Clippings – August 24, 2009

Library News

The doors of the Camano Island Library will remain open for now.  The Sno-Isle Regional Libraries Board of Trustees unanimously voted to continue the Camano Island Library Pilot Project.  (Photo)  (Stanwood Camano News, 8.4.09) http://www.scnews.com/news/2009/0804/camano_scene/045.html

The City of Ferndale held a workshop for stakeholders to discuss the library design.  (Photo)  (Westside Record- Journal, 8.5.09)

The Library Elf, a free web-based service for keeping track of due, overdue and ready-for-pickup items is now offered at the Jefferson County Library.  (Peninsula Daily News [Port Angeles], 8.12.09)

Borrowing agreements could soon link four Skagit County libraries – Mount Vernon City Library, Burlington Public Library, Anacortes Public Library, and the La Conner Regional Library.  (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 8.12.09)

Economy/Hard Times

Whether it is story times, crafts, reading programs, or borrowing a free movie for family movie nights, the best deal in town can be found at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library.  Free library cards give families access to books, DVDs, audio books, magazines and newspapers, not to mention the Internet.

(Photos)  (Liberty Lake Splash, 8.6.09) http://www.libertylakesplash.com/news.asp?id=18710

 

To help customers get through some challenging economic times, Sno-Isle Libraries provides a countless number of free tools and resources, including a new web page dedicated to making life easier at work, home or play:  search for a job, get small business help, stay on a budget, plan some do-it-yourself home repair, or find free activities for the family and more.  (Photo)  (Stanwood Camano News, 8.11.09) http://www.scnews.com/news/2009/0811/news/049.html

Elections

The Renton City Council voted in favor of putting the issue of annexing the Renton Public Library to the King County Library System on the ballot in February.  The long-discussed idea was forced into action after the city faced a $6 million budget shortfall this year and as it prepares for millions in cuts next year.  (Photo)  (Renton Reporter [Kent], 8.7.09) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ren/news/52594722.html

The Sno-Isle Regional Libraries Board of Trustees has come up with more than $1.2 million in budget cuts for 2010 and will ask voters to consider a tax rate increase that would raise about the same amount next year.  Cuts approved for 2010 include a 3 percent salary cut for the top six highest-paid Sno-Isle employees and three other senior staff members.  There will also be a salary freeze for all other employees as well as cuts in spending on materials and equipment.  (The Daily Herald [Everett], 8.16.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090816/NEWS01/708169886

Buildings

Sunnyside Library, a part of the Yakima Valley Libraries, is making changes.  They are pruning books from their shelves, putting fiction all in one place, and removing shelving from the front where it is congested.  These projects are all part of a bigger project which will include resurfacing cracked sidewalks out front. 

(Photo)  (Daily News [Sunnyside], 8.5.09)

Letters & Editorials

I was simply astounded when I moved to this city (Ocean Shores) and realized that we were not part of the Timberland Library System, which serves 27 communities in five counties. I do not mean to diminish in any way the noble efforts of the library we do have but why do we continue to struggle with limited resources when a huge system like Timberland is available to us? (The Daily World [Aberdeen], 8.3.09)

As you may be aware, the Library Board of Trustees (Ocean Shores) agreed to a $20,000 give back to the City from the library book purchase budget in order to rescind the 2^nd staff person layoff.  We have now started a campaign to replace those funds with donations from the community.  (The North Coast News [Ocean Shores], 8.5.09)

I am writing in response to Don Higgins’ letter to the editor.  Mr. Higgins took issue with the fact that Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) has a main library, while other similarly-structured library systems in Washington do not.  FVRL’s Board of Trustees reaffirmed in April 2009 its belief in the effectiveness and efficiency of the service model on which current projects are based –a main library plus branch libraries.  The main library provides services and materials that are used by every branch. 

(Photo)  (The Reflector [Battle Ground], 8.5.09)

Quincy is hoping to build a new library here in town that will be three times the size of the current one.  The new location will be right down in the center of town.  The City of Quincy has been generous enough to set aside $1 million, library staff have applied for grants, and the Quincy Valley Library Foundation is accepting donations towards funding the new library.  (Quincy Valley Post, 8.6.09) http://qvpr.com/articles/correspondence-aug-6

I am very concerned about annexation of the library (Dayton Memorial Library).  If the annexation goes through the Columbia County Rural Library District will be its own entity.  No matter who is on the board, those five members will be the only ones who have the complete say-so on how the library will be run.  (Dayton Chronicle, 8.12.09)[editor’s note:  The annexation passed]

