New Coos Bay Library

08/16/2023

See! Even a braw laddie like this sojer can dance the highland fling!

video showing a Scottish soldier displaying his Highland dancing skills by taking part in the Highland Fling heats during the 2022 Ballater Highland ...

07/24/2022

This is our Coos Bay Public Library, in a small town setting!

No shushing here! The modern library is more than just a repository of books. Correspondent Conor Knighton checks out how today's libraries are public spaces...

05/12/2022

Join the Library Bond Committee at Sol Suites for ‘Get Out the Vote’ Calls for those who haven’t turned in their ballots. The committee will meet on Saturday, May 14th from 11 AM to 3 PM. Sol Studios is located at 243 S. 2nd Street in Coos Bay. The committee will provide everything needed for making calls.

05/06/2022

Get your questions answered about the proposed 911 center that will be located inside the new library. Visit our website for more information.

Common Questions and Answers about the proposed 911 center located in the new library.

05/06/2022

Coos Bay, this is an important step forward. Be sure you know all the facts by visiting our website buildcblibrary.com and then on your ballot vote [Yes] for a new Library and 911 Center.

05/04/2022

Join the Library Bond Committee at Sol Suites for 'Get Out the Vote' Calls for those who haven't turned in their ballots. The committee will meet on May 5th and 11th from 7 to 8:30 PM and on May 14th from 11 AM to 3 PM. Sol Studios is located at 243 S. 2nd Street in Coos Bay.

04/29/2022

Coming up at 11:00 am this morning, we will tour the proposed build site at John Topits Park on FACEBOOK LIVE. Please join us to learn more.

04/26/2022

The Library PAC has volunteer opportunities available this Friday and next Monday to address mailers. Those interested in volunteering can do so by meeting in the Sol Suites Conference Room. Sol Suites is located at 243 South 2nd Street in Coos Bay. They will meet from 1 to 3:30 PM. The committee will also meet on May 2nd from 1 to 3:30 PM at Black Market Gourmet. Black Market Gourmet is located at 495 Central Ave in Coos Bay. The committee will provide everything needed at each site.

04/26/2022

Did you miss the Coos Bay Public Library tour last Friday? Come take a tour on one of three days this week. Each tour will be held at different times to allow for more opportunities. Meet in the Coos Bay Public Library lobby on Tuesday, April 26th from 2 to 2:30 PM, Wednesday, April 27th from 5:30 to 6 PM, or Thursday, April 28th from 11:30 AM to noon.

04/24/2022

DESIGN PLANS BRING NEEDED NEW LIBRARY BUILDING CLOSER TO REALITY

Eight years ago, a structural and geotechnical evaluation of the Coos Bay Library revealed the building foundation had failed. As a result of this failure, the building has been experiencing incremental sinking, which is putting stress on the structure, concrete slab floor, roof, etc. The stress on the sixty-year-old structure is evident throughout the building. We have been told that it is only a matter of time before the building will no longer be useable.

I, along with many others, agree with Council President Rob Miles who recently shared on social media that, “…the Coos Bay Public Library is a vital asset to our community and much more than a building with books. It is a community hub that provides many different services that contribute to the vitality of this region.”

Over the last several years, the City and Library supporters have undertaken many tasks as we work to identify building needs including an extensive search for a new location. The building site not only had to provide two plus acres for construction but also had to be out of the tsunami inundation and flood zone.

During the process it was determined that the new library facility should also serve as disaster preparedness/response component for our community. The kitchen and large meeting rooms could be used to feed and/or shelter people during a post disaster event if needed. In addition, the new facility could also house the North Coos 911/Communication Center which provides public safety dispatching services to not only Coos Bay, but also North Bend, Coquille, Coquille Tribal Police and SWOCC Security. Our dispatch personnel process an average of 5,000 calls for public safety services each month. This is a great opportunity to move this critical asset to a facility outside of the tsunami and flood inundation zone.

Finding a site proved to be the most challenging decision! While there was a desire for the new facility to be downtown, finding a two plus acre parcel outside the tsunami and flood inundation zone wasn’t achievable. After considering several possible locations during several public meetings along with input from members of the Library Board, Library Foundation, and Friends of the Library, a location was approved. The location of the future library facility will be just inside the entrance of John Topits Park off the Hall Street entrance.

The City hired Hacker Architects to assist with the design of the new library. They have a considerable amount of experience in designing community libraries. This week, Sami Pierson, our Library Director shared with City Council the progress the design team has made to date. In addition, the Library Board Steering Committee and our design consultants held two community meetings this week to share where the designs are at (50% complete) and to take public input.

Throughout this article are the exterior and interior images which were shared along with a video fly through (https://vimeo.com/698817843/db0d6170c1). Be sure to check out the video as it will provide a glimpse of what the future library will look like.

-Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay

04/21/2022

Coming up at 2:30 pm today, tour the Coos Bay Library on FACEBOOK LIVE to see the structural problems that exist.

04/20/2022

Why was the John Topits Park location chosen to build the new Coos Bay Library? Answers are on the link. Please visit our website to learn more.

https://buildcblibrary.com/2022/04/how-the-new-library-site-was-chosen/

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