Volunteer library group disbands ahead of new Litchfield Park library opening

The Friends of the Litchfield Park Library will officially disband on June 30, marking the end of a 31-year run for the volunteer organization just as the city prepares to transition to a brand-new, $5 million facility.

The group, chartered in 1995 to raise program funds and promote literacy, has halted all book and media donations. During its 31-year run, the nonprofit historically funded the library's "extras" that standard county budgets do not cover, including children's summer reading programs, youth arts and crafts, and community workshops.

To clear remaining inventory, the organization is hosting a final clearance sale through June 30, with all books and DVDs priced at 25 cents.

According to organization President Kerrlita Westrick, the decision to dissolve followed a January meeting with Jeremy Reeder, director of the Maricopa County Library District. Westrick said the group was informed they would receive half the sales space in the new building and no storage space.

While the group was amenable to the reduced retail footprint, Westrick said a lack of storage would require an off-site location, an expense the nonprofit could not afford. She also stated hauling donations back and forth was not possible for the group’s largely elderly membership.

Though local city council members later intervened and negotiated a compromise for five storage shelves with Reeder, Westrick said the offer came too late.

"By the time this happened, we were already well into the process of dissolving the organization," Westrick said, stating that members ultimately voted a second time to proceed with the closure.

"Honestly, there were a lot of hard feelings and distrust."

Westrick said that while discussions are underway to restart the Friends organization with a new group of volunteers, it remains uncertain when or if that will materialize.

The closure comes at a time of massive transition for the local library system.

A new 10,000-square-foot public library near the historic La Loma hilltop at 5390 N. Litchfield Road is expected to open this fall. The new facility will replace the current Wigwam Boulevard branch, which has been in operation since 1979.

The incoming building will be roughly 40% larger than the current space, featuring expanded study areas, updated technology, and a modernized book-sorting system.

"This is not just about constructing a building, it’s about building opportunity, creativity and community," Maricopa County District 4 Supervisor Debbie Lesko said during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The expansion project is funded by a $5 million allocation from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ Community Solutions Fund, a grant secured by former Supervisor Clint Hickman. The Maricopa County Library District will continue its operational partnership with the city at the new location.

While officials celebrated the development, the decision to move the library from its central downtown location faced strong pushback last year, including a four-hour city council meeting where more than 30 residents voiced opposition.

"It was a difficult decision," Mayor Thomas Schoaf said of the unanimous council vote to approve the relocation. "But the council saw the long-term vision for what this hilltop could become: a true cultural hub for the West Valley."

The new library will anchor a cultural campus slated to open in August, alongside the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, Hilltop Park, and the planned Agua Fria Arts Academy.

With the local branch no longer accepting book donations, organizers are instructing residents to redirect future drop-offs to the Friends of the Goodyear Library at 1900 N. Civic Square, or to the NSA drop box at the local YMCA on Litchfield Road.

Visit friendsofthelitchfieldparklibrary.org for more information.