We Wallingfordians sure do love our library branch, no? If not for its size, then certainly for its convenience. Of course, since the last five rounds of library budget cuts, that convenience has waned a bit, and we often hear a collective groan during the annual week-long closure; but now, The City Council is holding a public hearing on a proposed Library levy that would provide funding for more library hours, an increase in staff, better collections, and improved technology.
The levy is proposed for seven years, amounting to $17 million dollars per year (which roughly works out to $52 per year for homeowners with a median assessed value of $361,000). It would begin in 2013, when the 2004 Fire Facilities levy ends and would alleviate the estimated $5 million operating shortfall looming over the library for 2013. That shortfall would translate into closing five library branches or a Friday closure of each branch year round.
If you’re interested in reading the levy proposal, you can access it here.
The public hearing takes place on Tuesday, April 3 at 5:30PM in the City Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall at 600 4th Avenue between James and Cherry.
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One thing which would be very helpful.. is to stagger or rearrange the hours of being open/closed of all the library branches which serve ur area: Wfd, Grk, Frmt, UW branches. They all are closed on Sun and Fri. Why not have a resource closer to us which is open Fridays?
Oh yes, and get more books? novel thought! in the Wfd one or move it to a larger location.
I think staggering the hours is a really good idea.
The library had a survey out a couple of months back. I did suggest the staggering of hours. Queen Anne is also closed Fridays so there really is nothing close on Fridays! Hopefully the message got parroted in that survey. I don’t think this meeting is going to address those type of issues, just the levy.
The Wallingford location is relatively “new” and with the funding issues I doubt we are likely to get a new library any time soon. But if people will support a levy, at least we won’t lose what we have got! Also, once you learn to use the online book request/hold system, the size of the Wallingford library doesn’t matter so much.
If we can’t make it Tuesday, anyone have ideas for how to show our support remotely?
Wfd, Grk, Frmt!?!?!?!? Where aret hese branches?
@Prop3 Go here & click on “select a branch” on the upper right, to get specific info on the Wallingford, Greenlake, and Fremont branches: http://www.spl.org/
@ coolio – Get more books? Did you know you can use the library Web site to reserve any book, dvd, cd from any of Seattle’s library branches? They will bring the books to your local branch, then send you an e-mail when they’re ready to pick up.
If they still don’t have what you want, you can make a purchase suggestion. If the library purchases the book you suggested, they will automatically put it on hold for you, send it to your local branch, and e-mail you when it’s in.
It’s like Amazon or Netflix, only completely free. Hooray for libraries! The levy has my full support.
@Kimberly, you can also express your support of the levy by contacting the City Council.
[email protected]
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Citizens are directed to the following website to complete a form to send an email
to the Mayor’s Office. http://www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/citizen_response.htm
Than kyou chri sw!
The problem with using requests as a substitute for a proper sized collection, is that they recently reduced the limit of requests (as well as check-outs) to one-quarter of what it used to be. Try requesting all of the Academy Award nominated movies for the year, and you’ll use up all of your requests and wait months before receiving any of the DVD’s and opening up a new slot. I really don’t see where reducing the number of requests could possibly have saved them any money, though that was apparently its purpose. At a branch with more materials, your chance of finding something interesting to check out while your requests are all booked up is greatly increased.
There is a lot to be said for walking through a library an dpicking up books by intuition as well as interst. I know about placing holds. I like to walk an dlook at books. I know I can take a bus to downtown.. blah blah.
Wallingford has become a “hold picker upper” with 5 computers for use. Sad, because a couple of the librarians are very talented and knowledgeable.
I, also suggested the staggering closed days on a recen tlibrary response sheet.
One should not expect all the Academy Award Winning movies to be available – it’s a library, not a video store.
Wow, what a waste of money. Libraries are quickly becoming a thing of the past and with schools, roads, etc needing so much work, $17M so people can check out free movies and a book or two, come on. If you look at who pays for this and then who uses them, this is clearly an example of some getting a big benefit that just doesn’t add up. The should consolidate them and do something with public transportation. You want free books to read? Download the Kindle app on your PC and there are thousands upon thousands of free books to download.
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some people can sound mean, may be they arent