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]], US
| mapframe           = no
| num_branches       = 50
| collection_size    = 3.4 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 = 20.8 million
| pop_served         = 1.4 million
| members            = 703,987
| budget             = $120 million (2017)<ref name="2017Budget">{{cite web |title=2017 Operating Budget |url=https://kcls.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2016/12/2017-Final-Budget-Web.pdf |publisher=King County Library System |access-date=December 25, 2017}}</ref>
| director           = Heidi Daniel
| num_employees      = 901
| website            = {{URL|kcls.org}}
| references         = Washington Public Library Statistical Report, 2016<ref name="2016Stats">{{cite web |date=October 2017 |title=2016 Washington Public Library Statistical Report |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/library/libraries/libDev/2016stats.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Library]] |access-date=December 25, 2017}}</ref>
}}

The '''King County Library System''' ('''KCLS''') is a [[library]] system serving most residents of [[King County, Washington|King County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[United States]]. Headquartered in [[Issaquah, Washington]], KCLS was the busiest library system in the United States as of 2010, circulating 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>  It consists of 50 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. Patrons can check out 100 items at once and hold up to 50 items.

==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 KCLS budget for 2017 was $120 million.<ref name="2017Budget"/> 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 50 branches, the Traveling Library Center, ABC Express Vans, a mobile TechLab, and a service center located in [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] that 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<br><br>|marker1=library
|type2=point|coord2={{coord|47.298745|-122.218176}}|title2=*[[Auburn, Washington|Auburn]] Library<br><br>|marker2=library
|type3=point|coord3={{coord|47.620011|-122.194249}}|title3=*[[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] Regional Library (largest)<br><br>|marker3=library
|type4=point|coord4={{coord|47.31191|-122.012568}}|title4=*[[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]] Library<br><br>|marker4=library
|type5=point|coord5={{coord|47.760314|-122.210404}}|title5=*[[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]] Regional Library<br><br>|marker5=library
|type6=point|coord6={{coord|47.495259|-122.307861}}|title6=*[[Riverton-Boulevard Park, Washington|Boulevard Park]] Library<br><br>|marker6=library
|type7=point|coord7={{coord|47.467185|-122.339677}}|title7=*[[Burien, Washington|Burien]] Library<br><br>|marker7=library
|type8=point|coord8={{coord|47.650466|-121.912156}}|title8=*[[Carnation, Washington|Carnation]] Library<br><br>|marker8=library
|type9=point|coord9={{coord|47.359015|-122.121773}}|title9=*[[Covington, Washington|Covington]] Library<br><br>|marker9=library
|type10=point|coord10={{coord|47.408128|-122.319489}}|title10=*[[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]] Library<br><br>|marker10=library
|type11=point|coord11={{coord|47.740324|-121.985761}}|title11=*[[Duvall, Washington|Duvall]] Library<br><br>|marker11=library
|type12=point|coord12={{coord|47.203618|-121.987517}}|title12=*[[Cascade-Fairwood, Washington|Fairwood]] Library<br><br>|marker12=library
|type13=point|coord13={{coord|47.450834|-122.154518}}|title13=*[[Enumclaw, Washington|Enumclaw]] Library<br><br>|marker13=library
|type14=point|coord14={{coord|47.568646|-121.893796}}|title14=*[[Fall City, Washington|Fall City]] Library<br><br>|marker14=library
|type15=point|coord15={{coord|47.294597|-122.331848}}|title15=*[[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] Regional Library<br><br>|marker15=library
|type16=point|coord16={{coord|47.315586|-122.32088}}|title16=*Federal Way 320th Library<br><br>|marker16=library
|type17=point|coord17={{coord|47.51596|-122.345079}}|title17=*Greenbridge Library ([[White Center, Washington|White Center]])<br><br>|marker17=library
|type18=point|coord18={{coord|47.530418|-122.036886}}|title18=*[[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] Library<br><br>|marker18=library
|type19=point|coord19={{coord|47.759364|-122.252368}}|title19=*[[Kenmore, Washington|Kenmore]] Library<br><br>|marker19=library
|type20=point|coord20={{coord|47.382429|-122.234141}}|title20=*[[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Regional Library<br><br>|marker20=library
|type21=point|coord21={{coord|47.418367|-122.196724}}|title21=*[[Kent, Washington|Kent]] Panther Lake Library<br><br>|marker21=library
|type22=point|coord22={{coord|47.729732|-122.176416}}|title22=*Kingsgate Library (Kirkland)<br><br>|marker22=library
|type23=point|coord23={{coord|47.675763|-122.202927}}|title23=*[[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]] Library<br><br>|marker23=library
|type24=point|coord24={{coord|47.754214|-122.280068}}|title24=*[[Lake Forest Park, Washington|Lake Forest Park]] Library<br><br>|marker24=library
|type25=point|coord25={{coord|47.603564|-122.131389}}|title25=*Lake Hills Library (Bellevue)<br><br>|marker25=library
|type26=point|coord26={{coord|47.617169|-122.128455}}|title26=*Library Connection at [[Crossroads, Bellevue|Crossroads]] (Bellevue)<br><br>|marker26=library
|type27=point|coord27={{coord|47.459336|-122.256208}}|title27=*Library Connection at [[Westfield Southcenter|Southcenter]] (Tukwila)<br><br>|marker27=library
|type28=point|coord28={{coord|47.693209|-122.045668}}|title28=*Library Express at Redmond Ridge (Redmond)<br><br>|marker28=library
|type29=point|coord29={{coord|47.379979|-122.048502}}|title29=*[[Maple Valley, Washington|Maple Valley]] Library<br><br>|marker29=library
|type30=point|coord30={{coord|47.566902|-122.221156}}|title30=*[[Mercer Island, Washington|Mercer Island]] Library<br><br>|marker30=library
|type31=point|coord31={{coord|47.243336|-122.113022}}|title31=*Muckleshoot Library (Auburn)<br><br>|marker31=library
|type32=point|coord32={{coord|47.537725|-122.167322}}|title32=*[[Newcastle, Washington|Newcastle]] Library <br><br>|marker32=library
|type33=point|coord33={{coord|47.570514|-122.149069}}|title33=*Newport Way Library (Bellevue)<br><br>|marker33=library
|type34=point|coord34={{coord|47.49668|-121.783357}}|title34=*[[North Bend, Washington|North Bend]] Library<br><br>|marker34=library
|type35=point|coord35={{coord|47.678917|-122.128072}}|title35=*[[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] Regional Library<br><br>|marker35=library
|type36=point|coord36={{coord|47.481876|-122.201984}}|title36=*[[Renton Public Library|Renton]] Library<br><br>|marker36=library
|type37=point|coord37={{coord|47.499848|-122.181288}}|title37=*Renton Highlands Library<br><br>|marker37=library
|type38=point|coord38={{coord|47.771882|-122.385011}}|title38=*Richmond Beach Library ([[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]])<br><br>|marker38=library
|type39=point|coord39={{coord|47.600591|-122.03692}}|title39=*[[Sammamish, Washington|Sammamish]] Library<br><br>|marker39=library
|type40=point|coord40={{coord|47.755575|-122.324717}}|title40=*[[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]] Library<br><br>|marker40=library
|type41=point|coord41={{coord|47.708752|-121.360946}}|title41=*[[Skykomish, Washington|Skykomish]] Library<br><br>|marker41=library
|type42=point|coord42={{coord|47.490565|-122.238557}}|title42=*[[Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Washington|Skyway]] Library<br><br>|marker42=library
|type43=point|coord43={{coord|47.529885|-121.872249}}|title43=*[[Snoqualmie, Washington|Snoqualmie]] Library<br><br>|marker43=library
|type44=point|coord44={{coord|47.474595|-122.283719}}|title44=*[[Tukwila, Washington|Tukwila]] Library<br><br>|marker44=library
|type45=point|coord45={{coord|47.443201|-122.273729}}|title45=*Valley View Library ([[SeaTac, Washington|SeaTac]])<br><br>|marker45=library
|type46=point|coord46={{coord|47.450813|-122.459517}}|title46=*[[Vashon, Washington|Vashon]] Library<br><br>|marker46=library
|type47=point|coord47={{coord|47.506921|-122.352894}}|title47=*[[White Center, Washington|White Center]] Library<br><br>|marker47=library
|type48=point|coord48={{coord|47.751485|-122.081922}}|title48=*[[Woodinville, Washington|Woodinville]] Library<br><br>|marker48=library
|type49=point|coord49={{coord|47.361163|-122.308234}}|title49=*Woodmont Library ([[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]])<br><br>|marker49=library

