SEQUIM — North Olympic Library System officials said the renovated and expanded Sequim Library is close to opening and that it has been paid for without local property taxes.
Staff reported last month that about $9.1 million of the $10.7 million construction project is from timber revenue via state forest trust lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
NOLS combined timber revenue with state grants, community donations and a low-interest state loan to update and expand the library by about 10,000 square feet and add new amenities, such as a walking path and a new outdoor stage.
One of the library’s final pieces, an intricate window and frame for its east wall, was delivered on Dec. 22, and that will allow other subcontractors to finish work around the wall.
The Sequim Avenue branch closed in March 2024 for a move to the temporary space at 609 W. Washington St., Suite 21, that opened the following month.
Manufacturing and supply chain challenges for specially fabricated parts have delayed the library’s opening to an unspecified date in 2026. The new building is located at 630 N. Sequim Ave.
NOLS Executive Director Noah Glaude said the library system will alert patrons when the renovation is done, and they’ll need to close the temporary branch to move into the new space.
“We are grateful for our community’s patience and support as the team of local tradespeople coordinate with metal fabrication experts to get the final exterior wall completed and built to last,” Glaude said. “We can’t wait to announce a grand opening date and welcome everyone into the library soon.”
Construction funding
Glaude said non-tax timber revenue enabled NOLS to move forward with an abbreviated plan and build a modern and safe facility in Sequim after a 2018 bond measure failed by 1 percent.
“DNR manages timber harvests thoughtfully and responsibly, guided by science and long-term forest health,” he said.
“The revenue generated from local lands comes right back into the community, supporting services people rely on every day. In the case of the Sequim Library project, the timber revenue is also helping support local businesses, such as Clallam County-based contractors Hoch Construction and Johnson Electric.”
To fund the library, $2 million in NOLS’ capital reserves helped launch the planning phase in 2020 by matching a Library Capital Improvement Program grant from the state Department of Commerce.
Timber revenue is projected to fund an additional $1 million in construction costs from the 2024 groundbreaking through completion this year.
The remaining $6.1 million in future timber revenue is designated to repay a 20-year, low-interest loan through the state’s LOCAL Program, Glaude said.
For the project, community members also gave more than $1.5 million to the project for various elements, such as study rooms, the outdoor stage and a children’s play area.
NOLS staff said grants helped supplement some construction costs and support sustainable and resilient features, such as solar panels and electric vehicle chargers.
At a Dec. 18 special meeting of the NOLS Board of Trustees, DNR staff members Bill Wells, David Hurn and Drew Rosenbaum spoke about how timber revenue on state trust lands supports public services.
“DNR employees, myself included, live in the communities where we manage the lands,” said Wells, a DNR regional manager from Forks.
“We care deeply about the land. We care deeply about clean air and clean water as much as anyone who lives here. And we value that the revenue produced goes to junior taxing district beneficiaries that impact all of our lives.”
NOLS staff said that, to honor the land and the traditional building style of the area, the Sequim Library incorporates timber throughout the building with monumental beams, finely crafted carpentry and the clean, minimal lines of the exterior cedar siding, celebrating the region’s working forest legacy.
For construction updates with photo slideshows, visit NOLS.org/construction.
DNR manages 3 million acres of state trust lands in Washington to produce non-tax revenue for specific beneficiaries. State forest trust lands, a category of state trust lands, are managed for the benefit of the county and junior taxing districts where the lands are located. They provide revenue that supports local and state schools as well as county services including roads, libraries, fire districts, ports, hospitals and emergency management.
For more information, visit dnr.wa.gov.
