Seattle Libraries: book more time

IN the predictable boom and sputter of Seattle's economy, whenever additional tax revenues appear in the city budget, everyone wants a share. Two council members are right to say some new-found money should be used to restore library hours.

Seattle City Council members Peter Steinbrueck and Jean Godden advocate spending $2.8 million of new money to expand Sunday openings to all libraries, extend evening hours downtown on Thursdays to 8 p.m., and reopen libraries Monday and Tuesday mornings. With roughly $55 million extra in the budget, the most important rule should be that every library is open Sunday. Next, extend evening and morning hours, then invest in books and resource materials.

Seven years ago, Seattle voters approved a bond measure that built or restored 26 branch libraries and rebuilt the downtown library into a spectacular space. Library use is up despite cuts in hours.

In 2006, only eight of 27 libraries will be open Sunday — a civic embarrassment in a city of readers. Seattleites dug into their pockets to pay for new and remodeled libraries. Nothing is more frustrating than driving to a library to pick up a book or do research or homework and find the door locked.

In the mayor's proposed budget, new spending is directed toward street and sidewalk improvements and hiring additional police officers and firefighters — all reasonable, supportable priorities. Some new revenue, however, should be provided for libraries, and the mayor is apparently amenable to such a proposal.

Too many libraries — all branches — are closed Monday and Tuesday mornings. Evening hours are too limited. In a city trying to improve the quality of education and readiness of children to start school, that is unacceptable. Many younger and older readers like to use libraries weekday mornings. Greater uniformity of hours also would be helpful.

The Steinbrueck-Godden proposal provides $1 million to restore books, periodicals and research materials. Start with a lower goal. No city can do everything the first year of an upturn.

Steinbrueck and Godden compiled a list of potential cuts to offset new library spending. That is a responsible way to approach the budget.

Then, think library hours first, followed by an investment in the collection.