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Serving the Brookings-Harbor area Since 1924

1924

Brookings Chamber of Commerce appointed a committee to establish a reading room and to raise money for a library.

1927

Harbor Community Club started a library in the Central Building, open one hour a week, staffed by volunteers.

1957

A small library building was constructed by volunteer labormwith mostly donated material, on surplus land given by the U.S. Forest Service. As required by the Service, it was then given to the city, but to be funded jointly by the city and county, since many users lived outside the city limits.

1964

An adult reading room was added to the original structure.

1966

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award of $2,500 for “Outstanding Small Library” was received from the Book of the Month Club. This was one of only six libraries in the U.S. so honored.

1973

The will of Louis Eldon Morgan gave 1,882 shares of AT&T stock to the library. This fund was placed in the Oregon State Investment Pool and eventually grew to a sizable sum.

1974

A second addition, providing a children’s room and a periodical/exhibit room, was financed by the county, as had been done for other libraries in the county. This brought the building to its final size: 4,950 sq. ft.

1982

Funding by the county was sharply reduced, by depletion of O&C monies.

1983

Loss of county funds caused the city to close the library temporarily. It was later reopened with reduced hours and staff, and a family fee of $15 per year. This fee was strongly protested by Friends of the Library and was later dropped. Formation of the first Library District in the State, from Pistol River to the California border, was approved by the voters
rejection of a tax levy for operation of the library caused the city to continue operation.

1984

A minimal tax base was approved by the voters, providing barely enough for the District to operate the library.

1987

A State Library survey requested by the Board showed an urgent need for a larger facility.

1989

Another State Library survey of library services showed definite inadequacies for the size of the population served.

1990

Election campaign resulted in voter approval for a greatly increased tax base to provide for expanded services and larger quarters.

1992

After years of searching, land for a new building was purchased with Morgan Estate Funds.
Many volunteers again donated time, labor and materials, and over $100,000 was raised in a special fund drive. Ground breaking for a new building of 17,500 sq. ft. held on October 8th.

1993

The new Chetco Community Public Library building celebrated the grand opening of its new location, 405 Alder Street, on August 28th.

1997

Automation of the card catalog is completed.

1998

Automation of the circulation and cataloging systems completed. Money provided by the Chetco Community Public Library Endowment fund allows for the purchase of two computer terminals for public access to the Internet.

2001

The Endowment Fund provides money for the purchase of two additional Internet access terminals for the public.

2002

The Library is awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and adds four more Internet terminals, bringing the library’s total to eight public access internet stations.
A donation of labor and materials by local provider, Northwest Technical, allows for an upgrade from multiple telephone lines and dial-up accounts to a single wireless broadband connection for all staff and public PCs.

2004

The library makes its final payment on the 1992 loan for construction of the library facility. The Library Improvement Fund is established and funds which went annually for repayment of the loan are now set aside for upgrading equipment, repairs, remodeling, and future expansion

2006

The Library begins outgrowing the existing facility and hires an architect to develop project plans and cost estimates for an expansion. Three scenarios are developed and it is decided that an expansion is not feasible at this time.

2010

The library purchases the house across the street from the library. The library launches its website, www.chetcolibrary.org, giving patrons access to online databases, reference resources, and more.

2011

The library upgrades its integrated library system. The online public access catalog now allows patrons to view the “card catalog” from home. The library begins offering access to Library2Go, providing patrons access to downloadable audio books and eBooks.

2012

The main building undergoes a remodel, providing space for expanded audiovisual collections and space for additional Internet access terminals for the public. The house purchased in 2010 is remodeled and named the “Library Annex.” The small meeting room displaced by the main building remodel is moved to the Annex.

2013

The Friends of the Library opens a bookstore in the Annex.

2017

The Chetco Library joins the Coastline Libraries Network, sharing a catalog with 14 libraries in Coos and Curry Counties. The number of items patrons can access expanded to more than 490,000 books, videos, periodicals and more.

2018

After Library Director Susana Fernandez's 2017 Retirement, Library Director Julie (Retherford) VanHoose is hired and begins on July 1, 2018.

2021

Library closes in June 2021 for renovations and moves operations to the Library Annex.

2022

The Grand Re-Opening of the newly renovated library happens on May 2, 2022

2022

For the September 9th 80th Anniversary of the Fujita bombing, a new museum quality sword case is revealed. The new case includes historically accurate 1/32 scale replicas of the submarine and sea plane used in the bombing, built by Simon Herbert of Arizona.