NorthNet Library System
Enhancing the services of its members through collective resource development and sharing.
The NorthNet Library System (NLS) is one of the nine cooperative library systems in California. NLS unites diverse library communities—from rural to urban—by fostering cooperative initiatives, supporting staff development, and advancing access to shared materials and technology. We strive to build resilient, future-ready libraries that respond to evolving community needs, strengthen local impact, and promote lifelong learning for all.
Meeting Agendas
NLS Initiatives
NLS Member Spotlight: Larkspur Public Library
Congratulations to the community of Larkspur on their beautiful new library!
On March 28, the Larkspur community gathered to celebrate the long-awaited opening of its new public library, marking a major $19.7 million project that has been decades in the making. The event drew families, students and local readers for the ribbon cutting, speeches and activities. The day began with a “Book Brigade,” as the last 500 books from the past location were passed down Magnolia Avenue, symbolically linking the old library to the new, and setting the tone for an opening centered on connection and community.
“Over 1000 neighbors [were] standing shoulder to shoulder, passing books hand by hand…”
See the new library and Book Brigade here
Recovering Together: How Libraries Strengthen Communities After a Disaster
The NorthNet Library System has 41 member libraries in California from north of San Francisco up to the Oregon border. For several years in the mid- 2000’s, the NorthNet region experienced a dramatic increase in devastating wildfires, loss of lives and billions of dollars in damages that displaced thousands of residents. The region had also previously suffered earthquakes, dramatic mudslides and floods. In response, the NorthNet network, in 2019, launched a collaborative project: “Recovering Together: How libraries strengthen their communities after a disaster.” The project team collected and compared relevant experiences and lessons learned from library staff, volunteers and community partners. The Recovering Together project created a platform to enhance exchange of recovery resources and each other’s best practices. The goal was to reflect individually and together about how and when our libraries stepped into the role of a lead community engagement institution and what that suggested for future planning and community connections. This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. Read More