Library News

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District will put new library procedures into use January 1, 2010, that are designed to gain timely return of materials.  Starting January 1, overdue notices will be sent sooner; patrons who are billed for $25 (lowered from $40) in overdue library materials will be blocked from using other library services such as Internet access; patrons will be able to renew any number of overdue items themselves at libraries and online; and library cards will no longer expire.  (Photo)  (The Reflector [Battle Ground], 11.18.09)

As the economy and holiday season tighten budgets, library customers can reduce their library fees while helping friends and neighbors who struggle to afford food. Mid-Columbia Libraries is holding a “Food for Fines” campaign Nov. 15-Dec. 15 to benefit local food banks during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. (Record-Bulletin [Prosser], 11.18.09)

The Arlington Kiwanis Club and the Friends of the Arlington Library distributed dictionaries to Loren Jackson’s third-grade class on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The donation was a joint venture between the two clubs, which have donated 672 dictionaries to third-graders in the Arlington, Darrington and Lakewood school districts this year. (Photo) (Arlington Times [Marysville], 11.18.09)

The votes are in and it looks like Fife residents will be getting their library.  Voters in Fife passed Proposition 1 with roughly 69 percent approval for the city to annex to Pierce County Library System for services.  (Fife Free Press, 11.19.09) http://www.fifefreepress.com/article/724

Columbia County Rural Library District has received 78 books for the Dayton Memorial Library from the Libri Foundation. They have a total retail value of $1,413.11.  (Dayton Chronicle, 11.25.09)

With the increase of Spanish-speaking people on Vashon, three staff members from Vashon Library have begun learning Spanish so they are better able to communicate with library patrons.  They are learning the language through Spanish Boot Camp, an experimental program of the King County Library System, tailored to library staff and their Spanish-language needs in the workplace.  (The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, 11.25.09) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/vashon/vib/community/71877272.html

The North Olympic Library System approved its budget this past week for the 2010 year.  The four libraries in Sequim, Port Angeles, Clallam Bay and Forks faced a $176,043 shortfall until board members designated reserve funds and staff approved one-week furloughs.  (Photo)  (The Sequim Gazette, 11.25.09) http://search.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2009-11-25_north_olympic_libraries_cut_2010_deficit

Starting in December the Walla Walla Library Network will debut an integrated library system called “Koha”.  Koha is the first open-source integrated system designed for libraries.  It will have a completely new online catalog for public use from home or at the library and will offer library users a lot of new features when searching for items, placing requests and managing their own accounts.  (Photo)

(Walla Walla Union Bulletin, 11.26.09)

A colorful bookmobile with shelves full of books and movies provides library services to rural areas of the Mid-Columbia Regional Libraries.  Kandi Massey of Pasco said she and her neighbors are concerned that if Pasco doesn’t renew its contract with Mid-Columbia Libraries, they’ll lose their bookmobile stop on Argent Road. (Tri-City Herald Online [Kennewick], 12.7.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/819980.html?story_link=email_msg

Buildings

Things and people are looking up at the $3.29 million dollar remodel of the Kirkland Library, a part of the King County Library System.  In addition to an expanded children’s area, added meeting rooms, an automated check in system and 4,000 square feet of additional space, the library features a “quiet room” with a glass art piece by glass artist Benjamin Moore.  (Photos)  (Kirkland Reporter, 11.25.09) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/kir/news/71632327.html

Construction of a town center that will house the Newcastle Library, part of the King County Library System, will proceed at a slower pace than originally planned.  In light of unfavorable market conditions, the project will be completed in phases.  The first phase, tentatively scheduled to get under way in July of 2010, includes the 11,100-square-foot library and 50 parking stalls.  (Daily Journal of Commerce [Seattle], 11.30.09)

Letters and Editorials

When I learned of the latest city council vote to go ahead with the library/police station land swap and building projects, I was shocked. I find it hard to believe the custodians of the public purse, whether paid staff or elected officials, think it is a good idea to go ahead with a massive building project when the city has a budget shortfall. (Westside Record-Journal [Ferndale], 11.25.09)

The Pasco city manager and council are working toward severely damaging the level of service our library provides. Cutting back on the amount of funding Pasco pays for library service could result in Pasco citizens having only what is available within the walls of the Pasco library and having to pay a fee to use any of the other Mid-Columbia libraries. (Photo) (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick, 11.25.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/letters/story/806444.html

The Seattle City Council wisely opted to minimize hefty cuts in library hours.  In a difficult economy, more people rely on library resources to find jobs and prepare for job interviews. Council members decided to reduce funding to the mayor’s office, to require employee furloughs and to use parking tickets as more of an overall revenue booster. (Seattle Times, 11.25.09) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2010347661_edit25budgets.html

People

Grays Harbor County Commissioners recently appointed Westport resident Tom Schaeffer to the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees. The board is the governing body for the Timberland Library District, which includes branches in Grays Harbor, Pacific, Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties. (Photo) (South Beach Bulletin [Westport], 11.19.09)

Linda Dunham has faithfully served the Grandview community as Library Director for many years.  But at the end of December she will retire to focus on other aspects of her life. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Blehyl Community Library hosted a meet and greet with the final three candidates for the job. (Photo) (Grandview Herald, 11.25.09)

James Morasch, system administrator at Whitman County Library was recognized for outstanding support of Whitman County Library during a special meeting of the Board of Trustees held November 10 in the Colfax Library. (The Eagle & Boomerang [Palouse], 11.26.09)

Awards

Eastern Washington University Library received a $9,600 award from the Renew Washington Grant Program of the Washington State Library to help support Eastern’s Project LAUNCH – Learning and Using New Career Help.  Project LAUNCH is a partnership between the library and career services to develop an online career resource guide.  [Editor’s note:  The grant was awarded by the Washington State Library using $400,000 funding the state receives from the federal Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and an additional boost from a $515,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation] (Cheney Free Press, 11.19.09)

The City of Omak will receive a grant for work on the public library, but the amount isn’t known.  The amount might be for the full $135,000 requested but will not be known until later in the month.  (The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle [Omak], 11.25.09)

 

Programs and Displays

A recent spaghetti feed and silent auction raised more than $2,100 for programs and materials at the Camas Public Library. The Oct. 3 dinner event was organized by the Friends & Foundation of the Camas Library and held at Liberty Middle School. (Camas-Washougal Post-Record [Camas], 11.17.09)

Those who crave the thrill of bidding and supporting their local library will find both at the North Bend Library, a part of the King County Library System, from Nov. 27 to Dec. 6 and at the Snoqualmie Library starting Nov. 30. The Friends of the North Bend Library is hosting a silent auction of some must reads.  This is the first of three silent auction the Friends of the North Bend Library plans to hold. (SnoValley Star [Issaquah], 11.19.09) http://snovalleystar.com/2009/11/19/friends-of-north-bend-library-plan-auction#more-5077

Tickets are still available to the world premiere of “Mrs. Miracle,” a TV movie based on a book by Debbie Macomber that is intended to become a future holiday classic. The premiere is a benefit event, with proceeds going to the Port Orchard Library, a part of the Kitsap Regional Library System, and in support of the South Kitsap High School Marching Band’s trip to this January’s Rose Bowl. (Photo) (Independent [Port Orchard], 11.27.09)

[This summary of library news was created by Bobbie DeMiero and Leanna Hammond of the Washington State Library Division of the Office of the Secretary of State.  It represents a selection of newspaper clippings about Washington libraries from all Washington newspapers received in the packets on the dates shown. For more information about any of these stories, contact Carolyn Petersen at 360.570.5560 or [email protected] ]