Washington State Library News

The Washington State Library recently contributed another 50,000 historic newspaper pages from nine newspapers to Chronicling America, making Washington State’s contribution to the program a total of 16 titles and 92,000 pages. Chronicling America is a project of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress. (Tacoma Daily Index, 6.23.10) http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1793960&more=0

Library News

The Timberland Regional Library system continues to collect about $30,000 a month from late fees as a result of a policy change implemented last fall.  Michael Crose, Timberland Regional Library’s interim director, told the Grays Harbor County commissioners.he is surprised the amount hasn’t dropped.  Crose acknowledged that the overdue fine system that took effect in October is “not very popular,” but he said it was necessary due to the budget challenges the library district faces. (Daily World [Aberdeen], 6.16.10)

The Chehalis Library Advisory Board told the Chehalis City Council Monday evening that patron services have increased by 47 percent in the last couple of years as residents have taken advantage of the new building. However, the Timberland Regional Library System turned the board down for more funding and no new positions will be created. At its drive-up window, which Hill called a “smashing success” and the first of its kind in the state, between 60 and 70 vehicles pass by it daily. (The Chronicle [Centralia], 6.16.10)

Pierce County Library System customers may now, through text messaging on their mobile phone or device, receive notices and contact the library, for information about items they’ve placed on hold or are due or overdue. In turn the new texting service lets people renew items they have checked out on their Pierce County Library card. (South Pierce County Dispatch [Eatonville], 6.23.10)

Elections

Spokane County Library District patrons are being asked to preserve service by increasing property taxes through a levy lid lift.  Director Michael Wirt likens the August 17 primary election measure to preventive maintenance on a dike before a finger is needed to stop a flood. The new lid lift would increase the district’s tax rate from 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to the statutory maximum of 50 cents. (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 6.15.10) http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jun/15/library-district-seeks-tax-hike

Sequim Citizens for Libraries are preparing to hit the streets for a proposed lift to the North Olympic Library System levy. It’s been 32 years since the library system that includes Sequim, Port Angeles, Forks and Clallam Bay asked for a levy increase. “It’s reached the critical point,” North Olympic Library System director Paula Barnes said. Barnes and staff say if the levy doesn’t pass, then more closures, staff and materials cuts could happen. (The Sequim Gazette, 6.16.10) http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2010-06-16_libraries_look_to_levy_in_august

A Port Orchard Annexation by Kitsap Library District measure will likely be on the August 17 ballot. This measure seeks to allow the city of Port Orchard to be annexed into the Kitsap County Library District. This would allow residents a say in new tax measures or other ballot issues concerning the library district. The library board must approve this measure though before it is officially on the August ballot. (Independent [Port Orchard], 6.18.10)

Letters & Editorials

I want to give a big thank you to Jim Kershner for his column on the library (June 5). I wanted to send a nasty gram to the mayor for jerking the library around in the budget.  We need our libraries open all the time, year after year. (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 6.15.10) http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jun/15/library-needs-reliable-funding

The Board of Trustees of the North Central Regional Library opposes censorship at its most fundamental level and we strive in all our decisions to support our mission, “To promote reading and lifelong learning.” We are gratified by the Washington State Supreme Court’s recent decision that “just as a public library has discretion to make content-based decisions about which magazines and books to include in its collections, it has discretion to make decision about Internet content.” (Columbia Basin Herald [Moses Lake], 6.17.10) http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_68d690cc-7a58-11df-a931-001cc4c03286.html

I am currently a sixth-grader at Port Susan Middle School, and I am extremely upset to find out that our librarian, Mrs. Woodward, is being reassigned to an English teacher position and leaving the librarian position empty, basically closing our library. I love the library, and I personally think it is one of the best parts of school.  Mrs. Woodward has put so many years of hard work into this library, and I would hate to see it go to waste. (Stanwood Camano News, 6.22.10)

The library’s summer reading program became an important part of our lives the year my boys started school.  The past four years, we know summer’s here when the boy start looking for their library cards and pestering us to take them to the library, all for the sake of earning summer reading points.  Get signed up for 2010 summer reading program, and take a break from the Wii and video games. (Columbian [Vancouver], 6.23.10) http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/23/visit-a-library-this-summer/

People

The Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees met in executive session on Monday and authorized the library district’s attorney and human resources manager to begin negotiations with one of the four finalists for the post of executive director of the library system, two of the board members confirmed.  The library district serves Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties. (Daily World [Aberdeen], 6.16.10)

Awards

The new $10,000 reader board outside the new Cascade Park Community Library was a gift from the service club Altrusa International Clark County.  In early May, Altrusa stopped by with one of those great big checks – for $5,000, the second payment of two – made out to the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation. (Photo) (Columbian [Vancouver], 6.23.10) http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/23/battle-ground-meadow-glade-and-hockinson/

Programs & Displays

Several rock specimens containing impressions of fossil leaves will be on display for the next few weeks at the Mount Vernon City Library.  In a news release, Library director Brian Soneda said the fossils had been loaned to the library by “a semi-retired truck driver” who prefers to remain anonymous. The specimens were discovered in the North Cascades earlier this year. (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 6.13.10)

Performing pigs, pirate talk and hula-hooping are on the way because at last so is summer – as of next Monday, officially. And that means zaniness at and around local libraries, no matter how loud. Kicking off the series of events for North Olympic Library System is the Harmonica Pocket, a duo from Port Townsend who mix ukulele, acoustic guitar and something called a “jaw harp” with another thing called hula-hoop art. (Photo) (Peninsula Daily News [Port Angeles], 6.16.10) http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010306169990

About 3,000 new downloadable audio books and a sampling of e-books are available to Anacortes Public Library card holders thanks to the library’s participation in the Washington Digital Library Consortium.  The books are available through Overdrive and the Washington Digital Library Consortium, a group of nine library districts that have pooled together to share resources. (Anacortes American, 6.23.10)

Hard Times/Economy

Teachers and parents lined up Tuesday amidst a standing-room only crowd to tell the school board they don’t want middle school libraries staffed by anybody less than certified librarians.  Testimony regarding a planned change in library programs came after a somber review of the Stanwood-Camano School District’s budget.  (The Herald [Everett], 6.16.10) http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100616/NEWS01/706169802

[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 Carolyn Petersen at 360.570.5560 or [email protected] ]

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