At a time when libraries are already under attack, AFSCME 3758-B strongly opposes additional cuts to library staffing and calls for an independent investigation into the cause of TRL’s budget crisis

Tumwater, WA — Last week, management at Timberland Regional Library (TRL) made a stunning announcement–a 3.5 million dollar deficit had been discovered in the budget, and in addition TRL was no longer able to meet their required 30% reserve in the 2026 budget’s beginning general fund balance. And to address this shortfall, Executive Director Cheryl Heywood announced a series of cost-cutting measures, including a drastic cut to the budget for new library materials and a sudden massive reduction in frontline staffing through layoffs, which may potentially lead to many library buildings operating without staff in the near future.

But what frustrates library workers is that, only a few months ago, TRL’s administration claimed the budget was in good health. TRL’s Board of Trustees must have believed those assurances when they approved the 2026 budget on December 30th, since they approved 15% budgeted increases for the two top administrators below the Director, as compared to the 2025 budget. The library’s own budget and funding FAQs do not provide clear or full context or explanation for decisions like this which were made when preparing the 2026 numbers. And now, TRL is facing an immediate budget shortfall, a predicted additional shortfall, and layoff notices that will be sent out by the end of this month. This reckless plan has the potential to devastate library services for hundreds of thousands of people in our region, and it is a clear indication that TRL’s administration is not in any way equipped to address this budget crisis.

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“THE COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER THAN THIS” – PUBLIC LIBRARY WORKERS CONDEMN
NEW STAFFLESS MODEL
AT TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY

Staff urged the Board of Trustees to reverse the library administration’s decision to remove staff from the Naselle branch and expressed worry that the unstaffed model could spread to other library branches.

North Mason, WA — On Wednesday evening 9/25/24, during the public comment section of the monthly Board of Trustees meeting for the Timberland Regional Library (TRL), a representative from the library workers union read a statement calling on the Board to take immediate action to preserve full library services for the Naselle community, following a recent announcement from TRL’s administration that the Naselle library branch would be switching to a staffless model beginning October 1st.

“Without library workers, Naselle can no longer be called a library,” read Mike Boyer, a union representative for AFSCME Local 3758-B, which represents most frontline staff at TRL. “The community deserves better than this, and we speak up now to reverse and prevent this unstaffed model from spreading to other branches.”

On August 29th, 2024, TRL put out a press release announcing the end of fully-staffed library services at Naselle and a new “self-service” model known as EAH, which will require community members to sign up for an electronic key fob to access the Naselle library building. Since the announcement, community members have reacted with dismay and outrage, with one editorial in the Chinook Observer calling the policy changes “sickening and despicable.”

Now, library staff are weighing in with their concerns. “We are a rural library district, providing a lifeline to places without many other services. Taking away library workers is devastating to those communities. Imagine needing to print a resume, not knowing how, and no one is there to help. Imagine wanting to share how much your child enjoyed a book you borrowed, and no one is there to listen. Imagine a tourist finding the library is restricted to only those who register beforehand for a key card. Worst of all, imagine that unhoused people and those with an unstable home situation can never access the Naselle library, since they cannot give the required address verification.”

At the 9/25/24 Board meeting, the Board declined to discuss or take action to delay the implementation of a staffless Naselle library branch. Board of Trustees member Brian Mittge asked to have the topic of EAH staffless libraries added as a discussion topic to a future Board of Trustees meeting. The next TRL Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

Download a PDF of this press release.