This is our local branch and we love it here. We participate in their monthly craft event called "Make Anything", where you can pick up a free kit and follow along virtually at home. They always host fun events that adults can participate in! We also take advantage of their board game collection! When you filter by their 3-D objects in their catalog, they have 100s of board games to borrow. You can only borrow 2 at a time but they have recent and interesting games. read more

Cascade Park Community Library - Libraries Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Absolutely love it here! This place has become my happy place. The kindness and helpfulness of the staff really makes it that much more wonderful. As someone who struggles with chronic illness, I came here to do some studying so I can advocate for myself medically. I was able to gather the materials I needed and find a nice quiet spot with a beautiful view of the trees. Outside they had their pride flag flying high and that made me extremely happy to see that they are also very inclusive! The only downside was one child who was screaming on the computer for a good 10 minutes, but he eventually left. Other than that, I truly love the atmosphere here! read more

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A fantastic library with a great staff and amazing programs! I love that the library is for EVERYONE!

As libraries go, this is a pretty nice one, located next door to Firstenburg Community Center on 136th just north of Mill Plain, Cascade Park lives up to its name. Built into a wooded area, with a modernistic leaning, this library has a lot of things to like about it. As a fan of public libraries, I can safely say I've been into quite a few of them, from all over the place, and Cascade Park has the largest collection of computers I've ever seen in a library, all free to use of course. They even have Chromebooks, if that's your jam. And the computers are arranged throughout the facility, a group here, a group there, computers everywhere it seems. And to go with all those computers is a rather healthy WiFi system pumping out high numbers of broadband connection. Unfortunately, the WiFi is unsecured so I wouldn't recommend it unless you're using a VPN, it is a public library after all. The layout of the physical plant is quite pleasing with lots of nooks and corners to sit and read or work on a computer, with a vaulted ceiling that only makes the place seem that much larger. Plenty of comfy chairs spread around the building and good lighting where you need it. When it comes to the actual on-hand book selection, that's only average, but the staff more than make up for the somewhat small collection by being one of the most helpful staffs I've ever seen in a public library. If the book you're looking for exists, they will find it, somewhere. And these days there's so much more than just paper and ink books, ask the librarian about their audiobook collection or sign up for free movies and shows via Kanopy.com (only available to library card holders), and for those of you with kids, the storytelling events are quite wonderful. Parking is free, and if the library's lot is full, just park in the FCC lot a few steps away, there's always room there. As for the age-old public library problem of homeless folks taking up residence on your favourite chair or table, I've been many times now and haven't seen that issue very often in this location. read more

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They don't like children here. The environment was very hostile towards my kids. No kids bathrooms either.

Wow, what a beautiful library on the inside...the outside of the building, not so much but it can't help it. At least the inside is amazing. I mean you can't go wrong with loads upon loads of books. It has only been open since December 2009 so it's still extremely clean. The library itself is one large open room with everything clearly marked by sections (still some people seemed extremely confused. Way to go folks). The are two reasons why Cascade Parks isn't getting five stars. 1. The parking is atrocious. It shares a lot with the Firstenburg Community Center which always seems to be crowded. Everything is pretty small so those of you with big trucks, be careful please. I really don't need to be hit in a parking lot... 2. I know libraries keep odd hours but, come on, this is a pretty central location so why does it have to be closed on Sundays -and- Mondays? Tues.-Thurs. it is open 9-8 while Fri.-Sat. it is open 9-6. Sorry kids, if you're needing the library for a school project you'll have a tough time doing it on the weekend. Try something different... The staff seems lovely. They were all smiles as you walk in. Behind the help desks are a lot of computers which were packed. Free internet = win apparently. There were at least six self check out stations which was one of my favorite parts. Who ever came up with the pad that can read up to four books at checkout time at once is a genius. Plus I love getting to scan my own card. I am easy to please. Thank you Cascade Park Community Library, you have pleased me. read more

Cascade Park Community Library - Libraries Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

This is the closest library to my house back home. I like how nice and clean it is. The staff is also very friendly. The only thing is that their selection of books is somewhat limited. My suggestion is that if you have a book you really want to read, find it on the fvrl website and get it shipped to the Cascade Park library. Also, parking can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. They have a little bookstore inside the building with donated books that you can buy for cheap. But since I'm the type who likes to read a book and then never pick it up again, the library is more practical for my purposes. I like that they have a few small study rooms for groups. The only thing is that you frequently have that one person, who just HAS to sit in there all by themselves for hours on end. read more

