Editor’s note: Friends of the Library groups from across the Timberland Regional Library service area have issued a joint letter to the TRL Board of Trustees. The letter comes after the resignation of Director Cheryl Heywood, who announced her resignation this week amid a budget crisis and plans for mass layoffs within the library system.
Here is the letter in full:
Dear Members of the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees and County Commissioners:
On behalf of the collective Friends of the Library organizations representing all five counties within the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) district, we write to express our deep concern regarding the current budget crisis and proposed frontline staff layoffs, and to advocate strongly for preserving as many TRL public facing staff positions as possible.
As Friends groups, our mission is rooted in supporting our libraries as essential community institutions. We fundraise, advocate and volunteer because we believe deeply in the value of libraries and in the dedicated professionals who make those services possible. TRL staff are not interchangeable line items; they are skilled, trusted community members who build relationships, deliver vital programming and ensure equitable access to information and resources across our region. The essential services these individuals provide simply cannot be replaced by staffless models.
We recognize that the financial challenges facing TRL are complex and require difficult decisions. However, we urge you to prioritize solutions that minimize staff reductions to the greatest extent possible. The loss of experienced library staff will have lasting impacts on service quality, community trust and the overall vitality of our library system — impacts that will not be easily reversed.
In addition to advocating for staff retention, we respectfully request a renewed commitment to transparency and communication. The Friends groups have long served as partners and advocates for TRL, yet many of us have felt under-informed during this critical time as well as for a number of years under the current administration. We believe that stronger, more proactive communication, including clear sharing of financial data, decision-making processes and potential alternatives, will better equip us to support the system and to advocate effectively within our respective communities.
Specifically, we ask for:
• Greater transparency regarding the financial circumstances leading to the current budget shortfall.
• Clear, timely communication about proposed changes, including staffing and service impacts.
• Opportunities for meaningful dialogue between TRL leadership and Friends groups across all counties.
• Consideration of Friends groups as active partners in exploring solutions, including fundraising, advocacy, and community engagement efforts.
Our organizations stand ready to assist. We are deeply invested in the success and sustainability of Timberland Regional Library, and we believe that working collaboratively will yield stronger outcomes for both staff and the communities we serve.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your thoughtful consideration during this challenging period. We respectfully urge you to do everything within your power to preserve TRL’s frontline workforce and to strengthen communication with the community partners who stand beside you.
Hallie Ralls | President
Friends of the Centralia Timberland Library
Mary Lou Gregory | Acting President
Hoquiam Library Friends
Sally Fitzgerald | Co-President
Lacey Friends of the Library
Tammy Finch | President
McCleary Friends of the Library
Whitney Bull | President
Friends of the Mountain View Library
Jann Hoppler | President
Friends of the Olympia Library
LaRae Roe | President
Salkum Friends of the Library
Cyndi Stuart | President
Friends of the Shelton Library
Jenny Penoyer | President
Friends of the South Bend Timberland Library
Bryan Zylstra & Marilynn Chintella | President & Secretary/Treasurer
Friends of the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library
Lilly Pomeroy | President
Friends of the WH Abel Memorial Timberland Library
Shirley Lewis | President
Friends of the Winlock Timberland Library
