Hermiston library board outlines service and policy changes as renovation nears completion

Library Board Chair Depew (identified in council remarks) told the council she has served on the board for seven to eight years and described the committee's priorities while the downtown library undergoes renovation and operations are temporarily located in Carnegie Hall.

"The library committee's overall goal for purposes current, is to provide an all encompassing literary service to our community," Depew said. She said the board's main focus in recent years has been hours of operation and programming availability; both have been affected by the renovation and the smaller interim collection at Carnegie Hall.

Depew described planning for new services once the renovated facility reopens and told the council that the board will review policies related to a maker space and specialized equipment. "We are looking at our long range planning. Once the renovation is up and going, just so we can kinda get a feel, Maybe the first 6 to 7 months, see what's happening," she said, describing a phased approach to programming and policy development.

Depew also said the board has worked to maintain meeting quorums and to engage the public; meetings are currently held the third Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m. while the library uses the upstairs meeting room. She encouraged the council and mayor to continue communicating construction progress and to support volunteer recruitment for the library's move and re-shelving activities.

Why it matters: The renovated facility is expected to change the library's service mix — including a maker space and expanded programming — and the board is preparing policy updates and long-range planning to align services once the building reopens.