View source for King County Library System

{{Short description|Public library in Washington state, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox library
| library_name       = King County Library System
| logo               = King County Library System logo.svg
| logo_size          = x200px 
| image              = Bellevue Library.jpg
| caption            = [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] Regional Library, the largest library in the system
| type               = [[Public library]]
| established        = 1942
| location           = [[King County, Washington]], U.S.
| mapframe           = no
| num_branches       = 49
| collection_size    = 3.7 million items
| req_to_access      = Residence in King County except the city of Seattle and the towns of [[Hunts Point, Washington|Hunts Point]] and [[Yarrow Point, Washington|Yarrow Point]]
| annual_circulation = 21.5 million
| pop_served         = 1.6 million
| members            = 630,566
| budget             = $164.6 million (2025)<ref name="Budget">{{cite web |date=December 18, 2024 |title=KCLS Budget, Fiscal Year 2025 |page=16 |url=https://kcls.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/12/2025-KCLS-Budget-121824.pdf |publisher=King County Library System |accessdate=March 4, 2025}}</ref>
| director           = Heidi Daniel
| num_employees      = 842<ref name="Budget"/>
| website            = {{URL|kcls.org}}
| references         = Washington Public Library Statistical Report, 2023<ref name="WSL-Statistics2023">{{cite web |date=October 2024 |title=2023 Washington Public Library Statistical Report |pages=2–6, 46–48, 54–58  |url=https://www2.sos.wa.gov/_assets/library/libraries/libdev/2023stats.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Library]] |accessdate=March 4, 2025}}</ref>
}}

The '''King County Library System''' ('''KCLS''') is a [[public library]] system serving most residents of [[King County, Washington]], United States. It has 49 locations in the areas of the county around [[Seattle]], which has a separate [[Seattle Public Library|city library system]]. KCLS is headquartered in [[Issaquah, Washington]], and was the busiest library system in the United States in 2010 with a circulation of 22.4 million items.<ref name="Berry-2011">{{cite news|title=Library of the Year 2011: King County Library System, WA|author=Berry, John, III|url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890760-264/library_of_the_year_2011.html.csp|date=June 15, 2011|access-date=June 18, 2011|work=Library Journal|quote=Among the benchmarks was circulating 22.4 million items—more than any other library system in the United States—to the 1,318,745 people who live in King County.}}</ref> {{as of|2023}}, the library system serves a population of 1.6{{nbsp}}million residents and has 3.7 million items in its collection,<ref name="WSL-Statistics2023"/> which includes books, periodicals, audio and videotapes, films, disc media, and online resources.

==History==
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 is provided from property taxes. Funding measures for the system passed in 1966, 1977, 1980, 1988, 2002, 2004, and 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://kcls.org/history/ |publisher=King County Library System |access-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> Property taxes account for 94% of revenue today. The name of the organization was changed from the King County Rural Library District to the present-day King County Library System in 1978, although the previous name of "Rural Library District" is still part of the organization's legal name.<ref>{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Paula |date=June 6, 2011 |title=King County Library System, Part 1 |url=http://www.historylink.org/File/9826 |publisher=[[HistoryLink]] |access-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> The system received a $172 million capital bond in 2004 to rebuild, renovate, and expand most of its existing libraries, as well as building new libraries.

