Budget vote: 2 West Seattle libraries to move to 5 days a week

Following this morning’s vote to raise electricity rates, another high-profile budget action’s been taken by the Seattle City Council: Councilmembers voted to restore $860,000 in funding to the Seattle Public Library budget. According to the Friends of Seattle Public Library website, here’s what that means in terms of library operations in West Seattle: The Southwest and West Seattle (Admiral) branches will remain open 7 days a week, 10 am-8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-6 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 1-5 pm Sundays. But the Delridge and High Point branches (South Park too), currently open 6 days a week, will be reduced to 5 days a week (closed Fridays and Sundays) – 1 pm-8 pm Mondays and Tuesdays, 11 am-6 pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 am-6 pm Saturdays. Read more here about what the library budget action means.

Aye Jay November 12, 2009 (3:31 pm)

low income, less hours?

Donn November 12, 2009 (3:59 pm)

They should keep Sundays open and close one of the other days.

rw November 12, 2009 (4:02 pm)

Aye Jay, this is just a guess but I think it probably has more to do with the amount of traffic each branch gets, and when they get the most (and fewest) visitors. It’s a shame either way, but hopefully they made these service cuts in a way that negatively impacts the least number of people for the least number of hours.

kjt November 12, 2009 (4:05 pm)

We can only go on weekends– now this leaves just one day for us to get there.

Whenever I am at the South Park branch it seems packed on the weekends. I think this is a bad move.

Kara November 12, 2009 (4:47 pm)

It was originally going to be only Southwest open 7 days a week, which serves every kind of income level…considering it was my branch growing up in White Center.

This is really good news guys!!

Also, it is completely based on usage. Delridge and High Point are already closed on Sundays so that won’t be anything new to adjust to.

I think this change goes to show that people demanded and it might not be perfect, but its so much more than what it was. YAY!

Iggy November 12, 2009 (4:56 pm)

Sure wish they had evened it out more. Big difference in hours between High Point/Delridge and SW/Admiral. Very sad because Delridge is much nicer facility than Admiral. Seems to be an “all or nothing” mentality among the library planners. And I agree with the writer who said that low income folks are hardest hit. There are many people using Delridge and High Point who do not have cars. Just my two cents.

J November 12, 2009 (5:00 pm)

Well, it’s better than the mayor’s proposal, so the city council deserves thanks for that. (So do the people who lobbied against the cuts!) Start thinking about the next budget now.

KatherineL November 12, 2009 (5:39 pm)

I’m sorry for Delridge and High Point, but so relieved about the Admiral branch. I use it all the time. I suspect these decisions had something to do with the summer reading program. You kept track in a notebook of how many books you read. The totals were sent in just before Labor Day. I didn’t realize this was important until one of the librarians asked me to keep track of my books. Next time they do this, be sure to do your stats.

chas redmond November 12, 2009 (5:48 pm)

The High Point folks can take the 21 to get to Southwest so that’s not a big issue even for folks without cars. It’s the Delridge folks who will be hurtin’. There’s no easy way along Delridge Way to get to any of the other WS libraries via transit, you have to transfer no matter which other library you want to get to.

Mr. L November 13, 2009 (8:59 am)

I missed it. Are taxes going down so we’re receiving fewer services?

Gina November 13, 2009 (9:20 am)

Oddly enough, it seems that people are buying fewer items and services in the City of Seattle, and, yes, income from taxes on those items has gone down. City of Seattle libraries are not funded by property taxes.

GreenSpaces November 14, 2009 (12:01 am)

9 months ago the High Point branch was open 7 days a week. How quickly people forget. I think the kids here in High Point are getting screwed. It is amazing how busy that place is after school and on the weekends. Our city government is punitive and downright lame.

Sorry, comment time is over.