Washington State Library News

The Washington State Library recently contributed another 23,000 historic newspaper pages from seven newspapers to “Chronicling America,” making Washington State’s contribution to the program a total of 23 papers and over 115,000 pages.  (Tacoma Daily Index, 9.27.10) http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1846116&more=0

Library News

A lawsuit brought by Larry Bolan was part of a larger discussion the Grandview City Council had last night about finding new legal services following the retirement of long-time city attorney Jack Maxwell. Bolan alleges that the city took illegal action back in 1996 when he says it transformed the library board into an advisory group.  As a result, he is challenging the legality of the city’s library agreement with YVCC.  (Photo)  (Daily News (Sunnyside), 9.15.10) http://www.sunnyside.net/ARCHIVES/Story.aspx/19307/city-of-grandview-mulls-legal-options

The {Walla Walla} County Rural Library District Board Tuesday approved an offer to reimburse the city of Walla Walla for library services to rural residents.  But while the offer would pay the city $188,408 per year for the next two years, it comes with several conditions, including one calling for a consultant to look over library services throughout the county to sort out just who should pay for what.  The current contract expires at the end of this year.  (Union-Bulletin (Walla Walla), 9.15.10) http://union-bulletin.com/stories/2010/09/15/rural-library-board-oks-deal-with-city

Julie Ashmore appeared before the Oroville City Council at their Tuesday, Sept. 7 meeting to discuss various funding schemes for a new library building and to ask for approval of a funding application to the state.  The council gave their okay to make an application for funding for a new library building with the added incentive of creating new jobs, while offering family literacy services.  (Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune (Oroville), 9.16.10)

A recent online survey was conducted by the City of Liberty Lake in its quest to patch a projected budget shortfall.  City leaders say that while they have pared back the city’s general budget in recent years – $1.3 million since the beginning of 2008 – the cuts haven’t been enough to stabilize the city in a sinking economic climate. Participants in the online survey ranked the Liberty Lake Municipal Library as the second-lowest priority.  “I think the city should discontinue providing services that the private sector already provides, i.e. . books,” one participant wrote. (Photo)  (Liberty Lake Splash, 9.16.10)

The new library building Port Orchard covets could conceivably be funded entirely by the Kitsap Regional Library – depending on how long the city is willing to wait for it.  “If our levy is approved in November, we would have the money to pay for the whole library by 2018: KRL spokesman Jeff Brody said in a meeting with the Port Orchard Independent’s editorial board on Sept. 10. (Independent (Port Orchard), 9.17.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/poi/news/103065309.html

An anonymous donor has given $500,000 to the Seattle Public Library Foundation if it can raise a matching amount.  On Wednesday, the foundation kicks off its “Help Us Make $1 Million for the Library” campaign, and it’s confident the match will be made.  The money from the donation will likely go to buy books and materials and assist the library’s homework-help program.  (Seattle Times, 9.22.10) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012959352_library22m.html

Buildings

The Omak library, a part of the North Central Regional Library System, will close from Sept. 23-Oct. 27 for installation of a new roof, windows, insulation and lighting; heating and cooling upgrades; handicap accessibility and restroom work.  New carpet, donated by Home Depot, will be installed during the remodel, city Public Works Director Jim Miller said. During the closure, Omak residents may use the Okanogan Public Library. (Okanogan County Chronicle (Omak), 9.15.10)

Archbishop Alex J. Brunett will bless the newly renovated and expanded Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at Seattle University on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 11:30 a.m.  The largest capital project in the school’s history, the $55-million renovation is the “centerpiece in the transformation of Seattle University,” said S.U. President Jesuit Father Stephen Sundborg. (Photo) (Catholic Northwest Progress (Seattle), 9.16.10) http://www.seattlearch.org/FormationAndEducation/Progress/AroundArchdiocese09-16-10.htm

Elections

By next May, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District users will start to see library hours restored to 2008 levels and have a greater selection of books and other items to enjoy, due to passage of a district-wide library levy lid-lift measure August 17.  The primary ballot measure received 50.28 percent approval library district-wide. (The Skamania County Pioneer (Stevenson), 9.15.10)

As the economy faces difficult times, people are using Libraries of Stevens County more often.  With this increased usage, they cannot maintain the same level of service and have proposed a raise in the levy rate to increase their revenues.  The Libraries of Stevens County Board of Trustees have placed a levy lid lift proposition on the Nov. 2 general election ballot to raise the library levy rate on property taxes from 39 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to 50 cents per $1,000 which is the maximum amount libraries can collect.  (The Independent, (Chewelah) 9.16.10)

Letters & Editorials

Regarding the column, in the last edition of the Mill Creek View, on “No tax increase for new public works building,” (page 3).  In 2012, there could be another library levy put to the voters to build a library in spite of the fact that our current library is totally paid for. A new library would have the citizens of Mill Creek paying an amount equal to half of what we pay to run the entire city for a year.  (Millcreek View, 9.2010)

