The Library has been engaged in a major outreach effort during the past three months. With a primary goal of engaging Neighborhood Planning groups in informed discussions with Seattle Public Library staff and Board members, we have worked to ensure that the capital plan both responds to the needs of people in the neighborhoods and that it is developed in substantial accord with the neighborhood planning efforts. Loca- tion, size, convenience, access, comfort, hours, collections, technology, programs, expanding facilities to accommodate both current uses and future growth - all these issues have been discussed extensively.

The result of more than 35 meetings and presentations has been a major refinement of the proposed capital plan to ensure it reflects not only the best professional judgment of staff and Board, but that it provides for  the library services that citizens need, want and deserve, in ways that best correspond to the patterns and realities of their daily lives.

User/Non-User Survey

In order to ensure that the Library was hearing from a broader constituency than those attending meetings, a user/non-user survey was commissioned. It polled 400 Seattle adults and found that Seattle residents understand the importance of the Seattle Public Library to the educational, cultural and economic vitality of the city.

An overwhelming majority of 93 percent considered the public library system as an important determinant of the overall quality of life in Seattle. Only 5 percent thought the public library system was not important while 2 percent did not know.

Of those surveyed, 80 percent had either used the Central Library or a neighborhood library in the last year and gave favorable opinions of both the Central Library and their neighborhood branch. Strong majorities among all types of users (recent, been to the library in the last year; past user, visited a library more than a year ago; and non-user, never been to the library) believed it was important to maintain our libraries as a top flight system, even if it meant supporting the system with tax dollars. The top three reasons for using the library system were to check out or renew a book, to find specific information they could not find anywhere else and to do research.

Recent users are more likely to have children in their home and their children are more likely to use the library. Adults who have used the library in the last year are also more likely to be employed. The southeast region has the lowest percentage of recent users - 76 percent - but the highest percentage of homes with children (35 percent). This suggests one way to increase usage would be to encourage parents to go to the library with their children who are already going.

Past users tend to be older retirees. Non-users are younger and half are not employed. Non-users are on the low end of the income scale, with 60 percent making less than $35,000 a year and 25 percent making less than $15,000 a year.

The top reasons past users and non-users did not use the library more often had to do with lack of interest, not problems of access to the library or facility issues.

The three main reasons why people do not use the library system more often are: they buy their own books, they can't find parking, and they find library hours inconvenient (this survey was done just weeks after library hours were increased).

Respondents felt that the three most important potential services or current services that might be enhanced in the Library system were reading programs for children, literacy programs for adults, and special programs for senior citizens.

Next Steps for Public Outreach and Discussion

The Library has found the past three months of engaging the public in discussions about Library services invigorating. It is very evident from the results of the public outreach that people in Seattle love their libraries. The recent round of public involvement, completion of the capital plan, even a successful bond issue are not likely to spell the end of the public's interest and ardor. Libraries are the most democratic of all institutions helping citizens engage in self-governance. Thus, it is important to take all necessary steps to put in place continuous, ongoing mechanisms for public input.