The Timberland Regional Library has long been a loved library system, attracting a wide variety of demographics, from students looking for a quiet place to study to families who need an indoor space to spend time together. There aren’t any restrictions on who is able to access the space. The Tumwater location of the Timberland Library has recently undergone a massive redesign process that took over a year of planning. There was a particular emphasis on expanding the family and children’s area to make the atmosphere feel more welcoming and brighter.
“We took a lot of time and effort to make the area more accessible and usable, especially for children and families, because it’s really important to grow that next generation, and you have to do that by exposure,” says Brenda Lane, Timberland Regional Library operations director. The library has undergone numerous touch-ups over the years, but these have mostly been for general maintenance and ensuring cosmetics remain up-to-date. Both Brenda and Anna Lisa Rasmussen, communications and media coordinator, describe that this remodel was the most dramatic one they have done so far, with the process having taken a couple extra months to complete.
All the changes were done in-house by staff, which has saved the library thousands of dollars to invest in other services. To pursue the renovation, the team worked closely with the city to work out logistics, and had great input from public services and people of other administrative positions.
A Family-Friendly Tumwater Library for All Generations
Many patrons were shocked by the new look. “At our grand reopening, we actually had blown-up before photos strategically placed so that everyone could really visualize how different the space looked,” mentions Anna Lisa.
The remodel was approached with the overall purpose of increasing comfort and accessibility, regardless of what patrons are coming in to use the area for. Major changes that the team made include closing off and expanding the children and family’s space to be nearly five times the original size; separating the teen room so there is greater privacy with specific media curated for that age group.
The quiet area was also strategically placed to be further away from the children’s and family’s side so there could be a dedicated space just for working, studying and relaxing. Furthermore, the main technology sites with computers and printing access are up nearby the staff work area, so visitors can get assistance right away if needed.
The Role of The Timberland Library in a Changing Community
Despite many transitioning to alternative forms of reading like e-books and audiobooks, the library still holds enormous value for the community in other ways. “I definitely think that Libraries are ‘third spaces,’ which I think our communities really need and lack. So our libraries can provide value in ways more than just books, because we try to evolve as our communities evolve,” Anna Lisa states in response to how libraries retain importance.
The Tumwater Library’s team highlights how the library fills an extremely significant role in the community by being a public space that’s available at no cost. For example, the library is a warm, dry setting people can visit during storms and the colder months.
In fact, the different locations of the Timberland Regional Library each have such unique features that patrons will visit individual branches located across western Washington just to check them out. The Shelton Timberland Library has a shipwreck figure that is often mentioned. For the Tumwater library, the remodel was taken on with the intent to bring this sense of whimsy and brightness.
For a lot of people, the library is one of the few spaces they have to access basic resources. Brenda Lane mentions a couple cases of people having strong emotional reactions to the transformation. “There were people crying who came into this building after seeing it,” she says. “I had one of our board of trustees, when she first walked through, come to me in tears about how amazing it was. I had another staff person who was crying, she said, because she grew up very poor and in a very rural location, and she told me that this is the only opportunity that sometimes children of low socioeconomic status have to be exposed or have any play structure they don’t have to pay for.”
Though it isn’t possible to satisfy everyone with the redesign, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The library has managed to preserve the classic atmosphere a visitor expects going in with a wide range of additional uses. The library is a fulfilling solution for all cases, whether that’s a teen needing a place to hang out, a family looking to burn energy in a safe environment, or someone simply interested in checking out a physical book copy.
The library remains a place that’s always available to visit, and its role cycles in and out of people’s lives, with many who would come in as children having families of their own that they now bring in. To check out the new design, visit the Tumwater Timberland Library. They’re open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and access is free.
Tumwater Timberland Library
7023 New Market Street SW, Tumwater
360.943.7790
