Library News
Chelan City Council members unanimously supported applying for a $500,000 federal grant to help pay for converting the former Masonic Lodge building into a library-based civic center. If the city wins the Community Block Development Grant, it must match $159,000 no more than 90 days after the grant is awarded. (Lake Chelan Mirror, 2.15.12)

At the request of Librarian Julie Jantz, the Odessa Town Council approved JoAnn Hardt for an open Odessa Public Library Board position. Jantz reported to the council on the progress made with the Washington Rural Heritage Grant the library received. (Odessa Record, 2.16.12)

To rounds of applause at the Cle Elum City Council meeting February 14, several residents pleaded for the City to reconsider halving Carpenter’s Library hours. Following the meeting it would appear the City remains on track with departmental cuts across the board, including those to the library. (Photos) (Northern Kittitas County Tribune, [Cle Elum] 2.16.12)

The Roslyn Public Library is offering a series of computer classes through the rest of the winter and into the spring. All of the classes are being taught by library assistant Shawna Graham using a mobile computer lab borrowed from the Ellensburg Public Library. The classes will help participants become familiar with social media sites like Facebook and will address digital photos, job searching, and using ‘cloud’ sites. (Photo) (Northern Kittitas County Tribune, [Cle Elum] 2.16.12)

The City of Yelm is moving forward with securing a bond to purchase the Yelm Library. The Timberland Regional Library System and the city approved an operations and maintenance contract this week. As a provision of the contract, the two parties agree to meet annually. Over the next six weeks, the purchase should be finalized. (Nisqually Valley News, [Yelm] 2.17.12)

Kittitas Public Library volunteers are conducting a telephone survey asking questions about the city of Kittitas services and the usage of the city library and community hall. Kittitas Council member Pat Cort, said the effort is connected to seeking funding for the renovation of the library and community hall. “Our goal is to improve the quality of the facility and to possibly offer additional services.” (Daily Record, [Ellensburg] 2.18.12)

Walk through the Fourth Avenue entrance to the Central Library and you will see a simple wooden box. It’s black, 14 inches by 7 inches, and sits by the security desk. If you bag doesn’t fit into the box, you can’t bring it into the library. The box has been there since the Rem Koolhass-designed building opened in 2004. But lately, some homeless people say library staff have stepped up enforcement of the rule on bag size. (Real Change [Seattle], 2.22.12) http://www.realchangenews.org/index.php/site/archives/6348/

The Manieri Jazz & Swing endowment of the Anacortes Public Library Foundation is offering scholarships in three categories: College Student Scholarship; Jazz Camp Scholarship; and Teacher’s Continuing Education Scholarship. Students and teachers in western Skagit County may apply. Applications are available through band and choir teachers, the Manieri Jazz website and at the Anacortes Public Library. (Anacortes American, 2.22.12)

Tacoma residents use Pierce County Library System (PCLS) services more than any other area that’s outside the system’s boundaries. Agreements with Tacoma, Puyallup, Roy and Seattle, which aren’t included in the system’s service area, allow people living in those cities to have PCLS library cards and borrow items from it. (South Pierce County Dispatch [Eatonville], 2.22.12)

Advocates of a drive to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound region by 2016 can look to Eatonville for inspiration. The Eatonville community solidified its place as a leader in rain gardens with two days worth of projects last May. Earlier installations included one at the Pierce County Library branch. (Photo) (South Pierce County Dispatch [Eatonville], 2.22.12)

On Saturday, February 18, about 100 book lovers enjoyed searching through a Forks Library meeting room full of books on many topics and finding their own treasures. The sale was success with $469 raised. The funds go into the fund for renovating the Forks Library, a part of the North Olympic Library System. (Photo) (Forks Forum, 2.23.12)

Buildings
A land purchase for the potential expansion of Balfour Park would not necessarily have to wait for the city of Spokane Valley to update its Master Park Plan. Some members of the council have been itching to move forward with a partnership with the Spokane County Library District (SCLD) on land on the north side of Sprague at Herald Road that would be divided between SCLD and the city. (Valley News Herald [Spokane], 2.17.12)

