What the library means to candidates for Mayor and City Council

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

I am currently reading “Abundance” by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson for a second time. I asked all of my directors to read this book before our annual retreat as a way to spark discussion, and I would highly recommend it to others. I believe many of our city’s issues (i.e. affordability and housing solutions) could be addressed through some of the suggestions offered in this book – particularly around thinking expansively and creatively about how we align our values with the outcomes we seek.

While my preference is to read a physical book, I find myself listening to audiobooks as of late.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

As mayor, I attended a Somali community literacy event where the Somali Family Safety Task Force worked with the Somali community to write and illustrate five original children’s bilingual Somali/English books because there are very few available. Seattle Public Schools partnered with the Task Force to put the books in classrooms. Through the work of our Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy, we need to ensure all children regardless of their socioeconomic environment develop early literacy skills that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Security and safety at branches
2. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
3. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
4. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
5. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

Safety and security of our residents is my number one priority. For our neighbors to be able to access a diverse array of books, programs, and services provided by our libraries, we must ensure that they can do so safely – and that library staff are not asked to manage safety issues or provide emergency assistance to people in crisis.

I believe in a holistic approach to public safety. I will continue to work to address crime through expanded youth programs, job opportunities, and social services that help provide stability for our underserved communities and ensure success of the expansion of our CARE Department to provide immediate behavioral health support. I will focus on creating safe communities by expanding resources for mental health and community-based policing, ensuring that our city’s residents feel protected and supported.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

My mother was an SPL employee and our household benefitted from the stability of her employment, made possible in no small part because of the consistent General Fund support of our public libraries.

As the City’s portfolio of services has shifted over the past several decades – driven by deferral disinvestment in housing and human services, and state transfers of similar authority – coupled with voter approved limits on property taxes, more and more City services have shifted to levy-dependent sources.

I am very aware of these tradeoffs and have led with efforts to stabilize our General Fund budgets through responsible shifts of excess revenues in the City’s payroll tax, and my proposal this year to shift the B&O tax to except small businesses and raise additional general fund monies that can offset federal cuts and other shortfalls.

As such, I have been working for months with my team and SPL leadership to craft a Levy proposal for 2026 that addresses the capital and collection priorities that have been a centerpiece of past levies, with the additional safety, staffing, and operating needs library patrons expect. We are working toward a good balance, while doing everything possible to maintain General Fund support – a foundation of the stability our libraries deserve.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

As noted above, I want to help address these shortcomings in the upcoming Levy, to help address gaps in collections and reduce wait times for popular electronic titles. This is especially important in the face of federal cuts, and threats of censorship and other previously unimaginable actions by our nation’s president. In addition to seeking direct funding sources to stabilize and improve collections, I am eager to work with SPL and the Foundation to secure additional resources – private, philanthropic, or otherwise – to help meet these needs.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

I grew up in our city libraries – both because of my mom’s career, but also because I was a voracious reader in need of safe and welcoming places to learn and explore. I carried this passion forward as a young adult and mentor to youth and incarcerated individuals, and into my public service career as an advocate for SPL and the wraparound services that help kids and families, regardless of zip code, immigration status, race, or housing situation find opportunities to learn, meet, grow, and thrive.

I am concerned by national statistics that young people are reading less and engaging less in physical spaces, and I want to change that by helping create and nurture and market “third places,” like our libraries, for them to receive educational and enrichment support, just like I had.

I am excited for our continued work together, and for readers across Seattle, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to enhance our incredible library system.

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

My campaign team recently asked me to name my favorite community organizing book, so that they could raffle off a copy at an event. I chose “The Long Haul,” the autobiography of Myles Horton, who was an amazing labor organizer, educator, and founder of the Highlander Folk School. That’s a book that inspired me when I read it many years ago.

I greatly prefer the experience of reading a physical book, but over the past several years I’ve mostly shifted to audiobooks because it’s possible to listen while walking or doing the dishes. I wish I had more time to read!