Cascade Park Community Library - Libraries Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Hands down the best library in the Vancouver/Clark County area!!!! It is located conveniently in the center of Vancouver/Fisher's Landing (Fort Vancouver regional library is a bit far out to the east side), right next to Firstenberg Community Center. This location is brand-spanking new, incredibly clean, spacious, and just the perfect environment for conducive studying! Almost half of the walls of this library are floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light...of course, in the PNW, it tends to be a little gray outside so there are lamps located at each table that you can turn off and on when in use. Although this location is smaller than Fort Vancouver, there is a very wide selection of books, dvds, audio books, and magazines, as well as computers, scanners, and printers located throughout the library. Plus if you needed a particular book, they can just bring it over from another location within a week or so. You can also get up to 10 free prints per day with your library card - but let's try to be green and save the trees? :)) Also, the gorgeous children's books area!! Not only is there a play area in the center, but there are shelves and racks of children's books taking up almost a 3rd of the library! It is decorated to appeal to even the young book-haters and it gives me hope for humanity when I see kids setting down their iPads and Gameboys and grabbing a stack of books to check out! :) If I still live in Vancouver when I raise my family, I hope they maintain and upkeep this location because I want to bring my kids here to share the joys of reading!!! Only negative is the small area for parking which it shares with Firstenberg. It can be difficult to find any parking in both lots during high traffic hours so I try to come as early as possible! But even if I go grab lunch and return, I always manage to find a spot without waiting for more than a minute. :) *I've been studying here almost daily for the past 2 weeks from 11-6pm. A crowd forms around 4-5 and can get a little noisy but considering there are children everywhere, it's completely understandable and tolerable* :) read more

The new Cascade Park Community Library is a welcome addition to this community. Besides the happy-to-help-you staff, the fireplace with lounging chairs, free internet computers, conference room, wifi, and self-checkout stations, I'd say the Children's Section with it's reading circle, play structure and books at kid's eye level is the best and busiest spot in the building! I'm in agreement with the previous reviewer about the 4 star rating. The Community Center next door had limited, tight parking long before the library broke ground, so sharing the space was a foreseeable problem. And the hours ... can it at least be open on Sunday? I also wish less $ would have been spent on the aesthetic building design and more on incorporating a greater variety of books into the system. All-in-all, this new library is a major improvement from the previous teeny tiny branch that was located on Hearthwood, so it's greatly appreciated. read more

I love libraries and this one is no exception. I read a lot and Cascade Park has been a godsend during the pandemic with their curbside pickup program. With that program, you go through the library catalog online and then place holds on the books you want; then when they are available you can go to the library and either have them brought out to your car or, now that the building is open once again, go in and pick them up from the hold shelves. This is wonderful for me as I have bad legs and would have difficulty scouting for books throughout the library. So why four stars instead of five? Parking! The library lot is small enough and when Firstenburg Community Center is operating at full capacity some gym goers use it too. During busy times the lot can be full and the only things available are the 10 minute spots (if you are lucky). read more

This is a brand-new, gorgeous and humongous library. It is the perfect place to go in a rain storm, because with the sound of rain on the roof and the view of the trees out the window, you feel that you are in a lodge on the mountain, sitting by the fire. The selection of books is great, and the children's section is especially large, with a lovely area for them to be able to sit and browse while you (the parent) can see them in the non-fiction area. read more

This library is really nice. It's set up pretty open and you're allowed more than one hour on the computers. I come here because it close to my work and if need to print anything, I can find an open keyboard easily. The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable. read more

This is a great place to go to read a book or workout. I really like the setting. The earliest recorded circulating library in Southwest Washington was the Hudson's Bay Company Library, which began as early as 1833. Records indicate that the library was located in Fort Vancouver, and provided service to officers of the Hudson's Bay Company. The service ended in 1843.[1] The Vancouver Catholic Library Association was established between the years of 1865 and 1870, and in 1872 was reported to maintain a collection of 1,000 volumes. The library was closed in 1886, and the collection was dispersed.[2] The Vancouver Library Association was formed on January 11, 1877. An initial collection of 27 books was gathered and housed in the same building as the Vancouver Independent, the local newspaper of the period. In 1878, the Good Templar Lodge disbanded and donated its collection of books and furniture to the Odd Fellows Lodge, for the purpose of setting up a free reading room. In December 1878, the Vancouver Library Association moved its small collection of books from the offices of the Independent to the newly established Free Reading Room.[3] By 1891, the library had changed locations several times and was in danger of being closed due to lack of funds. A petition was put before the city council to establish a tax-supported public library, and on April 4 of that year the request was granted. This tax supported library came to be called the Vancouver Public Library.[4] The first librarian for the Vancouver Library was C. W. Shane. In 1895, Mr. Shane noticed that many young people enjoyed reading, so he opened a circulating library of his own, called the Shane Library, specifically for the area youth.[5] In 1908, Edward Swan, an attorney, solicited the Home Trust Company for Carnegie Library Funds to build a new library. The request was approved, and by the middle of 1909 the new library building was completed.[6] Over the next 30 years, the Vancouver Public Library, headed by Mrs. Marion Pirkey, grew to nearly 20,000 volumes.[7] Meanwhile, another library was taking shape in Clark County, in the town of Camas, Washington. In 1923, a collection of books was gathered together and housed at a local drug store. After two years the collection was moved to an alcove at Camas City Hall, and later it was moved again to the Telephone Building. The popularity of the library grew over the next decade as Camas experienced rapid industrial growth. It was decided that a professional librarian was needed, and in January 1932 Eva Santee was hired. The library was well supported, and in 1939 a bond was passed supporting the building of a new library.[8] In 1940, Eva Santee took over as librarian of the Vancouver Public Library, and worked to set up rural library service for the outlying areas of Clark County and Skamania County. Bookmobile service was established and proved successful.[9] When the United States entered into World War II in 1942, Vancouver was heavily impacted due to the heavy population growth as workers flocked to the area to work at the Kaiser Shipyards. To support this new population, a petition was passed to establish a county library district. The measure was passed, and the first rural library district in Washington was established.[10] Near the end of 1942, another library system came into existence, through the Vancouver Housing Authority. Library quarters were set up in each housing project in the area. Funding difficulties for both the Vancouver Public Library and the Housing Authority Libraries caused some staff to leave the system, until only Eva Santee and a children's librarian remained.[11] In March 1943, all three library systems met and agreed to work together to provide library service to the area. Each system took on a variety of responsibilities, with the Vancouver Public Library providing the headquarters, the County Library maintaining the rural bookmobile services, and the Housing Authority Libraries maintaining a portion of the collection and providing some clerical personnel.[12] In 1944 the Clark County Library took over administration of the Vancouver Housing Authority Libraries. These libraries were located in the following neighborhoods: McLoughlin Heights Bagley Downs Harney Hill Fruit Valley Homes Burton Homes Ogden Meadows [13] In February, 1944 the Washougal Public Library in Washougal, Washington was made a branch of the Clark County Library System. The Washougal Public Library had its start in 1924 through the Washougal Women's Club. The library was housed in a variety of buildings. When the Library was integrated into the County Library System, the collection was moved to Washougal City Hall. [14] On April 1, 1944 the Battle Ground Library was opened in the Odd Fellows Hall of Battle Ground, Washington as part of the County Library System. [15] read more

