2 days ago
Washington State Library closing to the public, 12 jobs getting axed
Washington State Library in Tumwater, Wash. (Courtesy of the Office of Secretary of State)
The Washington State Library in Tumwater and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle will close to the public on July 1 due to a lack of state funding.
State libraries will also eliminate 12 jobs due to the financial pressure.
Shuttering the facilities will curb access to the state's trove of historical and governmental collections and force cancellation of an array of services and programs, the secretary of state's office announced Friday.
'Libraries are cornerstones of civic life and education in many areas of our state. The impact of the closures will risk denying communities access to the information, literacy tools, and resources they depend on,' Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement.
The move comes after lawmakers and Gov. Bob Ferguson didn't provide $6.7 million in the budget to cover a shortfall created largely by a decline in revenue from fees paid on real estate transactions.
At the Tumwater library, those who dial up Ask A Librarian or the main switchboard, or send an inquiry by email, can expect to wait up to a week for a response. Additionally, subscriptions to newspaper and genealogy databases will be discontinued, and the acquisition of new materials will be drastically limited.
When the Talking Book and Braille Library closes to the public, responses to voicemail messages will take longer. Circulation and registration services will be slowed as well.
Programming such as multisensory story time and the Low Vision and Touch of Braille workshops will be canceled. Production of braille and audio materials could also be reduced at the state's only accessible library service for people who are blind or have other disabilities.
'These disruptions jeopardize equitable access to information for some of Washington's most underserved residents unable to read standard print,' said Washington State Librarian Sara Jones. 'While a newly signed bill will provide some funds in the future, the current funding gap is affecting our employees and important services now.'
A bill signed by Ferguson on May 19 will impose a new $50 surcharge on all filings handled by superior court clerks, of which $20 would go to the secretary of state's office for the library, archives and state legacy projects. This would generate up to $6 million in a full biennium, according to a fiscal analysis.
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