If you are a local or came to visit Birch Bay this summer you may have noticed that the Vogt Historical home is being remodeled to get us closer to bringing our Birch Bay Vogt Express Library to reality! 

When the Birch Bay Chamber formed the library committee which later became the Friends of Birch Bay Library we didn’t know that we would succeed and we didn’t know it would take over a decade but we are overjoyed that we will have a BIrch Bay Vogt Express Library located at 7948 Birch Bay Drive schedule to open by January 2027.

Summit Construction, a Bellingham-based company is busy at work renovating the old Vogt family homestead in our library. We are excited that the library will have a card reader so patrons can access the library when staff is not on site. The library will have a limited collection, computers and a meeting area for use by clubs and library programs.

Residents and visitors will be able to check out media and other items and take advantage of the beautiful view from the reading porch, lawn and beach.

The Birch Bay Bookmobile, currently open 3-7 p.m. Wednesday has  moved to The C Shop while the library is under construction. Then it will be released to serve other communities.

We had a celebration in July to mark the transition from fundraising for construction to moving into planning for future programs.

Representatives from the library system, as well as state Sen. Sharon Shewmake spoke to a gathering of people in the front yard of the commending years of fundraising efforts that have finally paid off. 

Di Marrs-Smith, branch manager for Lynden and Birch Bay and the out-going president of Friends of Birch Bay Library, said the community has been waiting with bated breath for not only a place to check out books, but for a communal space as well.

“This is going to be the first seven days a week gathering place, it’s a big deal for us,” Marrs-Smith said. “We’re also saving a piece of history, and preserving that shoreline for people as well.

“It’s just so heartwarming,” Marrs-Smith said. “People will say to me, ‘I don’t have time or I don’t have money, but I can help a little.’ All of that help built up over the years, and it really does take all of those little pieces.”

This posting is a combination of two articles from our wonderful local paper The Northern Light. You can read the full articles here:

The Northern Light May 20th 2026 – Birch Bay library construction to begin next to begin next month written by Grace McCarthy

The Northern Light July 23rd 2026 – ‘A big deal for us’ as Birch Bay celebrates library construction after decade of effort written by Nolan Baker