Library News
Fresh on the heels of ensuring a new city library will go forward this year and ensuring its completion in some form, the New Ferndale Library Project now has yet another matching grant of $500,000 from an anonymous donor. (Ferndale Record, 5.8.13)

The primary classes at Garfield Elementary topped the annual library penny drive by raising $186.86 in April. Donations from the school and branch totaled $193.50. Garfield Library has received $400 in children’s books as part of a 2 to 1 matching grant from the Libri Foundation. (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 5.9.13)

The inboxes of the North Bend City Council and staff members and police had been filling up with complaints about things going on at the North Bend Library, but Police Chief Mark Toner said the library has followed through with its promise to make some changes and he’s hearing very few complaints from the public these days. (Snovalley Star [Issaquah], 5.9.13) http://snovalleystar.com/2013/05/08/north-bend-library-made-promised-changes

People in their 20s and older teens are just as likely as older Americans to have visited a public library in the last year — and about as likely to have taken out books or browsed the shelves once they got there, a new study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project finds. Nearly two out of three said they had a library card. (Seattle Times, 6.25.13) http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2021268875_librarypollxml.html?syndication=rss

Whatcom Transportation Authority will host a series of Kids Art contests in July to find art to decorate buses. The contests will be held at three local libraries in July. Two kids from each location will have their works reproduced on the sides of a WTA bus. (Bellingham Families Online, 6.27.13) http://www.bellinghamfamilies.com/2013/06/27/3071249/wta-hosts-art-contests-for-kids.html

Buildings
In September, the Port Orchard Library, a part of the Kitsap Regional Libraries, will undergo a major interior renovation. The library will be closed August 30th through September 30th during construction. (The Kitsap Sun [Bremerton], 5.8.13) http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/may/07/port-orchard-library-slated-for-major-renovation/#axzz2Y0nWaSf3

North Olympic Library System Director Paula Barnes has sent a recommendation to the Library Board of Trustees that they award a contract to Hoch Construction, Inc. of Port Angeles to conduct an extensive roof and renovation project on the Forks Library. (Forks Forum, 5.9.13) http://www.forksforum.com/news/article.exm/2013-05-13_library_board_asked_for_decision

The Lummi Island Library, a part of the Whatcom County Library System, closed for its $200,000 renovation on Saturday, June 29th. The project, which is expected to take about four months, includes restructuring the roof, raising part of the floor to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and expanding the library. (Bellingham Herald Online, 6.26.13) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/06/26/3069806/lummi-island-library-200000-remodel.html

Letters & Editorials
The Sedro-Woolley Lions Lending Library at the Helping Hands food bank in Sedro-Woolley has been a real success. We currently have enough books to take care of our needs. The Lions and I want to thank the many people in our community who have donated books to us for this literacy project. (Photo) (Courier Times [Sedro-Woolley], 5.7.13)

As proponents of free speech, we always become concerned when book bans are proposed. Earlier this year, we applauded a review committee’s decision on two books in the Prosser School District. Prosser should leave the books on the shelves and leave the parenting to the parents. (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 5.10.13) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/05/10/2389145/our-voice-prosser-schools-should.html

People
Following an overwhelming successful annexation campaign, Chewelah library manager Kate Skinner resigned her position, effective May 31, as she is moving to Hawaii for family reasons. Skinner said she will miss Chewelah and Stevens County, but believes she is leaving it in a good place as the passage of the annexation allows the Libraries of Stevens County to restore Chewelah’s hours in 2014. (Photo) (The Independent [Chewelah], 5.9.13)

Programs & Displays
Children and teens can have fun and earn rewards while keeping their reading skills sharp with free summer reading programs at the White Salmon Valley Community Library, a part of the North Olympic Library System. The summer reading programs run June 1st through the end of August. (The Enterprise [White Salmon], 6.13.13) http://www.whitesalmonenterprise.com/archives/Story.aspx/14172/white-salmon-library-summer-reading-begins

Food-lovers can check out more than just cookbooks at the library this summer. Just about every week an interesting free food-related event jumps out at me from the King County Library System’s “Place at the Table” program. The programs will continue throughout 2013 — and a system-wide food drive will be part of it. All library branches will have bins to collect non-perishable food to distribute to local food banks. (Seattle Times Blog Online, 6.28.13) http://blogs.seattletimes.com/allyoucaneat/2013/06/28/fabulous-free-food-classes/?syndication=rss

[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 Martha Shinners at 360.570.5567 or [email protected]]