Library News

The Selah Public Library, a part of the Yakima Valley Regional Library system, is moving.across the street.  For the last 42 years, residents of Selah have turned many pages in the building the library shares with City Hall.  Now they’ll have a larger place; part of an agreement designed to help both the library and the city.  (Photo)  (Yakima Valley Business Times, 9.10.10)

Mount Vernon Library Director Brian Soneda is excited about the role his library and other area libraries serve for residents hard-pressed in a struggling economy.  Soneda, also a project coordinator with Washington State Library’s Renew Washington project, has been working to raise the public awareness about using libraries as a first-tier resource.  (Photo) (Skagit Valley Herald [Mount Vernon], 9.26.10)

The Seattle Public Library System is the third-best big library district in the U.S., according to a new report.  The Library Journal Index of Public Service 2010 report uses 2008 data released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  It’s the first round of national public library statistics since the onset of the Great Recession in December 2007, Library Journal said. (Puget Sound Business Journal Online [Seattle], 10.5.10) http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/10/04/daily14.html

Elections

Hours at Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) branches throughout Clark and Cowlitz counties will be restored to 2008 levels by early summer next year.  More books and materials will also be added to collections at area libraries.  Service enhancements were made possible by passage of the district-wide levy lid-lift measure that passed on the Aug. 17 primary ballot.  (The Reflector [Battle Ground], 9.22.10)

Buildings

The Moses Public Library is waiting on library architect firm Miller-Hull Partnership LLC to get back to them with an estimate for library renovation costs.  Once the library receives an estimate, they will formally write a proposal and present it to the Moses Lake City Council for consideration. Initial cost estimates for the actual library expansion construction and building is $296,000. (Photo)  (Columbia Basin Herald [Moses Lake], 9.22.10)

Tri-Citians think the new library in west Pasco should be near Road 68, have comfortable seating and offer a drive-up return window.  That’s topping the list so far of features Mid-Columbia library users want to see at the expected new branch.  The Mid-Columbia Libraries district is asking library users to complete a survey this month on their favorite services and features.  (Tri-City Herald [Kennewick], 9.27.10) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/09/27/1185028/input-sought-on-plans-for-west.html

The Kelso City Council wants to proceed with moving the public library into Three Rivers Mall this winter, despite a projected $1.2 million general fund shortfall that’s forcing 20 percent cuts in most city departments next year. During a budget workshop Tuesday, City Council members said the opportunity to move the library out of the old PUD building it has used since 1957 would be too good to pass up. (The Daily News Online [Longview], 10.5.10) http://tdn.com/news/local/article_4f192924-d10b-11df-a168-001cc4c002e0.html

Letters & Editorials

Let’s not fix something that’s not broken.  A few years ago we spent $90,000 in Tax dollars upgrading and repairing our library.  It is one of the few Carnegie Libraries that has continued to function as a library since the day it was built. To tack the name “Research Library” on it is a travesty and should not be allowed. (Ritzville-Adams County Journal, 9.23.10)

As newcomers to Bainbridge Island back in 1987, our two pre-school kids loved the library’s large children’s area.  It’s a good thing we didn’t live in Kingston then.  The Kingston Library is so small, you have to turn around to change your mind.  With your “yes” vote for the library levy on the November ballot, Kingston can also have a library that provides a high level of service in an adequate space.

(North Kitsap County Herald [Poulsbo], 9.24.10) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/nkh/opinion/letters/103879804.html

The last time voters in Kitsap County approved a levy increase for the Kitsap Regional Library, the Soviets were the ones fighting in Afghanistan and Sony had just introduced the Walkman.  Locally, neither the Kitsap Mall nor Microsoft existed.  That was in 1979.  If we invest in our libraries today, they will become our community hubs of the future.  Please vote YES on Proposition 1.  (Central Kitsap Reporter [Silverdale], 9.24.10)

