Library News
At the Wilbur Town Council meeting Wednesday, Aug. 3 Mayor Robert Wyborney informed the council that Assistant Librarian Connie Finch has resigned from the Hesseltine Library effective August 31, 2011. Council approved the appointment of Shirley Goodlake to the position of Assistant Librarian. (Wilbur Register, 8.11.11)

At the Prosser Library high-speed Wi-Fi and Internet access are free services via 10 public computers. The library is offering four classes this fall: Computer Basics (Sept. 17), Internet Basics (Oct. 15), Using E-mail (Nov. 19) and Genealogy Basics (Dec. 3). Each class is on a Saturday morning and lasts for 90 minutes. Classes are free. Space is limited, so registration is required – call or sign up at the library. (Record-Bulletin, [Prosser] 8.17.11)

At a budget workshop held Aug. 8 at White Salmon Valley Community Library, the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District Board of Trustees directed library administrators to draft a 2012-2013 budget that uses a combination of reserve funds and spending cuts to bring expenditures in line with an anticipated significant reduction in property tax revenue over the next few years. The Library District’s revenue projects for 2012-2013 will see a $1.86 million decrease due to declining property values. (The Enterprise, [White Salmon] 8.18.11)

A new librarian has been hired for the Davenport Public Library. Kathryn Pike, a Spokane resident, will work 20 hours a week. (Davenport Times, 8.18.11)

Christine Hughey, the community librarian in Stevenson and North Bonneville for six years, will relocate to Washougal, as Sean McGill becomes Ridgefield’s community librarian on Sept. 1. McGill, who has served as the community librarian in Washougal for 13 years, will succeed Ann O’Reilly, who is retiring. (Photo) (Camas-Washougal Post-Record, 8.16.11) http://www.camaspostrecord.com/news/2011/aug/16/new-chapter-washougal-library/

Washington State University Vancouver libraries now have a full text, searchable database of historical Clark County newspapers. The archive at http://library.vancouver.wsu.edu/archive/digital-colletions
features 80 issues of the Vancouver Independent, one of the earliest newspapers in Washington. (Columbian, [Vancouver] 8.23.11) http://www.columbian.com/search/?q=History+in+newspaper+form+now+available+digitally

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) has unveiled its new, free downloadable online music collection, available to all cardholders. Cost of the new service is covered by increased local revenue from the FVRL property tax levy lift measure approved by voters in September 2010. (Columbian, [Vancouver] 8.24.11) http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/aug/24/library-district-offers-patrons-free-downloads-mus/

Bellingham Public Library patrons who put books or other library materials on hold may pick them up at Western Washington University or Bellingham Technical College, thanks to a new agreement. Modeled after a similar agreement with Whatcom Community College, the new services are called WWU Connection and BTC Connection. “It provides the community two more places where they can pick up their holds,” said Pam Keisner, director of Bellingham Public Library. (Bellingham Herald, 8.24.11)

Mount Vernon Mayor Bud Norris has asked the Mount Vernon City Library to remove its old sign, which, along with designating the area as a city library, also said biblioteca – the word for library in Spanish. “I did tell them to take biblioteca off of the library. I felt it would lead to a request to put additional (Spanish) signs in every building we have in the city,” Norris said. (Bellingham Herald, 8.25.11)

The King County Library System (KCLS) will hold a public meeting and open house on plans for the new Renton Downtown Library from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sept. 13, at the Renton Pavilion Event Center. The forum is to discuss “what can be done with the location that we have,” said Kay Johnson, director of facilities development for KCLS. “The organization wants to hear the public’s ideas on the future library’s use, not about the site selection,” she said. (Renton Reporter, [Kent} 8.26.11)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/ren/news/128215518.html

Elections
“The economy has been tough,” was Jefferson County Library Director Ray Serebrin’s immediate reaction when he learned on Tuesday, Aug. 16, that the library’s bond issue had been strongly rejected with a 54.5 percent no vote. The $8.4 million, 20-year general obligation bond that would have expanded the library building needed 60 percent approval from rural voters. It generated 3,394 yes votes and 4,059 no votes. There are an estimated 600 ballots yet to count, not enough to change the outcome. (The Leader, [Port Townsend] 8.17.11)

