Editing Seattle Public Library (section)

===1998&ndash;present: "Libraries for All"===
In 1998, Seattle voters, with an unprecedented 69 percent approval rate, approved the largest library bond issue then ever submitted in the United States. The $196 million "Libraries for All" [[bond measure]], along with private funds raised by The Seattle Public Library Foundation, nearly doubled the square footage in Seattle's libraries, including the building of new branches and a new Central Library.

As of 2006, The Seattle Public Library system had 699 staff members (538 full-time equivalents). It circulated 3,151,840 adult books, 1,613,979 children's books, 570,316 WTBBL materials, and 3,895,444 other media (CDs, DVDs, videotapes, etc.) Staff members answered more than 1 million reference questions.<ref name="SPL Fact Sheets">{{cite web |title=The Seattle Public Library: Fact Sheets |website=spl.org |date=2007-06-09 |url=https://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=about_history_factsheets |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813022731/https://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=about_history_factsheets |archive-date=2007-08-13 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The system also provides 1,134 public computers.<ref name="2006 Annual Report">{{cite web |title=More Than Books: The Seattle Public Library 2006 Annual Report |website=spl.org |date=2011-06-12 |url=https://www.spl.org/pdfs/2006AnnualReport.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20080410165010/https://www.spl.org/pdfs/2006AnnualReport.pdf |archive-date=2008-04-10 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Anyone with a library card can get up to one and a half hour a day of free computer use; the system accepts reservations for a computer at a particular time at a particular branch.

The library has moved to an [[RFID]] system for materials, which allows people to check out their materials without assistance, freeing librarians to focus on matters other than circulation.<ref name="2006 Annual Report"/>

From 1993 to 2004, the library was home to [[Nancy Pearl]], one of the few celebrity librarians in the English-speaking world. Pearl's ''Book Lust'' book series and her much-imitated "If All Seattle Read the Same Book" project (now called "Seattle Reads") resulted in her being perhaps the only librarian who has ever been honored with an [[action figure]].

After the [[Great Recession]] resulted in eight separate operating budget cuts between 2009 and 2012,<ref name="Ward 2012">{{cite journal |last=Ward |first=Jonna |title=From the Executive Director |journal=The Next Chapter |publisher=Seattle Public Library Foundation |publication-place=Seattle |date=Winter 2012 |oclc=47843008 |page=2}}</ref> in November 2012 Seattle voters passed a 7-year levy to restore services. The levy enabled all branches to provide Sunday service (15 previously did not), increased the number of branches with 7-day-a-week service from 12 to 14, added to the maintenance and repair fund, and provided new funds to purchase physical materials, electronic content, and additional computer equipment.<ref name="Levy Winter 2012">{{cite journal |title=Library Levy Brings Big Changes in 2013 |journal=The Next Chapter |publisher=Seattle Public Library Foundation |publication-place=Seattle |date=Winter 2012 |oclc=47843008 |page=1}}</ref>

The library unveiled its proposed rebranding strategy in September 2015, including a new name and new logo,<ref>{{cite web |date=September 25, 2015 |title=Background information about the Proposed Rebrand |url=http://www.spl.org/about-the-library/2015-proposed-rebrand |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713071857/https://www.spl.org/about-the-library/2015-proposed-rebrand |archive-date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=October 31, 2015 |publisher=Seattle Public Library}}</ref> that attracted widespread controversy over its cost; the first phase of the project cost $365,000 and the total cost would have been $1.3 million out of private donations. The board of trustees ultimately rejected the proposal on October 28, 2015, citing negative public feedback and other pressing uses for the funds.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Library Board President Theresa Fujiwara's statement on board decision not to change Library name, logo |date=October 28, 2015 |publisher=Seattle Public Library |url=http://www.spl.org/about-the-library/leaders-and-organizations/library-board-of-trustees/decision-on-library-name-change |last=Fujiwara |first=Theresa |access-date=October 31, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031204907/https://www.spl.org/about-the-library/leaders-and-organizations/library-board-of-trustees/decision-on-library-name-change |archive-date=October 31, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gwinn |first=Mary Ann |date=October 28, 2015 |title=Seattle Public Library board rejects $935K name change to 'Seattle Public Libraries' |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/seattle-public-library-board-rejects-proposed-name-change/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=October 31, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Cassuto 2015">{{cite web |last=Cassuto |first=Dan |title=Seattle Public Library wants to drop the 'y' |website=king5.com |date=2015-10-28 |url=https://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2015/10/28/seattle-public-library-new-brand/74764700/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101013135/https://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2015/10/28/seattle-public-library-new-brand/74764700/ |archive-date=2015-11-01 |url-status=dead |access-date=2024-09-10}}</ref>

