Changes at the Timberland Naselle Library are a source of back-and-forth assertions.

In response to guest column: “Mendacity: TRL is breaking its promise to Naselle”

Timberland Regional Library was formed in 1968. In the decades since, technology, economics, demographics, population, and usage patterns have changed dramatically. This is a challenging and complicated situation from an operational perspective. TRL leadership has a responsibility to think creatively about the future of library service throughout the district to ensure long-term financial health and sustainability. To do otherwise would be a disservice to communities we are not adequately serving today and will put our future ability to provide quality library service to the five-county region in jeopardy.

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In 2023, overall financial data shows the cost to TRL to provide library service at the Naselle library was approximately $510,000; taxes received were $73,030. This equates to approximately $1,000 per active library user associated with the branch.

In recent years, we have explored alternative staffing strategies to continue to wisely use taxpayer funds. Our goal with any strategy is to keep staff employed while expanding services. Many tax-paying community members within TRL’s five-county service area are not currently well-served by a physical library building. We understand that some library users would prefer existing physical branches to continue to receive the bulk of services and money. We respectfully disagree that investing in staffing physical locations is necessarily more important than outreach to communities without any library services, which they also pay for.

We invite interested community members to explore our Open Data Portal which provides information on active cardholders, circulation, internet use and much more. This data helps us understand usage trends across the district and at individual library locations. We use this data to determine how best to serve our communities considering tax revenues that do not keep pace with rising costs. In Naselle the circulation of physical items has declined approximately 44% between 2013-2023, while checkouts of digital materials have increased 472% in the same period. This is consistent with overall trends. Systemwide, physical checkouts have decreased 45% and digital checkouts have increased 595% in the same period. These and other data points give us insight into utilization of library services and suggest areas where we might shift resources and staffing in response.

Brick and mortar libraries are valuable, but they are also costly to staff and maintain. In 2023, overall financial data shows the cost to TRL to provide library service at the Naselle library was approximately $510,000; taxes received were $73,030. This equates to approximately $1,000 per active library user associated with the branch. TRL is a municipal corporation with a responsibility to taxpayers to use resources responsibly and to the benefit of all residents. With limited resources, we strive to find cost savings where we can to continue to reach more users who are not otherwise well-served by an existing physical building.

Anywhere Library is an excellent example of how we are bringing library services, programs, and staff into the community in new ways. We meet users where they are — schools, food banks, senior centers, and more — and readily adapt as we determine how well Anywhere stops are being utilized and where additional services may be needed. With nearly 23,000 people spread out over about 1,000 square miles, Pacific County is an excellent opportunity for Anywhere Library to supplement existing physical branches. As the service expands we will bring the library to even more users who have not previously had easy access to library resources via brick-and-mortar locations. While staff may not always be physically present at the Naselle branch, they will still be available through live chat, phone, or in person at any of TRL’s 28 other branches. Patrons can continue to schedule tech help appointments and enjoy full access to both physical and digital collections 91 hours per week.

We recognize that not all changes will be met with universal enthusiasm, but to remain financially sustainable and meet the needs of the next generation of library users it is imperative that we think creatively, experiment with new approaches and service models, and that we build an organization that is adaptable to future community needs that we cannot yet predict. This is how we will continue to bring quality library service to all our residents for years to come.