The Vision
LibraryUP
The beginning of a movement
In 2008, a Nevada County Grand Jury report indicated that the Truckee Library needs more space. We didn’t need a report to tell us that! But what that report did was start a movement - and that movement has grown and evolved over the years, just like our community has. Over the years, Friends of the Truckee Library has been much more than advocating for the new space. We've paved the way to run a campaign to build a new library and cultural center in Truckee – to build more than a space for books. To build a place.
Imagine the possibilities
In 2019 FOTL began our LibraryUP campaign to share this vision and ask you to “Imagine the Possibilities” of what a new modern library would mean to our community. And, to create an opportunity for the community to invest in the building of this space as Luminaries.
Our LibraryUP initiative is your opportunity to bring this legacy to our community. Read on to learn more about LibraryUP, the new library project, and how you can be a part of this movement.
Led by Friends
In coordinating and collaborating with the project’s agency partners (Nevada County, Town of Truckee, Truckee-Donner Rec & Park District, Truckee Donner Public Utility District, and Truckee Sanitary District), Friends has earned broad support by community entities. And although the campaign has gone public, reach has been limited. Our solution is LibraryUP!
LibraryUP is an awareness campaign led by Friends of the Truckee Library to share the need for a new, modern space, and engage the community around a shared vision of what we need most. We are ready for a new Truckee library!
The Site
After two years of discussions, our two acre Regional Park site is nearly finalized. The site will be owned by the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District made possible by land exchanges between the Truckee Sanitary District, the Truckee Donner Public Utilities District, and the TDRPD. FOTL is contributing $50,000 to costs associated with surveying and recording these land exchanges. We plan to use Luminary funds which are dedicated to pre-construction development costs.
Click the image to see our proposed site map.
Milestones
This year alone has been a year of many milestones. We started off by exceeding our fundraising goal of $40,000 for operations raised in last winter’s Give Back Tahoe giving season - a true testament to the community’s support - and made headway with the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) between the county and the town. We also worked with a consulting group to conduct focus groups to gather input and data. We enjoyed a successful visit by the California State Librarian. Lastly, the Luminary Campaign gained momentum and was put to good use for the site survey.
New Partnerships
The new library is bigger than just the FOTL’s involvement. The Town of Truckee and Nevada County have been actively working together with Friends of the Truckee Library on the goal of building our new library. The next key step in moving forward with this project is establishing a JPA (Joint Powers Authority). We are happy to announce that the Town, Nevada County, and FOTL have started this process and have been conducting meetings with a consulting firm to form a JPA.
Focus Groups
Next, FOTL was ready to expand community engagement to more specifically-defined groups. Listening to what the community has to say and engaging with our diverse population will ensure that the new library supports the needs of everyone in Truckee. To execute this next step, FOTL engaged with a consulting group, Creative Associates (CA), to design, implement, and report on an initial grassroots community engagement effort. These focus groups will continue through 2023 as it is the goal of FOTL to engage with as many members of our community as possible to ensure all community members are heard and feel their needs are being considered in the design of this space.
Applied for State Grant for Pre-construction Needs
With FOTL’s help, Nevada County has applied for a California State Infrastructure Grant for site development costs. Greg Lucas, California State Librarian, was hosted by the Town of Truckee on August 23, 2022, and visited our current library and the new library site in Regional Park. He enthusiastically supported our need for a larger library that would better meet our community’s needs.
What are the next steps?
JPA
We are happy to report that the Town, Nevada County, and FOTL have started this process and have been conducting meetings with a consulting firm to form a JPA.
Polling
On schedule for early 2023, polling will give us an idea of how much the community is willing to contribute to construction costs. Armed with the resulting information, FOTL, the Town, and the County will work on piecing together needed funding from other sources such as grants, partnerships, and a capital campaign.
Architecture & Design
Nevada County, with the support of FOTL, has applied for a California State Grant that will cover one-half of the $2.7 million pre-construction cost. As we wait for the grant decision, Nevada County, Town of Truckee, and FOTL are making plans for soliciting qualifications and bids.
Community Engagement
An engaged, supportive community will make all the difference in getting this project prioritized and built. FOTL will continue to prioritize community outreach.
Capital Campaign
In 2023, FOTL plans to prepare our organization, build our volunteer committees, and conduct the much-needed work to execute a successful capital campaign.
Grants
Alongside Nevada County and the Town of Truckee, FOTL will continue to pursue grant opportunities to fund the project.
Beyond Construction
One key need is to create a plan for supporting the library after it is built. During 2023, FOTL plans to outline and announce our 1, 5, and 10 year plans for once the library opens.
When will we get there?
Groundbreaking date is a moving target for us. There are so many dynamic pieces with many stakeholders involved. We have big plans in the upcoming year and aim for a shovel to the ground target of 2026-27.
An engaged and supportive community will make the world of a difference in getting this project built!
Luminaries
In August 2020, Friends of the Truckee Library launched our LibraryUP Luminaries campaign with two clear goals:
Raise the seed funding necessary to conduct the architectural, site, environmental, and development work leading up to the construction of a new library.
Dramatically demonstrate the level of community-wide support for a new library in Truckee.
And thanks to the passion of over 250 individuals and 38 businesses who share our vision for a new library in our community and have invested in it, we've successfully achieved these goals!
Thank you to our Luminaries!
On October 1st, we concluded the Luminaries campaign because we have achieved our goals, together.
And although the Luminaries campaign has ended, we want to make something crystal clear—once you are a Luminary, you will always be a Luminary! We eagerly anticipate continuing this story together, and can't wait to see the special Luminaries art commission at our new library!
While the Luminaries campaign has ended, there is still a lot of work to be done to build our new library. Please consider continuing to support the Friends of the Truckee Library through a recurring monthly donation.
Nicole Baran
“Reading literature can inform our understanding of oppression, creating empathy and compassion. I contributed to this library so everyone in our community can enjoy a truly welcoming and beautiful free space to come together for learning and leisure.”
Business Luminaries
Thank you to our business luminaries for your investment in our community's future!
Individual & Family Luminaries
* A generous grant was made by the Thomas P. Raley Foundation, in honor of 10 individuals, for their role in elevating the importance of libraries for our Latinx community through the video “A Room of Equality: Latinx in the Library.”
Thank you to our individual & family luminaries for your investment in our community's future!
Agency Partners
Major Funding Partners
Thank you to the agencies, organizations, and businesses that have helped (and are helping!) along the way.