Thanks for Eric Francis’ great feature on Leo Osborne (page D1, Sunday, Aug. 29). If you’d like to see a piece of Osborne’s work without driving to Puyallup, come visit the Burlington Public Library, where we’re proud to display “The Guide,” which was purchased with donated funds when the library was built in 2006. (Skagit Valley Herald (Mount Vernon), 9.8.10)

I started to write a detailed letter about the beautiful library Ritzville is lucky to have and why not to change it.  I am thinking about what is going on and I realize the awful truth, that it already is happening and two-thirds of the town have no idea.  I felt a more to the point approach would be better.  No one has told the town folk that the Elite Committee people have already sold it down river.  (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, 9.16.10)

Jennifer Larsen’s most recent article “RPDA offers more space, accessibility in library relocation proposal,” perplexed me very much.  I had not realized that the library was in such dire straits, and needed to have some of the library functions removed to the old Brunswick pool hall building, now called the Ritzville Business Center.  Specifically what functions would be moved?  (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, 9.16.10)

Having been Friends of the Silverdale Library for almost 40 years, we can tell you that our Kitsap Regional Library system has served our local community and all of Kitsap County with an outstanding array of information services.  And they have provided it without asking for increased funding for years.  Please vote “yes” on your ballot this fall to support our libraries.  (Bremerton Patriot, 9.17.10)

I’ve had a library card for as long as I can remember.  Throughout my life, whenever I wanted to learn about something new, I went to the library.  As I was on my way home this afternoon, something prompted me to turn into the parking lot of the Covington library. Having obtained a library card and checked out my first batch of books, I guess I can say that I am officially planted here for now.  I am home. (Covington-Maple Valley Reporter (Kent), 9.17.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/cmv/entertainment/102556874.html

It is time for every person in our community who uses and appreciates the Bellingham Public Library to join the effort to preserve this essential service in a viable form.  Cuts to the library budget in 2009 and 2010 totaled more than $546,000, resulting in the loss of eight positions, decreased open hours and fewer materials.  Now more cuts are planned, putting additional jobs, books and hours of access at risk.

(Bellingham Herald, 9.17.10) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/09/14/1619224/urges-support-for-bellingham-public.html

When representatives of the Kitsap Regional Library came to visit us last week . I wasn’t really expecting to get a news story out of it.  But that was before KRL spokesman Jeff Brody offhandedly mentioned that the district would be willing to offer Port Orchard the same deal other communities served by the district are getting – full, rather than partial, funding of its planned new library – if the city were willing to wait eight years instead of four to get it.  (Independent (Port Orchard), 9.17.10)

Recently the Bainbridge Public Library (BPL) received a wonderful surprise – a legacy bequest from the estate of Ed Doremus, a long-time island resident and lover of books and reading.  As a final gesture of support to our library, Ed chose to leave a legacy donation to BPL.  It is caring islanders like Ed who keep our island treasure a thriving centerpiece for the community.  (Bainbridge Island Review, 9.17.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/opinion/letters/103165934.html

People

A Discovery Elementary librarian was recently awarded the Outstanding Teacher-Librarian Award.  Thomas Garrard received the Teacher-Librarian Award from the Washington Library Media Association.  The award is in recognition for outstanding professionalism, planning and teaching skills, leadership and for library advocacy.  (The Mukilteo Beacon, 9.15.10) http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/schools/news/article.exm/2010-09-15_discovery_librarian_receives_award

Programs & Displays

Technology Tuesdays started in February.  Marilyn Neumiller, associate director of the North Central Regional Library, teaches the same five-class series, one topic a week: basic computer skills, word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and Internet research.  Every class is different, depending on the skills of the people who attend and what they want to learn. (Photos)  (The Wenatchee World, 9.15.10) http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/sep/15/wenatchee-library-helps-people-gain-needed-skills/

An exhibit about the history of space exploration will be hosted by the Port Angeles Library from this coming Thursday to Dec. 2.  “Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery” will use drawings and diagrams made by Galileo and other early astronomers along with contemporary images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and other space missions to show how our view and understanding of the universe and the objects within it have changed over the centuries.  (Peninsula Daily News (Port Angeles), 9.19.10)

How do you spell “sesquipedalian”?  Don’t cheat and stare at the word too long.  If you can rattle off that one correctly then you might want to consider the first-ever adult spelling bee organized by the Everett Public Library on October 8 at the Everett Performing Arts Center.  The library is recruiting teams of three people for its Spelldown.  It’s $100 to register a team and free to attend.  (The Daily Herald Online (Everett), 9.29.10) http://heraldnet.com/article/20100928/NEWS01/709289920

[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] ]