Library News

The Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees will honor retiring TRL Executive Director Jodi Reng at a public open house on Sunday October 18^th. Reng has served as executive director for six years and has spent nearly 20 years as the director of multi-branch library systems in Washington state and Minnesota.  (Nisqually Valley News [Yelm], 10.9.09)

The City of Quincy has $1 million earmarked for the construction of a new library.  It’s planning on applying for a Community Development Block Grant to acquire another $1 million.  However, the estimated total cost for the project is about $2.2 million.  Mayor Jim Hemberry told the City Council the city could consider applying to the state’s Local Option Capital Assistance Lending Program.  (The Wenatchee World, 10.11.09) http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/10/city-to-consider-asking-state-for-additional/#

The world’s oldest bookmobile, Pegasus, was the star at the national Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) Conference held at the Everett Holiday Inn.  Pegasus is a 1920s-era Ford and was the first bookmobile in Washington and the second in the West. Everett’s outreach librarian Theresa Gemmer hosted the conference, the first of the association’s annual conventions in the state.  More than 150 librarians from across the country and Canada attended the conference. (Photo) (The Daily Herald [Everett], 10.10.09) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091010/NEWS01/710109873

Congress has designated Oct. 24 as National Friends of the Library Day in recognition of the friends groups all across the country that have contributed so much to their communities.  The Friends of the Puyallup Public Library group has contributed over $50,000 to programs, art and furniture in the past five years.  In Puyallup, National Friends of the Library Day will be celebrated with a cake and coffee reception at the public library from 1-3 p.m.  (The Herald [Puyallup], 10.14.09)

The Nile Library, a part of the Yakima Valley Regional Library, will be closed until further notice due to road damage from last week’s massive landslide that buried State Route 410.  Library customers may use the Naches and Summitview branches in the meantime to check out and return materials.  Updates on the closure will be posted at www.yvl.org.  (Yakima Herald-Republic Online, 10.20.09)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/20/nile-library-to-remain-closed-until-further-notice

Letters & Editorials

On Nov. 3, citizens of Fife will be given the opportunity to vote on bringing library services to their city.  Libraries build a sense of community.  This vote should not be taken lightly.  (Fife Free Press, 10.8.09)

 

More than a year of free library service is being offered to the residents of Fife if they approve Proposition One to annex into the Pierce County Library System.  As soon as approval is certified they will be able to apply for and receive a Pierce County Library (PCLS) card, good at any PCLS branch.  The tax that pays for this will not be assessed until 2011. (Fife Free Press, 10.8.09)

 

The League of Women Voters supports free access to public library services.  In order that this access may be possible, we believe that, like schools and parks, ALL taxpayers should fund libraries.  The League strongly urges a “yes” vote to approve annexation into the Pierce County Library System.  (Fife Free Press, 10.8.09)

 

A yes vote for libraries is like money in the bank.  It’s a booklover’s nirvana. In this day and age, when just visiting a county park costs to enter, it’s nice to know that walking through the doors of a Sno-Isle library will not set you back a dime.  During these tough economic times, community library service is needed more than ever.  We support public libraries and favor a yes vote on Sno-Isle Libraries levy appearing on the general election ballot Nov. 3.  (Stanwood Camano News [Stanwood], 10.13.09)

November’s Proposition 1 is an easy yes vote for supporters to maintain the system-wide access to best-selling books and DVDs, meeting space, children’s story time, WiFi and more.  This community chose to have a library and picked a rate we had agreed on, but now, when more users join our tax pool, a 2001 law forbids the library system from receiving that increase in order to match the growing demand.  If Proposition 1 fails to partly restore the former rate, there will be ongoing reductions in open hours and services. For more information about Proposition 1 visit www.yeslibraries.com. {Whatcom County Library: editor’s note}  (Westside Record-Journal, 10.14.09)

Libraries are institutions that help set us apart from ignorant nations.  They protect our freedom to read, freedom of ideas and freedom of information.  As Walter Cronkite stated “Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”  We have a choice; please join me in voting YES on Proposition 1.  Yes to libraries!{Whatcom County Library: editor’s note}  (Westside Record-Journal, 10.14.09)