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

I’ve attended some speaker events at the Central Library, but it was years ago and I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember what they were. Somewhat recently I was sad to miss an author event with Lauren Groff!

As the mother of a two-year-old, I would love to learn more about Story Time and other kid-centered programming. We love hanging out in the kids’ book sections of the libraries and it’s such a blessing to have indoor public places where you can hang out with small children, especially when the rainy weather sets in.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
2. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
3. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
4. Security and safety at branches
5. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

This was a really difficult exercise, as each one of these things is important and all of them kind of need to happen together in order for the library system to be successful. I ranked open hours and staffing #1 because I think this is so key to maintaining the popularity and use of our libraries by the public. And that, in turn, is key to their long-term success and obviously is the whole point of having libraries. I remember a recent instance where I hoped to use a Capitol Hill Branch meeting room for a Zoom interview, and showed up only to realize it was the one weekday when the branch opens two hours later than normal. When library hours are inconsistent or shortened, people lose the feeling that they can rely on the libraries and may use them less.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

Unfortunately, this is a trend with levies in general. They are originally created to supplement basic operations funding that is provided directly through the City’s budget, but with each levy renewal more and more pieces get wrapped into the levy so that City funds can be stretched further or spent elsewhere. We just saw this happen with the FEPP Levy. In the context of the City’s current General Fund deficit, I’m not sure there’s a great alternative in the short term, but I am committed to pursuing new progressive revenue and getting our City budget on a better and more sustainable path.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

If there is anything the City can do to help the libraries negotiate or force a better deal on digital books, I’m all ears. Let’s strategize together about how to expand the collections budget, whether that’s through growing public funding or seeking private donations or some creative third way.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

I love our libraries! The libraries’ reservable rooms are such an asset to the community, and especially to community groups that are doing good work on a shoestring. In my work with the Transit Riders Union over the past 14 years, we’ve used so many library rooms for meetings and events. 

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

I have three books I recommend:

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini – A novel that has haunted me for years for all the right reasons. Women’s livelihoods and stories are often erased and minimized particularly in stories about social upheaval and war. However, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” centers the complex and intertwined stories of Mariam and Laila – two women navigating trauma and struggles in the midst of Taliban rule over Afghanistan. It’s a book I’ve revisited and reflected on often when I think about the bounds of love and resilience. Spoiler alert: This book will make you cry.

“Daring Greatly” by Brené Brown – This was the book that spurred me to start taking chances! I can’t say I would’ve run for office if it wasn’t for this book. This book taught me that courage and vulnerability are often required for getting the things we want.

“The Island of Dr. Moreau” by H.G. Wells – I’ve been enjoying exploring classic science fiction lately! While brilliantly written, deeply creepy, H.G. Wells also raised profound ethical, philosophical, and scientific controversy which I found to parallel some of our discourse today.

I am committed to physical books. Despite the urging of my friends and family to get an e-reader, I can’t let go of my books.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

Early literacy and lifelong education. Enrichment and civic engagement. Economic and workforce development.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
2. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
3. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
4. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
5. Security and safety at branches
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

Ensuring that we have the staffing necessary to keep our public libraries open and functioning is one of my top priorities for SPL. Without proper staffing, libraries cannot function in any of their other capacities; SPL locations would be open for fewer hours, people would have harder times navigating the libraries, and other core functions of the libraries would slow. I’ll keep working to get our libraries the funding they need.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

I fully recognize that with aging infrastructure and inflation, the need for investments in maintenance and upgrades – like ADA access improvements, seismic safety, and climate resilience – is urgent. While we face difficult budget decisions in both the City and State, I believe we must prioritize funding for essential public services, and libraries fall squarely into that category. Libraries support educational and economic opportunities for people of all ages, and maintaining them is non-negotiable. Counting on the Levy to support more of the library’s normal upkeep is risky – our libraries essentially have to count on levies to pass every seven years to keep operations going as they are – making funding dependent on voting and political mood. I think the best thing the city can do right now is raise awareness about the Library Levy so that it passes in the coming year and look into finding more progressive revenue streams to alleviate budget stress.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

