Washington State Library News

Washington State Library is reducing it hours for the public almost in half as part of an effort to meet a $1 million shortfall in funding. The Library will be open to the public from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The library has been planning for budget reductions for several months. The library’s budget comes from a state account that relies on recording fees tied to real estate transactions. Those revenues started tapering off when home loans and refinancing slowed in November and resulted in the $1 million shortfall. The new hours will not affect the Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle and institutional libraries at state hospitals and prisons. (The News Tribune, Tacoma, 06/10/14). http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/06/10/3235960/funding-hours-slashed-at-library.html

Library News
The city of Everett is considering shifting the local library system to the regional Sno-Isle Library System. Having the Everett libraries would remove $5 million from the city operating budget and may help stabilize the library funding. It could mean the library would be open more hours. Sno-Isle Libraries would have to approve the deal as well as the city residents. (Everett/Mukliteo Tribune, 05/07/14) http://www.snoho.com/stories_2014/050714_everett_budget_meetings_May_8_and_13.html

Brooks Library at Central Washington University launched Scholorworks, a new institutional repository to house scholarly and creative works by faculty, students, administration, and affiliated persons at the school. (Northern Kittitas County Tribune, Ellensburg, 05/01/14).http://nkctribune.com/2014/05/brooks-library-at-central-washington-university-launches-institutional-repository-upper-kittitas-county-interviews-included/

Liberty Lake Municipal Library is building an outdoor reading garden. The project was funded by the Library Foundation in partnership with the city. The garden will include natural stone elements, benches, flagstone paths, and several custom made wood pieces created by local crafts persons. A celebration of the garden is planned for June 16. (The Splash, Liberty Lake, 05/00/14). http://www.libertylakesplash.com/news.asp?id=23060

Goldendale City Council heard about the virtues of its library from the librarian, Naomi Fisher. Ms. Fisher said that there 80,000 visits to the library last year. She credited the array of services available with bringing people in. She states that the services available at the Goldendale Library are comparable to anything you would find in Seattle or Los Angeles. (Sentinel, Goldendale, 05/07/14). http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/story/2014/05/07/news/city-council-hears-on-library-farmers-market/4122.html

Our Prosser Friends of the Library meeting is planning for the Sumer Reading Program. The ongoing book sale is always happy to get more donations. They will be showcasing the Overdrive eBooks with a Kindle Fire and an Android tablet at the Farmer’s Market. (Record-Bulletin, Prosser, 05/14/14).
Absorbing the Everett Library into the Sno-Isle library system is one of the ideas the Everett city council is looking at to cut costs. Employees of the library are concerned with the effects this may have on the library such as union membership and the future of the archives collection. (Everett/Mukilteo Tribune, Everett, 05/14/14).
The Hoopla Digital collection of movies, TV shows, music, and audio books is available for free from the Sno-Isle libraries. The collection is an eclectic mix of 12,000 titles, 80 % of which is not available on Netflix and includes many PBS offerings. There are 150,000 titles in the music collection and 12,000 audio books to choose from. (The Herald, Everett, 05/02/14). http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140502/NEWS01/140509851

Sno-Isle libraries has an online photo project chronicling the region’s history. The 530 images available is growing daily as the project celebrates the conclusion of its first year. The Washington State Library Rural Heritage Program provided $5,435 to start the digitization project with the South Whidbey Historical Society and the Langley Library. A $20,000 Sno-Isle Libraries Strategic Initiatives Grant provided the hardware, software, and computer servers needed for the project. (The Edmonds Beacon, Mukilteo, 05/15/14).
The new director of the Central Skagit Rural Partial Library District, Jill Pannkuk, is busy after the districts last Board meeting resulted in a long to-do list. The taxpayers are eager to have a library and to see their property taxes go to work. The Board discussed a number of options including partnering with Sedro-Wooley Public Library or other library districts in the area. No formal decisions were made. (Skagit Valley Herald, 05/17/14). http://www.goskagit.com/all_access/central-library-district-director-sets-goals-for-services/article_3ed11985-e601-5052-aec4-74c0c5396a44.html

Mercer Island residents are still fighting for a library remodel that they hope will be in better alignment with their needs than what has been proposed by King County Library system. The residents feel they have not been heard and that their concerns are not being addressed. (Mercer Island Reporter, Mercer Island, 05/14/14). http://www.mi-reporter.com/news/259096561.html

Washington State University is making 100 years of Extension bulletins available online. The first WSU bulletin was published in 1913, “Growing Alfalfa without Irrigation”. The bulletins were created as a means to help farmers and homemakers who could not travel to WSU to get the information in person. The series is still in existence more than 100 years later. (East Washingtonian, Pomeroy, 05/14/14).
Three communities in the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System are looking forward to adding new libraries or expanding existing libraries. Recent facility studies recommended a new library in Woodland and substantial remodels to the libraries in Ridgefield and Washougal. The FVRLS will be assembling teams that include one elected official, library staff, and community members to look at what is needed in each city. They plan to tailor each facility specifically to the community’s needs. (The Columbian, Vancouver, 05/26/14).

