Library News
The Tacoma City Council has $16.4 million available for various construction projects. This includes $3 million to build a library at Salishan. This project has now been shifted to a third tier priority. (Tacoma Weekly, 4.20.12) http://www.tacomaweekly.com/news/view/city-government-setting-priorities-on-long-list-of-projects/

At a recent meeting, the Friends of the Washougal Library voted to have co-chairwoman Sallie Tucker Jones write a resolution stating that the Friends will contribute financial and other support for a new library. (Camas-Washougal Post-Record, [Camas] 4.24.12)

Morton City Council member Ellie Worsham and several members of the community have been working with officials from Timberland Regional Library on the possibilities of working to create a library for Morton residents. (The East County Journal, [Morton] 4.25.12)

The final stages of the Port Angeles Main Library reconfiguration limits check-out services May 4-20. Sequim’s services are expected to be unaffected by the changes. (Photo) (The Sequim Gazette, 4.25.12) http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2012-04-25_p_a__library_sets_remodel_for_may_4_20

Cle Elum’s Carpenter Memorial Library will expand operating hours from 20-30 hours a week. This comes as a result of local residents raising $4,300 for the Friends of the Cle Elum Carpenter Memorial Library along with $4,800 the group previously collected. (Daily Record, [Ellensburg] 4.25.12)

Developer Craig Skotdal watched as a giant row of books was installed outside Library Place on Hoyt Avenue. The eight-foot-tall and 12-foot-wide art installation, called “The Book Stack,” got its start about a year ago when an electric transformer box was put near the main entrance to Library Place, a residential building adjacent to the Everett Public Library. (Photo) (The Herald [Everett], 4.26.12) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120426/NEWS01/704269913/0/SEARCH

Mount Vernon’s newest library is a little more than two feet tall, a bit less than three feet wide and a foot deep, and it stand in Linda and Steve Burns’ front yard. The bitty book barn is library number 1,382 of the global Little Free Library movement, which now has libraries across the United State, in Europe and Africa. (Photo) (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 5.1.12) http://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/little-library-for-little-readers/article_958d6f12-f3a0-5b4d-a494-792b8a807071.html

Elections
Renton City Council voted unanimously Monday night to put a measure on the August 7 election ballot asking voters to choose where they want to locate the downtown library. The choices are between the current site over the Cedar River and the previously chosen site – the former Big 5 Sporting Goods store next to the Piazza. (Renton Reporter, 4.20.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/news/147834745.html

Buildings
The library building over the Cedar River may become an environmental interpretive center if plans proceed to move the downtown library to Third Street. The Liberty Park Library Building Steering Committee presented its recommendations to the Renton City Council at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. (Renton Reporter, 4.20.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/news/147818895.html

The Timberland Regional Library district is planning a day-long staff training at most branches during May. Libraries will close for one day on a rolling schedule to ensure patrons still have access to services. Check with your local TRL library for closure day. (Daily World [Aberdeen], 4.22.12)

Mayor Kelli Linville is open to dusting off old plans to build a new central branch of the Bellingham Public Library. Linville fielded library questions Saturday, April 28, at the annual meeting of the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library. “By the end of the year,” Livnille said, “we should know what direction we’re going.” (Bellingham Herald, 4.29.12) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/04/28/2500716/linville-look-at-library-services.html#storylink=misearch

Letters & Editorials
This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with North Central Regional Library Director Dean Marney to talk about the landmark federal court case that the library just won that allows them to continue filtering pornography. Marney, who has been the director for 15 years, said the decision to filter out porn was an easy one to make. (The Wenatchee World, 4.20.12) http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/apr/20/rufus-woods-the-library-system-wins-an-important/

I read, with some consternation, a letter by Christina Condelles in the April 6 edition. It would seem that her issue is the relocation of the Renton Library. I believe she has every right to state her opinion as to the location. I am disturbed by her claims and insistence that the downtown area is a hell hole full of crime and shootings. (Renton Reporter, 4.20.12) http://www.rentonreporter.com/opinion/letters/148172725.html

One of the enduring strengths of our public library system is that it has historically resisted being politicized. So it’s unfortunate that the North Central Regional Library chose to inaccurately characterize a recent court decision in its favor as a victory over the Seattle American Civil Liberties Union and the forces of pornography. (Methow Valley News, [Twisp] 4.25.12)

At Mukilteo Elementary our librarian is part-time. We don’t get much time to check out books. I miss being able to learn how to use the computer as a research tool. I hope the school district and the school board reconsider this decision. (The Herald [Everett], 4.29.12) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20120429/OPINION02/704299965/0/SEARCH

A $2 million budget shortfall led to the closing of two Tacoma Library branches. Two library buildings – Martin Luther King Jr. in Central Tacoma and Swan Creek on the East Side – have been put on the market. Bids will be taken until May 22. (The News Tribune, [Tacoma] 5.15.12) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/05/14/2144053/a-sad-state-of-affairs-for-once.html

Awards
The Kitsap Community Foundation has announced its 2012 grant recipients. In this year’s competitive grant process, the foundation awarded 14 grants, part of the more than $66,400 that it has distributed since October 1, 2011. Grants ranging from $300 to $2,500 were awarded. Among the awardees was the Kitsap Regional Library. (Bainbridge Island Review, 4.20.12) http://www.bainbridgereview.com/community/148121395.html

The Mount Vernon City Library has announced its 2012 Bookmark Contest winners. Contestants were required to design and submit a bookmark based on the library’s summer reading theme, “Dream Big – READ @ Your Library!” (Skagit Argus, [Burlington] 4.24.12)

North Thurston High School teacher-librarian Steve Coker recently was awarded the President’s Award for Excellence from the Northwest Council for Computer Education. (Photos) (The Olympian, [Olympia] 4.30.12) http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/30/2086973/school-days-fly-by-for-technology.html#storylink=misearch

Programs & Displays
If you drop by the Tenino Timberland Library on a Wednesday before the end of May, you can see youngsters building things with Lego bricks, bases and figures. After kids build stuff, it goes in the display case and stays there for a week. It is all part of Colorful Constructions: A Building Club. (Photo)
(Rochester Sun News, [Tenino) 4.25.12)

Your generosity can make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. More and more of us are growing gardens than ever before. Did you know that all of your extra produce can be taken to your local food bank? Seeds will be available in all Pierce County Library branches in May. (Photos) (The News Tribune, [Tacoma] 5.9.12) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/05/09/2136925/your-generosity-can-make-a-difference.html#storylink=misearch

Economy/Hard Times
Thanks to a new series of job and career classes offered by the Puyallup Public Library, Casey Slade picked up job interviewing skills she needed just a day before her interview. Job and career classes at the Puyallup Public Library are supported by an $83,400 two-year Broadband Technology Opportunities Program federal stimulus grant. Puyallup Public Library was the only library in Pierce County to receive the grant. (The Herald, [Puyallup] 4.25.12) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/24/2119402/looking-for-a-job-library-offers.html#storylink=misearch

[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 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] ]