Below is a summary for the new Library Commons project, plans, and a comparison of today's facility versus what a new facility would offer.

The Library Commons is the name for what will someday be a combined parking structure, library and community center.  The City hopes this project will act as a catalyst for downtown development.   The City’s research and development reports, including the downtown development plan and sub-area plan, indicate that more parking spaces in downtown (in conjunction with the floodwall) will spur development and create an even more vibrant community center.

​The parking will include:

• A net gain of over 170 spaces
• Parking availability indicators
• Well-lit accessible spaces in a long beam structure (fewer pillars)
• Security control for the structure
• Good elevators
• Great space marking (30-minute, senior, family, employee)

More detail on the new library is available at these links:
Concept Development Report April 17, 2019
Library and Community Center Design Brief July 24, 2018
There is much more detail on the history of this project at the City's web site here.  Caution-some documents may take a long time to load.

More and Larger Gathering, Learning, and Business Spaces

Business and community groups in our community have limited meeting and conference space without a dedicated events center. The library and community center will provide fun, comfortable, and useful space to support our growing community.  

The space will offer:

• A Great Room meeting space for 200, sub-dividable into three rooms of 65 (some space is taken up by dividers) or two rooms with a 65 / 130 split
  
• Many small meeting spaces for groups of 30 or less
  
• Dedicated study rooms for tutoring
  
• Projectors, screens, conference phones, free wi-fi and whiteboards for business support
  
• Electronic locking and scheduling for all community rooms for ease of access
  
• An available stage and presentation equipment

Quick Facts

Operations

Now:

​​The library operates on a 28% smaller budget than comparable libraries serving populations of 35,000 residents (the current population of Mount Vernon), but we have the highest percentage of budget invested in resources for libraries serving communities of our size. That is $40,000 more than any other library in Skagit County.

Future Building:

There will be minimal increase in operating expenses because the new facility will be designed with staff efficiency in mind. The increased revenue potential will offset new costs to make a neutral operating budget. As well, we can double the programs available, be a hub for community activities, and so much more.

Building

Now:
​

• Designed for a population that was 15,000 at the time of last construction
• 12,621 sqft
• No conference space
• 16 computers
• Oldest Library in Skagit County (Constructed in 1956 with minor renovations in 1977 and 1982)
  
• No outside group use

Future Building:

• The library will have configurable space to accommodate multiple types of use
• Designed for a population of 50,000
• Estimated space of 28,000 sqft
• Multiple conference spaces (Activity room, Kitchen, Art / Maker space)
• Will employ the latest computer and audio-visual technology
• The ability for outside group use