You may have seen The Seattle Public Library in the news today. At 12:30 p.m., Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson spoke from the Central Library’s Level 10 Betty Jane Narver Reading Room to announce a proposal for a $410 million Library Levy that would provide funding for The Seattle Public Library over seven years, from 2027 through 2033.
Seattle Councilmember Maritza Rivera, Chief Librarian Tom Fay and Library Board of Trustees president Yazmin Mehdi also spoke. (See the Seattle Channel video to watch the whole briefing.)
If approved by Seattle voters, the 2026 Library Levy would replace the expiring 2019 Library Levy, which currently accounts for one-third of the Library’s total budget in the areas of hours and access, collections, building maintenance, and technology and online services.
The 2026 Library Levy would provide supplementary library funding for books, building maintenance, all-ages programming, and technology infrastructure investments. The proposal aligns with and supports the Library’s 2024-2033 Strategic Plan, which envisions the Library as the central hub of an equitable and connected city where knowledge flourishes, and people find inspiration and a sense of belonging.
Find a detailed look at the proposal at https://www.spl.org/2026Levy.
If the updated package is approved by the Seattle City Council, it will go to a final vote of the people on the August 4, 2026 ballot.
View the Levy Progress Reports page to learn more about our accomplishments with 2019 Library Levy funding.