Toledo Library holds preview with opening set for mid-August

Local residents tour the Toledo Library Saturday during a preview of the building during Cheese Days. An official opening date has not been scheduled but it expected to take place sometime next month.

Area residents were given an opportunity to preview the Toledo Library over the weekend as organizers are moving toward a grand opening sometime in the middle of next month.

Formed largely through the efforts of volunteers and donations, the library is expected to be open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and will feature local books as well as the catalogue of the Timberland Regional Library District.

“Everything just worked out so well,” said organizer Pat Caldwell, who owns the building where the library is being housed, along with husband Bill.

The Caldwells had approached City Hall April of last year with the idea of donating their building for use as a library and were told, while many members of the community were in support of the idea, Toledo would have to first vote to annex into the Timberland Regional Library District in order to use their services.

Annexation successfully passed in November and Timberland determined in February it would be most appropriate to begin serving Toledo with a kiosk rather than a full library, which would still allow patrons to search for and place holds on books throughout the district.

Supporters of a library, however, remained committed to seeing full services brought to Toledo and have resolved to establish their own community library, intended to work with the kiosks provided by Timberland.

As of last weekend, Caldwell said more than 3,000 books have been donated for the community library, stating “many, many more,” have been committed.

And on top of a kiosk, Timberland will be able to provide community outreach programs in Toledo through their staff at the Winlock Library, where manager Jamie Allwine said the programs available will be based on the needs of the Toledo community, stating she imagines programs like summer reading and family story time will be provided.

Meanwhile, Caldwell said the library currently has a pool of around 20 volunteers that have signed up to help operate the library, and said Timberland will be coming in the next week or so to begin training these employees on how to property use the kiosks.

“I’m not too concerned about this being a success,” said Caldwell.

Those who are interested in helping with the library, or in providing donations, may call Caldwell at (360) 864-6757.

One of the many donations of books at the library, complete with its official label.