KCLS extends access privileges to residents of its service area, which includes all unincorporated areas of King County as well as residents of every city in the county except [[Hunts Point, Washington|Hunts Point]] and [[Yarrow Point, Washington|Yarrow Point]],<ref>{{cite web |publisher=King County Library System |date=July 16, 2012 |title=Areas Served by KCLS |url=http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/librarycards/service_areas.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201083348/http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/librarycards/service_areas.cfm |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> which do not offer any library service at all.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=King County Library System |title=Borrowing Outside of KCLS Service Areas |url=http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/librarycards/borrowing_areas.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510182421/http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/librarycards/borrowing_areas.cfm |archive-date=May 10, 2012 |access-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> Residents of Seattle – which maintains its [[Seattle Public Library|own library system]] – are allowed access to KCLS collections under reciprocal borrowing agreements between KCLS and Seattle's libraries.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=King County Library System |title=KCLS-SPL Reciprocal Use Borrowing Agreement |url=http://www.kcls.org:80/usingthelibrary/policies/spl.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522002136/http://www.kcls.org/usingthelibrary/policies/spl.cfm |archive-date=May 22, 2012 |access-date=January 5, 2018 }}</ref> KCLS also extends reciprocal borrowing privileges to residents of many other library systems in Western and North Central Washington. KCLS annexed [[Renton, Washington|Renton]]'s public library system in 2010 following a vote by the city's residents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/group-tries-to-reverse-renton-library-vote/|title=Group tries to reverse Renton library vote|last=Krishnan|first=Sonia|date=February 28, 2010|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=March 1, 2010}}</ref>

In 2011, KCLS won the Gale/Library Journal "Library of the Year" award.<ref name="Berry-2011"/> The library eliminated its [[late fine]]s in 2023 after finding it discouraged borrowing and cost more to collect and process. Replacement fees were instead levied for lost items.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zavala Magaña |first=Daisy |date=April 28, 2023 |title=King County libraries become latest to slash late fees |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/king-county-libraries-become-latest-to-slash-late-fees/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 21, 2024}}</ref>

==Facilities==

KCLS consists of 49 branches,<ref name="WSL-Statistics2023"/> one standalone [[book locker]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Locations |url=https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/v2/locations |publisher=King County Library System |accessdate=March 4, 2025}}</ref> the Traveling Library Center, ABC Express Vans, a mobile TechLab, and 11 [[bookmobile]]s.<ref name="WSL-Statistics2023"/> A service center located in [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] also houses the library's administrative offices. A program to build 17 new libraries and renovate or expand 26 other libraries was completed in 2019 with the opening of the Panther Lake Library in [[Kent, Washington|Kent]].<ref>{{cite press release |date=March 13, 2019 |title=KCLS Opens its 50th Library at the Kent Panther Lake Library Grand Opening Celebration |url=https://kcls.org/news/kcls-opens-its-50th-library-at-the-kent-panther-lake-library-grand-opening-celebration/ |publisher=King County Library System |access-date=March 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Klaas |first=Mark |date=March 24, 2019 |title=Golden milestone: KCLS opens 50th library |url=https://www.kentreporter.com/news/full-service-kent-panther-lake-library-fills-vital-need-on-east-hill/ |work=[[Kent Reporter]] |access-date=March 25, 2019}}</ref>

