2024 Statistical & Financial Summaries
View details about 2024’s budget, collections, circulation and programs.
2024 Statistical & Financial Summaries
Note: A ransomware attack significantly disrupted borrowing and overall library use from May to September 2024.
Facilities: Central Library, 26 neighborhood branches and Mobile Services
Staffing: 650 (part- and full-time)
Circulation
| Physical items | |
| 3.6 million | |
| Media (CDs, DVDs, audiobooks) | 810,000 |
| Equipment (headphones, laptops, tablets, hot spots) | 35,000 |
| Total | 4.5 million |
| Digital items | |
| E-books and e-audiobooks | 5.4 million |
| Streaming and downloadable media | 880,000 |
| Total | 6.3 million |
| Total circulation | 10.8 million |
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Collection Size
| Central Library collection | 1 million |
| Branch collections | 820,000 |
| E-collection | 1.1 million |
| Total collection size | 2.9 million |
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Active Patrons
| Patrons active in the last 12 months | 300,000 |
| Patrons active in the last three years | 400,000 |
| Patron visits to Library locations | 2.9 million |
Service Levels and Programs
| Holds placed on physical or digital items | 4.5 million |
| Assisted information questions answered | 230,000 |
| Public computer sessions | 240,000 |
| Pages printed | 1.5 million |
| Classes, events or activities | 4,500 |
| Program attendance | 105,000 |
Operating Budget (does not include private gifts)*
| Personnel | $71.9 million |
| Books and materials | $10.8 million |
| Maintenance, security and utilities | $4.5 million |
| Equipment | $1.3 million |
| Supplies | $783,000 |
| Other | $7 million |
| Total | $96.3 million |
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*Our operating budget figures include gifts from The Seattle Public Library Foundation, which accounted for 4.6% of the budget in 2024. Note that the amount and conditions of Foundation grants are at the sole discretion of The Seattle Public Library Foundation’s independent Board of Directors.