Sno-Isle manager reports strong summer outreach, self-service pilot and progress on new Lake Stevens library

Antoinette Morales Tanner, managing librarian for the Lake Stevens branch of Sno-Isle Libraries, told the Lake Stevens Library Board on July 23 that summer reading and outreach programs are drawing new users and that a pilot self-service program has collected nearly 200 sign-ups. Morales Tanner said summer events — including a magician performance by Louis Fox, a drop-in bike clinic with Sharing Wheels, a Dungeons & Dragons series run with Stupid Geeks, and nature programs by WSU Beach Watchers and Lisa Taylor — have attracted new visitors to the branch. The library is partnering with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to host a mobile office on site for one-stop access to DSHS services; Morales Tanner said the mobile office visit was well attended and will return in October. On the self-service pilot, Morales Tanner said almost 200 people have signed up for off-hours access, calling it a successful pilot as users employ study rooms, Wi-Fi and printing at varying hours. The pilot runs through the end of 2025 and will be evaluated for cost and usage before the library moves to its new building. She reported the branch’s “memory care kits,” created with the Alzheimer’s Association, are in active circulation; Morales Tanner said the library has nine kits available and has received positive community feedback. On construction, Morales Tanner said the new Lake Stevens library will be about 15,000 square feet (the current public area is roughly 2,500 square feet) and will include a 900-square-foot large meeting room, a children’s area with a low-stimulation room, a teen area adjacent to a flexible meeting space, and three second-floor study rooms (one conference room for about six people and two rooms for about four people each). She said the collection capacity will be roughly five times larger than the present collection and that the building will emphasize flexible furniture and a range of seating types. Construction work is ongoing: concrete foundation and shear walls are in place, second-story walls are up, and off-site prefabrication for structural steel and cross-laminated timber (CLT) is under way. Morales Tanner said contractor Faber is continuing on-site work and Sno-Isle staff are finalizing interior elements including upholstery and shelving samples. She described CLT (cross-laminated timber) as a major aesthetic and sustainable element in the design. On funding, Morales Tanner said the Washington state 2025–2026 capital budget included a $350,000 appropriation to complete the project. She also said Representative Suzan DelBene submitted a federal fiscal year 2026 funding request for an additional $750,000. Morales Tanner described the project as on track and estimated, without guaranteeing, a spring or summer 2026 opening, noting construction timelines depend on supply chains and other risks. Morales Tanner said Sno-Isle will continue community outreach — including partnerships with the Boys & Girls Club and participation in city events such as Gaming by the Lake and Harvest Festival — and that staff are exploring options for maintaining downtown book returns or other satellite services after the move. Board members asked about whether the self-service pilot will continue in the new building; Morales Tanner said the pilot will be evaluated at the end of 2025 and that continuing the program in the new building is a goal but not yet decided. Members also asked whether there will be book return access on the existing downtown side of the lake; Morales Tanner said options are under consideration and community demand is being studied but no final decision was made. No formal legislative or policy actions were taken during the report. The board discussed questions and provided feedback but directed no new formal motions.