Timberland Regional Library officials have been in talks with community officials from Napavine, Morton and Mossyrock about moving a new library into each community, but it could be a couple years before any location opens.
“There’s been some interest expressed from those cities that they wanted to have library services in their community,” said Michael Crose, director of the five-county library system. “With the way things are right now, the chances are pretty good (that they will get a library). I’m always optimistic.”
However, the hang-up for each city is that a building and an annual fee will need to be provided to receive the services. The city governments could pay the fee, which is assessed based on local property values, or increase property taxes to raise the money.
“I think a city should have a library,” said Napavine City Councilor and mayoral candidate Bob Wheeler. “But it comes with a cost, and people have to decide if they want to bear that cost.”
Mossyrock City-Clerk Treasurer Jeannette Miller said city councilors have already agreed the money can’t come from city coffers, and they are also certain a property tax increase would be voted down by constituents.
While entering the library district would come with a cost, it would also reduce costs for library-using households. Residents of these towns who want to use the library now must pay a $95 annual fee to be issued a library card. If and when the towns enter into an agreement with Timberland, their residents would no longer have to pay that out-of-district library card fee.
Crose said TRL and the cities are in the very early stages of moving forward, and the next step would be to sit down with each individual council to see if there’s a strong interest to pursue locating a library in their community.
“We’re not looking for a new location,” Crose said. “But we’re here to help the community if they’re interested.”
