Washington State Library News

The Letters About Literature contest encourages young readers to write letters to their favorite authors, living or dead.  The contest for schoolchildren and those who are homeschooled began in September throughout the state.  Entries for this year’s contest must be postmarked by Dec. 10.  The state winners will be announced in March 2011.  The contest is sponsored by the Washington State Library and Office of the Secretary of State, the Center for the Book, Library of Congress and Target stores.  (Sentinel [Goldendale], 11.17.10) http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/features/2010features/11-17-10_features.html

Library News

More than 230 pounds of sausage, 50 pounds of sauerkraut, five gallons of applesauce and a mountain of rye break will be served to hungry visitors at Endicott’s annual German dinner Sunday afternoon in the school cafeteria.  Unlike usual years, where funds were saved for the future building of a community center, this year’s proceeds will be donated to help fund a remodel of the town’s library. (Photo) (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 11.4.10)

The March photo is one of 12 depictions of Whitman County barns included in a 2011 calendar now being sold in the county.  Proceeds from the calendar will be given to the county Library. The photo calendar was put together by WSU extension crop specialist Steve Van Vleet who takes pictures of barns as he drives the farm-barn-dotted expanse of Palouse while making his rounds. (Photo) (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 11.4.10)

If students at Sedro-Woolley High School are not allowed to swear in the class, the hallway or the lunch room, can they read profane language in a book for educational purposes?  Parents, teachers and the school district’s board grappled with that question Monday evening while discussing the merits and problems found in M.T. Anderson’s science fiction novel “Feed.”  (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 11.9.10) http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/school_board_places_restrictions_on_use_of_book/

Friends of the Woodland Community Library are selling historical photo calendars for $15. All proceeds will benefit Woodland Library programs and projects. (Columbian [Vancouver], 11.17.10) http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/nov/17/in-your-neighborhood/

The fate of the Stevens County Law Library has pitted public officials against each other over how the library should be funded, where it should be available, and who can use it.  While no resolution about any of the online law library subscriptions was made at the Nov. 1 meeting, a decision was made to continue the public discussion on Dec. 7.  (Deer Park Tribune, 11.17.10)

More than a century of Seattle Times coverage is now available for viewing through the Seattle Public Library. The library now offers free access to digitized copies of The Times’ historical archives dating back to 1900. The entire archive is searchable and anyone with a library card can print out, magnify and digitally save an unlimited number of pages. (Seattle Times, 11.24.10) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013517865_archives25.html

Elections

Langley won’t be going without its library, thanks to city voters.  Residents overwhelmingly approved annexation to the Sno-Isle Libraries District in Tuesdays General Election.  Annexation would take effect in 2012.  (South Whidbey Reporter [Langley], 11.6.10)

With passage of the August 17 district-wide library levy measure, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District is finalizing plans to roll out the two categories of enhanced services promised to voters: restored hours and more books.  Restoration of library open hours to 2008 levels and the purchases of new books will begin in May 2011.  (Sentinel [Goldendale], 11.10.10) http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/features/2010features/11-10-10_features.html

Buildings

Yakima Valley College and the city of Grandview hosted a groundbreaking event on October 22, 2010 for the new joint college/city library.  (Photo) (Yakima Valley Business Journal [Toppenish], 11.2010)

The Omak library is open once again, with several upgrades and few more to come.  The building was closed in late September for renovations, which included new paint and lighting.  Upgrades to the heating and cooling system and new windows are yet to be complete, Librarian Sharon Reddick said.  (Photos)  (The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, 11.17.10)

Letters & Editorials

On behalf of the Friends of the Port Townsend Library, I want to thank you for placing my article in the entertainment section of   the Leader (Collection donated to library for shelves, Oct. 9 sale,” Oct. 6 edition).  Thanks to your placement of the article just in time for the sale, we had an outstanding turnout! (The Leader [Port Townsend], 11.3.10)

Thank you, Molbak’s, and the families of Woodinville! We were one of the fortunate benefactors of hundreds of children’s books that Molbak’s collected during their October family program, Rumpelstiltskin.  Friends of the Woodinville Library now have these gently used books available for sale on the lobby shelves. (North Lake News & Woodinville Weekly, 11.8.10)

The Friends of the Leavenworth Library are sending their heartfelt thanks to all those who made our Book Sale during Autumn Fest such a success.  We want to assure you that any money received from this event is used locally to support the library and promote reading in our schools and community.  See you next year! (Echo [Leavenworth], 11.10.10)

