Washington's 2-million-item state library collection is set to leave Tumwater for the first time in 25 years under plans announced by the incoming state librarian.
Melody Sky Weaver, appointed by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs on Aug. 10, wants to relocate the Washington State Library from its current office space at Point Plaza East in Tumwater back to the Capitol Campus in Olympia.
The collection has been housed in Tumwater since November 2001, when the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually earthquake damaged the Pritchard Building on the Capitol Campus.
Weaver starts Oct. 1. She replaces Sara Jones, who retired in July.
The move would bring the library closer to the Legislature, where Weaver said she'll have a better shot at restoring its roughly $12 million budget.
The library has already suffered layoffs and service cuts from reduced state funding. Since July 1, 2025, the Tumwater facility has been closed to the public, with access limited to Thursday appointments between 1 and 4 p.m.
"Our incredible territorial collection right now is in a vault that not many people get to see," Weaver told KNKX Public Radio on Aug. 18, referring to documents that predate Washington statehood.
The library holds more than 2 million physical items: newspapers, government documents, genealogical records and historic archives. It also operates the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, runs library services inside state prisons and hospitals, and distributes federal grant funds to local libraries statewide.
Why Olympia
In the Secretary of State's announcement, the library formally seeks a return to the Capitol Campus alongside the State Archives, citing deteriorating 1960s-era archive facilities. No specific building has been named for the relocation. The Pritchard Building, the library's former home built in 1958, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 but now serves as a legislative support facility and cafe.
Weaver told KNKX that Capitol Campus proximity is central to her budget strategy, saying the library needs to be where legislators and state employees work so it can serve them directly and make the case for restored funding.
The library will request funding from the Legislature in the upcoming biennium to restore services.
Weaver's background
Weaver brings more than two decades of public library experience. She most recently served as community services director for the City of Port Townsend, overseeing the city's library, parks, facilities and arts programs. Before that, she directed the Port Townsend Public Library for nearly a decade and managed a branch of the Kitsap Regional Library from 2011 to 2015. She holds a master's degree in library and information science from the University of Washington.
Secretary of State Hobbs praised Weaver's record in the appointment announcement, calling her well-positioned to lead the library forward.
What's next
The library's budget request will go before the Legislature during the 2027 session. No timeline for the physical relocation has been announced. Tumwater city officials have not publicly commented on the potential departure of the institution from their city.
