More than books and mortar: Seattle Public Library's next chapter

Two years under a pandemic has highlighted the plethora of ways libraries and librarians serve their communities. Now, Seattle Public Library Chief Librarian Tom Fay is figuring out how to move Seattle's 27 branches into a new era.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke with Fay about his vision for SPL's future.

One item on Fay's to-do list? Give branches a remodel.

"We need to create a process by which we get to every building, " Fay said. "When we talk about that equity and community, and that relevancy and community, we want to make sure that we're providing that throughout the entire Seattle area, and not just in certain communities."

But it's not just about remodeling. Calls for book bans emerged amid the pandemic, more so than in the past, which affected libraries across the country. Thankfully, Fay says, Seattle has not experienced such a spike, though he says they see a fair amount of book complaints over the course of a year.

"As I've been around nearly 40 years, I've seen these numbers go up and down, and obviously we have a really split democracy at this point ... so in some ways it's not surprising, but it's certainly disturbing that we continue to have these censorship challenges on, really, the freedom to read; the freedom of ideas and expression. That should be disturbing for everyone in a democracy."

"There is no freedom without freedom of thought and expression," he added.

Libraries are also a point of contact for needed information that goes beyond books, such as finding public assistance. They also become warming or cooling centers during extreme weather. They are places to drop a ballot. And they provide internet access to those without.

"Our librarians aren't just about books and mortar," Fay said. "I think they pride themselves on being that third place. When you think about it, libraries are one of the last free places that you don't have to pay to play. You can simply come in and be. You can read. You can contemplate. It is one of the last remaining places in our society where that is truly the case."

Another way Fay is trying to meet the ever-changing roles librarians take on each day is by developing new trainings related to de-escalation tactics, and tools for processing traumatic events at work.

You can listen to the full interview above.

And if you're wondering what the Chief Librarian is reading, take a trip to your local library branch and check out The Simulated Multiverse by Rizwan Virk.