Washington State Library News

Governor Christine Gregoire proposed cuts of $2 million in the next two-year budget cycle for the Washington State Library. While it may seem like a local story for Olympia, it really is local for the entire state. The cuts mean a loss of 31 jobs and elimination of work to preserve many of the state’s oldest historic documents, according to Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh. (Columbia Basin Herald [Moses Lake], 1.29.10) http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/02/09/politics/doc4b71f86ac7cb9293575117.txt

The Colfax Gazette and Pullman Herald are among eight newspapers and more than 42,000 historic papers recently contributed to Chronicling America by the Washington State Library.  People can read and research issues from the Colfax Gazette, Pullman Herald and other newspapers around Washington and the United State for free at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. “These historic newspapers are a rich resource for historians, genealogists and other researchers,” Said State Librarian Jan Walsh. (Lewiston Tribune Online, 2.3.10) http://www.lmtribune.com/blogs/2010/02/03/tribune-tattler/colfax-gazette-and-pullman-herald-in-state-library/

Library News

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council worked on a lot of issues pertaining to the town library when they met Tuesday.  The good news is that new Mayor George Wehrfritz has arranged for Architects Without Borders to undertake a project to create a long-range development concept for the library and adjacent town facilities.  The pro bono work would cost the town little or nothing.  The bad news is that because projects are already underway, there are a variety of needs that can get in the way of the start of a long-range planning process. (The Wahkiakum Co. Eagle [Cathlamet], 1.21.10) http://www.waheagle.com/news/article.exm/2010-01-21_council_works_on_library_issues

We know that returning library books on time is the right thing to do.  But until Timberland Regional Library System’s 27 branches in five counties began charging overdue fines last October, some patrons didn’t worry much about returning library materials a little – or a lot – late.  But since October 1, the risk of racking up 15 cents per day per overdue book or other item is spurring patrons to return them much more expeditiously.  (Photo) (The Vidette [Montesano], 1.21.10)

The staff at the Othello Library, a part of the Mid-Columbia Library System, definitely kept busy in December.  Circulation was up 22 percent from December 2008 and 49 percent from2007, especially video rentals.  “The AV circulation was up 34 percent from last year,” Corinne Field, community library supervisor said.  “There were a lot of people in the library.” (The Outlook [Othello], 1.21.10) http://othellooutlook.com/?p=8021

The East Adams Rural Library District No. 2 has received a generous donation from the Big Bend Chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. The generous donation, according to library director Robin Braun, is all three volumes of the “Volga Flows Forever.”  Braun noted that the novels are fascinating and available for checkout at the library in Ritzville. (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, 1.21.10)

The Timberland Regional Library District includes 27 libraries across Grays Harbor, Pacific, Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties.  Across the entire region, late check-ins have dropped by 60 percent, comparing the last three months of last year to the last three months of 2008.  During that same time period the library raised $80,597 in fines.  If that rate continues, the fines will bring in more than $322,000. (Photos) (The Daily World [Aberdeen], 1.22.10)

The Ellensburg Library was the city’s first public library when it opened on January 20, 1910.  Debby DeSoer, city library director, said “it’s pretty amazing” when you consider the huge number of people who have used city library services in the past 100 years and how it has touched people’s lives.  It’s also amazing, she said, to understand the large and varied amount of services available at the library. (Photo) (Daily Record [Ellensburg], 1.23.10) http://dailyrecordnews.com/news/article_57e6b26d-e64d-5314-a058-62cb74895f8f.html

The Port Angeles Library has volunteer opportunities that will allow students in grades 5 through 12 to earn service hours by helping at the library on Saturdays.  Three sessions for volunteers are scheduled: on Saturday and on February 27 and March 27.  Sign-up sheets are available at the youth services department. (Peninsula Daily News [Port Angeles], 1.27.10)

Do current operating hours for the Weller Public Library meet the needs of everyone in the community, including students and working adults? That was the question posed to library board members by the Waitsburg City Council Tuesday.  The discussion came on the heels of recent complaints that the library is not open when students and adults with regular working hours can check out books and use its computer to access the internet. (The Times [Waitsburg], 1.28.10)

