Spokane library budget proposal could cut three open days

Spokane’s seven public library branches currently open every day. Under Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposed two-year budget, that schedule could shrink to four days weekly, leaving Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays closed if the plan is approved. Families, renters, homeowners and commuters would have fewer opportunities to use library buildings and services.

The proposal sets aside roughly $25 million for the library system over two years. Library officials calculate a $4.6 million gap, including $2.3 million needed each year to keep current seven-day operations. They also say the plan does not cover staffing costs and could require eliminating upwards of 20% of staff. Executive director Andrew Chanse said the proposed funding would not sustain the existing schedule.

Brown said library costs have increased while levy funding and the general fund have stayed flat. Her broader budget priorities for the next two years include wildfire recovery and community safety, including more Spokane Police Department officers downtown through a bike-and-boots foot patrol. Public comments are scheduled for the city council meeting at 6 p.m.; the city hopes for a vote early December, though no voting date has been set.