Building improvements

Recognizing that the library needs appropriate space — for collections, for people, for programming, and for functional operations — Josephine Community Library District and its support organization, Josephine Community Library Foundation, have established facilities improvement as a top priority.  

After decades of heavy use, serious deficiencies in three of the four library facilities compromise the quality and level of service that can be provided. The Grants Pass and Illinois Valley libraries, built in 1959, have not been updated since the 1970s. The Williams library is a temporary mobile unit constructed in 1977 with no running water and no bathroom.

In response to concerns expressed by community members, volunteers, and donors, both the district and the foundation have made library building improvements a high-priority strategic goal. In January 2018, the foundation contracted with a facilities consultant to complete a Facilities Master Plan. A Facilities Oversight Task Force was formed to include two board members each from the foundation and the district, along with the library director.

Facilities Master Plan executive summary
A four-page overview of the Facilities Master Plan for the four library branch buildings. VIEW PDF
Facilities Master Plan full report
The complete 260-page Facilities Master Plan for the four library branch buildings. This plan contains the full Phase 1 report, building assessments and recommendations, cost estimate reports, and preliminary concept drawings. VIEW PDF
Planning better buildings
Visit the Josephine Community Library Foundation website to follow progress on design plans and fundraising to realize the vision of better library buildings. LEARN MORE