Closed since March for repairs, busiest Tacoma library branch set to reopen
The popular Wheelock library branch in Tacoma’s North End will reopen June 5 after temporarily closing in March for upgrades to its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, according to Tacoma Public Library. Starting Thursday, June 5, the library branch will also reopen its book drops.
The Proctor branch, 3722 N. 26th St., is the busiest location in Tacoma, accounting for 38% of all checkouts across the Tacoma Public Library system, library spokesperson Mariesa Bus told The News Tribune in March.
Bus told The News Tribune the Tacoma Public Library system wanted to avoid having two of its busiest locations closed concurrently, “so we planned Wheelock’s HVAC maintenance to start after Main Library reopened” in February after a 16-month, $8.6 million renovation. The routine HVAC maintenance work follows recent HVAC updates at the Swasey and Fern Hill libraries in 2024, Bus said.
The lobby will be open on May 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and June 3 and 4 from 5-7 p.m., according to Tacoma Public Library. When it fully reopens June 5, the library’s hours will be Tuesday and Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We are grateful to Wheelock’s patrons for their patience while we made necessary updates to the HVAC system for a more comfortable and efficient library environment,” said deputy director Kendra Jones in a news release Wednesday. “We were also able to make some small repairs and add a teen area during the closure.”
Wheelock Library will reopen in time for the annual Summer Reading Challenge that begins June 21. See all upcoming events on Tacoma Public Library’s online events calendar.
