EVERETT, JAN. 20: The Everett Public Library (EPL) presented an annual update to the city council last week, highlighting the successes and challenges of last year, and what is next in 2026.
EPL saw its budget decrease by roughly 12% between 2024 and 2025 due to the city’s effort to balance a $12.6 million general fund deficit.
”These challenges were compounded by significant uncertainty and cuts at the federal and state levels as well,” Joshua Glasgow, board of trustees president, said.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was temporarily dismissed in March due to an executive order from President Trump. In November a federal judge revered the decision.
The temporary halt to the agency in charge of awarding federal grant funding stopped the flow of support for libraries nationwide, Glasgow said during Wednesday’s meeting.
In addition, reductions to the Washington State Library limited services and reduced staff training opportunities.
As a result, funding cuts led the library to make significant reductions to staffing, service hours and programs. The library has been working with labor partners to offer voluntary furloughs and reduce work schedules to avoid laying off staff, Glasgow said.
“Every dollar was carefully stretched and the library remains committed to responsible stewardship and transparency about the impacts of reduced funding,” Glasgow said.
Staffing decreased by more than six full-time employees (FTE) between 2024 and 2025, and by more than 19 FTEs since 2018.
Both branches of the library operate 72 hours per week instead of 96, a 25% reduction.
In 2025, EPL cut its materials budget by $230,000, nearly one-third of its previous budget, Glasgow said. However, digital content has become expensive for the library to provide.
For the first time in EPL history, the circulation of digital materials surpassed that of physical, with 245,000 digital items checked out compared to 228,000 physical in 2025.
“As digital circulation surpasses physical circulation, the high cost of e-content has become a growing strain,” Glasgow said.
A single digital title can cost between $60 and $120, allows one user at a time, and disappears after a certain amount of time, requiring the library to repurchase titles.
As a result, a larger share of the EPL budget is spent on relicensing fewer materials, Glasgow said.
Despite budget constraints and the challenges associated with them, the library was able to expand digital collections when possible, strengthen partnerships, and leverage community donations.
“Community demand for library services remains strong despite our financial constraints. We are a community hub, welcoming close to a quarter million visitors and drawing over 13,000 people to nearly 500 programs and events,” Glasgow said.
An analysis done by Library Director Abby Cooley found that for every $1 invested in the EPL, the community receives $2.13 in community benefit.
EPL ended the overview by calling on councilmembers to prioritize budgeting more funding for the library, arguing that community needs outweigh current allocations
Plans for 2026-2028
In 2025, EPL conducted its 2026–2028 strategic plan through conversations with residents, staff, and city leaders.
“There was a strong consensus that current operating conditions do not reflect the community’s needs or expectations,” Cooley said. “While staff remain deeply committed to the library’s mission, meaningful progress requires restored funding. In response, the Board of Trustees has set a goal of returning the library to full funding by the end of 2027.”
Through a five-goal framework, the library plans to bring itself back to full operations by:
- Reinforce core services
- Make high-impact, low-cost modifications to the Main Library
- Clarify and support the library’s role in social services
- Strengthen outreach services
- Increase community visibility with a sustained communications capacity
“As we look ahead, we are excited to begin the work of implementing the strategic plan, stabilizing staffing and restoring open hours once funding permits, improving our spaces and technology, and pursuing grants and external funding,” Glasgow said.
Additional coverage:
Everett Public Library reduce operations in light of city budget cuts
