Seattle Public Library

Seattle Public Library
Seattle Central Library in 2019
47°36′25″N 122°19′58″W / 47.60694°N 122.33278°W / 47.60694; -122.33278
Location	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Type	Public library
Established	1890
Branches	27
Collection
Size	2.3 million items
Access and use
Circulation	10.8 million
Population served	686,800
Members	378,222
Other information
Budget	$89 million (2018)[1]
Director	Tom Fay (interim)
Employees	711
Website	spl.org
ASN	21525
References: Washington Public Library Statistical Report, 2016[2]

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) is the public library system serving the city of Seattle, Washington. Efforts to start a Seattle library had commenced as early as 1868, with the system eventually being established by the city in 1890. The system currently comprises 27 branches, most of which are named after the neighborhoods in which they are located. The Seattle Public Library also includes Mobile Services and the Central Library, which was designed by Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004. The Seattle Public Library also founded the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), which it administered until July 2008.

All but one of Seattle's early purpose-built libraries were Carnegie libraries. Although the central Carnegie library has since been replaced twice, all the purpose-built branches from the early 20th century survive; however, some have undergone significant alterations. Ballard's former Carnegie library has since housed a number of restaurants and antique stores among other enterprises, while others such as the Fremont and Green Lake branches have been modernized and remain in use as libraries.