Washington State Library News

Steve Willis did a double take as he was cataloging an 1853 map at the Washington State Library.  He found a strange name – Quenaudenville – right where Aberdeen is today.  Working with John C. Hughes, chief oral historian for the Secretary of State at the State Library and Lori Larson, they found the appropriately spelled “Quenandenville” described as part of “Lewis, a large county in the W. part of Washington Territory, has an area estimated at 4000 square miles.”  (Daily World, [Aberdeen] 8.14.11 Pt 1 and 8.16.11 Pt. 2)

If you had to guess, what would you say are some of Seattle’s most popular volunteer positions?  Post-earthquake rescue?  Chopping vegetables with a star chef for a benefit auction?  Counseling clueless travelers at the airport?  All interesting work, but there’s another highly sought-after (and competitive) volunteer pursuit – recording books for the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library. The Washington Talking Book and Braille Library serves more than 10,000 state residents and runs on the best efforts of 400 volunteers, providing recorded and Braille books for anyone with a disability that prevents them from reading books in a traditional format.   (The Seattle Times, 8.28.11) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2016026492_litlife29.html?prmid=head_more

Library News

Cathlamet Library will be open from 2-5 p.m. on Fridays, starting August 19.  Friday hours will be offered on a trial basis through December, at the end of the year the experiment will be evaluated, based on customer usage as well as volunteer staffing levels, to determine whether or not to extend the additional hours into 2012.  (The Wahkiakum County Eagle, [Cathlamet] 8.11.11) http://www.waheagle.com/community-news/article.exm/2011-08-11_community_news___august_11__2011

Maple Valley residents can take advantage of the nearly-free books and media available from the book cart at Maple Valley Library.  The cart contains gently-used books, DVDs, and CDs donated by area residents, the books shelf is a great place to find a new novel to read, a stack of books to take to a shut-in, a box of books to send to a lonely soldier, a movie for a rainy afternoon, or a pile of vacation books – the possibilities are endless.  Book cart sales help to fund library programming and events.  (Voice of the Valley,[Maple Valley] 8.16.11)

Four teenagers suspected of spray-painting graffiti on an elementary school and the Marysville Public Library on Monday night have been arrested and booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center in Everett.  The boys – 14 and 15 years old – were arrested for investigation of first-degree malicious mischief.  (The Herald, [Everett] 8.17.11)  http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110816/NEWS01/708169864

If you’ve got books overdue at the Seattle Public Library don’t worry.  No fines will be charged this week while all the public libraries in the city are closed due to budget cuts.  Seattle libraries will reopen after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 6.  (The Seattle Times, 8.29.11) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016045841_apwaseattlelibrariesclose.html

People will learn valuable information about social media and referral marketing during free small business presentations at Lakewood Pierce County Library and South Hill Pierce County Library, between Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, October 27.  Two presentations will be taught by Sharon Barber, who has more than 25 years of experience in small business management, including small business startup, financial assistance, business planning, marketing consultation and training.  Online registration is required for both presentations.    (South Puget Sound News, 8.29.11) http://www.southpugetsoundnews.com/events/free-small-business-presentati%E2%80%8Bons-at-pierce-county-library-system/

The Castle Rock Library got walloped twice Tuesday.  First, the final election tallies show the library levy failed, falling just a few votes shy of the required 60 percent supermajority.  Second, officials learned they’d missed the deadline to re-run the levy in the November general election, which had been the backup plan if the first levy failed in the August 16 primary.  (The Daily News, [Longview] 8.30.11) http://tdn.com/news/local/article_b6c3c218-d372-11e0-9e2a-001cc4c03286.html

Buildings

Construction began July 15 on energy-efficiency upgrades at the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center.  The aquatic center project is the biggest of 47 the city of Bellingham is undertaking at 22 of its facilities to reduce energy consumption and save the city money.  Work at the aquatic center, City Hall and the downtown Bellingham Public Library will be among the most visible of the projects, which include upgrades of all sizes, including improvements to heating and cooling systems and lighting. (Bellingham Business Journal, 8.11)  http://bbjtoday.com/blog/energysaving-upgrades-city-buildings/11434

Letters & Editorials

I was certainly amazed when I read Mr. Steelquist’s column in the July 27 issue.  It was so full of just plain wrong information that it was almost laughable.  How will the people of Jefferson County be able to cast a thoughtful, well-informed vote regarding the library expansion if they are given these kinds of inaccuracies?  (The Leader, [Port Townsend] 8.3.11) {Editor’s note:  The

