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Everett Public Library says hours cut, lists capital grants and asks council for full funding
Summary
Library director Abby Cooley and board president Joshua Glasgow presented an annual update on Jan. 15, saying demand rose in 2024 even as operations faced cuts. The library reduced hours from 96 to 72 per week in December 2024 and is seeking sustained funding to restore services; several capital grants were listed as recommended or awarded.
Abby Cooley, director of the Everett Public Library, and Joshua Glasgow, the library board president, told the City Council on Jan. 15 that library usage and demand rose in 2024 while the system faces budget constraints that led to service reductions.
In-person visits reached more than 580,000 last year and more than 640,000 physical and digital items were lent, the library reported. Cooley said these figures represent the highest usage since 2014 and emphasized the library’s return on investment: the library estimates $2.47 in community benefit for every $1 budgeted.
Why this matters: The council heard that library services act as informal social-service hubs — offering computer access, legal clinics, and cooling/heating centers — and that reductions in hours or staffing can reduce…
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