There has been a recent spate of inquiries as to why the Ocean Shores Library, which has always stayed within its budget, does not economize by joining the Timberland Library System.  The short answer is that belonging to Timberland would cost the taxpayers in Ocean Shores a great deal more money than they currently pay. Nonetheless, as a former Chair of the Ocean Shores Library Board of Trustees, I would like to recommend that Ocean Shores seriously consider joining Timberland.  (The North Coast News, 8.19.09)

When I first learned of the full-week closure of the Seattle Public Library, I assumed it would mean no physical access to branches or the Central Library, but that all the online services at its website would remain accessible.  Wrong.  The shut-down is all encompassing – there won’t even be access to the online catalog, which also means no placing holds on books, movies or music for pick-up later.  I’ d like to propose that SPL management reconsider shutting down the website for a couple of important reasons.  (Crosscut.com [Seattle], 8.26.09) http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/19066/

People

Waterville bookworms had the chance to meet Erik Brooks, a children’s book author and illustrator at the library on July 30. Brooks, who lives in Winthrop, read several of his books, including his first book “The Practically Perfect Pajamas.”  At the end of the presentation, it was time for children to add their contributions to a story which has made its rounds around the libraries in the North Central Regional Library System.  Brooks made a sketch of the page with the advice of the children.  He told them that he would go home and turn the sketch into a drawing, and then have the entire book on-line at www.erikbrooks.com for kids to read. (Photo) (Douglas County Empire Press [East Wenatchee], 8.6.09)

Yelm Timberland Library has hired Mike Wessell as the new branch manager.  (Photo)  (Nisqually Valley News [Yelm], 8.7.09)

The five-county Timberland Regional Library has begun the search for a new executive director. Jodi Reng has announced she will retire Oct. 22.  She has held the job since November 2003.  Michael Crose, the district’s administrative manager, said the district will convene a search committee to manage the nationwide search for Reng’s successor. The new director, the fifth in the district’s 40-year history, should be in place by February or March, he said.  An interim director is scheduled to be named next month. (The Olympian Online, 8.27.09) http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/951657.html

Awards

The Metalines Community Library, a part of the Pend Oreille County Library District, received a $3,500 grant from the Washington State Library’s Rural Heritage Project to digitize historic photos.  Photos in the collection represent life in the area from the 1900s, including images of many of the region’s earliest settlers and their families.  (Photo)  (Newport Miner, 8.12.09)  [Editor’s note:  grant awarded by the Washington State Library using federal, LSTA funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services]

Programs and Displays

Lukas the German shepherd has an important job at La Conner Regional Library.  He listens carefully when children read aloud to him.  His official title is Reading Buddy Dog.  Lukas has been specially trained for his work in reading therapy.  Lukas is at the library each Tuesday from 10 to 11 a.m. and listens by appointment only. Children can sign up for a private 10-minute session with Lukas at the library.  (Photo) (La Conner Weekly News, 8.5.09)

The Blanche Bradley Memorial Library Foundation (Cathlamet Public Library) will kick off a fundraising event with a literary evening on August 29.  Writers Diane Stockhouse and Donna Klint will be featured along with music from Andrew Emlen.  Appetizers and wine will be served and proceeds from the ticket sales will support the libraries programs.  (The Wahkiakum Co. Eagle [Cathlamet], 8.6.09) http://www.waheagle.com/2/comm.html

On exhibit at the Woodinville Library, a member of the King County Library System, is a unique display of driftwood art created by members of the driftwood sculpture class. The pieces on display represent a wide variety of form, wood grain, color, size and style. The exhibit is on display through the month of August. (Photo) (North Lake News and Woodinville Weekly, 8.10.09) http://nwnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1887%3Adriftwood-art-on-display-at-woodinville-library&Itemid=23

Summer Reading

Children’s librarian Mickey Gallagher has a pretty good idea of how to inspire young people to pick up a book.  This year, Gallagher told students in 10 of the area’s schools that he would dye his hair pink if at least 1,801 kids signed up for the “Be Creative at Your Library” summer reading program. The summer reading program this year hit a new record with 2,136 young readers.  Last week, Gallagher sported his new hairdo for the first time at the Mill Creek Library, a member of Sno-Isle Libraries.  (Photo) (The Herald Online [Everett], 8.24.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090824/NEWS01/708249860

Book Sales

Orcas Library Fair hosts thousands of locals and visitors.  The event is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Library; in previous years it has brought in around $20,000, which goes to the library.  The book sale at the event brings in about $15,000.  Some of the money goes to a capital project fund and the rest goes to the library.  (Photos)  (The Island Sounder [Eastsound], 8.5.09) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/isj/lifestyle/52218407.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] ]