Proposed plan to close 5 local libraries no longer on the books

Originally posted November 30, 2018

The Timberland Regional Library Board has dissolved their Capital Facilities Proposal released in September that detailed plans throughout the district. This plan suggested multiple changes could come to the Grays Harbor and Pacific County library system.  This “reimagined library” was proposed after a study suggested that TRL had “reached the point where revenues are not keeping up with expenditures”.

Locally, the proposed plan would have involved the closure of the Hoquiam, Montesano, Oakville, Amanda Park, and South Bend libraries, merging their services with other facilities.

At their monthly board meeting this week, TRL’s Board of Trustees voted 7-0 to permanently and immediately dissolve the Capital Facilities Proposal, agreeing to allow no closures of existing library buildings in the foreseeable future. They note that closures could come if they were required “for health and safety reasons”.

TRL’s Board also voted unanimously to eliminate the special Ad Hoc Committee created in October to explore elements of the proposal in greater detail.

Moving into 2019, TRL’s Board says that they will begin holding a second monthly board meeting on the 2nd Wednesday of each month to discuss policies and implications of the projected budget shortfall.

TRL’s Board also agreed to continue evaluating alternate service models such as Open +, mobile services and digital libraries, approving a pilot program for Open+ at the McCleary and Winlock Timberland libraries scheduled for early 2019.

TRL leadership and its Board of Trustees tells KXRO that they “are committed to ensuring that every community we serve receives timely communication, and all feedback from our communities is considered in recommendations and processes today and in the future”.

Timberland Regional Library: Capital Facilities Plan – Proposal