Washington State Library News
Are you one of the millions of baby boomers who aren’t even dreaming of retirement yet, much less planning for it? The Everett Public Library is offering two free half-day workshops, thanks to a Transforming Life After 50 grant awarded by the Washington State Library, a division of the Washington Secretary of State’s Office, with funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. (The Herald [Everett], 4.9.12) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120409/LIVING/704099981/1027/SEARCH

Samantha Becker, the research project manager of the U.S. IMPACT Study at the University of Washington’s Information School, noted, “The technology environment in libraries has provided a wonderful opportunity to preserve collections and enhance access to them through digitization, which many libraries are doing with out-of-print and local collections or digital artifacts. The Washington Rural Heritage project is a wonderful example.” That project allows users to search and access digital versions of material from libraries, heritage organizations, and private collections throughout the state of Washington. (PBS Online, 5.1.12) http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2012/05/what-is-the-role-of-libraries-in-the-age-of-e-books-and-digital-information122.html

Library News
The Timberland Regional Library District, along with hundreds of other libraries across Washington State and the nation, participated in Library Snapshot Day Tuesday, April 10th, to commemorate the contributions libraries make to people’s lives. The nationwide event was part of National Library Week, April 8 through 14. (Chinook Observer [Long Beach], 4.4.12)

The raise granted to Keitha Owens, the director of the Ocean Shores Public Library, may have been handled incorrectly. According to state laws governing open meetings and executive sessions (RCW 42.30.110), “Discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within an agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public … “ The July 2011 action to increase Keitha’s salary was taken during a closed meeting. The Library Board will vote again at their next open meeting to confirm Keitha Owens’ salary increase. (The North Coast News [Ocean Shores], 4.4.12)

At Western Washington University, the Libraries lost roughly a fifth of their budget and the equivalent of 12 full-time staff in four years. How do organizations like libraries survive and thrive under adverse circumstances? They collaborate. For Western Libraries, this has occurred both internally with campus partners, and with other libraries in the community. (Ferndale Record, 4.4.12)

Grandview Library is special. Still, the value of this library and the success of the partnership between the city and the Yakima Valley Community College, which made the library possible, are not necessarily widely known. And this is about to change. Last week, a pair of Washington D.C. researchers dropped in to ask questions about the library project. In gathering information for a study on the HUD grant given to the project, they also met with library users and workers. (Photo) (Grandview Herald, 4.4.12)

Kitsap library users only had limited access to the KRL catalog Sunday, April 22 to Wednesday, April 25 as the library system transitioned to its new integrated library system (ILS) software. The new system software from Polaris Library Systems went live April 26. (Central Kitsap Reporter [Silverdale], 4.6.12)

New York just can’t keep us with Seattle’s insatiable thirst for e-books. KPLU tells us that Seattle Public Library’s e-book collection is already outpacing the one owned by the New York Public Library system – 100,000 digitized books compared to about 88,000. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer Online, 4.18.12) http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/04/18/how-seattle-kicks-new-yorks-butt-at-reading/

Elections
Enumclaw is in the midst of one of its more controversial elections concerning the fate of the city’s public library. Proposition No. 1 on the April 17 mail-in ballot asks whether residents of Enumclaw should allow the King County Library System to annex the city library. One of the central questions is whether the City Council is able to, or willing to, fund the library. (Enumclaw Courier-Herald, 4.4.12) http://www.courierherald.com/news/145989465.html

The library has always been a haven for people with limited resources; now the library system has found itself in the same boat. Budgets for Seattle’s libraries have been slashed every y ear for the past four. To combat these problems, the Seattle City Council is proposing a tax levy to fund the libraries. The $123 million levy would be raised and spent over the next seven years. (Capitol Hill Times [Seattle], 4.5.12) http://www.capitolhilltimes.com/2012/04/when-the-levy-breaks/

After much debate among Renton City Council members and public testimony, the council Monday night opted not to put an initiative on the ballot that could have kept the library over the Cedar River. The council’s 4 to 3 vote was made before a packed City Council chamber, with some of the audience spilling into an overflow conference room. (Renton Reporter, 4.6.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/news/145877785.html

By now, 3,486 Ocean Shores voters should have received ballots mailed from Grays Harbor County Elections. This “special election” asks for financial support of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Ocean Shores Library, both in the form of “lid lift” levies that would replace similar lid lifts that expire at the end of this year. (Daily World [Aberdeen], 4.6.12)

The pro-library annexation proposition on the special election ballot increased its lead to 34 votes Monday after bouncing between a 22 vote lead to as low as 14. On election night, April 17, Proposition No. 1 – asking if the King County Library System should annex the Enumclaw Library – was leading by a slim 22 votes. The final result will be posted Friday, April 27, when the canvassing board certifies the election. (Enumclaw Courier-Herald Online, 4.25.12) http://www.courierherald.com/news/148599025.html

Buildings
A public hearing regarding the proposed road improvement project for the west side of town was held at the City Council meeting on Monday night. The only topic on the discussion of the project was the Goldendale Community Library’s trees. Librarian Naomi Fisher asked the council to consider the trees that are outside the Library building when they plan the project. The Goldendale Community Library is part of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District. (Sentinel [Goldendale], 4.4.12) http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/story/2012/04/04/news/road-project-hearing-focuses-on-trees/504.html

