Newest Library on the Block
Since I was traveling all over the state and was going to be within 1 hour of Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (CRCC) I decided to stop in and get a look at the biggest and newest library branch of the Washington State Library. CRCC also has the pleasure of having two staff members and soon there will be three, but truthfully they need it. The library is the only one in the state that is a combination of a “public” library and a law library which is unique for us. It can also have up to 96 inmates inside at any given time. Airway Heights Corrections Center is the next largest with 50 inmates. I was only there for a couple of hours, but it was enough to see that having a room full of that many inmates keeps you busy.
The set up is also very nice, as the staff had a lot of input as the library was being built. There is a clear view of the whole room and the desk is functional and placed in a good location, which cannot be said for all the libraries. Also as the library is brand new, so are all of the books, nothing was used, worn, or damaged which is not something I am use to seeing in a library. However, the best part of all was that CRCC has the new computer system, which we all will be upgrading to soon. I found it easy to work with and very user friendly, so I am definitely looking forward to the new system.