As 2025 comes to a close, Bellingham Public Library is grateful to reflect on the year and celebrate many special moments shared with our community. Here is a look back at Bellingham Public Library 2025 Highlights.
2025 Library Service Highlights
Community Outreach Events
In 2025, BPL staff could be found out and about at all sorts of local events including Library Card Night with the Bellingham Bells, the Barkley Market, Bellingham Pride Parade, Bellingham Back to School Block Party, Cordata Neighborhood Summer Social and more. Library Youth Services staff visit local schools and classrooms regularly. Library staff love connecting with the community and bringing library services directly to our friends and neighbors.
Library Programs for All Ages
Every year the Library hosts a wide variety of popular events and library programs for adults in our SkillShare Space and public meeting rooms, as well as new events like the Bellingham Public Library Book Club Social and Listen Deeply: Community Voices Film Fest.
Youth Services (Children’s and Teen Services Staff) were busy presenting storytimes, book clubs, craft and Lego programs, class visits (both in-library and in schools), two Children’s Craft Fairs, and more!
Check out the online calendar to find out what’s happening at the Library throughout the year. Library programs are always free to attend.
Salmon at the Library
Thanks to a partnership with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), the public was invited to watch chum salmon eggs transform into alevin and fry in a 55-gallon aquarium at the Bellingham Public Library Children’s Department in February and March 2025.
Over two months, the Children’s Library offered an opportunity to watch the salmon grow, attend salmon-themed events and do lots of reading about salmon life-cycles. Then the salmon were released into Whatcom Creek in a public event on Saturday, March 29th.
Whatcom Literacy Council Trivia Bee
In 2025, the Library sent TWO teams to compete in the Whatcom Literacy Council’s Trivia Bee fundraiser. Team Overdue for a Win placed 13th overall and Team Operation Don’t Take Last accomplished their goal by placing 16th. The annual Trivia Bee is a great opportunity to represent the Library and raise money for the Whatcom Literacy Council’s important work to increase literacy in our community.
Library Giving – Dream Big
In 2025 the Bellingham Public Library Board of Trustees and Whatcom Community Foundation kicked off a major fundraising effort to revitalize the Bellingham Central Library’s aging ground floor, including the Children’s department and a relocated Teen space. The update will inspire our local youth upon entry, with spaces for children and teens that are modern, safe, clean, inviting, age appropriate, and ADA accessible.
Through private donations $2 million dollars of the $3.5 million dollar goal has already been raised and we are so grateful for the support we receive. Click HERE to read more about the project and donate.
Find Billy Scavenger Hunt
The City of Bellingham hosted a fun family adventure this year. Find Billy is a family of four colorful sculptured characters in playful poses placed in various locations downtown. The Bellingham Public Library helped kick off the scavenger hunt with a miniature Billy statue hidden in our Children’s Department at the Central Library downtown.
Summer Reading 2025
Congratulations to all 2025 Library Summer Reading Superstars! Summer Reading participants of all ages enjoy reading challenges, special library events, prizes, and recognition of their reading achievements. Summer Reading for all ages was a huge success in 2025.
- Summer Reading for children age birth – 12 years had 1,596 finishers.
- Summer Reading for teens had 122 bingo sheets submitted by youth ages 13 – 18 years.
- Summer Reading for adults had 341 finishers.
An enormous thank you to our public services staff at all locations for keeping summer reading energy and congratulations high, and for matching readers with stories and information all summer long.
Additionally, thank you to The Friends of the Bellingham Public Library for sponsoring our Summer Reading program. And to our seventeen Summer Reading Prize Partners who provided unique community prizes for youth: 20th Century Bowl, The Bagelry, Boomer’s Drive-In, Colophon Café, Emerald City Smoothies, Great Harvest Bread Company, Mallard Ice Cream, Mammoth Mini Golf at Bellis Fair Mall, Next Chapter Cafe, Pizza Time, Playdate BLI, Pure Bliss Desserts, Robeks, Ruckus Room, Shirlee Bird Café, SPARK Museum, Yeager’s Toyland.
Staff Learning Day 2025
On October 8, 2025 all Bellingham Public Library Staff came together for a Staff Learning Day at the Port of Bellingham’s Cruise Terminal. All locations of the library were closed to allow every employee to attend and learn together. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect and grow in order to serve our community better.
Peace Builder Awards
The Bellingham Public Library was honored to receive a Peace Builder Award for Public Service from the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center this year. According to the WDRC, the event has been “a cherished tradition, honoring the individuals and organizations whose dedication to community-building creates lasting, positive change across Whatcom County” since 2003.
Library Director Rebecca Judd received the award on behalf of the library and its staff at the awards ceremony on October 24, 2025. We are grateful and honored to be recognized for our public service to the community.
Best of 2025 Staff Picks Lists
Each year, library staff share their favorite Bellingham Public Library items that they read, listened to, or watched that year and explain why they loved them. Enjoy browsing these great lists and reading the accompanying reviews of our most loved items of 2025.
