Seattle Public Library at a Crossroads

Seattle Public Library strategic planning

Link to April 6 The Stranger article by Paul Constant, "Inside the Box:  Corporate Euphemisms, Angry Librarians, Accusations of Bullying: The Tense Battle for Seattle Public Library's Future".

Excerpt:   Seattle Public Library is at a crossroads. About a year and a half after the completion of the Libraries for All initiative that saw the SPL system expand to 26 branches across the city, and a few months after budget cuts brought more than half of those branches down to an anemic, five-day-a-week schedule, the system suffers from a complex layering of crises. The Library Board of Trustees is attempting to reimagine the library for a future it considers to be more about information than physical books while balancing the system's $50 million annual budget. City Librarian Susan Hildreth is spearheading a rebranding program that includes surveys, focus groups, and an added advisory board. Meanwhile, many librarians feel unrepresented by management, and some fear retribution for speaking their minds against new policies and restructuring.

Related articles:
Seattle Public Library asks for input.  (2/28/2010)
15 branches reduce hours.  (2/1/2010)
The Ubiquitous Librarian reflects on Seattle's "spirit of angst".  (1/22/2010) 
Library hornet's nest gets another shake.  (1/22/2010)
Advocating for the Seattle Public Library.  (10/28/2009)
More budget woes in Seattle.  (10/28/2009)
Fee increases.  (10/17/2009)