Seattle Has Spent Millions Upgrading Its Libraries (So Why Are Fewer People Going?) AUDIENCE, WORDS Posted: June 14, 2016 12:31 pm“Between 2011 and 2014, our booming city gained 50,000 residents. But in that period, total branch visits to the Seattle Public Library (SPL) declined by 150,000, or 2.3 percent — even with a significant increase in branch hours.” Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)