North Olympic Library System

⭐ Celebrate the start of Summer Reading with NOLS!

Juggling, dancing, singing, beatboxing, music and magic are just a few of the things that Alex Zerbe will showcase during this all-ages comedic show.

📍 Sequim Branch Library: Tuesday, June 16, at 6pm (Outside; will move indoors in the case of inclement weather.)
📍 Port Angeles Main Library: Two showtimes! Wednesday, June 17, at 1pm and repeating at 6pm

Learn more: NOLS.org/SRP

It’s an exciting time at NOLS with Summer Reading starting today. In addition to encouraging literacy and learning through this uplifting program, staff have been spending time this week to answer a lot of questions about library meeting rooms. This is due to a brief incident with a paid room reservation at the Port Angeles Main Library on Monday, June 8. Since then, NOLS staff have met with and had useful conversations with many of the people involved in order to understand what happened, clarify any misunderstandings, and learn how things could be improved in the future.

The group that reserved the meeting room on Monday evening paid a $50 fee to use the space. That meant the group did not need to meet the policy requirements for groups who want to utilize library meetings rooms for free.

NOLS provides important community meeting spaces at each of its branches, and like all of its services, strives to not charge users any fees for their use. Hundreds of meeting room reservations are made every year utilizing the Library’s policy for free use. To get free use, the group 1) must be a nonprofit or community-based, 2) the use of the room must not be commercial in nature, and 3) the meeting must be open to all who wish to attend. Examples of free use reservations include Beekeepers meetings, a local chess club, and AARP Tax-Aide.

Groups who don’t meet the policy requirements for free use, can pay a fee and still use the meeting rooms. Paying a fee for meeting room use may happen for a number of reasons. For example, a local business can pay to reserve the room for staff meetings, trainings, and job interviews, which allows them to decide who the appropriate meeting attendees are. Another good example is birthday parties. Many families have reserved library meeting rooms for birthday parties and paid the fee so the room is not open to any member of the public during that time.

When the meeting rooms are reserved for events not open to the public, the rest of the library still remains available for everyone to use and there are usually other spaces within the library for multiple groups to meet at the same time.

NOLS ask groups that reserve the meeting room to not state or imply that their event is sponsored, co-sponsored, approved, or endorsed by the Library. Otherwise, the Library has very little control over how a meeting room user advertises its event and cannot monitor advertising for hundreds of non-library sponsored events every year.

We understand that the local blog Clallam County Watchdog published an opinion about this incident with many questions, but NOLS was not contacted by Clallam County Watchdog before the article was published. All community members are encouraged to contact their local Branch Manager or NOLS Administration directly if they have any questions or suggestions about Library policy or services. We welcome conversations about how NOLS can better serve the community. Comment cards are also available in all Library branches and comments can be emailed to the Library Director at [email protected]

If you are interested in reserving a meeting room – for public or private use – you can make a reservation and learn more about the spaces available at www.nols.org/reserve.

🧩 Don’t miss the next Puzzle Contest and Swap at the Port Angeles Main Library on Saturday, June 13, 10:30am–12:30pm.

Bring your own team of up to four people or join up with others at the event to complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle.

Feel free to bring your gently-used puzzles for the "Give a Puzzle, Take a Puzzle" cart that will be out during the contest. You do not have to participate in the contest to swap a puzzle!

Schedule:
📍Port Angeles Main Library
📅 Second Saturdays, 10:30am–12:30pm
➡ NOLS.org/Puzzle

Don't miss Port Angeles Fine Arts Center's Summertide Festival on Saturday, June 13! 🌲🌞

Featuring a reading from Clallam County Poet Laureate Nellie Bridge and new Poetry in the Park poets, a performance by library-kid favorite Harmonica Pocket, and a ton of other art activities for the whole family. Entry is free!

Learn more: pafac.org/summertide-festival

Help finish the Port Angeles Community Quilt. 🪡

Community members created over two dozen quilt squares this spring, which were pieced together to create the quilt top. Drop in to the Port Angeles Main Library from 5–7pm on Thursday, June 11 to help hand quilt it!

Once complete, the quilt can be viewed at the 2026 Clallam County Fair, and then it will become a part of the North Olympic History Center’s collection.

Get crafty and celebrate Pride Month with the whole family! 💖

Explore various craft stations and our "Taste the Rainbow" table, featuring a thoughtfully curated collection of family-oriented books highlighting inclusivity, love, and diversity as well as a colorful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. All are invited to embark on a sensory adventure filled with delicious, bright flavors!

📍 Forks Branch Library
Tuesday, June 9, 5–6:30pm

📍 Clallam Bay Branch Library
Thursday, June 11, 3–5pm

🔗 Learn more: NOLS.org/Events

Drop in to find out more about Washington's Working Families Tax Credit. For application assistance, please bring a copy of your federal tax return form 1040 for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The program will be bilingual, offered in both English and Spanish.

📍 Clallam Bay Branch Library
Friday, June 12, 10am–3pm (Drop in.)

📍 Forks Branch Library
Saturday, June 13, 10am–3pm (Drop in.)

Offered in partnership with the Washington State Department of Revenue.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3PFCMlR