WA State Library News

The Odessa Public Library has partnered with the Odessa Historic Museum and the Odessa High School to identify and research items housed at the museum that pertain to the founding fathers of Odessa and earliest history of the Odessa Township and surrounding area. Evan Robb is in Odessa for several days courtesy of the Washington State Library, to help with the museum project that partnered with the State Library. (Photo) (Odessa Record, 3.10.11)

A visiting actress entertained grade school students at nine schools in the county last week on an educational tour. The Living Voices program, here on a grant awarded to Whitman County Library, offered students a choice of four programs. The $4,000 Supporting Student Success grant was awarded to the library by the Washington State Library, a part of the Office of the Secretary of State.  The funds also paid for non-fiction children’s books for the Colfax Library and the Jennings Elementary School Library in Colfax. (Photo) (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 3.17.11)

Library News

This year a record $1,230 in food was collected throughout the county in the Whitman County Library’s food for fines campaign in February. The total amount of fines forgiven was less than $800. Library director Kristie Kirkpatrick said customers participated in all 14 branches of the library. (Photo) (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 3.10.11)

More than 110 books were ordered at Palouse Library with the help of proceeds from the Thanksgiving Turkey Leg fun run that raised more than $2,000 for the purchase. Approximately 80 of the books have arrived to date. (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 3.10.11)

A group of neighbors has rallied around increasing the usage of the East Side Library to keep the branch from closing, partly by collecting money to cover some of the outstanding fines that prevent current library card holders from borrowing books. Spokane Public Library has agreed to forgive half of any outstanding library fines at the East Side branch, up to $10, if the other half is paid for by donated money. (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 3.10.11) http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/10/east-side-offers-forgiveness-on-library-fines/

The Clan Donald USA North Pacific Region will be temporarily housing its collection of Scottish genealogy and clan books at the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library beginning next week. The clan’s books will be on long-term loan to the Chehalis library to provide greater public access to their genealogical and clan information. They will only be available for viewing in the library, and will not be listed in the Timberland Regional Library catalog. (The Chronicle [Centralia], 3.11.11)

Spokane Falls Community College Library received $1,000 worth of folktale, myth and legend-themed books from online book retailer ALIBRIS.  The books are intended for use by the campus’ Head Start program, multi-cultural students and early childhood education students. (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 3.13.11)

The Manieri Jazz & Swing music endowment of the Anacortes Public Library Foundation is offering three scholarships for students and teachers.  College students studying jazz and swing are eligible for a scholarship of up to $1,000. Students who want to attend a music camp during the summer or teachers who want to get additional hours in jazz or swing are eligible for up to $500. The college and teacher scholarship applications must be post-marked by March 31. The camp scholarship applications must be post-marked by May 1. (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 3.14.11)

Elections

The City of Puyallup – which operates one of only three independent municipal libraries in Pierce County – may explore joining the Pierce County Library System. The City Council is expected to discuss the idea at a study session later this month. Puyallup residents would have to approve annexation into the library system through a public vote. (The News Tribune [Tacoma], 3.8.11) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/08/1574705/puyallup-considers-putting-library.html#storylink=misearch

Voters here will be asked to support their library again this summer. The Castle Rock City Council on Monday unanimously voted to put the annual library levy on the August 16 ballot. If approved, the levy would raise $56,000.  That’s the same amount voters approved last August, Librarian Vicki Selander said. This levy replaces one that expires at the end of the year. (Daily News [Longview], 3.16.11)  http://tdn.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_663d6300-4f3b-11e0-988f-001cc4c03286.html

Enumclaw’s possible annexation into the King County Library System is surely delayed but the matter is far from over. Council members voted unanimously to pull a planned April 26 annexation vote off the table, citing a lack of necessary details. It wasn’t due to a change of heart, but due to the absence of a transfer agreement that spells out the rights and responsibilities surrounding the switch in library management.  (Enumclaw Courier-Herald, 3.16.11)

The City of Puyallup won’t explore annexing to or contracting with the Pierce County Library System for service. The City Council, during a study session this week, decided against looking into those options. The Puyallup Public Library Board had recommended that the idea be explored. (The News Tribune [Tacoma], 3.25.11) http://blog.thenewstribune.com/street/2011/03/23/puyallup-wont-explore-library-annexation/#storylink=misearch

Buildings

Construction on the new Quincy Public Library, a part of the North Central Regional Library, begins this month. Plans for building a new library came to fruition after the City of Quincy was awarded a Community Development Block Grant for $900,000.  Combined with the $1 million the City of Quincy set aside for a new library… project coordinators hope to have the building up by November. (Columbia Basin Herald [Moses Lake], 3.11.11) http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_ced8487e-4c2c-11e0-99b1-001cc4c002e0.html

The Moses Lake library, a part of the North Central Regional Library, foundation is searching for ways to fund renovating and remodeling the library.  Foundation president Tim Fuhrman presented the foundations plans for the library at a recent city council meeting. The foundation isn’t finished estimating the cost of the project, but they expect it to be between $6 and $10 million. (Columbia Basin Herald [Moses Lake], 3.11.11)