On this, I would support efforts at the state level to push for fairer pricing models from publishers, ensuring that libraries aren’t paying significantly more for digital content than physical books. Libraries should be able to purchase and retain e-books, just like physical books, rather than being forced into expensive subscription models. Additionally, I would encourage partnerships between libraries, other public institutions, and even tech companies to explore innovative ways of reducing costs. We could also work to secure grant funding or pursue other state and federal resources to help cover the costs of digital materials, ensuring that libraries can continue to meet the demand for e-books without sacrificing other critical services. Access to information should not come with such prohibitive costs, and I’ll work to ensure our libraries can provide both digital and physical resources for all.

Our current budget deficit makes it difficult to bolster our library’s collections and the national conversation around book bans poses another danger to our collections. Like my B&O Seattle Shield tax proposal, I will work to bring in progressive revenue streams to help alleviate our City budget and allow us to have money to spend on SPL collections and upkeep. Furthermore, I will take a strong stance against federal threats towards our libraries and right-wing book bans. This is why I spearheaded the creation of the Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Change to react in real time to federal threats against our city and I’m proud to be the chair of this select committee.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

My local library was my safe place growing up. After school, I would go straight to the library to do my homework because I didn’t have a great space to do it at home. I personally understand how important our libraries are, and how much a difference they can make in people’s lives because they made a difference in mine.

(Did not respond)

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

If I love a book, I recommend it! Sharing books creates and strengthens bonds of friendship and gives us something to talk about. Given my schedule these days, I’ve been reading light fiction such as mysteries and political thrillers (currently Mick Herron’s latest, “Clown Town“). I prefer physical books when I read for pleasure but I listen to nonfiction audiobooks in the car because I feel like I should be learning something when stuck in traffic.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

I’ve attended author talks and children’s programming when my kids were young. I’d like to learn more about SPL’s civics programming.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
2. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
3. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
4. Security and safety at branches
5. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

Libraries are one of the five essential services listed in the city’s Charter along with police, fire fighting, parks, and transportation. We must therefore ensure that, at minimum, they’re open and available to the public. Of course, libraries should be also be maintained in good and safe physical condition (ranked second) and provide a wide range of materials (ranked third), but if they are not adequately staffed, they can’t even be open and this constitutes a dereliction of our Charter duty.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

I’m very concerned about the tendency over the years to supplant General Fund revenue in SPL’s budget with property tax revenue generated by the Library Levy. This is wrong because, again, libraries are an essential service and we should not rely on a voter approved revenue stream just to operate them. The same goes for the operating budgets of SDOT and Parks, both of which are funded in part by voter-approved property tax levy lid lifts.

I’m not opposed to paying – or asking our voters to pay – increased property taxes for specific capital projects or enhanced services, but this “backfilling” of General Fund revenue with property tax revenue shifts our duty to fund an essential Charter service onto our constituents and increases the cost of housing for homeowners and renters alike.

Doing so is risky because ballot measures can fail so the revenue they generate should not be dedicated to operations such as staffing or purchasing books but rather to “above and beyond” expenses such as major seismic retrofits.

We can best support SPL’s funding needs by limiting the percentage of its budget that is funded by Levy dollars. This can be specified in the legislation that authorizes the ballot measure. The legislation can also explicitly prohibit the supplantation of General Fund dollars with Levy revenue and require that Levy revenue only be used for enhancements and capital improvements. If re-elected, I commit to ensuring that these conditions are included in next year’s Library Levy renewal.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

I will oppose any reductions to SPL in future budgets and I will work to increase its budget through consultation with SPL leadership.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

I love SPL and you can count on me always to be your strong champion on Council!

