Clippings – July 29, 2009

Library News                                                                            

On August 18th, voters in the city of Dayton will decide whether to annex the city into the Columbia County Rural Library District (CCRLD). If the annexation measure is approved, property owners in the city will pay property taxes to the Library District at the same rate as county tax payers, starting in 2010   (Blue Mountain News [Dayton], June 2009.) http://www.bluemtnnews.com/june09/briefs.html#library1.

The Columbia County Rural Library District recently installed two new public-use computer desks in the Dayton Memorial Library. The desks feature recessed monitors and pull-out keyboards. The four computers the library owns for public use have been installed in the new desks.  (Blue Mountain News [Dayton], June, 2009.)  http://www.bluemtnnews.com/june09/briefs.html

Renton Police were continuing to look for the two apparently transient young men who broke into the downtown Renton Library early morning June 24, ransacking the library’s office and raiding the refrigerator in the staff lounge. Anyone with information about these two suspects is asked to call 911. (Renton Reporter [Kent], 7.3.09)

The Puyallup Public Library is staying in touch with residents of Puyallup and providing periodicals they ask for.  There are adult selections in addition to children’s, teen, Spanish, Korean, Chinese and even Readers Digest in large print.  Coming soon the New York Times will be delivered daily. The other 38 new titles will cover topics such as health, dogs, the environment, sports, gardening, parenting, astronomy, knitting and crochet, aeronautics, history, computers, politics, home renovation and cooking.  (The Herald [Puyallup], 7.8.09)

The Coupeville library, a part of the Sno-Isle Library System, is kicking off a remodeling and expansion project that will give library users more elbow room.  The project is expected to be completed by spring 2010, and will add 3,400 square feet to the current facility.  Voters approved the $2.3 million bond in 2008, which will fund the remodel and expansion.  (The Whidbey Examiner [Coupeville], 7.8.09)  http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=2715&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=&S=1

 

Newborns will continue to receive books as a birth present from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation thanks, in part to a $10,000 grant from the Qwest Foundation.  “Hello, Baby” cloth book bags are distributed through the Southwest Washington Medical Center and Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, as well as more than 40 clinics and other organizations, including all branches of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library.  The Library District introduced the “Hello, Baby” program to help young parents understand the importance of early brain development.  (Photo)  (The Reflector [Battle Ground], 7.8.09)

 

About 400 people crowded into the lobby of the newly expanded and renovated Richland Public Library to mark its opening after an 18-month construction project.  Official heralded the $17 million renovation as a testament to the community’s wherewithal. (Photo) (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.18.09)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/650847.html

 

Because of budget cutbacks, the Seattle Public Library will be closed from August 31-September 7.  Recessionary reading habits for Seattle Public Library fiction readers includes these top five most-requested titles:  Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See; Finger Lickin’ Fifteen, by Janet Evanovich;  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith; The Scarecrow, by Michael Connelly; and The Angel’s Game, by Carolos Ruiz Zafon.  (Photo)  (Seattle Times, 7.27.09)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009542755_litlife27.html

 

Buildings

The City of Liberty Lake learned a lesson in the benefits of retrofitting last year after a $9.8 million bond vote failed resoundingly at the ballot box.  The funds would have supported construction of a new library and city center.  After the unsuccessful vote, the city regrouped and purchased a 37,400-square-foot warehouse to the east of the proposed construction site.  The new Liberty Lake library is housed in a building once occupied by a manufacturing company.  (Photo)  (Valley News Herald [Spokane], 7.3.09)

In May, 2006, Richland voters approved a $17.25 million bond to construct a bigger building at the library site.  It was a great decision.  The new building will house $60,000 in new books with room to spare.  There will be twice as many study tables than at the former building, with 70 new computers and a Wi-Fi network four times more robust than what was available at the previous site.  Richland’s library is now beautiful, spacious and inviting.  (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.17.09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinions/story/649752.html

A bid invitation has been listed for the Ft. Vancouver Library District’s Vancouver Community Library.  Phase 2 bid packages.  Construction is to begin in August 2009.  (Daily Journal of Commerce [Seattle], 7.23.09)

Letters & Editorials

I applaud the goal of the Friends of the Library to enhance the educational environment of our community.  The expansion of the current library facility to include a conference room and quiet study spaces is a great place to start.  Adult students in the Grand Coulee Dam area would benefit from an addition to our library, including study carrels and a conference room, where they could meet with other students, pursue online classes, and take proctored tests.  (The Star [Grand Coulee], 7.8.09)

We had a dream, those of us who brought the Ocean Shores Library into being – a dream that a very special kind of person who would choose to live in Ocean Shores would require a quality library.  Those who assume that the library is just a pet project of the Friends of the Library have a very seriously limited knowledge of the present potential and use of the Ocean Shores Library.  (The North Coast News [Ocean Shores], 7.8.09) 

I think it is in the best interests of people of Pasco, especially children and teachers, to continue our cooperation with the Mid-Columbia Library System.  (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 7.20.09)  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinions/letters/

Awards

The Whitman County Library’s Rural Heritage  project has received an $8,500 grant.  The grant will be used to expand online digital collections being developed by the library district.  The project is a collection of local historic photographs, documents and information that are being digitized and placed online by library staffers and volunteers.  The grant was funded by the Library Services and Technology Act through the Federal Institute of Museums and Library Services.  (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 7.9.09)

Summer Reading

“Be Creative @ Your Library” is the theme for both the Columbia County and Walla Walla County Library Districts. Special programs are planned throughout the summer to both entertain and instruct kids in various creative pursuits. The Dayton Memorial Library will offer programs in drama, sculpting, yoga, dance and storytelling along with contests and daily question activities. For the first time, Dayton teenagers can participate in a special teen program complete with its own activities, contests and incentive prizes. (Blue Mountain News [Dayton], June, 2009)  http://www.bluemtnnews.com/june09/briefs.html#becreative

Economy/Hard Times

Reference librarians at Sno-Isle Libraries started noticing a trend during the last year: Library visitors weren’t asking about Cliff Notes and research papers.  They wanted to know how to use computers to find jobs.  That’s the reason behind a series of free classes starting next month at library at the Sno-Isle system.  Geared to walk jobless workers through the hiring process, the classes have titles such as Facing the Healthcare Crisis and Employer Research for Jobseekers.  (The Daily Herald [Everett], 7.27.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090727/BIZ/707279942

[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] ]