The Kitsap Regional Library has announced it has put forth a balanced budget for 2010, despite increasingly low revenue. Though the library experienced one of its lowest revenue increases in years, its Board of Trustees was able to sufficiently curtail spending. (Bainbridge Island Review, 1.29.10)

Buildings

The Auburn Public Library, a part of the King County Library System (KCLS), is so busy that even on ordinary days every seat, hard and soft, has somebody in it. Space for more seats is one of the best things that will emerge from KCLS’s plans to renovate and expand the library. (Photo) (Auburn Reporter [Kent], 1.22.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/news/82268737.html

Letters & Editorials

Nearly three years ago, Sno-Isle Libraries stepped out with something new on Camano Island – a pilot project library.  An election has not been scheduled at this time, but in the future, Camano Island residents will have the opportunity to vote on a library bond measure to fund a permanent library on Camano Island and secure local library services.  (Stanwood Camano News, 2.2.10) http://www.scnews.com/news/2010-02-02/Editorial/On_the_future_of_the_Camano_Island_Library_Pilot_P.html

Last week the North Olympic Library System held a public presentation at the Forks Library.  According to statistics provided at the meeting on usage of the Fork Library, it is apparent that as the economy continues to falter the library is becoming more and more of a community asset. We support our library system, and we ask you to consider carefully the need in our community for our librarians and the collections, resources and facilities they oversee. (Forks Forum, 2.4.10)

People

Dan Davis, a resident of Glenrose, was recently appointed to the Spokane County Library District’s board of trustees by the board of county commissioners.  Davis’ term began on January 1 and will run through 2014. (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 1.14.10)

A new year brings changes at the local Coulee City Library, a part of the North Central Regional Library System. First you may notice a friendly face, Amanda Creswell.  Amanda is working at the library through the SL Start Program, a vocational program. (Photo) (News-Standard [Coulee City], 1.27.10)

Joyce Van Tuyl’s life work began in the 1950s when her local paper in Santa Clara County, California wrote about the lack of Braille texts for blind students.  She took a Braille transcript class and practiced two hours a day.  Two years later Joyce became the teacher. Joyce was 60 when she moved from California to take a job at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library. Even though Joyce will be 85 next fall, she is not retiring by choice, rather as a victim of severe state budget cuts.  (Photo) (Ballard News-Tribune Online, 2.8.10) http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2010/02/08/features/large-ballard-braillist

Awards

Three Snoqualmie Valley students won the North Bend Library, a part of the King County Library System, writing contest, getting themselves prestige and a $50 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Friends of the North Bend Library sponsored the contest. (SnoValley Star [Issaquah], 1.21.10) http://snovalleystar.com/2010/01/20/snoqualmie-valley-students-win-library%e2%80%99s-writing-contest

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization that works with various donors to distribute funds for community betterment projects, has awarded $98,000 in grants to the Ocean Shores Library to help keep it open.  Crystal Dingler, president of the Friends of the Library, said though the library’s future is still in limbo, she’s thankful that the community will be able to use it for at least a little longer. (The Daily World [Aberdeen], 1.27.10)

Several members of the Oroville Friends of the Library (FOL), a part of the North Central Regional Library System, appeared before the Oroville City Council to discuss grant opportunities for building a new library. Ellie Braman, president of the group, introduced Julie Ashmore, a professional grant writer who is donating her services to the cause of building a new library, something the FOL has been working on for the past several years. (Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune [Oroville], 1.28.10)

Polar Tankers and its parent company, ConocoPhillips, announced a $6,000 contribution to the Whatcom Community Foundation for a project to build a library in Ferndale. This donation makes Polar Tankers and ConocoPhillips one of the early corporate donors for the new public library, to be constructed on Main Street west of Ferndale City Hall. (Bellingham Herald, 1.29.10) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/689/story/1266893.html

The Columbia County Rural Library District added 78 new hardcover books to its children’s and young adult collection this winter.  The acquisition was made possible by a $1,400 grant from the Libri Foundation’s Books for Children program in cooperation with the Friends of the Dayton Memorial Library. (Photo) (Blue Mountain News [Dayton], 2.2010) http://bluemtnnews.com/feb10/briefs.html#you

