Join us in celebrating 40 years of cooperative library services in Washington County!

In 1976, Washington County voters approved the first countywide funding measure to support public library access for all residents. West Slope Community Library was among the 10 original member libraries that formed the cooperative. Founded in 1950 by the Women’s Century Club in the basement of a bank on Canyon Road, West Slope Library and its patrons benefited greatly from joining WCCLS. The cooperative made getting a library card easier for residents, and its shared catalog greatly expanded the number of items available to cardholders.

In 1979, levy funds were used to build the core of West Slope Library’s current building on the grounds of Raleigh Park Elementary School. In the years since, West Slope Library has expanded its building and its offerings to include hundreds of programs every year for children and adults, tens of thousands of books and movies, and new collections like games and toys. WCCLS has also grown, adding new libraries and expanding its online resources to include services like Lynda.com and ebook apps like Cloud Library and Overdrive.

To celebrate 40 years, WCCLS is offering commemorative library cards and a fun passport activity! Pick up a passport at any WCCLS library. Then visit at least 6 different libraries to have your passport stamped and you will be entered in grand prize drawings near the end of the year. The passport program runs September 10 through December 16. Learn more at WCCLS.org.

Each individual library will be celebrating the 40th anniversary with its own event this fall. At West Slope Library on Thursday, November 10, we will be celebrating with storyteller Alton Chung and his “Tales of Thanks.”

Questions? Please ask us.