WA libraries protected, as is freedom to read

For many residents across the state, local libraries serve as places of learning, after-school hangouts, community meetings, a resource for free technology access or shelter from the weather. But as treasured as these cornerstones of Washington communities might be, some of the residents who rely most upon them found that they were virtually powerless when a handful of activists made a political attack on the library’s very existence.

That quirk of Washington law had to be corrected. That’s why I’m grateful that the Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee have enacted Senate Bill 5824, which empowers more people to participate in the governance of the libraries in their own communities.

Under a law that had not been updated in more than 40 years, not every library patron could have a say if their library remains open, even if their taxes fund the library. If an aggrieved constituent could collect 100 taxpayer signatures — or 10% of jurisdiction voters — on a petition, they could create a ballot measure to dissolve that library, and only voters who reside in incorporated areas of the jurisdiction could participate. Senate Bill 2854 increases the petitioning threshold to 25% of eligible taxpayers in the district and expands voting eligibility to include all qualified library district residents.

Washington State Librarian Sara Jones continues to monitor threats to library service throughout the state, including book bans and reshelving requests. Rural libraries, especially, were at risk of dissolving because in a district with a small population, it would have taken only a few activists to meet the qualifying threshold.

In 2023, Dayton Memorial Library in Columbia County was on the verge of becoming the first library in the nation to dissolve due to aggravated community members calling books authored by LGBTQ + individuals “obscene” and “upsetting.” The 1,076 registered voters who lived in unincorporated parts of the county had sole authority to decide the ballot measure under state law, leaving 1707 active voters ineligible. Fortunately, a judge threw out the measure for technical reasons. The rural, brick Art Deco-style library remained open and continues the legacy of serving its community.

This library is an epicenter of its community and has been so for more than a century. Columbia County citizens started fundraising to create a library in 1919, and the library was constructed in 1937 with generous local support.

These decades later, the library staff and volunteers work hard to ensure all community members have equitable access to resources. This includes literature and free programs and workshops for all ages and abilities. The Delany Room, an open-concept meeting room added to the library in the 1970s, is one of Dayton’s most treasured free resources.

Washington’s 60 public library systems have at least 349 branches, including Dayton Library, and 24 bookmobiles providing free collections, Wi-Fi, and programs to every county in the state. In 2022, the state’s public libraries received more than 17 million visits. Patrons checked out materials more than 73 million times and attended more than 37,000 library programs. They used nearly 6,000 free public computers more than 2 million times and free public Wi-Fi more than 8 million times.  

I am proud that SB 5824 will protect libraries as critical resources for their communities. Furthermore, election laws should serve every eligible community member equally so each voice can be heard.