Programs & Displays

The history of Everson, from its early beginnings in the 1800s, will be told in stories along with a slide show, on Saturday January 30 at the Everson McBeath Public Library, a part of the Whatcom County Library System. Lifelong resident Bud Iverson, 92, will show the slides and share his personal memories. (Photos) (Foothills Gazette [Maple Falls], 1.18.10)

The public is invited to view two rare film compilations from the Roslyn Library’s collection at a showing scheduled at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the library. The film showing is part of the Roslyn Library Movie Series. (Daily Record [Ellensburg], 1.21.10)

A time-honored librarian law was violated at the Cheney Library, a part of the Spokane County Library District, last Thursday when children’s librarian Christie Onzay encouraged kids to get up and make some noise. Using bubble wrap, rhythm sticks, straws, buttons and, of course, books, Onzay taught a group of elementary-aged children about the dimensions of sound as part of the Spokane County Library’s After School Specials Program. (Photo) (Cheney Free Press, 1.21.10)

Gardening author Debra Lee Baldwin will deliver the first presentation in the annual Jeane Thomson Gardening Lecture Series 1:30-2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 7 at the Anacortes Public Library. The series is in memory of Thomson, a special friend and board member of the library, and combines her two passions in life: books and gardening. (Anacortes American, 1.27.10)

Convert your nonproductive lawn into an edible garden and soon you’ll be able to “Eat Your Yard,” Presented by expert gardeners, this free series provides helpful methods for successfully turning your lawn into a food system. Programs are 6:45-8:15 p.m. Tuesdays through February 16 at the Anacortes Public Library. (Anacortes American, 1.27.10)

The Anacortes Public Library offers a series of computer training classes that are free and open to the public. Internet Techniques is 5:30 p.m. Thursday February 4. Beyond Google to the Invisible Web is 5:30 p.m. Thursday March 4. Questions?  Call the library at 293-1910, ext. 21. (Anacortes American, 1.27.10)

The Anacortes Public Library presents “Astronomy Series: The Cosmos and Our Place In It” 7 p.m. Wednesdays through February 10. Astronomy enthusiast Tom Churchill presents an updated six-part series featuring fantastic images from space along with up-to-date scientific interpretations from major astronomical/astrophysical institutions.  (Anacortes American, 1.27.10)

The Sequim branch of the North Olympic Library System starts its 2010 book discussion series at 2 p.m. Saturday February 6. The first selection is Tom Brokaw’s “The Greatest Generation.” Library staff member Martin Ralls will lead the discussion, relating the era of the “greatest generation” to those that followed. Preregistration is not required, and drop-ins are welcome. (Photo) (The Sequim Gazette, 1.27.10)

A new historical display now hangs in the Pioneer Room at the Omak Public Library and features the photos of librarians over the facility’s 99 years of operation. Volunteers from the Okanogan Valley Doll Club and the Pioneer Club worked on the project, gathering photos from the library and Okanogan County Historical Society. (Photo) (The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, 1.27.10)

Two artists from the Whidbey Island community have been selected to develop original artwork for the new Coupeville Library, a part of the Sno-Isle Library System. Greenbank sculptor Glen Russell has been commissioned to design a project for the library’s children’s area entrance; multi-media artist Daniel Sirak of Coupeville will create an original work for the library’s main entrance. (Whidbey News-Times [Oak Harbor], 1.30.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/community/82942222.html

Spokane County Library District and Spokane Public Library are sponsoring the community’s second “Big Read,” a countywide initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. The library district’s Big Read selection is Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” (Deer Park Tribune, 2.3.10)

Economy/Hard Times

The Spokane Public Library system has passed a milestone, one that may be a reflection of tough economic times. Late last month, the library system for the first time reached the 2 million mark in annual checkouts of books, compact discs and other circulation materials.  The library system ended the year with 2,014,756 checkouts, an increase of 5.6 percent over the 1.9 million items borrowed in 2008. The economic recession appears to have increased library usage across the country, and the trend can be seen in Spokane’s circulation numbers as well as attendance. (Photo) (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 1.15.10)

Two classes are now being offered by Whitman County Library’s Occupational Resource Connection program (WORC) to help residents in the process of a job search or those considering a career change. WORC classes are part of Renew Washington, a program funded by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. (The Eagle & Boomerang [Palouse], 1.28.10)

[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] ]