Area of Impact: Literacy
Literacy and learning were severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and misinformation has made it difficult for people to understand what resources they can trust. Now more than ever, it is imperative that the Library expands its literacy and learning offerings to help people turn information into knowledge.
Our Goal
Help people access the skills, resources and opportunities they need to read, learn and navigate their lives. We will work with partners to build and strengthen networks of support that lead to positive impacts for priority literacy areas. We will provide access to more books and materials that support lifelong learning and student success.
How We Will Make an Impact
We will provide programs, collections, services and other resources to:
- Help children, teens and young adults build a love for reading and learning.
- Help students read at or above grade level.
- Support the needs of early learners and adult learners.
- Expand our Language Access Plan to ensure that non-English speakers and patrons with limited English proficiency have full access to the Library.
- Reduce access barriers for Seattle Public Schools students.
- Help people of all ages navigate social systems in their daily lives.
2025 Accomplishments
- Established a “Story Squad” pilot program with Seattle Public Schools (SPS) to deliver classroom sets for grades 2-4 in Title I schools.
- Improved language access for languages other than English, including:
- A $450k secured grant from the Carnegie Corporation to expand English language learning programs.
- A new Portuguese collection in our World Languages Collection.
- More translated and in-language materials, such as Library card applications, program flyers, transactional emails, videos, and website content.
- A 2026-2027 Language Access Plan to further expand language access at the Library, and an internal data dashboard to track community language needs.
- Established a Board-approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy that establishes standards Library staff shall observe when acquiring and using AI technologies to perform Library functions and deliver Library services.
2026 Priority Activities
- Establish an AI/Data Governance committee to develop pilot projects that support responsible AI technology adoption at the Library.
- Evaluate feedback and data from the SPS Story Squad pilot to expand the program to additional Title I schools in Seattle.
- Establish standard early literacy components to be included in all pre-K Library programming.
- Review and refresh summer program offerings at the Library.