Then visit any Bellingham Public Library location during the month of December to find Best of the Library 2025 Staff Picks on the display shelves and get a free bookmark while supplies last.
Click the links below to view all of our recommendations:
Staff Recommendations for the New Year
Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
“A well-researched an broad review of how progressive politics have led to the unaffordability of housing, labor, and clean energy – from a liberal perspective. This book highlights how well-intentioned policies can bottleneck progress and how we need to address these issues with an approach focused on abundance rather than scarcity. The book delivers needed clarity, insightful revelations, and measured hope.”
– Katrina, Head of Public Services
Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur
“I was immediately drawn into the intimate stories of this death doula and her clients, and, in turn, reflected on my own feelings and experiences surrounding end-of-life care. The author writes charming and uplifting prose that treats a sensitive topic with both respect and levity. This is a book that will beg you to confront the inevitable and accept a life you deserve to live.”
– Carmen, Interlibrary Loan Specialist
“This book was revelatory to me and I strongly recommend it to everyone. There were so many passages that I had to reread, read out loud to my partner, and then set the book down and think about before I could move on. Wilkerson walks the reader through why and how systemic racism was created, its origins in the US, and how American racism has been exported around the globe. Be sure to catch Isabel Wilkerson for her highly anticipated visit to Bellingham on Friday, February 6, 2026 at Mt. Baker Theatre. I’m very interested in hearing her take on current events.”
– Miranda, Library Events Coordinator
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
“I just love Kimmerer’s views on the world, and the idea of abundance. I feel comforted by the assertion that if we stopped focusing on constant growth and expansion, and instead focused on taking care of our communities, and making sure everyone has what they need, then there would be plenty to go around, and the world would be a kinder, healthier place.”
– Lorena, Public Services Clerk
You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson
“While the death of the poet Andrea Gibson this fall cut deeply, we are fortunate to have access to her many works. This collection is so honest and intimate, topics and emotions roam the pages and grab us. I plan on rereading this one. Please check out her other books, as well.”
– Kimber, Library Assistant
Special Events and Programs in 2025
The Bellingham Public Library participated in and hosted several special events in 2025. We are grateful to all of our community partners and collaborators, as well as to the generous funding provided by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library.
Peter Ali: Songs from the Heart in January
Songs from the Heart: Concert, Story and Interactive Demonstration with Flutist Peter Ali was held in the Lecture Room at the Central Library on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
Local musician Peter Ali performed and shared music and stories of Native American, Mesoamerican, Middle Eastern, and Nordic style flutes, followed by a hands-on introduction to the basics of playing the Native American style cedar flute.
The concert was in celebration of the Bellingham Public Library’s January theme, “Bring the Light,” with a participatory experience to inspire confidence, healing, and connection to ring in the New Year.
Whatcom READS 2025 in March
Whatcom READS is a countywide program that encourages everyone to read and discuss the same book and the 2025 book selection was No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister.
There were many wonderful programs in January and February leading up to An Evening with Erica Bauermeister and Friends at the Mount Baker Theatre on March 14, 2025. The event featured local musicians selected by the Bushwick Book Club Seattle, playing songs inspired by No Two Persons, followed by a lecture and Q&A session with author Erica Bauermeister.
At closing, the Whatcom READS 2026 title was announced, Solito by Javier Zamora! For more information about Whatcom READS, click HERE.
Listen Deeply: Community Voices Film Fest
On Saturday, November 1st, we held the Listen Deeply: Community Voices Film Fest to celebrate and honor the transformative personal stories of local community advocates and changemakers.
There is healing that happens in telling stories and healing that comes from listening, and the event was a moving tribute to the connection that comes from both experiences. 15 previously recorded videos were shared at the event.
The program was created in partnership with Connecting Community, was sponsored by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library, and was recorded by the City of Bellingham’s BTV.
Bellingham Public Library Book Club Social
The library hosted the first Bellingham Public Library Book Club Social on Saturday, November 15, at the Hotel Leo. It was a fabulous opportunity to come together and share book club joy with fellow readers!
Attendees were invited to meet local authors, gather new title suggestions, and capture ideas to enrich book group gatherings. There was a Book Buffet and plenty of activities designed to build connection.
Click HERE for book club resources from the Bellingham Public Library and keep an eye out for the 2026 Bellingham Reads book club titles, coming soon!
The Friends of the Bellingham Public Library
The Library is grateful for the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library. The Friends are an all-volunteer nonprofit charitable organization which raises money to benefit the Library each year through sales of donated books. Thank you to all of the patrons who also support the library through donating materials to the Friends.
In 2025 the Friends of the Library held book sales in January, May and September, raising thousands of dollars to fund a wide variety of library programs, staff development opportunities, book club kits, and more. A HUGE thank you to the Friends for all of their hard work.
Thank YOU, Bellingham!
From everyone at the Bellingham Public Library, thank you for another great year. We look forward to serving you in 2026 and beyond!
