Advocacy

Raise your voice for our library!

The Seattle Public Library is a treasured community resource because it receives strong support from public funding and private philanthropy secured through the Foundation. Though the Foundation has raised more than $250 million in private gifts for the library, our advocacy work has helped secure more than $1 billion in public dollars over the past 25 years alone.

Join our advocacy efforts by signing up for the Public Library Action Network here. You’ll receive updates on policy decisions and funding opportunities that impact The Seattle Public Library at the local, state, and federal levels, and learn about how you can take action to help keep the library strong.

The Foundation accomplishes this through:

Levy support: In 2026, the Foundation supported the development and passage of a $480 million levy that supports collections, capital investments, expanded programming, and technology upgrades. This measure passed with 75 percent voter approval. Learn more about the 2026 Library Levy here.
Advocacy for annual City-allocated funds: The Foundation strives each year to secure funding in the City’s budget process to ensure the Library can serve all of our neighbors. We, along with our supporters, educate local officials on the Library’s role as a public service and its primary funding needs.
State and federal advocacy: The Foundation connects grassroots supporters with our representatives in Olympia and Washington D.C. in order to build opportunities for state and federal funding and policy changes that benefit public libraries.
Capital support: The Foundation advocated for the 1998 Libraries for All campaign, a $196.4 million bond measure that led to the construction of the current Central Library and 26 new or updated branches across the city. Since then, the Foundation has regularly supported efforts to maintain, refurbish, and expand Library spaces, including through funds from the city, state, and federal governments.

Your support helps us leverage our resources to maximize the public-private partnership that makes The Seattle Public Library work.

Please contact the Foundation’s Senior Director of Communications and Advocacy, Will Livesley-O’Neill, at will (at) supportspl (dot) org with questions or for more information.