Great Communities Build Great Libraries: The New Truckee Library Campaign
Libraries are the heart of our communities, places where ideas thrive and connections are made. Imagine a place where families enjoy story time, friends collaborate, and teens discover new passions.
Your support will help make this vision a reality, enriching both personal growth and community well-being. Join us in creating a modern library in Truckee that reflects our mountain spirit—a vibrant, welcoming space for everyone to gather, learn, and be inspired.
Building Tomorrow’s Library
The current Truckee Library, built in 1975 for a population of 2,000 residents, is inadequate for our thriving community of over 20,000. Truckee needs a larger and more versatile space that offers a wide array of programs similar to those found in modern libraries across the nation.
Resources and Programs That Uplift Everyone
The new library will offer something for everyone. It will serve as a vital gathering space for Truckee residents to meet, connect, and discover shared interests. By providing a variety of resources, programs, and activities, the library will foster relationships that contribute to individual growth and strengthen our community.
Youth Literacy Programs
Envision a dynamic literacy program that inspires a love of reading in children. Engaging activities and resources will promote the exploration of stories and ideas, igniting a lifelong passion for knowledge and creativity.
A Safe Space for Teens
The teenagers in our community need a dedicated space for studying, collaborating, and building meaningful relationships with peers and mentors, moving beyond screens to foster real-world connections.
Emergency Resource Center
The library will be a haven during emergencies such as wildfires or other crises. It will provide a physical space with a permanent back-up power supply where people can gather and access essential services.
An Intergenerational Gathering Place
The new library will foster interaction among people of all ages, creating opportunities for older adults and youth to connect and learn from one another.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Offering access to technology and the internet, the library ensures everyone can stay connected, regardless of income or background.
Workforce Development
The new library will offer programs and services to help people develop their careers, acquire professional skills, and improve their economic status.
An Inclusive, Accessible Space
The new library will be designed to ensure accessibility for everyone, regardless of their physical, cultural, or linguistic needs, allowing them to access resources and participate in community life.
The Vision for the New Library
The new Truckee Library will reflect the values, aspirations, and character of our unique, growing mountain community. Designed by two renowned architectural firms, the facility will be between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet and offer indoor and outdoor spaces for individual, family, and community use.
With stunning views of the mountains and Truckee River, the spacious interior will include a technology lab, a maker space, a flexible meeting room, a dedicated teen area, and a large, inviting children’s space.
The Site
The new library site, located in Truckee Regional Park across the street from 7-11, has been thoughtfully chosen to support seamless integration into the park. This location enhances the pedestrian and user experience while creating opportunities for both indoor and outdoor programming. It will provide a clear identity for the library, improve wayfinding for visitors, and prioritize environmentally conscious development. Safety and security have been central to the planning process, ensuring a welcoming space for all. Additionally, the site represents a cost-effective solution, maximizing the community’s investment in this vital resource.
This achievement is the result of a collaborative effort among the Truckee Library JPA partners, the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District (TDRPD), the Truckee Donner Public Utilities District (TDPUD), and the Truckee Sanitary District. Generous philanthropic support from our Luminaries directly contributed to a portion of the costs associated with securing the site, bringing us closer to realizing this exciting vision.
Click the image to see our proposed site map.
Milestones
The new Truckee Library project has reached incredible milestones, including:
Raised $2.2M for pre-construction together with our Core Partners Nevada County and the Town of Truckee.
Established the Truckee Library Joint Powers Authority (JPA) for the new library with Nevada and Placer Counties and the Town of Truckee.
Secured the site at Truckee Regional Park.
Developed the new Library Advisory Task Force which is comprised of diverse groups across our community whose mission is to advise the architecture team on design requirements.
Endorsed by over 40 local nonprofits. These endorsements showcase the broad and meaningful impact the new Truckee Regional Library will have on our community.
Established the new Truckee Library Advisory Task Force. In May 2024, together with the Core Partners and architecture team, we The Advisory Task Force is composed of community leaders dedicated to ensuring that the new Truckee Library serves the diverse needs of our entire community. This task force has played a crucial role in gathering community input on the design and functionality of the new library space, making sure it meets the needs of all
Endorsed by Over 40 Local Nonprofits
These endorsements showcase the broad and meaningful impact the new Truckee Regional Library will have on our community.
Advisory Task Force
In May 2024, together with the Core Partners and architecture team, we established the new Truckee Library Advisory Task Force. The Advisory Task Force is composed of community leaders dedicated to ensuring that the new Truckee Library serves the diverse needs of our entire community. This task force has played a crucial role in gathering community input on the design and functionality of the new library space, making sure it meets the needs of all residents.
Architecture Team
JKAE is a local Truckee Architecture Firm, who led the design of the Steve Randall Community Recreation Center. Group 4 Architecture specializes in library design. It is the powerful combination of local Truckee building and library design expertise that will support building a library that uniquely serves our region now and in the future!
What are the next steps?
JPA
The new Truckee Library JPA has been formed, but several steps now need to take place to have the organization ready to conduct the work of managing the financing and construction of the library building. The JPA members are diligently working on these next steps.
Polling
Initial polling was conducted in early 2023 to assess the community’s willingness to contribute to construction costs. Track polling will need to be conducted in early 2025 to see is there are any changes in the original polling results.
Architecture & Design
The architecture team is in the first phase of the architecture design; conducting community input and finalizing the schematic design. Next steps will include obtaining land permits and entitlements and completing final construction documents.
Community Engagement
An engaged, supportive community will make all the difference in getting this project prioritized and built. FOTL will continue to prioritize community outreach.
Capital Campaign
In 2024, FOTL plans to prepare our organization, build our volunteer committees, and conduct the much-needed work to execute a successful capital campaign.
Grants
Alongside Nevada County and the Town of Truckee, FOTL will continue to pursue grant opportunities to fund the project.
Beyond Construction
One key need is to create a plan for supporting the library after it is built. FOTL is outlining our 1, 5, and 10-year fundraising plans for once the library opens.
Join Us in Building a Legacy
This isn’t just a building; it’s an investment in Truckee’s future. Your support will ensure that Truckee has a library that meets the needs of all residents and serves as a center for creativity, learning, and community-building for generations to come.
By contributing to the Truckee Library campaign, you’ll be part of a transformational project promoting learning and civic engagement. This library is being designed to serve Truckee for generations, enriching life in this extraordinary place not just for us but for everyone who comes after us.
Great Communities Build Great Libraries
Now is the time to invest in our collective future. Together, we can create a library that leaves a lasting legacy of life-enhancing experiences and civic pride for generations.
Luminaries: Library Champions!
Since we launched this fundraising effort, over 250 individuals and families heard the call and stepped up to donate funding to keep our efforts moving forward. Not only that, but 38 local businesses that have a real stake in the health of our Truckee community also invested heavily in LibraryUp to help us reach our goals. Without these commitments, we could never have made it this far! Thank you to all of you.
Agency Partners
Major Funding Partners
Thank you to the agencies, organizations, and businesses that have helped (and are helping!) along the way.