Great story time programs for little kids, I made some great friends when mine were little and got me out of the house. I like the set-up of their kids area, the best one of the Fort Vancouver Library locations that I have been to including the fancy new downtown one where I used to constantly lose my kids (I had to stop going when while chasing down my toddler my 4-year old got on the elevator by himself and rode to the 1st floor). I have mixed feelings about the recent addition of new iPads and computers in the kids area, I understand that this generation needs to be computer proficient and tech savvy but there is some sort of magic pull that draws my kids right towards the shiny screens and they aren't interested in browsing the rows of books like they used to. The librarians here are really nice, there are a lot of them so I haven't gotten to know many but our favorite is Anne, who remembers my kids from story time even though we haven't been in 4 or 5 years and always makes us feel welcome. I appreciate the very efficient system of putting books on hold and ability to download ebooks (limited selection but expanding). I do quite a bit of studying for an online college program here. The Wifi is always functioning and there are usually plenty of tables and outlets to study at. It is also nice and quiet most of the time. I wish the big 4-person tables separated into smaller 2-person tables because I've never seen more than one person using them and it gets awkward to join a random person at a table when all the other single spots are taken up. This is really nitpicking though. Cons: Parking is an issue as the tiny lot is shared by Firstenburg users and a senior program next door. It also would be great if it opened at 8am and stayed open a little later. read more

I have been checking out library books here for 12 years and have been very satisfied with the helpfulness and courtesy of the staff. The issue and problem is they don't keep accurate accounting of the returned books. I made a special trip to return an overdue book on hold March 1 but they claim its not "on the shelf " now I'm being harassed to return a book that was returned over a week ago. What in the world would I do with used book. This no way to treat a friend of the Library. George read more

Beautiful building, helpful friendly staff. Many computers, free wifi plus lots of books. Right next to Firstenburg so you can get your buff on too. read more

I have never been to a more well put together Library than the Cascade Park Community Library...They always seem to have the books that I am looking for. Library staff is always very helpful and always have recommendations for the kids....Very peaceful and quiet as well. read more

Love this location. Inside there are many computers (which at other locations like Vancouver Mall only have 4). Also inside there is the Friends Library store which has books you can buy. The people who work here are always so helpful. Best library spot in Vancouver. read more

I really love this place and come here all the time. The internet is really fast and they have private rooms for you to get your work done in. There is a community center right next door so you could stay here all day and have something to do. Great fun for everyone. read more

I love the library! So many books for me to read! Everything is pretty new and clean. Just how I like it. Why no five star? The parking during the weekend is terrrible. Avoid coming during the weekend in the afternoon if you can. It once took me 15 minutes to get a parking spot. read more

I love this library because it is quiet, has large areas for each section so you don't feel like you are on top of others when looking at books on the shelves. Has a large YA section. Always plenty of tables and chairs to sit at. Only downside is the parking lot is shared with Furstenberg Commuity Center so it is hard to find a parking space. read more

Great place to work on my thesis and write. Mornings can be a bit loud with the kids programs going on, but that makes me happy. Reading is FUNdamental. If you want total quiet, go to the main library downtown, but be prepared only park for 2 hours. The staff at Cascade Park Library is great. They are always ready to help you with anything in the library. I'm going to miss this library once I move. read more