"Seattle residents will make one of the year’s most important decisions on Aug. 4 voting on a critical issue: whether to replace the seven-year Library Levy that expires this year."

"Much rests on the outcome. The Seattle Public Library with its central library and 27 branches is among this city’s most valued assets. It’s impossible to overstate the library’s impact. Consider the numbers: Seattle’s library now has 430,000 active card holders. Last year the library scored 3.4 million in-person visits, 1,300 story times, 6,000 students enrolled in after-school Homework Help, 400,000 hours of computer time, 2.1 million pages printed, and 5,800 programs including author events, business help, English and citizenship classes." [...]

"Seattle life would suffer from a Levy loss since access to books and library services are the foundation of an affordable city. Estimates are that every dollar put into collections returns more than $16 per capita. Also benefitting according to the Urban Libraries Council are Seattle’s small businesses that net more than $8 million in value each year."

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