The early primary election results have clearly thinned the number of candidates for the general election, while showing a failure of the Stevens County Rural Library District levy lift proposal. An early tally on August 19 showed the library levy lift defeated by a nearly 60 percent margin, with 5,332 voters against the measure (59.46 percent) and only 3,635 (40.54 percent) in favor. (Statesman-Examiner, [Colville] 8.24.11) http://www.statesmanexaminer.com/content/library-levy-fails

Programs and services will remain intact at the San Juan Island Library, as voters lined up in favor of the library’s request for a 12-cent property-tax hike in the Aug. 16 primary election. Proposition No. 1, which will generate an additional $404,000 in tax revenue for the library beginning next year, received 55 percent of 2,853 ballots cast by San Juan Island voters in last week’s primary. (The Journal of the San Juan Islands, 8.24.11)

Buildings
The Langley Library, a part of the Sno-Isle Libraries, will be closed for 17 days starting Saturday, Aug. 20 for a renovation project that includes a new paint job, carpet removal and the replacement of several existing built-in furniture units. The library will reopen at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Sno-Isle Libraries said the project was made possible by Jacqueline Little Bund, who left a generous bequest to the library system, combined with support of the Friends of the Langley Library, the city of Langley and Sno-Isle Libraries. (South Whidbey Record, [Langley] 8.13.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/swr/news/127623128.html

The Sammamish Library was designed to have a strong connection to its natural surroundings. The $13.7 million building was recently named a Landmark Library by Library Journal. The 19,500-square-foot library has an expanded community meeting room, two conference rooms, and areas for children and teens. A large reading room with a gas fireplace has views of a nature preserve, the Olympic Peninsula and Seattle’s skyline. The library is part of Sammamish Commons, adjacent to the Sammamish City Hall. (Photo) (Daily Journal of Commerce, [Seattle] 8.20.11)

Where’s a flash mob when you need one? The Colville Public Library needs help now. “The scheduled closure for carpet replacement has just been extended to two-weeks because when the old carpet was pulled up, we discovered the entire wood floor needs replaced,” explained Stevens County Librarian, Amanda Six. “We were going to change carpet squares around the shelving. So, we have to move thousands of books and tons of shelving in the next couple of days.” If you live in the Colville area and would like to help, come by and bring boxes. (Statesman-Examiner, [Colville] 8.24.11)

The first phase of the $9 million Port Townsend Library renovation project begins in September and is schedule to be completed by the end of 2011. A dedication ceremony for this phase of the project is planned for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The first phase is a $140,000 renovation of the Charles Pink House, a historical site adjacent to the main library at 1220 Lawrence St., which will provide expanded meeting and program space to support a wide range of library programs. The renovation is being funded by Friends of the Library. (Photo) (Peninsula Daily News, [Port Angeles] 8.26.11)

Letters & Editorials
More questions for candidates seeking a City of Ritzville office: 1. Will you support or oppose any future attempts to remove the Ritzville Public Library from the Carnegie building? (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, [Ritzville] 8.18.11)

Readers can rejoice in the west end of Pasco. We are ready to see another library, especially on that is situated near this area of rapid population growth. We’re also glad that people are still reading and that we enjoy a vibrant library system that’s keeping up with information transfer, whether it is through books or newer digital formats. (Tri-City Herald, [Kennewick] 8.25.11)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/08/25/1614813/grateful-to-be-part-of-something.html

I would like to thank all of the people who are great support to the Friends of the Waterville Library, especially during the Waterville Days Book Sale. I would also like to thank North Central Regional Library for its continued support of the Friends group. (Douglas County Empire Press, [East Wenatchee] 8.25.11)

In response to the letters regarding the inaccessibility of the library to seniors and the disabled, I am a disabled senior and have always been a library card holder. When the new building was opened, my husband and I drove to the library on several occasions only to find that no matter what day it was, the parking lot was always full as were all of the on-street parking places. The number of parking places planned for a building of this size is ridiculous. (Columbian, [Vancouver] 8.25.11)
http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/aug/25/letter-navigating-access-difficult/

People
For a guy who calls himself geographically challenged, Marcellus Turner gets around: The career librarian has catalogued the classics everywhere from Rockford to the Rockies – and even stamped books in Tacoma once upon a time. This month, after three years of heading up the Jefferson County Public Library in Colorado, he lands at Fourth Avenue and Spring Street as the new chief librarian of the Seattle Public Library. (Photo) (Seattle Met, 8, 2011)
http://www.seattlemet.com/arts-and-entertainment/articles/marcellus-turner-seattle-librarian-august-2011/

