About Us

The new Carnegie-inspired Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library opened to the public on November 4, 2008.  The Grand Opening Ceremony for the new Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland was on Saturday, October 18.

The library features 9,000 square feet, a large community room and Washington’s first drive-through library window. The ADA compliant building includes spaces especially for children and teens as well as comfortable reading areas.  In addition, there is a small conference room and two small study rooms.

Private donations large and small provided most of the funding. The library is named in honor of the mother of former Chehalis resident, Orin Smith, the new library’s chief donor.

The new library was built on the site of the previous Chehalis Library and Chehalis City Hall.  The old Chehalis Library was a Carnegie building erected in 1910. The building was significantly remodeled after an earthquake in 1949. Chehalis joined the library district in 1970.