Off the Shelf: Powerful women, powerful reads
Published 3:30 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Weeks of packing and moving have led to the final stages of setup at the Sequim Library’s new building at 630 N. Sequim Ave. We are preparing to open our doors in mid-March, after the certificate of occupancy is finalized by the City of Sequim and Hoch Construction.
With so many new features of a modern library, the nearly 10,000- square-foot space has plenty of places for patrons to plug in and study or work.
The large Community Room has a robust audio-visual system and a flexible setting for meetings and events. The solar array, which was grant-funded along with electric vehicle charging stations, is already creating enough power to light the building and put energy back into the grid. Advanced fire suppression, plumbing, and HVAC systems have been inspected and commissioned. A new accessible sidewalk provides safe, direct access from Sequim Avenue to the entrance, a permanent outdoor stage will support programming, and native plantings surround the building. In addition to all of that, more than 4,000 linear feet of shelving has been filled with books and other library materials!
We are eager to welcome the community into the library. For updates on this project, please visit NOLS.org/Sequim.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I’d like to acknowledge the dedication of the many women who made the new Sequim Library possible. The project began thanks to the foresight of former North Olympic Library System (NOLS) directors Paula Barnes and Margaret Jakubcin. Our current Sequim Library Manager Emily Sly along with many other women at NOLS have made significant contributions to the team effort. We are extremely grateful for the donors and patrons who continue to support this project.
Women’s leadership and technical expertise have been central to the Sequim Library’s construction. The building will serve our community well for decades thanks to the skillful work of architect Pia Westen of SHKS Architects, Carrie Priest of Hoch Construction, owner’s representative Marlo Dowell of Acila Consulting, Mari Hamasaki of Hamasaki Consulting Engineering Services, Caitlyn Stringer with Johnson Electric Company, and all of the women whose knowledge helped create a lasting public resource.
With your free library card, you can explore important contributions made by women throughout history. Check out the suggested titles below to get started.
“Wild Girls: How the Outdoors Shaped the Women Who Challenged a Nation” by Tiya Miles. An award-winning historian shows how girls who found self-understanding in the natural world became women who changed America.
“Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America” by Mayukh Sen. This group biography honors extraordinary women who left an indelible mark on the way Americans eat today.
“If I Am Right, and I Know I Am: Inge Lehmann, the Woman Who Discovered Earth’s Innermost Secret” by Hanne Strager. A powerful portrait of the woman who figured out that Earth’s core is solid and a fascinating history of earth science.
“Seeds of Discovery: How Barbara McClintock used Corn and Curiosity to Solve a Science Mystery and Win a Nobel Prize” by Lori Alexander. An illustrated biography introduces young readers to a female botanist and scientific discoveries that can cure diseases and save lives.
“Crane Jane!” by Andrea Zimmerman. This picture book follows Jane as she spends her work day lifting cargo from ships to dry land with her crane.
Browse the catalog at NOLS.org.
