OLYMPIA – The Washington State Library (WSL) announced program closures for their research library and the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library and a restriction of services at those locations after funds to keep them open were not included in the signed 2025-27 state budget.
Both the research library in Tumwater, Washington, and the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) in Seattle will be closed to the public beginning on July 1 and continue to be closed until further notice. Staffing and resource cuts at both locations made keeping them open and running impractical.
“The lack of budget appropriations to retain our knowledgeable staff and keep our programs running was an unfortunate casualty of the large budgetary shortfall facing our state legislature,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “The impact of the closures will risk denying communities access to the information, literacy tools, and resources they depend on. Libraries are cornerstones of civic life and education in many areas of our state.”
On the last day of the legislative session, the State Legislature passed the 2025–2027 Operating Budget without including any of the $6.7 million requested to support library operations. This decision arrived amid a severe budget deficit for WSL, driven by a sharp decline in real estate transactions and loan refinancing, both of which contribute recording fees that help fund WSL.
Impacts on Services, Communication
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Research Library in Tumwater
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The research library will be closed to the public.
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Access to important historical and governmental collections will be restricted and digitization options are limited.
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Those calling the State Switchboard phone line and the library directly will leave voicemails that will be responded to within one week.
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Email inquiries will also be answered within one week.
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Subscriptions to genealogy databases will be discontinued, and the acquisitions of new materials will be drastically limited.
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- The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in Seattle
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WTBBL will be closed to the public.
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Phone service will consist of responding to voicemail messages, so response to requests will be slowed.
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Registration of new borrowers will be slowed.
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Circulation of materials may be slowed.
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Programming includes multisensory story time, Low Vision Workshop, Touch of Braille workshop, and others will be canceled.
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“These disruptions jeopardize equitable access to information for some of Washington’s most underserved residents unable to read standard print,” said Washington State Libarian Sara Jones. “While a newly signed bill will provide some funds in the future, the current funding gap is affecting our employees and important services now.”
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Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime and the Civic Engagement Program to increase governmental trust and participation for all Washingtonians.