Seattle Public Library (SPL) branches throughout Seattle are cornerstones for art and education. Recently SPL has expanded with new locations, a bigger catalog, all while overcoming challenges.
This year, SPL faced a large ransomware attack. “Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents access to systems through encryption processes,” Elisa Murray, the digital communications strategist for SPL, explained. Due to the ransomware attack, most services had no choice but to switch to physical work, like manually checking out books and doing payroll through several cycles to make sure staff were paid on time. Murray goes on to say how the people who “conduct[ed] these criminal acts typically demand a ransom in return for restoration of systems.” Murray also said that Seattle Public Libraries did not go back online until after Labor Day, and their “public services are now fully recovered.” Laura Gentry, Head of Communications for SPL, said, “everything from e-books to public computers to catalog and self-checkout stations are back online.” Gentry said that SPL is hoping to hire a new cybersecurity analyst soon, and hopefully by the end of the year, they will be able to disclose more about the attack. Gentry says that SPL is “now working with a third party on an after-action report that will be available by the end of the year and will share more information,” and SPL is working towards “new, more secure systems for internal communications.”
Due to the recent roadblocks these past few years – such as the COVID-19 that pandemic and lack of funding – SPL has been slowly working towards expanding their digital section. “E-books and audiobooks have been growing in popularity in recent years, especially during covid,” Gentry explained. Murray said how they “have been making more financial investments in this area … This presents new challenges because publishers charge libraries three to four times as much as consumers for digital books.” Murray also says that SPL is finding ways to deal with this cost issue, while ensuring that their digital collection remains deep and diverse.
With 2.8 million items to check out– books, e-books, DVDs, Wi-Fi hotspots and programs such as story times to homework help, free one-on-one business help, a social service team that helps patrons find connection and meet basic needs- it’s all absolutely free at the SPL.
One of Murray’s favorite things about SPL is the community it brings, with staff that are “smart, hard-working, compassionate people … The library is one of the few places you can hang out and enjoy the space and services, no purchase required, and where all walks of life gather.” SPL welcomes Garfield students to visit their locations around Seattle.
