Invest in Woodland Community Library

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FVRL is working to build a new home for Woodland Community Library that will provide more materials, resources, ADA accessibility, internet and computer access, and additional space for meetings, study, programs and workshops.

Project fact sheet—updated 9/2017 (PDF)

Progress and next steps:

News

Site of future Woodland library in Google Maps

  • February 2020: Hacker Architects presented conceptual designs and siting alternatives for the building on February 8 at the Love Your Library event and at the public meeting on February 11.
  • We are compiling data from the public survey to help the architect to produce a community-driven conceptual design.

What’s next?

  • Completing a site survey
  • Working with the Hacker Architects design team to develop a conceptual design based on public input
  • Working with the public and community partners to map out the community’s needs in a new library
  • Developing a full budget for the project
  • Establishing a plan for fundraising with the FVRL Foundation and the Friends of Woodland Community Library
  • Subdividing the property, as there is more land than we need for the future library

How you can help:

Background:

2019:

  • October 2019: We selected an architect, Hacker, to do the conceptual design for the new library.
  • June 2019: The FVRL Board of Trustees has moved $450,000 from its reserve plan into the Woodland building project fund.
  • The Honorable Frank and Arlene Price Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation toward the construction of a Woodland library.
  • The 2019-2021 Washington State budget includes a $515,000 grant for Woodland Community Library.
  • After being used as a training site for fire and police personnel, the former Woodland Funeral Home building was demolished in February.
  • A traffic study was completed to determine needed adjustments at the new library site.

2018:

  • The Woodland Funeral Home moved to its new location in Park Plaza at 660 Goerig, opening the way for the library site to begin development.
  • FVRL hosted an asset sale to sell fixtures, doors, windows and other salvageable items from the building.

2017:

  • We have land!  On May 19, FVRL closed on property at the corner of Goerig Street and Lakeshore Drive near downtown Woodland (see map). Press release (PDF)
  • Fees lowered!  Many Woodland residents (those in Cowlitz County outside the city limits) live outside of FVRL district boundaries and must pay a fee to get a library card. In May, FVRL changed the formula used to charge non-resident fees, allowing individuals to purchase a library card at lower cost. The library is also offering free 3-item library cards for minors so that all children and students, in district or not, have access to library resources.

2015, 2016:

  • FVRL Trustees set aside $1 million for the building project.
  • FVRL worked with community stakeholders to find suitable property.
  • At the same time, the Friends of Woodland Community Library began fundraising.

October 2014: A Pre-Design Study by FFA Architects, with input from the communities involved, recommended library square footage and features and included projected possible costs.

December 2013: A facilities study by BergerABAM identified the need for new library facilities in Woodland, Ridgefield and Washougal.

In the news: