Washington State Library News
For the past two months, offenders at the Airway Heights Corrections Center have taken part in a book club, which is aimed at promoting pro-social values in a safe environment while incarcerated. Joyce Hanna, library associate at The Airway Heights Corrections Center Library, a branch of the Washington State Library, said “The benefit to the offenders is they get the chance to read something that (offenders) normally would not read.” (Photo) (Cheney Free Press, 2.2.12)

Library News
Mid-Columbia Libraries named its new technology center at the Kennewick Branch after the Richland resident who donated all of her money, property and assets, worth millions, to various local libraries after losing her fight with cancer in July 1999. The newly remodeled Shirley Stroh Technology Center holds 51 computers, a classroom space and new software for public use. (Tri-City Area Journal of Business, [Kennewick] 2.12) http://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2012/02/kennewick-library-technology-center-named-after-philanthropist-and-eccentric-former-resident/

In the quest for more nonprofit dollars, representatives with libraries in Clallam County are en route to forming a foundation to support the system as a whole. Elaine Frederickson, a North Olympic Library System board trustee and liaison to the foundation, said the North Olympic Library Foundation has been in the works for more than two years. The foundation plans to keep a close relationship with the friends groups by having a representative from each one as a representative. (Photos) (The Sequim Gazette, 2.1.12)

Prices for Timberland Regional Library cards have increased in 2012. Prices went up by $2 this year. According to Leanne Ingle, communications specialist for Timberland libraries, cards are available for anyone living or owning property in the unincorporated areas of the counties or with cities that are annexed or contracted with the library for service. (The East County Journal, [Morton] 2.1.12)

As of January 20, non residents must pay an annual fee of $45 for Ocean Shores Library cards. These cards are free for residents and property owners of Ocean Shores. (The North Coast News, [Ocean Shores] 2.1.12)

During this prolonged economic slump, many citizens are asking tax-funded entities to be more prudent and discretionary, even if it means making difficult choices. The Stevens County Rural Library District (SCRLD), a property tax-funded organization has heard the message and recently began making difficult decisions to tighten its budget. One decision was to begin charging non-Stevens County residents who use the library district services a $90 out-of-county library card in order to check out materials from any SCRLD branch. (Deer Park Tribune, 2.1.12)

A family that spent years living in Leavenworth and Cashmere has made a donation of $10,000 to support libraries in those two towns. The Seattle based, Plumb Level and Square Fund, made the donation in honor of Dorothy McNeil and her son Tim. (Echo, [Leavenworth] 2.1.12)

Four Sno-Isle libraries – Clinton, Langley, Freeland and Coupeville – recently earned the “Green Seal” from the Sustainable Whidbey Coalition. The four libraries have joined the Oak Harbor Library in earning the distinction, and now all five libraries have been certified green. Highlights from the Whidbey Green Seal checklist showed that Sno-Isle scored high in the categories of transportation and waste and toxic pollution. (South Whidbey Record, [Langley] 2.1.12)

Diane Ferbrache, teacher-librarian at Hazen High School, has been selected as the Renton Rotary Club’s teacher of the month. Ferbrache has been a teacher in Renton for 18 years. (Photo) (The Newcastle News [Issaquah], 2.3.12) http://www.newcastle-news.com/2012/02/03/teacher-librarian-named-teacher-of-the-month

The Kenmore City Council is seeking dedicated Kenmore citizens interested in serving on the Kenmore Library Advisory Board. The board serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Trustees of the King County Library System and to the local library officials. The board also reports to the Kenmore City Council, as deemed necessary. (Bothell-Kenmore Reporter, 2.3.12) http://www.bothell-reporter.com/community/138067358.html

Local libraries will be getting automated external defibrillators. The Timberland Regional Library District and the local American Red Cross Mt. Rainier chapter have partnered by installing the life-saving devices in each of the library district’s 27 libraries and the Timberland Administrative Center. (Daily World [Aberdeen], 2.3.12)

The Poulsbo Library’s Teen Advisory Board (a part of Kitsap Regional Library) has created a special place for teens at the library: The Dragon’s Den, a teen-priority reading and studying room. … the Teen Advisory Board, which began meeting in November 2010, determined a space where they could meet and enjoy teen specific materials would be useful; there were, after all, special places in the library for adults and children, but no one for teens. (Photo) (North Kitsap Herald [Poulsbo], 2.3.12) http://www.northkitsapherald.com/community/138410694.html

The Burlington Lions Club and Burlington Eagles Auxiliary recently honored a shared member, Vonnie Coonrod, who donated $1,000 on behalf of the clubs to the Burlington Public Library for the purchase of audio books, big print books, magnifiers and low vision computer software. (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 2.5.12)

The Carpenter Memorial Library lost $70,000, or about half of its city funding, in a round of budget cuts last month aimed at remedying a shortfall in the city’s budget. The cuts are tied to financial uncertainty at Suncadia, officials said. The loss of funds resulted in a two-day reduction in hours for the library’s two-person staff. Cle Elum’s previously full-time librarian, Jane Agar, had her hours cut in half, while librarian Ann Stjern dropped from working between six and 24 hours per month to working five hours per month. (Photos) (Daily Record, [Ellensburg] 2.16.12)

Buildings
The local campaign to raise money to renovate the former Masonic Temple for use as the new city of Chelan library is gaining momentum. The effort was kick started with a donation of $5,000 from the Lake Chelan Community Services Council. Donations are being collected by the Chelan Friends of the Public Library. A total of $11,560 has been collected. (Lake Chelan Mirror, 2.1.12) http://lakechelanmirror.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=5501&SectionID=59&SubSectionID=178&S=1

