Washington State Library News

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed was in White Salmon Friday, May 14, taking a tour of the White Salmon Community Library and meeting with White Salmon librarian Jennifer Hull.  Reed has a professional interest in libraries, as the Secretary of State’s office oversees the Washington State Library.  (Photo)  (The Enterprise, (White Salmon) 5.20.10)

Library News

A city (Spokane) library branch faces closure at the end of the year as a result of Mayor Mary Verner’s proposed 2011 budget.  Verner on Wednesday announced her strategy to deal with an expected $10 million shortfall.  While most departments would be scaled back 2.85 percent, libraries would be cut twice that amount.  Verner said libraries were given a larger cut because public safety is more important to the citizens.  (Spokesman Review, 5.13.10) http://www.spokesman.com/2010/may/13/stories/

The Anacortes Public Library became the first to have reciprocal borrowing agreements with all five other libraries in Skagit County.  Cynthia Harrison, Anacortes library director, has been working with officials at the Sedro-Woolley Library and the Upper Skagit Library District to draw up agreements with both.  Monday night the Anacortes City Council approved the reciprocal borrowing agreements with the two districts.  (Skagit Valley Herald, (Mount Vernon) 5.17.10)  http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/anacortes_could_form_ties_with_all_skagit_libraries/

For the first time in six years, Timberland Regional Library has initiated a total upgrade of its online circulation and catalog system.  Jeff Kleingartner, TRL communications manager, said the library’s last few weeks have been busy and productive.  “In the last month, we’ve introduced a new website, have launched pages on Facebook and Twitter and now we have a new computer system.  So, there’s been a lot of technology upgrades for the library in a short amount of time.”  (Chinook Observer, (Long Beach) 5.19.10)

Patrons of the Seattle Public Library can now reserve books, text a librarian and get information about library programs on the go!  The Seattle Public Library now offers a free application (app) featuring the library’s other online services.  The app, called SPL Mobile, was developed in partnership with and is powered by Boopsie.  SPL Mobile is compatible with all major smart phone software, including the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian and J2ME.  (Seattle Medium, 5.19.10)

http://www.seattlemedium.com/news/article/Article.asp?NewsID=103179&sID=13&Search=YES

Go ahead and take your best shot – the Stevens County Library District (SCLD) is implementing a survey as part of their Strategic Plan to see how the library system can improve and what patrons like about it already.  The one-page survey is available online at www.scrld.org or can be obtained at one of the district’s nine locations.  Surveys can be completed through the month of June.  ((Statesman-Examiner, (Colville) 5.19.10)

The Ritzville Library District No. 2 Board of Trustees met the night of May 10 with a crowd of at least 12 concerned citizens.  Several Ritzville citizens and two district employees voiced concern about what appeared to be missing books and the process by which those books were discarded.  Robin Braun, library director, said “We have actually purged as of today 1,357 books which represents six percent of our entire collection.  Braun explained why libraries purge, or weed their collections.  The board approved a motion to put a moratorium on physically discarding books to continue the purging process until a firm policy addressing the purged items is developed and adopted.  (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, (Ritzville) 5.20.10)

A long-time local resident has been named the new Soap Lake librarian.  Jeri Hernandez, a substitute at the Soap Lake Public Library since 2007, replaces Donna Huesties, who retired in April.   (Photo)

(Grant County Journal, (Ephrata) 5.20.10)

The Odessa Public Library is making eAudiobooks available to its customers through OCLC NetLibrary.  A popular format, eAudiobooks allow library users to listen to materials on-the-go.  The audiobooks can be checked out from the website, 24/7 and is user friendly.  eAudiobooks can be accessed and downloaded via the Odessa Public Library’s eBook site.  (Odessa Record, 5.20.10)

An agreement that will provide Pasco with library services for the next decade is almost completed.  The Mid-Columbia Libraries board unanimously approved a proposed 10-year contract with the city of Pasco during a special meeting Monday.  (Tri-City Herald, (Kennewick) 5.25.10)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/05/25/1027913/mid-columbia-libraries-ok-proposed.html

Patrons, especially those who are vision impaired, will have more options when they next visit the Burlington Public Library.  A $1,500 donation in March from the Burlington Lions Club and Burlington Eagles Auxiliary helped the library purchase an audio-book subscription that will be available to anyone with a library card.  (Photo) (Skagit Argus, (Burlington) 5.25.10)

Creating a Cowlitz County regional library district would be more expensive than the existing library system, according to a Government Summit subcommittee, which recommends abandoning the idea.  The purpose of the summit, which first convened in March 2009, is to explore consolidating local government services to cut costs.   (Longview Daily News, 5.26.10) http://tdn.com/news/local/article_7d1a31aa-6951-11df-888e-001cc4c002e0.html