A $219 million [[property tax]] levy was approved by Seattle voters in August 2019 to fund library services, including extended hours at branches, seismic renovations, social services.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 6, 2019 |title=$219M Seattle library levy that would kill overdue fines is heading toward approval |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-library-levy-on-its-way-to-approval-in-early-ballot-returns/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> The levy also included funding to eliminate [[late fee|overdue fines]] for patrons, which came into effect on January 2, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=December 13, 2019 |title=Seattle Public Library sets start date for eliminating overdue fines |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-public-library-announces-start-date-for-eliminating-overdue-fines/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref>

During the beginning of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state)|COVID-19 pandemic]] in March 2020, the library closed all of its branches and in-person services, operating exclusively with curbside pickup at some locations beginning in August.<ref>{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Seattle Public Library takes small steps toward reopening |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/seattle-public-library-takes-small-steps-toward-reopening/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=October 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Seattle's Central Library to Offer Curbside Pickup of Books and Materials Beginning Aug. 6 |date=August 3, 2020 |publisher=Seattle Public Library |url=https://www.spl.org/about-us/news-releases/curbside-pickup-begins-aug-6 |access-date=October 14, 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930000754/https://www.spl.org/about-us/news-releases/curbside-pickup-begins-aug-6 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |accessdate=}}</ref> Five branches were reopened in April to provide public bathrooms to unsheltered and homeless people in the city, but other services remained closed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brownstone |first1=Sydney |last2=Beekman |first2=Daniel |date=April 21, 2020 |title=Seattle will reopen 5 library bathrooms during coronavirus pandemic |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/seattle-will-reopen-5-library-bathrooms-during-coronavirus-pandemic/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=October 14, 2021}}</ref> The first branches reopened on April 27, 2021, and the final branch reopened in October.<ref>{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=April 7, 2021 |title=Seattle Public Library will reopen 3 branches soon, but browsing shelves won't be allowed just yet |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/seattle-public-library-to-reopen-3-branches-kcls-open-branches-expands-to-11/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=October 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=The Seattle Public Library Reaches Milestone With Newholly Branch Reopening |date=October 14, 2021 |publisher=Seattle Public Library |url=https://www.spl.org/about-us/news-releases/library-reaches-a-new-milestone-with-the-newholly-branch-reopening |access-date=October 14, 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029174541/https://www.spl.org/about-us/news-releases/library-reaches-a-new-milestone-with-the-newholly-branch-reopening |archive-date=October 29, 2021}}</ref> The library system incurred an estimated $434,188 in property damage during the pandemic, particularly at the Central Library.<ref>{{cite news |last=Robertson |first=Sebastian |date=October 13, 2021 |title=Seattle Public Library branches rack up more than $434,000 in damage during pandemic |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-public-library-branches-rack-up-more-than-434000-in-damage-during-pandemic/281-dff61658-91b3-4f4d-97de-44698843060b |publisher=KING 5 News |accessdate=October 14, 2021}}</ref>

The library's checkout and online services were shut down by a [[ransomware]] attack in late May 2024 after a period of scheduled maintenance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gaitán |first=Catalina |date=May 28, 2024 |title=Seattle Public Library goes offline after ransomware event |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-public-library-goes-offline-after-ransomware-event/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 29, 2024}}</ref> Branch services remained open and some online services were restored by May 29.<ref>{{cite news |last=Soper |first=Taylor |date=May 29, 2024 |title=Why did ransomware hackers target Seattle Public Library? |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2024/why-did-ransomware-hackers-target-seattle-public-library/ |work=[[GeekWire]] |accessdate=May 29, 2024}}</ref> By August, most online services had been restored, with the goal of all online services being available by the end of August.<ref>{{cite news |last=Perez |first=Kate |date=August 6, 2024 |title=Seattle Public Library still reeling from May cyberattack |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-public-library-still-reeling-from-may-cyberattack/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=October 14, 2024}}</ref> The attack's data breach included information from 26,965 patrons and employees; the library's response and investigation was contracted to private consultants at a total cost of $1 million.<ref>{{cite news |last=Girgis |first=Lauren |date=March 11, 2025 |title=Seattle library ransomware attack affected nearly 27K people |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-library-ransomware-attack-affected-nearly-27k-people/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=March 15, 2025}}</ref>