Awards
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation and the U.S. Bancorp Foundation have donated $2,200 and $2,000, respectively, to the Port Townsend Public Library Foundation, allowing the library’s Transition Yourself program to continue through the fall. The program, which started in 2009 with various state grants and a Puget Sound Energy grant, has helped about 30 people find work, start businesses or go back to school. (Photo) (The Leader, [Port Townsend] 8.17.11) (Editor’s note: They also received an LSTA funded Renew Washington grant)

A very prestigious award is sometimes presented to the staff of a Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) branch library for going “Above and Beyond” to serve their patrons. In July, the Goldendale Community Library earned this notable recognition. According to Sue Vanlaanen, Communications Director for FVRL, “Fort Vancouver Regional Library District’s Above and Beyond Award honors and celebrates the resourceful, creative and exemplary efforts put forth by its employees and work groups to successfully maintain high service demands and challenging circumstances.” (Sentinel, [Goldendale] 8.24.11) http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00778.3.3926049526012450354/id-082420111313654432145

Programs & Displays
The Snoqualmie branch of the King County Library System is on a grand adventure. Staff at the library wants to build 1,000 origami cranes. “Other libraries, churches and schools have done similar programs,” said Sarah Lynch, the teen services librarian for Snoqualmie, Fall City and North Bend. “And I was inspired by their finished products.” The finished product will hang from the rafters of the teen section in the library. Staff members want patrons to get in on the crane-making, too. The library offers paper and instructions on how to make a crane. According to Japanese lore, building 1,000 cranes makes a person’s wish come true. Cranes represent good luck, prosperity and peace, and often wedding presents. (Photo) (Snovalley Star, [Issaquah] 8.11.11) http://snovalleystar.com/index.php?s=Origami+cranes+are+a+grand+adventure+for+library

The Friends of the Mercer Island Library is holding its annual silent auction of very special books and media running now through Sept. 6. The complete list of materials in this year’s auction is available for preview at milibraryfriends.org. All bids must be made in writing at the library. All proceeds support Mercer Island Library programs and activities. (Mercer Island Reporter, 8.30.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/mir/community/128680783.html

“Forever Free – Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” is the focus of a new exhibit at Whitman County Library. The American Library Association presentation will be featured from Sept. 1 to Oct. 3, with an open house Sept. 1. It is the result of an application for a grant filed in 2005. The Whitman County Library was chosen in 2006 for the touring exhibit, now in phase two, in which it has visited 63 libraries. The traveling exhibit is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of President Lincoln’s 200th birthday. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for our residents and students, said Kristie Kirkpatrick, Library Director.
(Whitman County Gazette, [Colfax] 8.25.11)

Kathryn “Katy” Anderson’s mixed media paintings are being shown in the Mary Kazda Art Space in the Quincy Public Library until the new library opens in approximately three months. Anderson paints large stunning pictures and also delicate pictures such as a bird house surrounded by small flowers. (Photo) (Quincy Valley Post, 8.25.11) http://www.qvpr.com/articles/andersons-work-shown-quincy-library

Young adult author Lisa Mantchev will celebrate the release of her latest book, So Silver Bright, the final book of her Theatre Illuminata trilogy, on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The event will be held at the Sequim Library at 6 p.m. Mantchev will discuss the book and how she became a writer. The free event is intended for teens and young adults and requires no advance registration. (Peninsula Daily News, [Port Angeles] 8.28.11)

Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird will be discussed at the Sequim Library at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Multiple copies of the book are available at the Sequim Library and can be requested online through the library catalog at www.nols.org. Pre-registration for this program is not required, and drop-ins are always welcome. (Peninsula Daily News, [Port Angeles] 8.28.11)

Economy/Hard Times
The Pend Oreille County Library District is doing what it can to help ease budgets this season by highlighting books on the theme, Helpful Books for Hard Times. Numerous new titles have been selected and purchased especially for patrons on a variety of topics such as coupon cutting, saving on finances, debt management and more. A selection of these “Hard Times” titles has been compiled into a practical pamphlet available at the front desk of your local library. (Newport Miner, 8.24.11)

[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] ]