Sequim Library Project (2024)

• $3,556,589 –
• $2,614,300 – NOLS Capital Reserves

• $7,499,943 – Estimated Construction Cost
• $3,142,878 – Estimated Soft Costs

Today’s Challenges:
The Sequim Library was built in 1983 to serve 14,000 residents and visitors. The Library now serves a population of around 30,000. It’s clear that expansion is necessary to meet the growing community’s needs. The current facility needs to be updated, which has been a pressing concern for NOLS for years. The COVID-19 Pandemic only emphasized the concerns about space availability. The existing building needs more capacity to serve the community to its fullest. The current challenges:

• Cramped physical space to access all of the library offerings, such as collections, books, and technology.
• Not enough dedicated reading and study areas and quiet spaces.
• Outdated technology infrastructure and unreliable WiFi make serving the community’s increased needs difficult.
• Lacks the space for community meetings, receptions, and cultural events.
• The facility was built before there was widespread access to environmentally sustainable building designs.

Tomorrow’s Solutions and Improvements:
The newly remodeled and expanded building will respond to the community’s needs by improving ADA access to the restrooms, upgrading the fire-sprinkler system, adding more space for the collections, and improving access to free WiFi, digital services, and other technology needs. In addition, the new building will provide quiet spaces to study and conference rooms for community access, and the ability to host educational, cultural, and civic events, and space for staff to better serve the public. The new and improved library building will remain on the NOLS-owned site, near schools and downtown Sequim.

• The community will be served by an inviting modern library designed and built to be sustainable, operationally efficient, and adaptable to meet the community’s needs for decades.
• The newly remodeled and expanded library design and use of the surrounding landscape will be a source of civic pride as the community grows and changes with the times.
• Accessibility will be improved through ADA-accessible restrooms and other features.
• Children and families, teens and tweens, and adults will have access to library facilities and spaces that support their age-specific needs and interests.
• The new building will provide more space for chairs, tables, library materials, and technology, allowing for more privacy and separation between the active and quiet rooms.
• New and improved study and conference rooms will support the needs of youth, students, tutors, small businesses, and individuals needing privacy for activities such as job interviews or telehealth appointments.
• The renovated and expanded building will allow for more natural light to improve the library experience, more space for creative art displays, attractive outdoor spaces with enhanced views, and solar optimization to bridge the connection between the environment and functionality.
• Upgraded safety features such as a fire suppression system allow the Library better to protect its collections, facility, and people.
• The ability to provide more innovative services and expanded programs to nurture the knowledge seeking goals for children and adults.

Project Timeline:

• Summer 2021 – Request for Proposals (RFP) Issued for Architect
• Fall 2021 – Architect Selected
• Spring 2022 – Design Development Begins
• Spring 2023 – Construction Documents Created
• Winter 2023 – Construction Bidding Begins
• Spring 2024 – Sequim Library Relocates to Temporary Location
• Spring 2024 – Construction Begins
• Spring 2025 – Construction Complete

NOLS will continue to serve the community, and library services will be offered at a temporary location in Sequim during construction. The expansion site will be inaccessible during construction, which is expected to take about one year to complete.

NOLS has leased a retail space to utilize as a temporary Sequim Library during construction. It’s located at 609 W Washington St, near the former JC Penny building. More information about the temporary space will be announced prior to the Library’s move into the space in early 2024.

All other NOLS branches will continue to operate as usual, and Sequim area patrons will, as always, have the option of using other library branches instead of, or in addition to, the temporary library location in Sequim.

The estimated total cost for the renovation and expansion is $9.3 million.

Estimated Construction Cost – $6,200,000

• Building Renovation and Addition – $4,810,000
• Fire Sprinkler System – $130,000
• Site Work – $1,260,000

Estimated Soft Costs – $3,119,530

• Sales Tax – $545,600
• Architectural and Engineering Fees – $1,029,200
• Owner Provided Engineering, Reports, Observations – $155,000
• Permits and Fees – $93,000
• Owner Contracted Commissioning and LEED Certification – $139,500
• Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment – $310,000
• Owner Contingency – $847,230

In June 2020, NOLS applied for the Library Capital Improvement Program Grant administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce. The application was made with the goal of correcting pressing facility issues at the Sequim Library. In October 2020, NOLS was notified that its application was selected as a recommended project, ranked 5th out of 33 applications, with a recommendation for full funding of the project. In May 2021, Governor Inslee signed HB1080 – the Washington State 2021-23 Capital Budget, which includes $2 million in matching funds for the Library Capital Improvement Program grant for the Sequim Branch Library. The Department of Commerce administers the Library Capital Improvement Program grant.

In order to meet the match funding requirement of the Library Capital Improvement Program grant, the NOLS Board of Trustees passed Resolution 21-05-03, authorizing the transfer of $2 million from the NOLS Capital Reserve account to the Sequim Capital Project account in May 2021.

As of January 2023, NOLS has received over $1 million in donations towards the project and will seek additional grant opportunities and conduct community fundraising efforts to meet additional project funding needs.

It is essential to receive financial support and community advocacy from many generous individuals, donors, and private foundations for the renovation and expansion of the building.

• Donations can be made online through the NOLS website or through the North Olympic Library Foundation.
• There are naming and recognition opportunities for larger gift amounts.
• NOLS welcomes the support from community volunteers and we are recruiting Campaign Hosts. Individual support will be needed for the additional fundraising efforts and advocacy at local events.
• Questions about donations and volunteering can be emailed to Sequim@nols.org or 360.683.1161 ext. 7765.

After the 2018 bond measure failed, NOLS reimagined the 17,000 sq/ft building design, and new designs were developed to address the ongoing issues at the Sequim Library. Without revenue from a bond, the current expansion and renovation project was significantly reduced in scale. Planning for the 10,000 sq/ft building led to a few tough decisions about what we can include in the designs. However, renovating the current building instead of building an entirely new facility has some advantages as well.

Comments can be shared by contacting the Sequim Branch Manager, Emily Sly, or Executive Director Noah Glaude to share your thoughts. Contact information is available here.

Due to the limitations of the long and narrow site, the renovated building design does not include a drive-up book drop. However, the current design consists of an area for patrons to pull up for quick returns to a book drop connected to the building.

Along with the limitations of the site layout, outdoor book drops present other challenges, including keeping library materials dry, maintaining during closures, keeping staff safe when the drops are emptied, and preventing damage from vehicles.