Our local economy is still experiencing an increase in foreclosures, reduced and shrinking real estate values, and at a time of the year our employment should be at least stable, it has been shrinking.  These are all issues that were in news articles in the local papers just this last week.  Surely we do not have to commit to this overexpansion of the library this year.  I am voting to reject it, and hoping our community can revisit the idea in a year or two.  (The Leader, [Port Townsend] 8.3.11)

Bruce Ziegman has earned a happy and rewarding retirement.  He enters that new phase of his life on Oct. 31.  Many people throughout Southwest Washington – particularly library patrons – have seen Ziegman’s glass-half-full smile even during tough times.  They’ve watched that smile stretch during triumphs in library growth and management.  So at 63, he’s more than qualified for the smile-filled golden years.  (Photo)  (Columbian, [Vancouver] 8.15.11) http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/aug/15/in-our-view-ultimate-librarian/

My family uses the Chehalis Library like an extension of our home.  An upcoming event at the library will take us back to the time when the library was new, the giant trees outside were just saplings, and the smell of horses hadn’t been replaced by the zing of mint.  At 6 p.m. on Sept. 7 local historians and authors Edna Fund, Julie McDonald Zander, Priscilla Tiller and Library Manager Corine Aiken  will talk about the founding of Chehalis and what life was like for the average citizen.  The event will be preceded at 3 p.m. with a ribbon cutting to celebrate 100 years of library service in Chehalis.  (The Chronicle, [Centralia] 8.18.11)

As many of you know, the City of Yelm is actively working with the Timberland Regional Library System and the property owner of the current Yelm library building to purchase that location as the future and permanent home of the Yelm Timberland Library.  Please get involved and help either by making a donation or participating in one of the fundraising efforts.  (Nisqually Valley News, [Yelm] 8.19.11)

Given encouragement by the city to raise funds to assist in purchasing the library site, the Library Advisory Board, assisted by members of the Friends of Yelm Library, has planned a number of fund raisers from now to the end of the year.  We are asking those who put on sales to donate any or all of their sale income to the Library Building Fund at Yelm City Hall.  (Nisqually Valley News, [Yelm] 8.19.11)

Programs & Displays

The Blanche Bradley Memorial Library Foundation will have its annual fund raiser for the Cathlamet City Library on August 27 from 6-8 p.m.  (The Wahkiakum County Eagle, [Cathlamet] 8.11.11) http://www.waheagle.com/community-news/article.exm/2011-08-11_community_news___august_11__2011

What do about 20 Yakama students from Toppenish, Wapato, Harrah, Granger, Yakima and White Swan have in common this summer?  They all had the privilege to be involved with the 2^nd annual Multi-Media Youth Workshop that took place at the Yakama Nation Library during the last two weeks of July.  The workshop – Rediscovering Yakama through Film and Art – gave students an opportunity to learn and reenact Yakama legends through performance art, as well as conduct interviews and record and edit film for digital storytelling projects. (Yakama Nation Review, [Toppenish] 8.12.11)

Kitsap Regional Library will present a Civil War reenactment at the Sylvan Way branch library Saturday, August 20.  The program will begin at noon with at least three types of shelters commonly used by union and confederate soldiers.  (Central Kitsap Reporter, [Silverdale] 8.12.11)

Got ink?  A bunch of Stanwood Library, a part of the Sno-Isle Libraries, employees are sporting skin art, along with a handful of guests, thanks to artist Krysteen Lomonaco.  OK, well, not ink per se, but henna tattoos.  Lomonaco owns Mehndi Madness in Seattle, and last Tuesday she brought her skills to the library as part of its summer activities program.  (Photo)  (Stanwood Camano News, 8.16.11) http://www.scnews.com/news/2011-08-16/Front_Page/The_mad_world_of_Mehndi.html

Genealogists are invited to the Stanwood Library for a two-hour ancestry research workshop 9-11 a.m., Saturday, August 27.  One of Sno-Isle Libraries two genealogy experts, Rob Branigin, will offer tips on tracking down ancestors using Ancestry Library Edition, a genealogy database that library patrons can use to locate census, immigration and other records.  (Stanwood Camano News, 8.16.11) http://www.scnews.com/news/2011-08-16/Around_Stanwood/Around_Stanwood.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] ]