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Whatcom County Library System · Fund #1 · General

Whatcom County Library System General Fund

Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) operates 10 branch libraries across rural Whatcom County and several incorporated areas. Funded by a voter-approved Rural Library District levy (statutory maximum 50 cents per $1,000 ...

Active General Whatcom County Library System
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About this fund

Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) operates 10 branch libraries across rural Whatcom County and several incorporated areas. Funded by a voter-approved Rural Library District levy (statutory maximum 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value under RCW 27.12). Shows up as "Rural Library District" on tax bills.

Branches: Blaine, Deming, Everson, Ferndale, Island, Lummi Island, Lynden, Maple Falls, Point Roberts, Sumas. Bellingham residents pay into the Bellingham Public Library separately (city-funded, not part of the Rural Library District).

Authorization

The legal basis for the fund.

RCW citation: RCW 27.12 (rural library districts); RCW 84.52.043 (library levy)

Multi-year balance ledger

Year-by-year revenue, spending, and ending balance from the city's budget and CAFRs.
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Where the money goes

Top spending categories from documented budget line items.
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Revenue mix

Every documented inflow into this fund. By default the mix uses each source's most recent year (which means percentages mix years). Pick a single year to see strictly comparable percentages.
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Discussed in meetings

Real Briefings that mention this fund.
Apr 27, 2026
The Bellingham City Council's Committee of the Whole convened for a focused session covering cybersecurity infrastructure and the highly anticipated Central Library renovation project. The committee unanimously approved ...
Mar 09, 2026
The Bellingham City Council's March 9, 2026 meeting was highlighted by a comprehensive presentation on the results of a 2025 survey of landlords and property managers regarding the city's rental fee regulations ...
Jan 26, 2026
The Bellingham Public Works and Natural Resources Committee held a brief but productive 16-minute meeting Sunday afternoon, unanimously approving four significant infrastructure and service items totaling over $8.9 ...
Oct 20, 2025
The October 20 Committee of the Whole meeting featured two major agenda items: budget work sessions for IT Services and the Library, followed by review of the final four chapters of the Bellingham Plan comprehensive ...
Sep 29, 2025
The September 29 Committee of the Whole meeting addressed three major items that collectively represent significant shifts in how Bellingham plans and funds its future growth. The committee unanimously approved two ...

Methodology note

Real Record tracks WCLS General Fund. The Rural Library District property-tax levy is the primary revenue source; user fees and grants supplement.

Sources: Whatcom County Library System adopted budgets and Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs); Chart of Accounts; Real Briefings meeting coverage. Real Record renders the published fund data in plain language; we don't change the numbers. Where the source publishes a different classification than ours, both are shown.