The Washington State Library in Tumwater and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle will close to the public on July 1 due to a lack of state funding.

State libraries will also eliminate 12 jobs due to the financial pressure.

Shuttering the facilities will curb access to the state’s trove of historical and governmental collections and force cancellation of an array of services and programs, the secretary of state’s office announced Friday .

“Libraries are cornerstones of civic life and education in many areas of our state. The impact of the closures will risk denying communities access to the information, literacy tools, and resources they depend on,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement.

The move comes after lawmakers and Gov. Bob Ferguson didn’t

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