Happy Valley Library

Nice library and nice/​helpful staff.
I like that I am able to reserve/​hold books or videos online and they notify me via email when available at my local branch.
The kids section is wonderful and the staff is always willing to help.

This library is smaller than the one I’m used to (Washington County), but it’s a nice new building with a small park area. The book selection isn’t huge; But they have most of what I’ve looked for. And I really like the convenience phone call when my books are ready.

It almost gets 5 stars because, good God, the previous and totally inadequate library for the Clackamas /​Sunnyside /​Happy Valley area was shoved into 2 adjacent spaces in a strip mall adjacent to the Clackamas Town Center named Clackamas Corner. It was a sad excuse for a library, but it probably reflected the area’s previous bucolic nature. It was reported that, about 25 years ago, the Sunnyside corridor was mostly berry farms.
The Happy Valley Library is in a building that is newer and far removed from the mall and the major junction of Sunnyside Rd. and I-​205. In a way, this is good and bad. It’s good because the location is bigger and newer, but a lot of the catchment area for this library, such as the patron base who lives closer to SE 82^nd Avenue, doesn’t have the ability to get around, and needs a library’s services can’t get here as easily. I don’t remember what used to be in this newer, larger building. It wasn’t designed as a library from scratch, though.
The Happy Valley Library is comparable to the West Linn Library of the Clackamas County System in its size and level of services. However, the personalities are very different. This one is very spacious and open, while the West Linn Library is cozier and has more nooks and crannies. The service here is about on par with that of West Linn’s, where it is good but a little cool. Is there a connection between gray skies and books that makes library employees more somber? I once walked into a library in Las Vegas only to be greeted with a «sunny disposition.» I’ll stay on topic.
Also, this library is located in an area that appears to be «planned,» with a shopping center in front, and a traffic circle with small businesses and park-​like features around it.
Simply stated, this is a very good neighborhood library.