WCC Learning Resources Center at Ferndale High School parking lot, 1973

WCC Service Center, the LRC's second home, with the bookmobile on Northwest Dr. just north of the Whatcom County Library System offices

WCC Learning Resources Center on Marine Drive in Bellingham, 1982

WCC Heiner Center building at the main campus in Bellingham, circa 1997

The WCC Library was known as a Learning Resources Center (LRC) in its infancy during the 1970s and up until 1996. Known for its non-traditional approach to library service, the LRC provided delivery of learning materials and instructional equipment to the various college class locations around Whatcom County. Initially lacking a formal, organized collection, it encouraged faculty and students to utilize other existing libraries in the county.

Over the years, funding was allocated to support creating a more traditional library and to provide direct library services to faculty and students on campus. As the college grew, the LRC expanded as well. The LRC moved a half dozen times until 1996, when it assumed a new name as the WCC Library, and in 1997 moved to its current location in the Heiner Center where the collection has grown to over 40,000 items. In keeping with the original spirit of the LRC, the WCC Library proudly continues to obtain and deliver the best information available to faculty and students in traditional and non-traditional ways.

The library is a member of the Orca Consortium, a group of Washington state community college libraries. Members all use the Voyager integrated library software system for functions such as our online public access catalog.

Historic locations

• Heiner Center, April 1997 - present
• Cascade Hall, 1993 - March 1997
• Laidlaw Center, 1987 - 1993
• Marine Drive, 1976 - 1986
• Northwest Service Center, 1973 - 1976
• Mobile home in Ferndale High School parking lot, 1971 - 1973

College archive

The WCC Library serves as the historical archive for Whatcom Community College. The archive includes the following collections:

• Annual Reports
• Accreditation and Self-Study Reports
• Budgets
• Campus Catalogs
• Campus histories
• Campus newsletters
• Student newspapers and writing anthologies
• Photographs (Some of the photographs have been digitized, specifically those featuring facilities, campus events, and people. Those images are available online at the WCC Library Digital Image Collection)

Past library directors