Timberland Library facilities committee recommends no change to Amanda Park branch
The Amanda Park library branch in northwest Grays Harbor County, a branch that staff had reported was getting little use, will remain open for now and its building will not be moved to Lewis County.
That’s the update the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees heard during its monthly meeting Wednesday.
The recommendation came from TRL’s facilities committee and the three trustees who serve on it: Toni Gwin, Pacific County trustee; Mary Beth Harrington, Thurston County trustee; and Nicolette Oliver, also a Thurston County trustee and the new chairwoman of the committee.
The body took into consideration previous public comment from library patrons, as well as comments from the Quinault Nation tribal council and staff, Oliver said.
“We as a committee recommend making no change to the service delivery methods at Amanda Park and recommend not moving the building to the Mountain View site in (Randle) Lewis County,” she said.
There was no additional comment after Oliver spoke.
During public comment, however, Amanda Park resident Rose Jones, who was aware of the recommendation, said she was pleased with it.
“This is all great news,” she said.
The trials and tribulations of Amanda Park began in May after library system leaders raised concerns about the cost and use of the branch in a remote area of Grays Harbor County.
The branch building was identified for possible relocation to Lewis County as a cost-effective way to replace a leased library space there without having to build new. The building could be cut it up and reassemble it at its new location, committee members were told.
But the idea of closing the branch and moving the building did not go over well with many residents, who spoke at a June meeting.
“I’m an educator and I understand that knowledge is power,” said one woman at that June board meeting. “It’s very disheartening that a rural library system would be considering disempowering a community, especially children, in a rural area from being able to have consistent access to the internet and the services a library can provide.”
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