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

I’m currently reading the “Stormlight Archive” series via audiobook. Between running for office, raising my family, and teaching at UW, I haven’t had much time to sit with a physical book and I’m grateful for the Libby app! Some of my favorite books to recommend in recent years have been: “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” and anything by Becky Chambers or N.K. Jemisin. I love sci-fi and stories that explore uncommon relationships and each of these books/authors combine those elements in different ways.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

When my son was little we went to the Family Story Times often and got to know our local librarian well through that connection. It gave us a schedule, and a dedicated time to play and connect with other families, sing songs and build community. It was a great resource, especially on the days when just getting out of the house is a triumph (as it often is with small kids!).
I’ve also loved attending the author talks that SPL has hosted and I have great memories of seeing Lindy West, Luvvi Ajayi, and other authors over the years.
Now my most used SPL service is using my library account to access audiobooks on Libby.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
2. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
3. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
4. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
5. Security and safety at branches
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries;

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

Libraries are more than just book repositories — they are community anchors where people gather to learn, connect, and find opportunity. But for our libraries to truly serve everyone, they must be safe, welcoming, and accessible. That means ensuring seismic safety for families, upgrading HVAC and energy systems to make spaces climate resilient, expanding meeting rooms so neighbors can come together, and removing barriers for people with disabilities. When library spaces are cared for and revitalized, they remain vibrant public assets that reflect our values and meet the needs of a growing and diverse community. By investing in the physical health of our libraries, we’re also investing in their ability to remain strong, inclusive, and future-ready civic spaces.

This is a difficult list to prioritize, but given the backlog in capital improvements I want to ensure that our next levy makes significant investment in caring for our buildings so we can continue to offer incredible services for the future.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

I recognize that while 59 percent of the SPL budget comes from the General Fund a growing percentage of the library budget is funded through the Levy, currently 32 percent. This financial shift asks more of payers via regressive property taxes, however it also provides a relatively stable funding source for the lifetime of the levy which is incredibly important as we face potential budget cuts from the federal government. To best support SPL, the City needs to both ensure a strong and transparent Levy renewal in 2026 and simultaneously work toward shoring up the General Fund so libraries are not forced to compete against other urgent needs. That means honest conversations about the City’s revenue system and ensuring that libraries, as essential infrastructure for equity and opportunity, remain protected. In the near term, the City can partner closely with SPL leadership to build a Levy proposal that reflects community priorities, secures broad support, and provides predictability for both staff and patrons.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

Access to diverse and up-to-date collections is at the heart of what makes libraries so essential, yet the costs of books — especially digital titles — have skyrocketed while budgets have stayed flat. This creates a real risk of inequity, where those who can afford private access to information move ahead while others are left behind. I believe preserving and strengthening SPL’s collections must remain a core priority, even in the face of budget challenges.

First, the City should explore ways to safeguard the collections budget within the 2026 levy renewal so it grows predictably with costs, rather than falling behind each year. Second, we should work with other jurisdictions and regional partners to push back on unfair publisher practices that drive up digital book costs. Finally, I will advocate that, even in times of fiscal constraint, our budget decisions reflect the fundamental role of libraries in literacy, lifelong learning, creating community and democracy itself. Protecting collections is about protecting access to knowledge — and that is non-negotiable.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

(Blank)

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

Physical books – fiction and books about self help.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

A long time ago, I was re-entering the workforce and used a library program to help learn basic computer skills.

I’m interested in learning more about all library programs.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
2. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
3. Security and safety at branches
4. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
5. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries
6. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

I believe that ensuring open hours and staffing necessary to support library operations is the most important priority for The Seattle Public Library. We need libraries to be open and properly staffed for them to operate in the first place and without proper staffing or availability all other functions of the library are hindered.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

Relying on levies isn’t ideal, but with our budget being heavily constrained due to federal funding being withheld and our regressive state tax system, leaning on the Library Levy is absolutely necessary. Counting on the Levy to support more and more of the library’s normal upkeep is risky. The library has to count on the Levy to pass every seven years to keep operations going, which makes funding dependent on voting and political mood. However, the levies are nice because with the levies you know that the money is dedicated solely to the library and the funding is rather predictable.