Please vote “yes” on Proposition 1 on November 2 to support the Kitsap Regional Library levy.  Not only will this measure ensure all our Kitsap libraries stay open and improve collections, but the new Silverdale Library will provide more and better service to our community.  (Central Kitsap Reporter [Silverdale], 9.24.10)

The Mid-Columbia Library System is set to build a new library at the west end of Pasco, and the planners want to hear from you.  What will a library look like down the road?  That’s a good question, one that Mid-Columbia Libraries want you to help answer.  Take the survey at www.midcolumbialibraries.org and be part of the process. (Tri-City Herald Online [Kennewick], 9.29.10) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/09/29/1188018/what-should-a-library-be.html

Just a little more than a month ago, Kelso city officials were celebrating a tentative agreement to move the public library from its cramped facilities to Three Rivers Mall. Last week Kelso city officials were handed budget projections for the fiscal 2011, and the lease agreement with the mall – completed and awaiting Richards’ signature – went from tentative to no-can-do-at-this-time. (The Daily News Online [Longview], 9.30.10) http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_54c6a570-cc26-11df-9b7c-001cc4c002e0.html

Flash mobs mean sudden music and huge undulating crowds of dancers, right? But Seattle is famous for having mobs of readers, too.  So it seems appropriate that the Friends of the Seattle Public instigated a Flash Mob reading for our city. Live sitar music accompanied a variety of rhythms of attention to the printed page. (Crosscut.com [Seattle], 10.6.10) http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/19813/A-Friends-of-the-Library-Flash-Mob–%28Shh-h-h,-they-re-reading!%29/

People

The Board of Trustees of the San Juan Island Library has selected Marjorie Harrison of Scottsbluff, Neb., as the new library director.  Harrison is the coordinator of the Panhandle Library System.and has experience in administration, collection development, library technology, public service, and youth.

(Photo)  (The Journal of the San Juan Islands [Friday Harbor], 9.22.10) http://www.sanjuanislander.com/groups/library/director.shtml

After just a year and a half as the city librarian, Susan Hildreth may be leaving Seattle – at President Obama’s request.  Hildreth, 59 has been nominated to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, she confirmed on Wednesday.  The Senate must confirm her nomination, so it would likely be months before Hildreth could take the position.  (Photo)  (Seattle Times, 9.30.10) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013032288_library30m.html

Programs & Displays

The Edmonds Arts Commission is pleased to present an exhibit featuring Pastels by Paulette Johnson.  The exhibit at the Edmonds Library runs through Oct. 30.  The inspiration for many of the paintings by Edmonds’ artist Paulette Johnson is the beauty and variety of landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, the wine country of northern California, and Europe.  (The Edmonds Beacon [Mukilteo], 9.23.10) http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/stepping-out/article.exm/2010-09-17_library_features_artwork_by_paulette_johnson

Letters About Literature encourages young readers to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world.  All entries must be postmarked by December 10, 2010.  Letters About Literature is sponsored by the Washington State Library, Office of the Secretary of State, as part of the Washington Reads program. (Columbia County Rural Library District Newslog, 10.5.10) http://ccrld.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/letters-about-literature-2010-2011/

Economy/Hard Times

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn delivered his 2011 city budget address Monday at the Rainier Beach Community Center.  The library system would absorb 8.5 percent in cuts but keep hours as they are.  Libraries would be closed for a week in late summer, as they were this year.  Eight branches – Delridge, Fremont, International District/Chinatown, Matrona-Sally Goldmark, Montlake, New Holly, South Park and Wallingford would lose their librarians.  (Photo)  (Seattle Times, 9.28.10) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013009745_seattlebudget28m.html

Cuts to public service programs in the upcoming 2011-1012 annual budget is a hard truth that departments in the city of Puyallup are facing.  Not alone on the chopping block is the Puyallup Public Library, which in 2010 had to reduce its budget by $125,000. A survey questionnaire was mailed to residents and responses were received on July 17.  On the questionnaire, 97 percent of respondents said the library brings value to their life. (The Herald [Puyallup], 9.27.10)

[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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