Sometime in March or April, the Auburn Library will open its temporary home in the old Herr Lumber building and the King County Library System will close the main library for a year of renovations. Everybody with a stake in the project wants to know when that day will be. Now, with the City Council’s approval Monday of a “joint parking development agreement and option to purchase” between it and KCLS, the date might soon be known.  (Auburn Reporter [Kent], 3.11.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/news/117703848.html

Renton and the King County Library System have selected two locations – one downtown and one in the Highlands – for two new libraries. The libraries will replace the downtown library that now spans the Cedar River and the one in the Highlands on Northeast 12^th Street. City officials say construction of the new branches fulfills a promise made in the campaign to annex to KCLS to build modern and accessible facilities in the city. (Renton Reporter [Kent], 3.11.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ren/news/117619603.html

Since November 2009, when voters passed a measure with a 69% approval for the City of Fife to annex to Pierce County Library for services, the library has been looking for space for a library in Fife. In January 2011, the Library signed a purchase and sale agreement for property to build the first ever Fife Pierce County Library. The Library had hoped to open the new library branch in June 2011 but it now plans to open by late fall 2011. (Fife Free Press [Tacoma], 3.11.11)

Mid-Columbia Libraries is mulling a list of possible sites for a West Pasco branch. The board of trustees discussed possible locations during a closed-door session Tuesday. No decision was made about the sites during the regular board meeting. The library system plans to add a 5,000 square-foot satellite library in West Pasco. (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 3.16.11) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/03/16/1410225/library-board-talks-west-pasco.html#storylink=misearch

The King County Library System plans to seek bids early next month for the $1 million renovation and expansion of its Lake Forest Park branch at Town Centre. Hutteball & Oremus Architecture is the architect. Coughlin Porter Lundeen is the structural engineer and Hargis Engineers is the mechanical and electrical engineer.  (Photo) (Daily Journal of Commerce [Seattle], 3.28.11)

Yelm Mayor Ron Harding is meeting with the Timberland Regional Library board later this month to review details of a proposed purchase of the city’s library. Harding said he talked with Timberland officials about his plan, but was recently told that the city has yet to make a “formal” proposal to the library system’s directors.  In response, Harding said he’ll submit a written proposal to the Timberland board prior to its next meeting, set for April 27 in Tumwater. (Nisqually Valley News Online [Yelm], 4.8.11) http://yelmonline.com/articles/2011/04/11/local_news/doc4d9f54f63e307120969877.txt

Letters & Editorials

Numbers help paint a picture of who we are. Law libraries are no longer just a repository for books.  They are a safe haven for all who are touched by the legal system. King County Law Library is no exception.  (King County Bar Bulletin [Seattle], 3.2011)

America is said to be a stew pot of cultures and ethnic groups.  Just think about all the times you’ve been asked about your own heritage.  Many find it fascinating to know where our ancestors came from and to feel that connection of family and heritage. You can access a few genealogy websites at the Washington State Library in Tumwater; call it at 360-704-5200. (The East County Journal [Morton], 3.16.11)

Annexing the Enumclaw library to the King County Library System will increase property taxes $125 for a $250,000 home and there is no guarantee the quality of the library will improve or even be sustained at its current level. I applaud council for their decision to put on hold plans for library annexation so the process may include a cooperative effort amongst interested parties.  (Enumclaw Courier-Herald, 3.16.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ech/opinion/letters/118045864.html

People

The King County Law Library Board of Trustees said goodbye in February to longtime member Nancy Talner.  Talner left the board after 16years in order to devote more time to her position at the ACLU and to make space for new ideas from attorneys eager to contribute to the future of access-to-justice services.  The King County Law Library Board will miss its departing member. (King County Bar Bulletin [Seattle], 3.2011)

Programs and Displays

The Gig Harbor/Peninsula branch of the Pierce County Library System is now displaying the artwork of local artist Joan Sain.  Sain is a lifelong artist currently working with watercolors and acrylics.  She is a member of the Peninsula Art League and exhibits her work at the White Dove Gallery in Lakewood. (Photo) (Peninsula Gateway [Gig Harbor], 3.9.11)

The Liberty Lake Municipal Library is settling into 2011, launching two new programs intended to benefit readers and keep operations running smoothly. The Good Neighbor Donation program kicked off last week to help expand the library’s collection. A No Fine/No Limit program was also introduced at the library last week.  The program offers a collection of paperback titles that can be checked out indefinitely with no threat of late fees. (Liberty Lake Splash, 3.10.11) http://www.libertylakesplash.com/news.asp?id=20526

Nearly two months worth of special events and emphasis on reading is underway with the fourth annual Pierce County READS.  The largest community reading event in the county began March 5 and runs through April 30. Following a public vote, PCLS selected the best-seller “The Big Burn,” by Pulitzer Prize winner Timothy Egan, for this year’s READS book. (South Pierce County Dispatch [Eatonville], 3.16.11)

Set in the fictional town of Port Bonita on the northern coast of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the book “West of Here” takes that area’s history and retells it. Author Jonathan Evison will discuss the book and sign copies of the novel on Sunday afternoon at the Hal Holmes Center. The event is sponsored by Jerrol’s Books and the Ellensburg Public Library. (Daily Record [Ellensburg], 3.17.11)

[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] ]