About Us: Our Story
NCW Libraries* is proud to serve the residents of Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, and Okanogan Counties since 1960. Our 14,497 square-mile service area is roughly the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined – making us geographically the largest library district in Washington State.
We operate 30 community libraries, and provide service to our most rural residents through our popular Mail Order Library and a bookmobile. The Library’s website provides library cardholders with free access to eBooks and digital audiobooks as well as a large number of online resources, including LinkedIn Learning, the New York Times, Consumer Reports, Rosetta Stone, and more. We also provide outreach services to Head Start programs, preschools, nursing homes, senior retirement centers, youth detention facilities, jails, farmers markets, and more.
We are able to expand our reach through partnerships with school districts, community colleges, healthcare providers, local businesses, and community resource providers.
*In 2020 North Central Regional Library changed its name to NCW Libraries to better reflect the communities we serve and this place we call home.
MISSION
Connecting the people of North Central Washington to vital resources and opportunities that foster individual growth and strengthen communities.
VISION
You Trust Us.
We are a trusted resource for every member of our diverse communities. We provide you with exceptional customer service from an unbiased perspective and always respect your right to privacy and intellectual freedom.
You Learn With Us.
When you need information, we can help you find it. Whether you’re teaching your child to read, learning a new language, developing a new skill, or updating your resume, our robust collections and compelling programs make lifelong learning fun.
You Grow With Us.
We keep you connected to our changing world and your own curiosity. We listen and respond to your wants and needs with dependable and evolving services, entertaining and thought-provoking content, culturally enriching activities, and access to new technologies.
We Build Community Together.
We celebrate the diversity of North Central Washington, bringing together people of all backgrounds and from all walks of life. Our welcoming and comfortable facilities provide a place for you to gather and exchange ideas – and we are just as likely to meet you out in the community as in one of our libraries. We work alongside you to build partnerships, facilitate connections, and contribute to your community’s sense of identity and civic vitality.
PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE
View our 2024-2026 Strategic Direction.
Freedom to Read
Adopted by the NCW Libraries Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team.
NCW Libraries believes that free access to information and ideas is an essential human right, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
We believe that the freedom to read is a cornerstone of our democratic society. We join the American Library Association and public libraries across the nation in championing and defending the freedom to read.
Our library spaces, like our communities and country, are big enough to contain the full range of stories, voices, beliefs, ideas, and experiences. We are committed to ensuring that the people who walk through our doors can find materials that reflect who they are and what they believe as well as materials that might spark curiosity and illuminate the world in new ways.
We believe that limiting the power and autonomy of others based on your own personal beliefs is unconstitutional and a threat to a free society.
We believe that everyone has a right to select for themselves what is appropriate to read. No-one has the right to restrict or censor what others may choose to read.
We support all of our staff as champions of intellectual freedom.
View the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement.
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