Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
Photo – Fountain in Sinclair – Courtesy Town of Sinclair
The Town of Sinclair is taking steps to establish its own library.
On September 30th, 2024, the Carbon County Library Board closed the Sinclair branch. According to the Wyoming State Library, Sinclair saw the lowest library usage in Carbon County, with 161 visits in fiscal year 2024. Each visit cost the library system $75.10. By comparison, the Medicine Bow branch recorded 801 patrons during the same time period, while the Hanna branch saw 581.
Former Sinclair Librarian Patty McCulloch said the community was extremely disappointed to learn about the closure. McCulloch said the library served as a community hub.
Sinclair residents can take a bus to Rawlins twice a month to use the county library. The former Sinclair Library now serves as a community hall, where residents gather every Wednesday to have coffee.
To reduce echoes in the room, Sinclair Community Events Director Monte Thayer began filling the empty library shelves. Inspired by the classic film The Shawshank Redemption, Thayer said he has chosen to transform the space back into a full‑fledged library.
Still in the early stages of the project, Thayer has already received approximately 2,000 donated books and CDs. Thayer said the collection includes a wide variety of titles and subjects.
Former Sinclair Librarian McColloch has been organizing the collection. Little by little, Thayer said, they’re building a library. He added that, in time, he hopes to bring in volunteers to help patrons check books in and out.
Thayer said he needs at least 5,000 books to fully stock the library shelves. The community events director is asking for additional donations to help him reach that goal.
With the potential closure of additional libraries on the horizon, Thayer said Sinclair is working to establish its own branch, independent of the county library system.
The Sinclair community hall is open every Wednesday, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