}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Branch Name 
!!data-sort-type="number" | Square Footage
|-
| [[Algona, Washington|Algona]]-[[Pacific, Washington|Pacific]] Library || 5,250
|-
| [[Auburn, Washington|Auburn]] Library || 20,000
|-
| [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] Regional Library (largest) || 80,000
|-
| [[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]] Library || 5,000
|-
| [[Bothell, Washington|Bothell]] Regional Library || 22,500
|-
| [[Riverton-Boulevard Park, Washington|Boulevard Park]] Library || 6,536
|-
| [[Burien, Washington|Burien]] Library || 32,000
|-
| [[Carnation, Washington|Carnation]] Library || 5,000
|-
| [[Covington, Washington|Covington]] Library || 23,000
|-
| [[Des Moines, Washington|Des Moines]] Library || 10,320
|-
| [[Duvall, Washington|Duvall]] Library || 8,000
|-
| [[Cascade-Fairwood, Washington|Fairwood]] Library || 10,541
|-
| [[Enumclaw, Washington|Enumclaw]] Library || 20,000
|-
| [[Fall City, Washington|Fall City]] Library || 5,000
|-
| [[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] Regional Library || 34,500
|-
| Federal Way 320th Library || 15,000
|-
| Greenbridge Library ([[White Center, Washington|White Center]]) || 2,300
|-
| [[Issaquah, Washington|Issaquah]] Library || 15,000
|-
| [[Kenmore, Washington|Kenmore]] Library || 10,000
|-
| [[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
|-
| [[Maple Valley, Washington|Maple Valley]] Library || 10,000
|-
| [[Mercer Island, Washington|Mercer Island]] Library || 14,886
|-
| Muckleshoot Library (Auburn) || 6,000
|-
| [[Newcastle, Washington|Newcastle]] Library  || 11,000
|-
| Newport Way Library (Bellevue) || 8,690
|-
| [[North Bend, Washington|North Bend]] Library || 9,600
|-
| [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] Regional Library || 30,000
|-
| [[Renton Public Library|Renton]] Library || 19,500
|-
| Renton Highlands Library || 15,000
|-
| Richmond Beach Library ([[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]]) || 5,250
|-
| [[Sammamish, Washington|Sammamish]] Library || 19,500
|-
| [[Shoreline, Washington|Shoreline]] Library || 20,954
|-
| [[Skykomish, Washington|Skykomish]] Library || 1,042
|-
| [[Bryn Mawr-Skyway, Washington|Skyway]] Library || 8,000
|-
| [[Snoqualmie, Washington|Snoqualmie]] Library || 6,000
|-
| [[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>

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)]]