Whatcom County’s public library system dodges public forthrightness as it struggles to convince a skeptical electorate of the need for a proposed 29 percent property tax hike.  The county library system has failed to take action toward implementing transformative efficiency into its operations.  Vote “No” on the massive library tax increase if you believe the library needs to first put its antiquated operations in order before requesting more money. {Whatcom County Library: editor’s note}(Westside Record-Journal, 10.14.09)

Programs & Displays

Andrew Carnegie Live! As performed by humanities scholar George Dauler , a retired Presbyterian pastor from Ohio, has been presented at the Clark County Historical Museum, the Camas Public Library, and the Washington State University Vancouver.  (Photos)  (Columbian [Vancouver], 10.9.09) http://columbian.com/article/20091009/LIVING11/710099987/-1/LIVING

Mid-Columbia Libraries are joining libraries and groups around the globe in hosting story time events with Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  By listening to or reading the book, children will add to the national count for Read for the Record, an initiative by Jumpstart to raise awareness of early education and the importance of reading with young children.  (Photo) (The Outlook [Othello], 10.12.09) http://othellooutlook.com/?p=5378

The Vancouver Community Library, a member of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System, hosted two free 3-D modeling workshops using Blender software. The workshops teach kids how to create computer-generated characters for video games.  (Photo) (Columbian [Vancouver], 10.15.09)

The central characters in Deb Caletti’s books are teens and teen readers devour her books.  Caletti spoke about her craft and her books at Tacoma Public Library’s main library as part of Teen Read Week 2009.  (The News Tribune [Tacoma], 10.21.09)  http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/920506.html

When Becky Bell shapes her pottery she expresses how she felt as a girl walking through a Kansas cornfield with her father, or standing in a swirling snowstorm, or feeling warm candle wax collapse in her hands.  Although, as a blind woman, she can’t see the art she creates; Bell draws from a rich interior world built on life experiences.  She wanted other blind artists to have a chance to showcase their work and talked officials at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle to host its first art show.  The show, which closes at 4 p.m. Friday the 23^rd, features the work of 12 artists, mainly from Western Washington. (Photo) (The Seattle Times Online, 10.22.09) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2010113373_blindart22m.html

Reading and eating go together, but it’s not something librarians usually encourage. But with the Port Townsend Library’s newest program, food is on the menu. On Thursday, the library launched a new program highlighting local and online resources for making healthy eating choices. Called “Serving Up Resources for Healthy Eating,” the program started Thursday with a free, five-part course on food consumerism by Brwyn Griffin, outreach and education coordinator for the Food Coop. The Port Townsend Library has also cooked up a new food-related Web site, www.HealthyEatingLibrary.org, featuring links to sites that have passed muster with health officials and research librarians. (Peninsula Daily News Online, 10.23.09) http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091023/news/310239983#

Book Sales

The Friends of the Lopez Island Library need books in good condition to sell at the Friday, Nov. 27 Book Sale. The proceeds from the Book Sale benefit the library in many areas, including funding numerous children’s programs, author visits, purchasing needed equipment and supplies, and providing a scholarship for the summer intern position.   (Island’s Weekly Newspaper [Lopez Island], 10.13.09) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/isw/lifestyle/63899647.html

Economy/Hard Times

The start of a new month brought about a few changes in how Timberland Regional Library patrons borrow materials.  The days of lackadaisical late returns are gone, and some interlibrary loans will not cost patrons money.  The changes were approved by the TRL board in May as a means to cut costs and generate revenue during an economic downturn. In January 2010, patrons will also begin paying for pages printed off Timberland computers. (Photo) (Nisqually Valley News [Yelm], 10.9.09)

The local libraries may have to shut down additional hours and fire employees in order to meet next year’s budget.  The North Olympic Library System board meets today to talk about the budget and ways to balance it. The local library system faces a nearly 200-thousand dollar shortfall next year. (KONP.com, 10.22.09) http://www.konp.com/local/5199

[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] ]