The community may soon get an answer to the future of the downtown Liberty Park Library building. The Renton City Council voted to move the current library at Liberty Park to a new location on Third Avenue this past summer. A steering committee has been working on coming up with a new use for the building since this fall. (Renton Reporter, 2.3.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/news/138596584.html

It’s been 14 years since discussions first began about having a new library in Silverdale. Discussions still continue. Although voters shot down Kitsap Regional Library’s levy lid lift in November 2010, library officials have not given up on bringing a new library to Silverdale and understand the community’s need for a new facility. (Central Kitsap Reporter [Silverdale], 2.3.12) http://www.centralkitsapreporter.com/news/138432679.html

Letters & Editorials
We’d like to thank the staff at the Auburn Public Library for keeping up a high standard of service in a temporary facility. With limited space, they’ve done a great job at serving us and our community. (Auburn Reporter, [Kent] 1.27.12) http://www.auburn-reporter.com/opinion/letters/138085028.html

Calling citizens whiners who are asking that a 2004 library building bond passed unanimously with their help become a reality is disrespectful of their rights in a democracy. In this bond, the White Center Library is to be expanded and the Boulevard Park Library improved. The King County Library System is using a fine print clause to escape out of this commitment. (Highline Times/Des Moines News/SeaTac News [Burien], 2.3.12) http://www.highlinetimes.com/2012/01/30/letters-editor/letter-response-quit-whining-about-libr

The Cowlitz County Coordinating Council for Literacy (C3L) urges all Castle Rock citizens to support continued funding of your library by voting ‘yes’ for the library levy on February 14. On behalf of C4L, I urge our friends in Castle Rock to support their library’s vital contribution to literacy by voting yes. (Daily News [Longview], 2.4.12) http://tdn.com/news/opinion/letters-likes-the-changes/article_bb625d02-4de8-11e1-9cdd-001871e3ce6c.html

Carpenter Memorial Library represents the heart of the Cle Elum community as evidenced by the usage of its patrons. In 2011, our library had more than 23,000 visits, with a circulation of nearly 24,000 materials. The value of public access to computing and information of all kinds cannot be diminished in these tough economic times. (Daily Record, [Ellensburg] 2.11.12.

Programs & Displays
Encouragement of early literacy is provided every week at the King County Library System’s Snoqualmie Library. The Read to Me reading challenge currently going on rewards young readers up to once a month with a paperback or board book of their choice, when a parent and child take a form and check of 20 minutes of reading for 20 days in a month. (Photos) (Snovalley Star, [Issaquah] 2.2.12) http://snovalleystar.com/2012/02/01/little-ones-learn-about-reading

A three-part filmmaking course for youth ages 12-18 will be held at the Port Angeles Library in February. The workshops will be presented by young adult author Lisa Mantchex and documentary filmmaker Andrew Burke. Funding for the program is being provided by the Port Angeles Friends of the Library. (Peninsula Daily News [Port Angeles], 2.3.12)

Heidi Pedersen of NOAA’s Olympic Crest Discovery Center will discuss ocean acidification at an upcoming Port Angeles Library Saturday Science program. Saturday Science programs take place the first Saturday of each month. Recommended for children 7 to 12 years of age, Saturday Science programs are free of charge with no preregistration needed. The program is supported by the Port Angeles Friends of the Library. (Peninsula Daily News [Port Angeles], 2.3.12)

Partnering with Freegal, a service that allows access to music online, the Kitsap Regional Library now offers free, downloadable music to all library members. Under the partnership, users will be able to download up to three songs a week from a catalog of more than 1.5 million tunes. (Independent [Port Orchard], 2.3.12) http://www.portorchardindependent.com/community/138820129.html

What do musicians Eddie McGehee, Ali Marcus and Chris Brokaw have in common? Besides playing some mean guitar and tuning into some of the best music of America’s past, all three will appear at the Oak Harbor and Coupeville libraries, a part of Sno-Isle Libraries, Monday afternoons in February with “Music in the Stacks.” All events are free and sponsored by the Friends of the Oak Harbor Library and Coupeville Friends of the Library. (Whidbey News-Tribune [Oak Harbor], 2.4.12) http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/entertainment/138674649.html

The Pierce County Library system picks a book every year for county residents to share in the Pierce County Reads program. This year the book strikes close to home. Jamie Ford’s “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” a 2010 New York Times bestseller, sets a bittersweet childhood romance squarely in one of the Northwest’s – and America’s – most controversial events: the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. (Photo) (The News Tribune, [Tacoma] 2.19.12) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/19/2032653/project-book-remembers-difficult.html#storylink=misearch

A series of programs about the origin of the King James Bible will be presented starting Thursday by the Mid-Columbia Libraries. Five presentations, The Manifold Greatness: Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible, are part of a traveling national exhibit being taken to 40 communities through the sponsorship of the National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with the American Library Association. (Tri-City Herald Online [Kennewick], 2.28.12) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/02/28/1843446/origins-of-king-james-bible-to.html

The Timberland Regional Library board has put its director on administrative leave. Thurston County representative Emmett O’Connell said library director Michael Crose was put on paid administrative leave at the board’s February 22 meeting. O’Connell said the board plans to meet and discuss the issue before its regularly scheduled meeting on March 28. The board meets once a month. (The Olympian [Olympia], 2.28.12) http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/28/2008991/timberland-library-director-on.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 on the dates shown. For more information about any of these stories, contact Carolyn Petersen at 360.570.5560 or [email protected] ]