vulnerability Index – Service
Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool or VI-SPDAT assessment) for patrons to enter the
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 Coordinated Entry for All system. The CRS employs a social worker and a case manager, who
have held drop in hours at the Central Library four times per week and once a week at the
Rainer Beach branch. Social worker interns also hold drop in hours at the Central Library twice a
week. The case manager has drop in sessions once a week at the Ballard and Capitol Hill
locations.
Expansion of these services could include a new focus on youth and further assisting adults. To
help youth patrons and families at the Central Library and other branch locations would require
an additional youth-focused social worker and a case manager (including intern assistance). To
further assist adults would require two additional case workers. Levy costs for both proposals
are described in Table 4.
Table 4: Costs to Expand Community Resource Specialist Program

Purpose
Youth services
support
Two case
workers for adult
support

$1,149,992

$164,285

Monthly Cost
to Average
Median
Household
$0.46
$0.04

$985,707

$140,815

$0.40

Cost Over Levy
Period

Average Annual
Cost

Annual Cost to
Average Median
Household

$0.03

Next Steps
Based on Council interest, Central Staff will prepare amendment language for the Select
Committee’s discussion and vote at the next Select Committee meeting on April 17.
Attachments:
A. Current and 2020 Library Hours Information Without Additional Hours Options
cc:

Kirstan Arestad, Central Staff Director
Erik Sund, Supervising Analyst

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 Attachment A - Current and 2020 Library System Hours Information Without Additional Hours Options
Branch Type

Central Library

Extended Hours

Open Seven Days
(short hours)

Open Six Days
(short hours)

Number of
Branches

Branch Name(s)

2019 Hours

Central

Total Hours Per Week: 62

2020 Hours
(one hour earlier on Sunday)
No Change

•
•
•

•
•
•

1

13

4

9

Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 12 – 6 p.m.

No Change
No Change
No Change

Ballard
Beacon Hill
Broadview
Capitol Hill
Columbia
Douglass-Truth
Greenwood
Lake City
Northeast
Northgate
Rainier Beach
Southwest
West Seattle
High Point
ID/Chinatown
South Park
University

Total Hours Per Week: 60

Total Hours Per Week: 61

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•
•

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•

Delridge
Fremont
Greenlake
Madrona-Sally Goldmark
Magnolia
Montlake
NewHolly
Queen Anne
Wallingford

Total Hours Per Week: 39

Total Hours Per Week: 40

•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•

Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 – 5 p.m.

No Change
No Change
Sunday: 12 – 5 p.m.

Total Hours Per Week: 46

Total Hours Per Week: 47

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•
•

•
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•

Monday – Tuesday: 1 – 8 p.m.
Wednesday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 -5 p.m.

Monday – Tuesday: 1 – 8 p.m.
Wed, Thurs, Sat: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday: Close
Sunday: 1 – 5 p.m.

No Change
No Change
Sunday: 12 – 5 p.m.

No Change
No Change
No Change
Sunday: 12 – 5 p.m.

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