===Branches===
{{Maplink|frame=yes|text=Map of KCLS branches|frame-width=280|frame-height=250|zoom=8
|type1=point|coord1={{coord|47.27148|-122.25368}}|title1=[[Algona, Washington|Algona]]-[[Pacific, Washington|Pacific]] Library|marker1=library
|type2=point|coord2={{coord|47.298745|-122.218176}}|title2=[[Auburn, Washington|Auburn]] Library|marker2=library
|type3=point|coord3={{coord|47.620011|-122.194249}}|title3=[[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] Regional Library (largest)|marker3=library
|type4=point|coord4={{coord|47.31191|-122.012568}}|title4=[[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]] Library|marker4=library
|type5=point|coord5={{coord|47.760314|-122.210404}}|title5=[[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]] Regional Library|marker5=library
|type6=point|coord6={{coord|47.495259|-122.307861}}|title6=[[Riverton-Boulevard Park, Washington|Boulevard Park]] Library|marker6=library
|type7=point|coord7={{coord|47.467185|-122.339677}}|title7=[[Burien, Washington|Burien]] Library|marker7=library
|type8=point|coord8={{coord|47.650466|-121.912156}}|title8=[[Carnation, Washington|Carnation]] Library|marker8=library
|type9=point|coord9={{coord|47.359015|-122.121773}}|title9=[[Covington, Washington|Covington]] Library|marker9=library
|type10=point|coord10={{coord|47.408128|-122.319489}}|title10=[[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]] Library|marker10=library
|type11=point|coord11={{coord|47.740324|-121.985761}}|title11=[[Duvall, Washington|Duvall]] Library|marker11=library
|type12=point|coord12={{coord|47.203618|-121.987517}}|title12=[[Cascade-Fairwood, Washington|Fairwood]] Library|marker12=library
|type13=point|coord13={{coord|47.450834|-122.154518}}|title13=[[Enumclaw, Washington|Enumclaw]] Library|marker13=library
|type14=point|coord14={{coord|47.568646|-121.893796}}|title14=[[Fall City, Washington|Fall City]] Library|marker14=library
|type15=point|coord15={{coord|47.294597|-122.331848}}|title15=[[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] Regional Library|marker15=library
|type16=point|coord16={{coord|47.315586|-122.32088}}|title16=Federal Way 320th Library|marker16=library
|type17=point|coord17={{coord|47.51596|-122.345079}}|title17=Greenbridge Library ([[White Center, Washington|White Center]])|marker17=library
|type18=point|coord18={{coord|47.530418|-122.036886}}|title18=[[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] Library|marker18=library
|type19=point|coord19={{coord|47.759364|-122.252368}}|title19=[[Kenmore, Washington|Kenmore]] Library|marker19=library
|type20=point|coord20={{coord|47.382429|-122.234141}}|title20=[[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Regional Library|marker20=library
|type21=point|coord21={{coord|47.418367|-122.196724}}|title21=[[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Panther Lake Library|marker21=library
|type22=point|coord22={{coord|47.729732|-122.176416}}|title22=Kingsgate Library (Kirkland)|marker22=library
|type23=point|coord23={{coord|47.675763|-122.202927}}|title23=[[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]] Library|marker23=library
|type24=point|coord24={{coord|47.754214|-122.280068}}|title24=[[Lake Forest Park, Washington|Lake Forest Park]] Library|marker24=library
