Friends of the Alpine City Library seek city 'green light' to pursue grants and use Olsen Home for children’s library

Friends of the Alpine City Library asked the Alpine City Council for permission to proceed with fundraising and grant applications to establish a volunteer‑run children’s library using the historic Olsen Home and adjacent space, the group’s leaders said Tuesday.

Jennifer Wadsworth, executive director of the volunteer group, said the organization has assembled a board, collected more than 5,000 donated books, built several little free libraries and operated weekly story times that draw 10–25 children and caregivers. Magdalene Hagen and board members described plans for a small children’s library that would be roughly 1,100 square feet for book storage and programming; the existing Olsen Home would provide a reading room and small community space.

Treasurer Elizabeth Willison said the group is pursuing historical and community grants but needs the council’s permission — a “green light” — to proceed with certain grant applications tied to a historic structure. The group said it is not asking the city for operating funds and would pursue donated labor, grants and volunteer support; they said local fundraising could fund naming rights and engraved bricks.

Council discussion focused on parking, zoning and the planning process. Several council members and staff said the committee should secure a formal parking agreement with a nearby church before moving forward; city staff said the church lot has roughly 38 spaces and a conditional arrangement with a reception center is in place but not formalized. Staff and council also told the group to coordinate a feasibility study and to follow the city’s material‑change and planning‑commission review process for use of public open space and historic properties.

Council members said a feasibility study is appropriate before major grant investment but noted that the feasibility study is conditioned on the city granting permission to proceed because some grants require site authority. The council asked the group to work with staff on a letter of intent and to return with updated materials for a planning packet. No city funding commitment was made at the meeting.

The group said donated volunteer programming is already underway and that their long‑term goal is state certification as a library if the city provides sufficient funding in the future; otherwise the group will continue as a volunteer library with no guaranteed municipal operating support.