Buildings

A crowd gathered beside soft yellow walls glowing with the touch of elongated sun rays Wednesday evening for a sneak peak of the newly renovated Federal Way Regional Library. The library, located at 34200 1^st Way S., has been closed for renovations since March 2009.  It’s scheduled to reopen to the public June 5.  (Photo) (Federal Way Mirror, 5.15.10)  http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/fwm/news/93739424.html

An old-fashioned wall-raising event took place on Friday, May 14 at the site of the new library in Kendall, next to the Kendall Fire Station.  Library staff and 14 volunteer builders welcomed the truckload of wall sections, pre-built by Louws Tress in Ferndale.  Under the guidance of volunteer project manager, retired contractor Scott Swanson of Glacier, the walls were raised within four hours.  (Photo) (Foothills Gazette, (Maple Falls) 5.17.10)

Construction activity is in full swing on Vancouver’s $38 million public library on the southeast corner of C Street and Evergreen Boulevard in the downtown core.  Officials expect the library to open in June 2011 to replace the longtime man branch at 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd., a city-owned site the district would like to continue using for administrative offices.  (Photo) (Columbian, (Vancouver) 5.20.10)

The Connell branch of Mid-Columbia Libraries has been renovated to accommodate increased library usage.  The library now has a larger children’s area, refreshed book collections, and a larger space for public internet computers.  The library also has a fresh coat of paint to brighten the interior.  (Photo)

(Franklin County Graphic, (Connell) 5.20.10)

Letters & Editorials

Bill Maxwell’s editorial on the role of libraries in the digital world (Skagit Valley Herald, May 4) states that “libraries must adapt or die” in light of the digital age.  Maxwell sounds woefully ignorant of the role libraries have played for decades in actively offering digital content to all.  (Skagit Valley Herald, (Mount Vernon) 5.13.10)  http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/letters_to_the_editor_may_13_2010/

I was disappointed to read that the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District will ask voters to approve a 32 percent increase in their levy rate to generate a 20 percent, or $3 million, annual increase in property tax revenues. (“Library district to ask voters to increase levy lid,” May 12).  (Columbian, (Vancouver) 5.15.10)

Claims of the looming demise of libraries, books and yes, newspapers, have been greatly exaggerated.  The fact is that library usage and book demand are strong throughout the area and show no signs of weakening.  People, including young people, are reading books and finding enjoyment in the process.   The Board of Trustees for the Fort Vancouver Library District, which operates Libraries in four counties in southwest Washington, has concluded that most of its libraries need more space, and some need a lot more space.   (The Reflector, (Battleground) 5.19.10)

We are fortunate to have multiple libraries in Federal Way.  Federal Way citizens will experience an extra treat when the Federal Way Regional Library reopens in early June after a remodel, expansion and two difficult years of national and local economic hardship.  (Federal Way Mirror, 5.19.10)

I most assuredly agree we need a library in Ocean Shores.  Personally, I appreciate the friendliness and community atmosphere that our own library represents to the community.  (The North Coast News, (Ocean Shores) 5.19.10)

A resolution to add a ballot issue to the August 17 election to fund the Ocean Shores library was passed 7 to 0, at the 5.10.10 Council meeting.  The measure requests a levy of .22 cents per thousand of assessed value, 2011-2012.  (The North Coast News, (Ocean Shores) 5.19.10)

I want to compliment our Mid-Columbia Library System.  I am a frequent patron of the services our library offers, from DVDs to downloaded audiobooks (I even check out a book now and then).  (Photo)

(Tri-City Herald, (Kennewick) 5.20.10)

I am responding to your article regarding Sno-Isle Libraries Internet pornography policy.  In it you mentioned that the Sno-Isle Internet use policy requires filtering for those 17 and younger.  My family and I will be very grateful if the Sno-Isle Libraries will provide a safe environment by changing the policy to establish Internet filtering on all computers.  (Stanwood Camano News, 5.25.20)

http://www.scnews.com/news/2010-05-25/Letters_to_the_Editor/Pornography.html

Programs & Displays

Teenage writers and artists expressed their creativity through original poetry, short story and drawing in Pierce County Library System’s Teen Writing & Drawing Contest, “Our Own Expressions.”  The winning authors and artists will showcase their work on June 2 at 7 p.m. at Pacific Lutheran University, Lagerquist Concert Hall.  (Tacoma Weekly, 5.13.10)

A local resident took top honors in Liberty Lake Municipal Library’s recent poetry contest.  The finalist’s prizes included printing of the original poems in The Splash.  (Liberty Lake Splash, 5.20.10)

http://www.libertylakesplash.com/news.asp?id=19600

[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] ]