|type25=point|coord25={{coord|47.603564|-122.131389}}|title25=Lake Hills Library (Bellevue)|marker25=library
|type26=point|coord26={{coord|47.617169|-122.128455}}|title26=Library Connection at [[Crossroads, Bellevue|Crossroads]] (Bellevue)|marker26=library
|type27=point|coord27={{coord|47.459336|-122.256208}}|title27=Library Connection at [[Westfield Southcenter|Southcenter]] (Tukwila)|marker27=library
|type28=point|coord28={{coord|47.693209|-122.045668}}|title28=Library Express at Redmond Ridge (Redmond)|marker28=library
|type29=point|coord29={{coord|47.379979|-122.048502}}|title29=[[Maple Valley, Washington|Maple Valley]] Library|marker29=library
|type30=point|coord30={{coord|47.566902|-122.221156}}|title30=[[Mercer Island, Washington|Mercer Island]] Library|marker30=library
|type31=point|coord31={{coord|47.243336|-122.113022}}|title31=Muckleshoot Library (Auburn)|marker31=library
|type32=point|coord32={{coord|47.537725|-122.167322}}|title32=[[Newcastle, Washington|Newcastle]] Library |marker32=library
|type33=point|coord33={{coord|47.570514|-122.149069}}|title33=Newport Way Library (Bellevue)|marker33=library
|type34=point|coord34={{coord|47.49668|-121.783357}}|title34=[[North Bend, Washington|North Bend]] Library|marker34=library
|type35=point|coord35={{coord|47.678917|-122.128072}}|title35=[[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] Regional Library|marker35=library
|type36=point|coord36={{coord|47.481876|-122.201984}}|title36=[[Renton Public Library|Renton]] Library|marker36=library
|type37=point|coord37={{coord|47.499848|-122.181288}}|title37=Renton Highlands Library|marker37=library
|type38=point|coord38={{coord|47.771882|-122.385011}}|title38=Richmond Beach Library ([[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]])|marker38=library
|type39=point|coord39={{coord|47.600591|-122.03692}}|title39=[[Sammamish, Washington|Sammamish]] Library|marker39=library
|type40=point|coord40={{coord|47.755575|-122.324717}}|title40=[[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]] Library|marker40=library
|type41=point|coord41={{coord|47.708752|-121.360946}}|title41=[[Skykomish, Washington|Skykomish]] Library|marker41=library
|type42=point|coord42={{coord|47.490565|-122.238557}}|title42=[[Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Washington|Skyway]] Library|marker42=library
|type43=point|coord43={{coord|47.529885|-121.872249}}|title43=[[Snoqualmie, Washington|Snoqualmie]] Library|marker43=library
|type44=point|coord44={{coord|47.474595|-122.283719}}|title44=[[Tukwila, Washington|Tukwila]] Library|marker44=library
|type45=point|coord45={{coord|47.443201|-122.273729}}|title45=Valley View Library ([[SeaTac, Washington|SeaTac]])|marker45=library
|type46=point|coord46={{coord|47.450813|-122.459517}}|title46=[[Vashon, Washington|Vashon]] Library|marker46=library
|type47=point|coord47={{coord|47.506921|-122.352894}}|title47=[[White Center, Washington|White Center]] Library|marker47=library
|type48=point|coord48={{coord|47.751485|-122.081922}}|title48=[[Woodinville, Washington|Woodinville]] Library|marker48=library
|type49=point|coord49={{coord|47.361163|-122.308234}}|title49=Woodmont Library ([[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]])|marker49=library

