Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) is prioritizing upgrades to Blaine Public Library that, if approved by its Board of Trustees, would likely occur in early 2026 as a temporary fix while the library system awaits funding for a new building.
The upgrades would include a circulation desk upgrade to improve ergonomics, storage and the patron experience while also improving Americans with Disabilities Act compliance at the check-out station. The library would also get new carpet and cabinetry.
Construction is expected to cost $65,000 and is expected to occur by April, said Ryan Cullup, WCLS facilities services manager. WCLS’ levy lid lift that voters approved during the August primary would fund the upgrades.
“As we look forward to the future of this library, we really wanted to be cautious about the amount of investments we’re doing versus knowing in the future we’ll need to work with the city and the builders to replace this library,” Cullup told the WCLS Board of Trustees on November 18.
Cullup said the most financially feasible option would be to build a new library from the start. Since funding isn’t available yet, he said the second best option was for the library system to make upgrades that could be reused once the new library is built.
Though WCLS executive director Christine Perkins said trustees seemed supportive of the project during their November 18 meeting, the library system won’t know for sure whether funding has been approved until the board of trustees passes its 2026 budget in December.
If approved, redoing the carpet would likely close the library for a few days and other construction may require the library to operate in limited capacity for a few days.
Jonathan Jakobitz, branch manager of Blaine Public Library, said the circulation desk upgrade was a welcomed improvement, but only a new library would solve the location’s largest problem: space.
“The size of our current building is a limiting factor impacting the level of service we can provide to the community,” Jakobitz wrote in an email to The Northern Light. “Blaine has the third highest circulation within WCLS, yet the size of our collection is dictated by the size of our building rather than our community’s usage.”
The 5,400-square-foot library has been situated at 610 3rd Street since it was renovated from its former use as a public works garage nearly 40 years ago. WCLS has provided Band-Aid fixes over the years through projects like renovating the teen area and adding a small meeting room pod. Still, Jakobitz said he sees the meeting room reach capacity often and finding a place to work in the library can prove a challenge most days.
Jakobitz said the only permanent solution he sees is expanding the library – ideally doubling its size to at least 9,000 square feet.
The cause gained momentum in 2019 after Friends of Blaine Library hired an architect to design a new library. The pandemic sidelined its priority, and while city officials continue to support a new building, their purse strings have tightened in subsequent years.
In 2023, Bellingham affordable housing consultant Paul Schissler introduced an idea to add two mixed-use buildings to downtown Blaine that would have added a new library, affordable condominiums and commercial space. The project gained support from proposed partners, the city of Blaine, WCLS and Kulshan Community Land Trust, but plans stagnated after the land trust decided to focus on other projects it had in the works and funding remained in question.
With the recently passed levy lid lift, Perkins said the Blaine library is a top priority for WCLS to revisit, but it wouldn’t be enough to fund a new library, estimated to cost at least $10 million.
“There are some great library users in the Blaine community,” Perkins said. “We’re interested in seeing what we can do to improve services that are highly utilized.”
