SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Public Library is delaying service cuts that were expected to take effect this fall, shifting its priorities to support residents recovering from the region’s recent wildfires.
In July, the library’s executive director Andrew Chanse warned that without additional funding from the city, service reductions would begin in September. However, the devastating impact of the Spokane area wildfires has prompted the library to reconsider its timeline.
“We know that the library is going to be a needed resource as we’re coming into this long-term recovery period,” Chanse said, “For us to cut off that access when people really need us most … it just didn’t make sense.”
Library resources have become especially important for the community during the hot summer months and now serve as an essential hub for wildfire recovery efforts. In recent weeks, the library’s public conference rooms and study spaces have been used by residents navigating insurance questions and recovery paperwork—services that displaced families desperately need.
“We have Wi-Fi access. We do have physical computers that people can use. You can print off 50 free pages a month using our services as well,” Chanse said.
Despite the critical need, Chanse acknowledged that the library cannot realistically afford to maintain this level of service without additional funding. Before the fires broke out, the library was planning to scale back hours, staffing, and programming starting in September.
“It made sense for us to spread those cuts out over a longer period of time, to basically minimize the sort of pain that the community would feel without as much access to the library services,” Chanse said.
The decision to maintain current service levels comes with significant uncertainty. The library says it will continue operating at its present capacity until the city’s budget for next year becomes more certain—information city officials say likely won’t be available until late fall. This year’s wildfire recovery efforts are also expected to strain the city’s budgeting process.
Chanse acknowledged this situation wasn’t ideal, and service cuts may be a matter of when, not if.
“There is no extra money at this point,” Chanse said. “So, we’re going to come to a point unless the city can fully fund the library operations. That problem isn’t going away.”
The library needs an additional $2.3 million in city funding to be considered fully funded in 2027. Without this investment, potential reductions could include cutting library hours and closing facilities for several days each week.
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