The library staff and campaign volunteers wish to thank the community for your strong endorsement in the recent Kitsap Regional Library levy election.  While we were not successful in passing the proposal this year, we know that islanders care deeply about their public library and your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. (Bainbridge Island Review, 11.12.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/opinion/letters/107571038.html

When the Kitsap Regional Library lid lift proposal went down in flames on November 2, it provided we in the media with a convenient story line.  Kitsap voters had spoken against the levy lift with one voice. Except they hadn’t.  Despite its wide margin of defeat, the measure enjoyed some support in a few areas of the county. (North Kitsap Herald [Poulsbo], 11.12.10)

Kitsap County has 143,796 registered voters and 47 percent (69,070) took part in the recent ballot. Regarding the library levy, 38,430 voted “no” and 28,123 voted “yes”. More important, there are presently 191,286 KRL card members. If each of these card holders was to contribute voluntarily $1 per month that would raise almost $2.3 million annually. (Bainbridge Island Review, 11.12.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/opinion/letters/107570963.html

The library system connecting the city of Walla Walla, the Rural County Library and Walla Walla Community College has worked well in the past. Now as the contract between the city and county libraries are in dispute, I think it’s time to consider a regional library. (Union-Bulletin [Walla Walla], 11.17.10)

People

Book-loving guru Nancy Pearl will return to Whidbey Island Center for the Arts for another entertaining afternoon, this time with details of her recently published, “Lust to Go – Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds and Dreamers,” at a free program Tuesday in Langley. (South Whidbey Record [Langley], 11.6.10)

It’s a familiar routine for hundreds, if not thousands, of toddlers and preschool-age children who have attended the Enumclaw Public Library’s story time through the past three decades. More than 200,000 stories have been presented by Miss Charmayne.  Thursday was Charmayne Paasch’s final story time. After 34 years of entertaining the Plateau’s children, Paasch is moving on to pursue interests outside the library system. (Photo) (Enumclaw Courier-Herald, 11.10.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ech/news/106926403.html

Awards

The winners of the Camas Public Library short story contest for teens have been announced. They are Kevin Caravaggio, flash fiction (1,000 words or less) and Kaitlin Jonason, short-shorts (1,000-2,500 words). The contest was held as a part of Teen Read Week, during the week of October 17 to 23. (Camas-Washougal Post-Record, 11.9.10)

Programs and Displays

During the month of November the White Salmon Valley Community Library’s Sprint/Baker Gallery will feature works by artist and environmentalist Taylor Cass Stevenson of Goldendale. The title of the show is “Live Debris Under the Sea: An Artist’s Re-interpretation of What We Toss,” and includes art, both functional and decorative, from the creative reuse of 100 percent plastic waste, which is a passion for Stevenson. (The Enterprise [White Salmon], 11.4.10) http://www.whitesalmonenterprise.com/archives/Story.aspx/11930/creative-reuse-show-at-library

The book the Hearts of Horses by Molly Glass has been selected for the 2010 Everybody Reads, a community reading event involving libraries in this area. Everybody Reads is a regional program with public and academic libraries and book stores across the Palouse and the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley encouraging all citizens to read the same book. (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 11.4.10)

The Friends of the Key Center Library will host a free holiday concert at 2 p.m. December 4 at the Key Center branch of the Pierce County Library System. Madrigalia, a five-member group of Seattle-based singers, will perform Christmas and other madrigals.  Donations to the Key Peninsula Food Bank are encouraged. (Peninsula Gateway [Gig Harbor], 11.10.10)

As temperatures cool and the autumn colors reach their peak, nothing satisfies like old-fashioned comfort foods. Whitman County Library has a wide selection of cookbooks filled with tantalizing recipes to appease any appetites, large or small. The holiday season fast approaches and the library has a number of helpful holiday cooking titles too. (Daily News [Pullman], 11.13.10)

The community is invited to “Light the Library” a holiday celebration beginning at 6 p.m. at the Grand Coulee Library December 2.  Of course.Santa will be there.  You can tour the library, maybe win a special quilt, have refreshments, join Friends of the Library and take part in a book sale, all at the same time. (The Star [Grand Coulee], 11.17.10) http://grandcoulee.com/articles/2010/11/19/news/doc4ce4118063fb0214026740.txt

Book Sales

Black Friday has come and gone, but shoppers on a mission for deals still rushed in for the first day of the Bellingham Public Library book sale Wednesday morning, December 1. Last December’s sale raised money than $9,000. The sale is put on by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library to support library programs and projects that aren’t in its budget.  (Bellingham Herald, 12.1.10) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/12/01/1749235/deals-at-bellingham-librarys-book.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] ]