Deer Park Elementary School was awarded $500 in books as a part of the Target Books for Schools Program. Store employees vote on the elementary school in their area that they feel is most deserving. The kindergarteners, 1st and 2nd graders benefiting from this gift were ecstatic with the new books. (Deer Park Tribune, Deer Park, 05/14/14) http://www.dptribune.biz/content/deer-park-school-notes-0

Buildings
Fort Vancouver Regional Library District has hired FFA Architecture firm for new branch libraries in Washougal, Woodland, and Ridgefield. The existing branches are too small and were identified in a 2013 district facilities study as high priorities for replacement. FFA will help the district find sites and determine the best layout for the projects. (Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR, 05/14/14).
http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/may/14/library-district-retains-architects/

The redesigned UW Odegaard Undergraduate Library is a library fit for the digital age.  The new design has a new stairway that has created an open court in the middle of the building that has gained the library an additional 6,000 square feet of usable space. Over 10,000 students per day visit the library. It is open 24 hours a day for those with student ID’s and has a café next door. There are four classrooms equipped with laptop connections for everyone and large screens to hook up with. Writable walls are everywhere and the furnishings are easily movable to accommodate a variety of purposes. (Daily Journal of Commerce, Seattle, 06/04/14). http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12066256.html?query=Odegaard+library&searchtype=all

 

Editorials/Letters
Spokane County Library District, Board of Trustees chair, Tim Hattenburg wrote a letter to the editor thanking the voters and volunteers who helped pass the library bond. (The Current, Liberty Lake, 05/00/14).

There are many volunteer opportunities for teens in the library community. The Fort Vancouver Regional Library System has a regular Wednesday afternoon work party. It involves tasks such as sorting and labeling books, stuffing bags, and cutting out pictures for English conversation circles. Also available are positions with the summer reading programs. (The Columbian, Vancouver, 05/30/14). http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/may/30/clark-county-abounds-with-volunteer-opportunities/

People
The City of Roy has filled a vacancy on the Roy City Council. Jo Saylors was appointed to the position which deals with economic development and the library. Ms. Saylors is a library advocate and very interested in become more involved with improving the Roy Library. (Nisqually Valley News, Yelm, 05/02/14). http://www.yelmonline.com/news/local_news/article_e129f780-d247-11e3-87f5-001a4bcf887a.html

Port Angeles Library has partnered with the local national park to present Poetry Walks. There are 26 poems on forest green signs along the walk. The man behind the Poetry Walk is Port Angeles librarian, Noah Glaude. He credits librarian Lorrie Kovell, who has since moved away, with the original concept. Mr. Glaude has been installing the signs and is currently working with the Olympic National Park to offer story times and family backpacking programs that will include a kit with trail tools that can be checked out with a library card. He has plans to get local poets involved in the future. (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, 05/04/14) http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20140504/news/305049957/

The new director of the Central Skagit Rural Partial Library District is busy doing research and connecting with other libraries and government officials to get the library up and running. Her first goal is to get online services and a library card system up and running. Patrons will be able to access ebooks, audiobooks, downloadable audiobooks and scholarly databases even before there is a physical location for the library. (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, 05/17/14).

Orcas Island Library’s Holly King was featured in an article about library staff. Holly came to Orcas Island in 1996 and has been there ever since. She has been instrumental in expanding the library’s reach in the community by creating the Health and Wellness Week with classes, demonstrations and free mammograms. (The Island Sounder, Eastsound, 05/21/14).

Awards
Kitsap Regional Library received $5,000 in recognition of the more than 200 community partnerships it has created. The 2014 LibraryAware Community Award was presented by Library Journal and sponsored by EMSCO Information Services. The library gathered data on users and the resources that they valued most in the library. Among the other initiatives that KRL has in the works is BibiloTEC which focuses on getting homeless and as-risk youth access to technology and mentorship. This is only one of the many community service based ideas that Kitsap is implementing. (Bremerton Patriot, Bremerton, 05/16/14). http://www.bremertonpatriot.com/news/259595731.html

Programs/Displays
Happy birthday to Seattle Central Library and many happy returns. The anniversary of the Seattle Central Library was celebrated with all manner of events. Tote bags and free mini-cupcakes were distributed by local dignitaries. (The Seattle Times, Seattle, 05/25/14). http://blogs.seattletimes.com/opinionnw/2014/05/23/seattle-central-library-10-years/

Oroville Seed Library is up and running at the Oroville Community Library. Seeds have been donated from local sources and some from seed companies. The success of the Seed Library will depend on community members donating seed over time. (Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune, Oroville, 05/08/14).

Pierce County Libraries are offering a variety of classes from mastering mobile devices to computers in general. There is the opportunity to choose from 250 self-paced Microsoft IT Academy courses and over 500 continuing education classes through Universal Class. (South Pierce County Dispatch, Eatonville, 05/14/14).

The Camas Library is looking for volunteers to help with their summer reading program. Volunteers are asked to commit a minimum of four hours per week for 10 weeks. The Summer Reading Program runs from June 7 to August 16. (Camas-Washougal Post-Record, Camas, 05/13/14).

The Harrington Library is await the ordering of new equipment that will allow the scanning of bar codes on library materials. Gary Bortel of the Washington State Library will be conducting the training when the equipment arrives. (Odessa Record, Odessa, 05/22/14).

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[This summary of library news represents a selection of current newspaper clippings about Washington libraries received from Washington newspapers. The summary is created by Leanna Hammond and Staci Phillips of the Washington State Library, Division of the Office of the Secretary of State. For further information about this summary or the clippings listed, contact Carolyn Petersen at 360.570.5560 or [email protected]]