WEST BOISE, Idaho — For neighbors living near Cloverdale Road in West Boise, the nearest library is more than three miles away — at Cole and Ustick. Some say that distance makes access to library programs and resources difficult, and they’re calling for a new branch closer to home.
“We live at the library, man!" said Jasmin Smith, who lives in West Boise. She and her son Ben spend a lot of time at local libraries, but she says it sometimes takes her 20+ minutes get to the nearest branch.
“I have four children from ages 20 all the way down to two, and I've seen every single age and stage of library programs that have opened up my kids’ brains,” said Smith.
WATCH | Hear from neighbors advocating for a new library in West Boise—
“We can drive 5+ miles to the Eagle library, we can drive 5+ miles to the Orchard library and we can drive 5+ miles over to the Cole at Ustick library,” said Kathy Graham, with the Centennial Neighborhood Association. “But we don't have that opportunity to build what those residents — also Boise residents — already have, and we would like that opportunity."
So, a group of neighbors held a press conference on Monday to advocate for a new library branch in West Boise to close the gap.
“We would like to see a plan that puts West Boise at the top of the priority list. Let's put a library where we don't have one, where we need one," said Mark Salisbury, who lives in West Boise and spearheaded CitizensForALibrary.org
"Shouldn't we be thinking about residents who have already lived for decades in a library desert first?" Salisbury added, in reference to new growth in the city.
Boise Public Library Director Jessica Dorr said the Library Board of Trustees is working on a long-term facilities plan, the first since 2000.
When asked if a new library branch is being considered for West Boise, Dorr responded, “I think everything is being considered right now.”
Dorr explained that renovating existing libraries is generally more cost-effective than building new facilities.
“But we've got to maintain the current level of service we have, and we then need to think about what are our strategies for growth,” said Dorr.
Dorr and staff from Boise Planning and Development Services will present options for the library’s goals, potential locations for new branches, and strategies for future growth on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the City Council chambers.
You can watch that meeting here.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
