Clippings – July 20, 2009

Library News

In preparation for the upcoming renovation at the Whitman County Library, the library will no longer accept donations of books, video and other materials because of anticipated space limits.  (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 7.2.09)

Encouraged by the popular success of Bluelight to Pucker Huddle, Friends of the Goldendale Community Library, a part of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, are completing work on a second book – a new, revised edition of Stories told by Early Pioneers of Klickitat Valley by Homer Townsend.  The group expects to have the book ready for publication this fall.  (The Enterprise [White Salmon], 7.2.09)

Pasco city officials discuss whether operating their own library would be cheaper than paying the Mid-Columbia Library System to do the job during a city council workshop Monday.  The council hopes to make a decision on the contract by November. (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.14.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/646268.html

About a year ago, the Everett Public Library began producing recordings that can be downloaded to computers and digital audio players. Included are some of the early recordings of local baseball commentators, who wrote flowery, often poetic prose, turning small-town baseball games into epic battles of historic proportion. (Photos) (The Herald Online [Everett], 7.15.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090715/NEWS01/707159708

Economy/Hard Times

The library board of trustees for the Ocean Shores Public Library has agreed to return $20,000 to the general fund in order to rescind a layoff.  The layoff came in an effort to ease the city’s ongoing budget crisis.  The decision to lay off a library worker angered many citizens, as more than a dozen testified at the last City Council meeting protesting the elimination of the library position.  (The Daily World [Aberdeen], 7.3.09)

The Sno-Isle Libraries will start offering free classes in the month of August geared to walk jobless workers through the hiring process.  The class topics were inspired by library patrons’ questions. (The Herald Online [Everett], 7.27.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090727/BIZ/707279942/1005#Job.hunters.Free.classes.at.Sno-Isle.Libraries

Buildings

The new Richland Public Library building has more space, light, and a history room.  It includes new books, tables, computers, windows, wiring, air ducts, plumbing pipes and bathrooms, just to name a few.  Library usage is expected to increase 25 to 50 percent because of the renovation. (Photo) (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.12.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/644267.html

People

Friends of the Yelm Library, a part of the Timberland Regional Library System, prepared a farewell party for library manager Kristin Blalack on Friday June 26.  She has been with the library for over 20 years. (Nisqually Valley News [Yelm], 7.3.09)

A lot has changed at Longview Public Library since Karen Dennis joined the staff in 1982. These days, librarians know as much about computers and the Internet as they do about the Dewey Decimal cataloging system, she said. But Dennis, who retires Friday, doesn’t believe the Internet will ever eliminate the need for libraries. (Photos) (The Daily News Online [Longview], 7.28.09) http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/07/29/area_news/doc4a6fb0d46141d988971591.txt

 

Awards

The Edwall Library will receive a variety of children’s picture books, easy readers, juvenile biographies, math and science books thanks to the efforts of the WIA (Women in Action) and a book grant from the Eugene, Oregon-based Libri Foundation and Hal and Laura Ackerman.  The total amount awarded is $1400.  (Davenport Times, 7.2.09)

The Mid-Columbia Libraries have installed 10 new computers with public internet access at several branches outside the Tri-Cities using a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The new computers, the first of 19 expected by the end of 2010, went to branch libraries in Basin City, Othello and Prosser.  (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.15.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/647439.html

[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] ]