King County Library System
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| King County Library System | |
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| Established | 1942 |
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| Location | King County, WA excluding the cities of Seattle, WA and Renton, WA |
| Branches | 43 + 1 Traveling Library |
| Collection | |
| Size | 19,100,000 items |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | 1,835,300 (Metropolitian King County) |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $86,500,000 |
| Director | Bill Ptacek |
| Staff | 1,127 |
| Website | http://www.kcls.org/ |
The King County Library System (KCLS) is a library system serving the residents of King County, Washington. The Cities of Seattle and Renton both have their own library systems.
The King County Library System is currently the second busiest library in the United States, circulating over 19 million items in 2007.[1] The system consists of 43 libraries, a Traveling Library Center, a mobile TechLab, and the ABC Express children’s library van. KCLS offers a collection of more than 4.1 million items including books, periodicals, newspapers, audio and videotapes, films, CDs, DVDs and extensive online resources. All KCLS libraries offer free Wi-fi connections.
The library system began in 1942 when voters in King County established the King County Rural Library District in order to provide library services to people in “rural” areas with no easy access to city libraries. Funding for the library system was provided from the property tax base of unincorporated areas, and from contracts with cities and towns for the provision of library services. Funding measures for the system passed in 1966, 1977, 1980, 1988, 2002 and 2004. Property taxes account for 94% of revenue today. The KCLS revenue budget for 2008 is $85 million.[2]
Under a $172 million capital bond passed in 2004, the King County Library system is rebuilding, renovating, and expanding most of its libraries.
[edit] Branches
- Algona-Pacific Library
- Auburn Library
- Bellevue Regional Library
- Black Diamond Library
- Bothell Regional Library
- Boulevard Park Library
- Burien Library
- Carnation Library
- Covington Library
- Des Moines Library
- Duvall Library
- Fairwood Library
- Fall City Library
- Federal Way Regional Library
- Federal Way 320th Library
- Foster Library
- Greenbridge Library (coming soon)
- Issaquah Library
- Kenmore Library
- Kent Regional Library
- Kingsgate Library
- Kirkland Library
- Lake Forest Park Library
- Lake Hills Library
- Library Connection at Crossroads
- Library Connection at Southcenter
- Maple Valley Library
- Mercer Island Library
- Muckleshoot Library
- Newport Way Library
- North Bend Library
- Redmond Regional Library
- Richmond Beach Library
- Sammamish Library
- Service Center
- Shoreline Library
- Skykomish Library
- Skyway Library
- Snoqualmie Library
- Techlab
- The Traveling Library Center (TLC)
- Tukwila Library
- Valley View Library
- Vashon Library
- White Center Library
- Woodinville Library
- Woodmont Library
- Youth Service Center Library
[edit] References
- ^ King County Library System. "King County Library System 2007 Year in Review".
- ^ King County Library System. "King County Library System 2008 Annual Budget".
[edit] External links
- King County Library System
- King County Library System Catalog
- King County Digital Library Download site
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