Library News
This month the King County Law Library will be rolling out new personal computers on our public access network. The public access computers have been operating on older software and equipment. While adequate for processing most websites on the Internet, the computing power has not been optimal for accessing Family Law SupportCalc, Westlaw or Lexis. (King County Bar Bulletin [Seattle], 5.2012) https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2012&AID=lawlib.htm

Timberland Regional Library hosted a Community Conversation session, an opportunity to listen to the public’s ideas, comments and concerns relative to library services in the communities it serves, earlier this month. The information gathered will be used to focus library services in areas of greatest need. (The Chronicle [Centralia], 5.8.12)

Three finalists for the job of executive director of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District will participate in public meet-and-greet events June 7 and 8. The executive director position opened when Bruce Ziegman retired in October after more than a decade in the position. Operations Director Patty Duitman has led the district as interim executive director since then. (The Columbian Online [Vancouver], 5.31.12) http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/may/31/3-library-director-finalists-will-meet-greet/

Buildings
Fife City Council is set to approve a development revision for the Portside development. “This project will close a gap in the city’s sidewalk system between the Mayfair Place condominium neighborhood and the sidewalks being built by the Pierce County Library District for the new Fife branch,” the staff reporter stated. (Fife Free Press [Tacoma], 5.4.12) http://www.fifefreepress.com/news/view/trail-likely-moves-forward-despite-delays/

The Vancouver Community Library, a part of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, which opened last summer, is the cornerstone of a planned four-block 600,000-square-foot mixed-use development. The centerpiece of the library’s nearly 200-foot-long four-story atrium is a sculptural cast-in-place concrete stairway. In all, the library consumed over 6,000 cubic yards in various mixes. (Photo) (Daily Journal of Commerce [Seattle], 5.10.12)

The Pierce County Library System (PCLS) is receiving sealed bids from qualified general contractors for the HVAC system replacement at the Sumner branch library. Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on June 8th in the PCLS Processing and Administrative Center. (Daily Journal of Commerce [Seattle], 5.16.12)

The half a million dollar remodel of the downtown Yakima Valley Library includes 20 new computers, a new central circulation desk to check out books, and added security. The nearly 50 year old building’s bathrooms were in the basement, but now they are on the main floor. Book readers are pleased with the changes to the library and how open the new layout is. (KappTV.com, 5.21.12) http://www.kapptv.com/article/2012/may/21/library-open-after-4-day-closure/

Awards
The Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce had its annual Gala and Leadership Awards ceremony in early April. The winners of this year’s leadership awards included Gloria Garcia, Mid-Columbia Libraries chairwoman and former executive director of the Pasco Downtown Development Association, who won the Latina Lifetime Achievement Recognition. (Tri-City Area Journal of Business [Kennewick], 5.2012) http://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2012/05/networking-35/

The Weller Public Library in Waitsburg now boasts about 70 new books to entertain children of all ages through the summer months. Library Manager Rosie Warehime said the addition of the books to the library is just in time for the summer reading program. The new books are thanks to a matching grant from the Libri Foundation, called the Books For Children grant. (The Times [Waitsburg], 5.3.12)

[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 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] ]