The Spokane Valley City Council is expected to learn a little more about a potential land partnership with the Spokane County Library District next Tuesday night. While there won’t be any firm decisions made at the regular April 10 meeting – the items appear on the “administrative report” section of the agenda – city staffers will brief council members on new information that could result in a future land purchase on the property, which is owned by Pring Corp. (Valley News Herald [Spokane], 4.6.12)

University of Washington Tacoma officials recently conducted a site tour of the new $16 million Tioga Library Building currently under construction and shared photographs on its Flickr site. The four-story building designed to complement the historical brick architecture of the city and campus will be connected to the library by a skybridge and will address both library and campus functional needs. (Photo) (Tacoma Daily Index, 4.10.12)

The Vancouver Mall Community Library will be looking at a smaller facility and reduced services in 2013. The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District Board of Trustees announced at Monday night’s meeting that it has tentatively agreed on a new 10-year lease with Westfield Mall management for a library about half the size of the current branch at about the same cost. (The Columbian [Vancouver], 4.11.12) http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/10/mall-library-to-shrink-in-13-slightly-less-than-ha/

Letters & Editorials
In order to expand the library by moving to another site, the city of Chelan and the Chelan Friends of the Library have applied for a state grant, asking for $490,000. If Chelan is chosen to receive this (federal) grant, the agency will give the library the money only if the community raises $160,000. At this time, the total raised is $72,000. Even small donations help. Every dollar counts! (Lake Chelan Mirror, 4.4.12)

What hasn’t been said in all this talk about a new library is the effect it will have on families. I am a mother of two toddlers. Each week we attend library storytime, all without crossing a single street. Now the city wants me to park in a parking garage, walk by a crime-ridden transit center and cross a busy street to get to the library. Don’t make me and my children a test case for a making a problematic city center safer. (Renton Reporter, 4.6.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/opinion/letters/146308525.html

Monday night’s City Council meeting was a lesson in civics and a demonstration of the understanding by some in the community that what the council does matters. The council stuck to its guns, honoring a vote by the people in early 2010 to annex to the King County Library System that would ensure Renton residents would have library services for decades to come – all investment in the future. (Renton Reporter, 4.6.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/opinion/146432125.html

I was pretty excited to take my grandchildren to the library after work last week. We arrived at the Lacey Timberland Regional Library and headed to the Children’s area to find that there were several really fun toys to distract the children. There were about eight other children already playing with the toys, and NOT ONE CHILD was looking at books. I hope the libraries will seriously consider removing the toys, or at least limit it to a few puzzles or other types of activities. (The Olympian [Olympia], 4.11.12) http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/11/2064907/toys-dont-belong-in-the-library.html

Jeers to the shrinking size of the Vancouver Mall Community Library. Library district officials announced this week that the mall branch will go from 7,215 square feet now to 3,575 square feet under a new 10-year lease taking effect next year. The library will close temporarily late this year for the downsizing to occur. (The Columbian [Vancouver], 4.14.12) http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/14/cheers-jeers/

Awards
The North Olympic Library System has been named a Science Champion for its support of advancing science education in Washington through its innovative science-based programming and collections. Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform will honor awardees at a ceremony on May 10. (The Sequim Gazette, 4.4.12)

Lake View Elementary School students have added yet another chapter to their successful saga as champion readers. The Cardinals recently captured their third consecutive Auburn School District and South Regional titles in the King County Library System’s 12th annual Global Reading Challenge. (Photo) (Auburn Reporter [Kent], 4.6.12) http://www.auburn-reporter.com/community/146202435.html

Programs & Displays
Settling into a new community can be daunting for new military families. Sno-Ilse Libraries is often one of the very first stops when exploring a new neighborhood and the library can help families get oriented to their new surroundings. Because April is the month of the Military Child, Sno-Isle Libraries put together a special book list with a military theme as a tribute to these dedicated families. (Millcreek View, 4.2012)

Technology is on the rise at the Columbia County Rural Library District. Library patrons can now access eBooks from the Washington Anytime Library through eReaders, such as a Kindle, according to Janet Lyons, library director. The service has been available at the library since November 2011. Lyons encourages anyone interested to visit the library to find out how to access the service. (Dayton Chronicle, 4.4.12)

The La Conner Library is now a part of the Washington Anytime Library, and patrons can download audio books and e-books for free. You can set up an account from the library’s website. If you have any difficulty, there are excellent help screens, or come in and library staff will walk you through the process. (La Conner Weekly News, 4.4.12)

Washington Poet Laureate Kathleen Flennikin will welcome visitors at a “Coffee with the Washington Poet Laureate” at 3:30 p.m. May 14 at the Lowe Columbia College Bookstore, located in the Student Center at 15th Avenue and Maple Street. Flennikin will present a reading at 7 p.m. that evening in the Periodicals Room (main floor) at the Longview Public Library. Both events are free. (The Daily News [Longview], 4.28.12) http://tdn.com/lifestyles/library-corner-as-poetry-month-winds-down-sample-these-powerful/article_980c8944-91a5-11e1-a95e-001a4bcf887a.html

Amy Walden, author of “The Submission,” the Seattle Public Library’s “Seattle Reads” pick for 2012, will discuss the book at various locations. Saturday, May 5 at 11 a.m. at the Ballard Branch, and 4 p.m. at the Columbia Branch. At the downtown library she will appear in conversation at 7 p.m. Friday, May 4. All events are free and open to the public. (The Seattle Times Online, 4.30.12) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2018085915_litlife30.html?cmpid=2628

[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] ]