Library News
Earlier this month the Stevens County Rural Library District (SCRLD), sent those not living in Stevens County a notice that they will have to pay a $90 out-of-county library card fee in order to checkout materials from any SCRLD branch. However visiting the library or using computer services will still be free. (Statesman-Examiner, [Colville] 1.25.12)

State and federal laws stipulate that inmates have free access to a law library. As a result of the Yakima County commissioners approving a contract to allow a computer connection for inmates wanting to access an electronic law library, inmates in the Yakima County Jail will get their legal information via the internet. (Daily News, [Sunnyside] 1.25.12) http://www.dailysunnews.com/archives/Story.aspx/23260/library-at-county-jail-goes-digital

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) held a second community meeting to gather input from the public about what they most valued and needed from the libraries. SPL is working to acquire a potential levy package from the City Council to improve SPL’s hours, technology and materials. (Photo) (City Living Seattle, 1.25.12)

Because of a misunderstanding in how library levy and gift funds are spent, the Ocean Shores City Council will be returning $8,897 to the Ocean Shores Library fund. The money had been transferred in error to the city’s severance/retirement fund. (The North Coast News, [Ocean Shores] 1.25.12)

The Morton City Council’s Human Resource and Park committee has been appointed to review options and possibilities for creating a library in Morton. Mike Crose, director of Timberland Regional Library, told the committee if the city decides to proceed with a library and work with the regional library service, the first step would be to put the idea before local voters. (The East County Journal, [Morton] 1.25.12)

The city of Cle Elum will eliminate staff and make cuts to its police, library and public works departments. The city will trim $35,000 from the Carpenter Memorial Library’s budget, reducing the current full-time librarian position to a half-time position. (Photos) (Daily Record, [Ellensburg] 1.26.12)

Roslyn Mayor Neal Lockett and his wife Carol put up a fundraising challenge for the Roslyn Library, where the Locketts will match every $2 raised for the library with another $1 of their own money, up to $500. (North Kittitas County Tribune, [Cle Elum] 2.2.12)

Two Tacoma Public Library branches, closed for a little more than a year due to budget shortfalls and costs related to deferred maintenance, and now slated to be sold as surplus properties, are drawing interest from a variety of prospective buyers. But the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Public Library Board are looking for more than just the highest bidder. They want someone who will use the properties to benefit the surrounding communities. (Photo) (Tacoma Daily Index, 2.3.12)

You can do many things on computers at libraries in Skagit County; look for work, do homework, check your email or surf Facebook. But please, don’t watch porn. Libraries in Skagit County have either filtered Internet content of potentially offensive material or rely on social norms to prevent people from viewing pornography on public computers. (Photo) (Skagit Valley Herald, [Mount Vernon] 2.3.12)

Bonney Lake Library, a part of the Pierce County Library System, is closed through February 26, while a central customer service desk is installed. (The News Tribune, [Tacoma] 2.14.12)

Buildings
This week architect Steve Rice unveiled his vision for a new library in Silverdale. One of the big questions about this location is parking. The building would eliminate 24 parking spaces to fit into the campus design and wouldn’t add any parking. (Photos) (The Kitsap Sun, [Bremerton] 1.28.12) http://pugetsoundblogs.com/peninsular-thinking/2012/01/27/one-vision-for-new-silverdale-library/

The King County Library System has requested bids for the architectural and engineering services necessary to design and build a new 8,000 square foot library building, landscaping, parking and other site development work for the Skyway Library. (Daily Journal of Commerce, [Seattle] 2.8.12)

Letters & Editorials
I was in the Oak Harbor Library about three weeks ago with my children. As I was walking out of the building, my oldest daughter (13) told me she saw a man looking at porn on the computer and my littlest one (9) also said she saw this. I went back to tell someone and sure enough the librarian saw as well. I was shocked to find out that there was nothing really done. (Whidbey News-Times, [Oak Harbor] 1.25.12) http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/opinion/letters/137999373.html

Our fifth, sixth and seventh grade class at Quincy Valley School had the opportunity to go on a field trip to the new Quincy Public Library. We would like to thank the staff at the library for generously devoting a part of your day to give us a tour. It is truly one of the best parts of Quincy and the community should be proud of this new and amazing facility! (Quincy Valley Post Register, 1.26.12) http://www.qvpr.com/articles/letters-126

Programs & Displays
February is Library Lovers Month – a great time to enjoy art in the heart of the Sequim Library! The newest Art in the Library exhibit, featuring the work of Linda Stadtmiller, opened Friday, February 3. (Photo) (The Sequim Gazette, 1.25.12)

Whimsical paintings by local artist Janie Olsen will be on display February 2-19 at the Mountlake Terrace Library. “Having painted all my life, it’s a spiritual, driving force within me,” Olsen said in a press release. “Inspiration comes from nature, animals, music, poetry and stories.” (Photo) (The Weekly Herald [Lynnwood], 1.25.12) http://www.weeklyherald.com/article/20120125/TWH05/701259884

The discussion about local authors’ book on the Century 21 Exposition has been rescheduled for April 14. Paula Becker and Alan Stein, staff historians for HistoryLink.org, collected memories from the fair in the book “The Future Remembered: The 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and Its Legacy” – a comprehensive account of Century 21. (Issaquah Press, 1.25.12) http://www.issaquahpress.com/2012/01/24/snowstorm-leads-to-rescheduling-for-worlds-fair-event/

Ongoing drop-in classes are available each Saturday for patrons who would like to learn more about reading or checking out books on Kindles, Nooks, smart phones, iPads or other such devices. These classes are from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library. (Liberty Lake Splash, 1.26.12) http://www.libertylakesplash.com/news.asp?id=21638

The Monroe Library, part of Sno-Isle Libraries, has added new programs for children and restarted its ELS Talk Time program. The library added a weekly bilingual story time for preschoolers in July and has a brand-new program for children to read to dogs, called Reading to Rover. The library is partnering with Everett Community College to offer its ESL Talk Time class. (Everett News Tribune, [Snohomish] 1.25.12)

[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] ]