Whatcom County Library System executive director, Christine Perkins.
By Christine Perkins, Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) executive director
Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) has been proudly delivering library service to people in the northwest corner of Whatcom County for decades – more than 70 years in Point Roberts, more than 50 years in Blaine.
As the population increases and library service needs change, your libraries need to expand, too. That’s why there are building projects in the works across Whatcom County. Construction bids for a new library in Point Roberts are due this week, a survey about plans for a larger library in Blaine is out to Blaine city residents, and initial meetings to kick off fundraising efforts for a community library in Birch Bay are being held. All of these library building projects are necessary, worthy of your support, and enthusiastically championed by WCLS.
WCLS’s longstanding practice has been to work with local communities to operate facilities provided by each community. WCLS supplies the staff, technology, furnishings and library materials, as well as the benefits of belonging to a larger system. Local residents, often through a municipality, provide the buildings themselves.
Some of you may remember when the Blaine Library was located in the Blaine City Hall on H Street. In 1988, the city of Blaine converted its public works garage at the corner of 3rd and G streets, growing the library from 1,200 square feet to 5,400 square feet. In the nearly 30 years since then, the city population has grown from 2,700 to 5,164, an increase of more than 90 percent. The population of the unincorporated areas surrounding Blaine has grown, too, calling for a library between 12,000 and 15,000 square feet to adequately serve the Blaine community in the coming years.
The site of the future Birch Bay Vogt Community Library. Photo by Chuck Kinzer.
Many things have changed since 1988, such as the widespread use of technology and the internet. The Blaine Library’s seven internet workstations are maxed out daily, with no room to add more. Fun library programs attract standing room only crowds that exceed the meeting room’s capacity. Four times as many books are borrowed and returned today compared to 30 years ago, with staff working elbow-to-elbow in a space that hasn’t grown to accommodate the increased use.
The Blaine Library is well overdue for an expansion (or replacement), which is why the Friends of the Blaine Library have revved up fundraising efforts in recent years. This summer, an anonymous donor gave the Friends a $10,000 donation, and challenges others to do the same. The city of Blaine is considering two options for the library, and city residents who would like to make sure the library’s needs are prioritized should be sure to complete the online survey as soon as possible. The city is even offering a $250 gift certificate lottery drawing for those who provide their contact information at the end of the survey.
Meanwhile, in Birch Bay, the Friends of the Birch Bay Library have dreams of a 6,000-square-foot library a bit closer to home. While the Blaine Library will continue to serve as a larger regional hub, the Birch Bay Library will bring a browsing collection, children’s and teen programming, and free WiFi and internet computers within walking or biking distance to many people in this rapidly growing community. This fall WCLS will move its bookmobile stop to the site of the future Birch Bay Vogt Community Library at
7968 Birch Bay Drive.
Once built, two local libraries, one in Blaine and one in Birch Bay, will mean more options for people who live or work in the area. Out doing errands in Blaine? Combine a trip and visit the Blaine Library. Enjoying a stroll along the bay? One day you’ll be able to stop by the Birch Bay Library to rest and regroup. At WCLS, we believe that it’s our role to help expand access to library services to all. Please visit wcls.org for updates on building projects across Whatcom County.
