SPOKANE, Wash – The Spokane Public Library will not make cuts or changes to service until later in 2026, citing city budget uncertainty and the ongoing wildfire recovery.
The library has previously said it faces a $2.3 million budget deficit by the end of next year.
The Library Board of Trustees has been considering cuts to hours and services but said it likely won’t get an idea about next year’s funding until late fall.
“Because of this budget uncertainty, paired with the devastating fires that affected our community, we know that this is not the time to cut library hours, staff, or services,” the Board of Trustees said it a news release Wednesday.
“We know this decision may have financial impacts for the library, including possibly more immediate cuts in the new year, rather than the more gradual cuts we had been considering beginning this summer and fall,” the release said. “Our decision to hold off on cuts now is intended to address the community’s present needs, balanced with the uncertainty of what the library budget will be in the coming year.”
“To the entire Spokane community, our doors remain open and our thoughts are with you during this challenging time.”
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