How did our community use the Library in 2025?
Hot off the digital presses, our 2025 Impact Report paints a picture of The Seattle Public Library’s impact in numbers and stories.
While the Impact Report shows a record number of active patrons and growing participation in programs, as Chief Librarian Tom Fay noted, “it is the stories behind the numbers that show the organization’s true impact.”
The Impact Report is published at www.spl.org/impact, and is also available in a one-page printable version online or at Library locations.
Key highlights of the Library’s impact in 2025
24 checkouts a minute: Our patrons checked out digital materials 7.2 million times and physical materials 5.5 million times, for a total of 12.7 million checkouts in 2025. That’s an average of 24 checkouts a minute!
3.4 million visits: Patrons walked through the doors of our 27 locations 3.4 million times in 2025, including an average of 2,400 visits a day to the Central Library alone.
10th in the world: The Seattle Public Library ranked 10th in the world for checkouts of digital books through OverDrive/Libby in 2025. E-books and e-audiobooks were checked out 6.1 million times in 2025.
65% increase in programs: The Library hosted more than 5,800 programs in 2025, a 65% increase since 2023, with attendance of 130,000. Events and programs included author events, business help, tax help, English and citizenship classes, digital literacy programs, homework help, adult tutoring, and much more.
More than 1,300 story times and other early literacy programs in multiple languages drew attendance of 43,000.
Robust use of technology services: Library patrons printed 2.1 million pages in 2025, booked public computers for 400,000 hours, and scanned 487,000 pages through our ScanEZ machines. They also checked out wi-fi hot spots more than 6,500 times.
Business services valued at $8.3 million: A record 4,100 patrons attended more than 150 business workshops and programs through the Library last year. The Urban Libraries Council’s Business Value Calculator found that the annual value of services, books, tools, and resources that the Library provides to small business owners was worth $8.3 million.
We also heard directly from community members about impact. In a 2025 survey of Seattle residents, 98% of respondents said they believe the Library improves the quality of life in Seattle, and 97% believe the Library is worth the money invested.
Many respondents also provided direct comments.
“The Library helps us feel connected and invested in the local community. [It is] one of the few third-place spots in the city where we can gather without spending money,” wrote one patron.
“I have been moved many times by observing the staff creating a welcoming environment for everyone,” commented another. “This makes me feel so connected to my community and it’s very comforting.”
Read the 2025 Impact Report
- See the 2025 Impact Report online
- Go to the 2025 Statistical & Financial summaries
- Go to 2025 Stories of Impact
Find more stories of impact on the Shelf Talk blog.