Randle Woods specializes in creating custom wood products including doors and cabinets to entire houses. Things were a bit different when the company recently took on a special project for the Centralia Timberland Library. Randle Woods employees built and installed both a new circulation desk and information center. (Photo) (The East County Journal [Morton], 2.22.12)

There is a chance the recently closed Merrill’s Corner branch library in Eltopia could reopen. The Mid-Columbia Libraries board members said Tuesday that they will consider temporarily reopening the tiny facility that closed for financial reasons in December. (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 2.22.12) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/02/22/1836036/merrills-corner-library-branch.html

Letters & Editorials
Several weeks ago, we all shivered and shook, either because we didn’t have power or because we were nervous about driving. When I could finally get out of the house, I went to a coffee shop to recharge my devices, but there wasn’t a plug available, since many people were in the same circumstances. So, I visited my library. I was not alone. (The Herald [Puyallup], 2.15.12) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/17/2030327/puyallup-library-column-feb-15.html

I’m a senior citizen and I am sorry to hear of the reduction of hours for our library. I feel it’s such a privilege to have a place where I can look forward to going when health or weather permits. (Northern Kittitas County Tribune [Cle Elum] 2.16.12)

Carpenter Memorial Library represents the heart of the Cle Elum community as evidenced by the usage of its patrons. Please rescind this misguided decision to significantly defund the library budget and staffing levels. (Northern Kittitas County Tribune, [Cle Elum] 2.16.12)

Do you know someone with eyesight problems? People tend to forget the Talking Book and Braille Library is available. They provide a free public library service, which includes easy access to the information and recreational reading materials needed by individuals in the State of Washington who are unable to read standard print material. (LaConner Weekly News, 2.22.12)

Thank you to the Orcas Island Education Foundation for paying to keep our library open for the rest of the year, because we love our library. We want to somehow raise money so that the library can stay open next year, so all the kids can be happy. (The Island Sounder [Eastsound], 2.22.12)

People
Chuck Petras, a research engineer at Schweitzer Engineering in Pullman, has been appointed to the Whitman County Library Board of trustees for a five-year term. (Whitman County Gazette, [Colfax] 2.16.12)

New Spokane County Library District (SCLD) Executive Director Nancy Ledeboer will assume her new job effective March 1. Ledeboer takes over for Mike Wirt, whose retirement will take effect on February 24, after 40 years with SCLD. (Deer Park Tribune, 2.22.12)

Programs & Displays
The Friends of the Oroville Library, a part of the North Central Regional Library, are planning “Oroville Creates!” an art event to be held during Heritage Days July 21st. Artists who sell their work will donate 20 percent of the sale to the library renovation fund. (Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, [Oroville] 2.16.12)

A professional organizer spoke about how to tame your chaos on March 13 at the Main Library Auditorium in Everett. The speaker, Laura Leist, founded a business called Eliminate Chaos devoted to helping people separate the duds from the keepers, and find good homes for cherished but unwanted treasures. (The Herald [Everett], 2.24.12)

A handful of people arrived at the Mountlake Terrace Library last month to study the questions they’ll be asked during the U.S. citizenship test. The Mountlake Terrace Library, a part of Sno-Isle Libraries, offers a free citizenship class for people getting ready to take the citizenship test. Class meets weekly for five weeks. (The Herald Online [Everett], 3.13.12) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120313/NEWS01/703139923/-1/News#Library-helps-make-citizenship-happen

The Camas Public Library will host a party for teens to celebrate the debut of the best-selling book “The Hunger Games” as a major Hollywood blockbuster. The event will be 4 p.m. March 22, the day before the movie is released. (The Columbian Online [Vancouver], 3.14.12) http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/14/03-14-nabes-briefs/

The Vancouver Community Library will also host a “Hunger Games” party. The event will be at the main branch from 4 to 5:30 p.m. March 23 in the Columbia Room. Students ages 12 to 19 will participate in activities and competitions. Two movie tickets will be the prize in a trivia contest. (The Columbian Online [Vancouver], 3.14.12) http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/mar/14/03-14-nabes-briefs/

[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] ]