Seattle Public Library: Breaking down barriers

This week we hear from the Seattle Public Library in the US:

Founded by white settlers in 1868 and established as an official city department in 1890, the Seattle Public Library is the public library system for Seattle, Washington, USA. Growing from a single reading room in Pioneer Square, surviving budget cuts and a fire along the way, the library now has 27 branches, a mobile library, and a striking Central Library, described by architectural critic Herbert Muschamp as ‘a blazing chandelier to swing your dreams upon’.

To meet contemporary demands and needs, the library has a range of offerings aside from books, such as other media available for borrowing, resources for immigrants, refugees, and jobseekers, and more. Through this, the library tries to offer resources, learning opportunities, and creative ways to engage and connect with those in the community who may not consider themselves readers. For example, the library partners with local community groups to provide free books for all literary levels, in traditional and large print, in a range of languages and forms. 

Seattle: Lake City Branch

‘We also recognise that access to books and literacy remain barriers to some of our neighbours’ said Seattle Public Library outreach program manager Nadiyah Browne. ‘We don’t always know who are and aren’t readers, or why. It’s important that our institution doesn’t make assumptions or judgements, but strives to be welcoming, curious and respectful of people’s experiences, goals, and decisions. Through partnerships with local groups across the city and at outreach events, the library shares free books for all literacy levels, in traditional and large print, in a variety of languages and forms. Our Library Equal Access Program (LEAP) also provides adaptive equipment and support for community members with disabilities at all of our locations.’

Programming plays a critical role in facilitating connection in the community. One of its most successful programs is Seattle Reads, a city-wide book group where everyone is invited to read and discuss the same book. Founded in 1998, the program has been very popular, with thousands of readers participating yearly. In the book selection process, libraries consider what will be relatable to and appeal to readers from different generations and backgrounds – what they will be excited to discuss as a city. In 2025, Seattle Reads’ book is You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World by Ada Limón. Past selections have featured Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (a past Seattleite), The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

Seattle: Douglass Truth Branch

Browne shared one example of the program’s impact: ‘One year, we received feedback from a patron that reading the selected title, Luis Alberto Urrea’s The House of Broken Angels spurred him to get in touch with an estranged family member and invite him to read the selected book as well. His relative responded and after they read the book together, the patron sent us this note: “I think the book is helping him to recover from the brokenness in his life. So, thanks for choosing this book. The impact of what you do cannot be diminished”.’

The library’s programming also aims to support local writers, with initiatives like the Writers Room Residency, which offers a space for writers to work on their projects, access to library resources, and a supportive community. Residents work across a variety of fields and genres. In 2025, there were more than 200 applicants, and the program currently supports 64 writers. The library has also worked with local community partners to host free writing classes. Its guest-curated series collaborates with local writers and literary workers to create original programming. 

Seattle: Douglass Truth Branch interior

A system-wide team of library staff regularly participate in outreach with residents at Tiny House villages, tent cities and shelters. One of the most pressing issues is the digital divide – over 8000 Seattle households have no way to access the internet at home.* The library partners with community groups to serve those most impacted, leading outreach, lending WIFI hotspots as a bridge and sharing information on sustainable low-cost technology options. In response to a growing need for patron support within the buildings, the library has hired a community resource specialist to connect marginalised populations with essential social services. They also support staff across the system by providing trauma-informed responsiveness to some of the challenges facing patrons on a daily basis. 

‘Outreach is both an entry and engagement point for us to connect with communities who are entitled to the opportunities available through the library yet remain excluded and underserved,’ said Browne. ‘It allows staff to build trust, familiarity with people, and demystify how to be a successful library user. It also allows staff and patrons to exchange knowledge, ideas and experiences that inform the library’s environment, collection, programs and services.’ The library’s mobile library service brings books to communities facing physical barriers to accessing library resources. Additionally, the Seattle Public Library has the Books Unbanned program, which provides access to its entire collection of e-books and audiobooks for teens and young adults aged 13 to 26 living anywhere in the U.S.  

Seattle: Beacon Hill Branch

The library’s commitment to equity was recognised in 2020, when it was named the Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal.

With its strong focus on connection and support, the library has learned a lot from its community. ‘It’s essential that libraries are embedded in the communities they serve, to ensure that their programs and services offer what the community needs. But libraries by their nature should also be interconnected,’ said Brandon. ‘Here at SPL, we contribute to a larger ecosystem of support through shared learnings with other libraries and initiatives such as reciprocal borrowing agreements and partnerships like Books Unbanned, our ongoing collaboration with Brooklyn Public Library. As funding for U.S. libraries is threatened, it’s important to realise that all of this partnering and sharing provides a higher return on investment both locally and nationally. It builds stronger communities, which then enable us to share these practices within our international community of UNESCO Cities of Literature.’

Seattle: Beacon Hill Branch interior

*Source: www.seattle.gov

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