I think the best thing the city can do right now is raise awareness about the Library Levy so that it gets easily passed in the coming year.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

The current budget makes it extremely difficult for our libraries to improve their collections. We need to look for ways to optimize our collections to best serve community wants and needs, strengthen partnerships with local foundations, organizations, and groups that could help aid the library financially, work to achieve interlibrary loans, and we need to look for other sources of income for our city to be able to provide libraries with sufficient funding to source new materials.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

I’m a fan!

What book(s) do you recommend to others, and why? Do you prefer physical books, digital books, or audiobooks?

I prefer physical books because I’m already reading too much news and social media and other digital content online. Recent books that I’ve read and recommend are “Skid Road” by Josephine Ensign and “Homelessness is a Housing Problem” by Gregg Colburn and Clayton Aldern, because they help us understand one of the largest societal issues facing our city.

What programs at The Seattle Public Library have you attended? What did you find most interesting or valuable? What would you like to learn more about?

I’ve attended author talks at the Central Library and over the years I have also really appreciated hearing book recommendations, like from Nancy Pearl.

I’m interested in learning more about all of SPL’s programming. In particular, I’m interested in learning about programming for youth and economic and workforce development, which I believe are especially needed for South Seattle.

Which issue is your top priority for the library to address? Please rank the following issues in order:

1. Ensuring open hours and the staffing necessary to support library operations
2. Security and safety at branches
3. Increasing community outreach and partnerships
4. Ensuring buildings are maintained and cared for as community assets
5. Ensuring Seattle residents have access to a diverse collection of materials
6. Increasing the diversity and number of public programs across libraries

Recognizing that each of the issues above are important, what was your motivation for ranking your #1 priority?

Our library branches are essential public facilities for children, families, and many of our most vulnerable who may need computer/internet access or other support. And in an increasingly digital world, our library buildings are essential places of in-person human connection. Ensuring open hours and staffing is needed to meet the basic needs of our communities.

The Levy has become an increasingly large portion of the library’s budget, supporting operations rather than just as a vehicle for enhancements and capital improvements. Do you see risks or rewards from this financial shift? How can the City best support SPL’s funding needs given the General Fund deficit and the Levy renewal next year?

We need to address our upside-down tax code, which taxes our lowest-income residents much more than our most wealthy. Currently, we have so many basic needs which are competing with each other, whether it’s our libraries, parks, affordable housing, preschools and K-12 public education, public safety, and health care to name a few. We will never meet the needs of our community unless and until we adopt more progressive tax revenues. I would support new progressive revenues, like a capital gains tax and increasing the corporate payroll tax to meet our basic needs, including public libraries.

The library’s collections budget has remained flat, or even faced cuts, in recent years despite dramatic cost increases for books, particularly digital books. In the face of the City budget deficit, escalating costs, and the federal threats to libraries that will impact access to books nationwide, what would you do to preserve SPL’s collections resources?

As mentioned above, we need new progressive revenues to minimize the impacts of federal cuts and the City’s budget deficit. I would also look forward to working with SPL and The Seattle Public Library Foundation to find ways to support collections resources, including promoting donor support and events. I would work with other elected officials to find ways to support public libraries regionally and statewide. In general, I think we need to continue to uplift awareness and to be outspoken about the importance of public libraries, especially in these times. The more people know about and use SPL resources and attend events, the more the public will help to fund and support SPL. Finally, we need to work with our state and federal legislators to find ways to address the costs of digital books by addressing copyright and licensing terms and/or by having libraries join together to increase purchasing power of digital assets.

Is there anything else related to the library that concerns (or delights!) you?

I’m extremely thankful for the community support and services that SPL provides, which are needed now more than ever. We are seeing increasing attempts to ban books, to whitewash our history, and attacks on First Amendment rights. In this era of social media, big data, and consolidated partisan media, all of which are threatening our democracy and social fabric, our libraries are needed as places where people can find real connection and continued access to books, arts, information, and other resources.