Timberland library trustee urges protecting branches after comments about Amanda Park site
A Timberland Regional Library trustee urged his fellow board members to protect the system’s branches on Wednesday after a recent discussion about a remote library branch in Grays Harbor County.
Lewis County Trustee Brian Zylstra — who also announced his resignation from the board as a result of an unrelated matter — shared his thoughts during the board’s Wednesday meeting in Shelton.
Thurston County Trustee Mary Beth Harrington responded, reminding him that no action was taken regarding the Amanda Park site in northwest Grays Harbor County.
“It was only a discussion,” she said.
Timberland has spent millions of dollars on the branch in Amanda Park, which has a population of 89, and use of the branch has sharply declined, according to operations director Brenda Lane and executive director Cheryl Heywood.
“We, as the administration and the board, especially the board, are fiduciarily responsible for taxpayers’ money,” Heywood reminded Timberland’s facilities committee last week.
Zylstra said the board has received several emails expressing concern about the future of Amanda Park. He acknowledged that operating the Amanda Park branch might be expensive and a bit of a “money suck,” but that’s the cost of doing business.
“You need to spend the money to provide sufficient enough library service for people in the far flung parts of the district,” he said. If Amanda Park were to close, it might put Timberland library on a “slippery slope” to closing other rural branches, he contended.
“Closing a branch is more detrimental to a community than you could imagine,” Zylstra said.
Zylstra recalled a capital facilities plan that was unveiled a few years ago that called for the closure of nine branches, generating a huge outcry.
“People made it clear that they didn’t want any of their branches to close,” he said.
Harrington again said there was no plan to close Amanda Park and Zylstra asked her to read between the lines on a recent story by The Olympian.
“It’s just an update (on the branch),” Harrington said. “We’re getting data and looking at it.”
Grays Harbor County Trustee Jasmine Dickhoff said she appreciated Zylstra’s comments and added a few of her own: “I have no intention and will never have intentions of decreasing service,” she said.
After the meeting, executive director Heywood was asked about the future of the Amanda Park site.
She said that’s up to the board. The staff can present data and make a recommendation, but there is no plan to do that right away, Heywood said.
The best way to prevent a closure is to use the branch, she said.
“Use your library, use your library card, stay informed by watching board meetings and checking newsletters for all the different programs,” she said. “I just encourage people to use the library system and to encourage others to use it.”
Zylstra resigns
Zylstra announced his resignation during Wednesday’s meeting, saying he decided to leave after a recent board vote that now prohibits trustees from serving on library friends groups. Zylstra is a longtime member of the Chehalis Library Friends.
Such groups are best known for organizing book sales to raise money for library projects.
“My heart said I should stay with the friends and that’s what I decided,” he said.
Zylstra, who has served on the board for seven years, recalled some fond memories, including a crowded meeting in Ilwaco where patrons shared their passion for their local library.
He also thanked the people who work in the library branches and serve the patrons.
“I hope they will always be kept in mind by the board and administration about how important they are,” he said.
Remembering Ted Hurd
During Heywood’s executive director report, she announced that longtime employee Ted Hurd, who worked as a courier and operations technician, died suddenly over the weekend. He spent 26 years at Timberland Regional Library, she said.
“We are very grateful we got to work with him and he will be deeply missed,” Heywood said.
Donation
The library system has received an $81,000 donation from the estate of Janet Engle, Heywood announced. The money has been earmarked for the general gift fund.
Engle’s donation follows a $920,000 gift the Lacey Timberland Library received from the estate of Rodney Maupin.
Timberland Regional Library system weighs closing rural branch, shift to mobile services
Lacey Timberland library receives $920,000 gift from former patron
