*Tue - Thur: 10:00am - 7:00pm. *Fri- Sat: 10:00am 5:00pm
360-853-7716
Concrete, WA 98237
The Upper Skagit Library empowers our community by creating opportunities, fostering connections, and providing resources, while committing ourselves to the highest standards of librarianship.
We are committed to serving and inspiring our diverse community. We foster empowerment, leadership, and creativity by providing safe and inclusive spaces and resources. We are dedicated to continuous learning and being open to new points of view, and to encouraging our community to share in that philosophy.
We believe that education is important in every stage of life and should always be available to those who need or want it. Education can take many forms and we commit to providing a variety of resources and educational opportunities to learners of all ages and to provide spaces for our community to explore and be creative.
We will do this by hosting programs and inviting guest instructors to teach courses free of charge, making educational items available at no cost, demonstrating and encouraging creativity in art and in problem solving, and providing the space and opportunity for accessing information.
Steps we plan to take to increase the quality of the education we provide include:
Our priority is the wellbeing of our community. We believe that the strongest communities are those that are connected and collaborative. Our goal is to lead the way in building partnerships and collaborative projects that benefit our community and beyond. We will do this by committing to provide services and resources that are relevant, accurate, diverse, and inclusive so that they meet the wide range of needs in our community. We will form partnerships with neighboring organizations so that we may share resources, distribute information, and assist with projects that benefit the community.
The steps we plan to take to foster and encourage community engagement include:
Libraries are community caretakers, and our goal is to be the best stewards of the resources in our community that we can be. We commit to transparency, accountability, and openness. Our actions will be guided by empathy and care for our community and our staff; and we commit to prioritizing the wellbeing and mental health of everyone who walks through our doors. We commit to doing all that we can to support environmental stewardship in general, but particularly in our beautiful east Skagit lands.
Steps we plan to take to increase our quality of Stewardship include:
We commit to creating and maintaining spaces where our community wants to be: spaces that feel safe, welcoming, warm, and inclusive. We want everyone in our diverse community to use and enjoy the library and its resources.
We will do this by taking every opportunity we can to ensure that the library is physically, mentally, and emotionally accessible to all. We will facilitate and participate in community dialogs where patrons from all walks of life can communicate and feel like their needs and wants are respected and taken seriously.
Steps we plan to take to foster these spaces include:
In addition to our mission and values, the Upper Skagit Library also wishes to lead the community in a Culture of Caring by investing in and supporting resources and organizations working to improve quality of life for those in our community and beyond. By partnering with others and applying for grants and donations, we participate in projects such as the Upriver Community Freedge, Days for Girls menstrual product distribution, and free naloxone distribution, among other efforts. We hope the community will join us in supporting these and other causes that help our community take care of each other!
The Upper Skagit Library District, in Eastern Skagit County, includes the area within the Concrete School District, from Lusk Road east to the county line. The Mansford Precinct (near Darrington) is not included in the Junior Taxing District.
The Upper Skagit Library District was formed in 2001 to serve the residents of the rural areas of the Concrete School District. The library first opened its doors to patrons in 2005 while located at the 1,600 sq. ft. Ted Anderson East Skagit County Resource Center room B, and served from that location until 2021.
Initially, the USLD was a partial-county library district, meaning that citizens of the incorporated town of Concrete were not automatically included in the service area. If they wanted to become patrons of the USLD they had to pay a service fee to receive their library cards. In 2015 the Town of Concrete initiated the process of annexation into the library district and town residents voted in favor of joining the district.
Soon after the library’s doors opened, the community donated books and other materials, shelving and furniture were bought surplus from the Sno-Isle Library District, and surplus computers were bought from the National Park Service. With all of these resources in one room, and with only one restroom, one staff workroom/restroom, and a floor that struggled to bear the weight of the shelves and books, it was apparent that the library would quickly outgrow its current space. In 2014 a New Library Task Force was formed to explore all possibilities available in acquiring a new space. In 2015 the Friends of the Upper Skagit Library transformed into the 501(c)3 Upper Skagit Library Foundation, with the goal of fundraising for the acquisition of a new space. In 2016 it was determined that the construction of a new library building was not feasible, and remodeling an existing location would be the only option for the USLD.
In 2017 the former home of the Heskett-Arnold American Legion Hall Post 132 was purchased by local benefactors and donated to the library and remodeled for temporary use. In 2018 the library gained possession of the building and began the process of remodeling it and upgrading it to bring it up to the standards demanded of it by the county and state. This process was completed in February 2021, and the move was completed in March 2021, however patrons were only allowed to enter the building for the first time in May of 2021, due to COVID-19 restrictions. In January of 2022 the USLD finally opened on Thursdays for the first time in its history and expanded hours across all open days of the week for patrons who previously were unable to come into the library due to schedule conflicts.
Historically the USLD has been a key force in the community in serving residents locally, particularly those who struggle economically or those who struggle to get transportation downriver. Having a larger, more centrally-located space allows the USLD to provide services to residents closer to where they live and work, which is vital to helping our community grow and thrive. Patrons utilize the library not just for materials like books, films, games, magazines, audio CDs, newspapers, and Washington State Discover Passes, but for vital access to the internet, computers and other technology, and printing/faxing services. Staff assist patrons with job hunting, test preparations, school assignments, research, and technical support. During extreme weather the library serves as cold and hot weather shelters, and on a regular basis the library serves as a community meeting space for residents to socialize and participate in programs for fun or education.
Serving the community has always been the USLD’s number one priority and as such, this is not the end of the road of our expansion – in fact it’s just the beginning! As we move into the future keep your eyes out for even more services and community outreach!