}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ {{screen reader-only|List of King County Library System locations}}
|-
! class=unsortable | Image
! Branch Name
! data-sort-type="number" | Square Footage
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Algona-Pacific Library.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Algona-Pacific Library|More images]]
| [[Algona, Washington|Algona]]-[[Pacific, Washington|Pacific]] Library
| 5,250
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Library 6297.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Auburn Public Library (Washington)|More images]]
| [[Auburn, Washington|Auburn]] Library
| 20,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Bellevue Library.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Bellevue Library|More images]]
| [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] Regional Library (largest)
| 80,000
|-
| 
| [[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]] Library
| 5,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Bothell Library.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Bothell Library|More images]]
| [[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]] Regional Library
| 22,500
|-
| 
| [[Riverton-Boulevard Park, Washington|Boulevard Park]] Library
| 6,536
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Burien Library.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Burien, Washington|Burien]] Library
| 32,000
|-
| 
| [[Carnation, Washington|Carnation]] Library
| 5,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Covington, WA — Covington Library (2021-08-23).jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Covington, Washington|Covington]] Library
| 23,000
|-
| 
| [[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]] Library
| 10,320
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Duvall, Washington public library 01.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Duvall, Washington|Duvall]] Library
| 8,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Fairwood Library.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Cascade-Fairwood, Washington|Fairwood]] Library
| 10,541
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Library 347.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Enumclaw Public Library|More images]]
| [[Enumclaw, Washington|Enumclaw]] Library
| 20,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Fall City, WA - library 01.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Fall City, Washington|Fall City]] Library
| 5,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Fed Way Library 0357.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Federal Way Regional Library|More images]]
| [[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] Regional Library
| 34,500
|-
| align="center" | [[File:320 Branch 0390.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Federal Way 320th Library|More images]]
| Federal Way 320th Library
| 15,000
|-
| 
| Greenbridge Library ([[White Center, Washington|White Center]])
| 2,300
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Library144.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Issaquah Public Library|More images]]
| [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] Library
| 15,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Fall City, WA - library 01.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Kenmore, Washington|Kenmore]] Library
| 10,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Library 230.jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Kent Regional Library|More images]]
| [[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Regional Library
| 22,600
|-
| 
| [[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Panther Lake Library
| 5,000
|-
| 
| Kingsgate Library (Kirkland)
| 10,235
|-
| 
| [[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]] Library
| 19,500
|-
| 
| [[Lake Forest Park, Washington|Lake Forest Park]] Library
| 5,840
|-
| 
| Lake Hills Library (Bellevue)
| 10,000
|-
| 
| Library Connection at [[Crossroads, Bellevue|Crossroads]] (Bellevue)
| 3,740
|-
| 
| Library Connection at [[Westfield Southcenter|Southcenter]] (Tukwila)
| 5,085
|-
| 
| Library Express at Redmond Ridge (Redmond)
| 300
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Maple Valley, WA - library 01.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Maple Valley, Washington|Maple Valley]] Library
| 10,000
|-
| 
| [[Mercer Island, Washington|Mercer Island]] Library
| 14,886
|-
| 
| [[Muckleshoot Indian Reservation|Muckleshoot]] Library
| 6,000
|-
| 
| [[Newcastle, Washington|Newcastle]] Library 
| 11,000
|-
| 
| Newport Way Library (Bellevue)
| 8,690
|-
| align="center" | [[File:North Bend, WA public library 02.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[North Bend, Washington|North Bend]] Library
| 9,600
|-
| 
| [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] Regional Library
| 30,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Renton Public Library .jpg|150x150px]]<br />[[c:Category:Renton Library|More images]]
| [[Renton Public Library]]
| 19,500
|-
| 
| Renton Highlands Library
| 15,000
|-
| 
| Richmond Beach Library ([[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]])
| 5,250
|-
| 
| [[Sammamish, Washington|Sammamish]] Library
| 19,500
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Shoreline Library, open for pickup during COVID-19 pandemic.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]] Library
| 20,954
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Skykomish, WA public library.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Skykomish, Washington|Skykomish]] Library
| 1,042
|-
| 
| [[Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Washington|Skyway]] Library
| 8,000
|-
| 
| [[Snoqualmie, Washington|Snoqualmie]] Library
| 6,000
|-
| align="center" | [[File:Tukwila Library 01.jpg|150x150px]]
| [[Tukwila, Washington|Tukwila]] Library
| 10,000
|-
| 
| Valley View Library ([[SeaTac, Washington|SeaTac]])
| 6,558
|-
| 
| [[Vashon, Washington|Vashon]] Library
| 10,000
|-
| 
| [[White Center, Washington|White Center]] Library
| 10,000
|-
| 
| [[Woodinville, Washington|Woodinville]] Library
| 15,000
|-
| 
| Woodmont Library ([[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]])
| 9,850
|}

===Mobile services===
{|
|valign="top"|
*ABC Express
|width="40"|
|valign="top"|
*Traveling Library Center
|width="40"|
|valign="top"|
*Techlab
|width="40"|
|valign="top"|
*Library2Go
|}

==Services==

In 2016, KCLS circulated 20.8&nbsp;million items, the third-most in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Library Statistics and Figures: The Nation's Largest Public Libraries |url=https://libguides.ala.org/librarystatistics/largest-public-libs |publisher=[[American Library Association]] |accessdate=January 21, 2024}}</ref> The KCLS budget for 2025 is $164.4 million.<ref name="Budget"/>

KCLS is subscribed to [[OverDrive, Inc.|OverDrive]], an online service that offers digital [[e-book]], [[audiobook]], and magazine checkouts for library patrons. In 2023, the library system had 8.8&nbsp;million digital checkouts—the third most of any system in OverDrive worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |last=Blatchford |first=Taylor |date=January 19, 2024 |title=King County Library ranks third in the world for digital checkouts |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/king-county-library-ranks-third-in-the-world-for-digital-checkouts/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 21, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official|kcls.org|}}

{{Washington library systems}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:County library systems in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Education in King County, Washington]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1942]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Issaquah, Washington]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in Washington (state)]]