Washington State Library News

The Longview Public Library is now able to offer eBooks for Amazon’s Kindle through the Washington Anytime Library.  Funding for this service, powered by OverDrive, comes from a donation from the Longview Library Foundation and from federal Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) granted through the Washington State Library.  (Daily News [Longview], 9.29.11) http://tdn.com/lifestyles/article_b829c7e0-ea30-11e0-99af-001cc4c002e0.html

The Colville Public Library celebrated its 100^th birthday last Thursday, complete with a special “Happy Birthday” story time and Open House Reception with special guest Rand Simmons, Washington State Librarian.  (Photo)  (Statesman-Examiner, [Colville] 10.5.11)

Library News

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District Board of Trustees directed library administrators in August to draft a 2012-2013 budget that uses a combination of reserve funds and spending cuts to bring expenditures in line.  When all factors are considered, the district has to address an overall budget reduction of $1.25 million for the coming year.  (Senior Messenger [Vancouver], 9.2011)

The King County Library System started offering e-books to Kindle e-reader users.  The rollout came as Kindle maker Amazon.com started offering books for the device at libraries nationwide.  The library uses e-book distributor OverDrive for digital titles. (Issaquah Press, 9.28.11) http://www.issaquahpress.com/2011/09/27/king-county-library-system-adds-kindle-e-books-to-collection/

Patrons of the Seattle Public Library who have Kindles now have access to more than 25,000 titles in the Library’s e-book collection at spl.lib.overdrive.com.  The Seattle Public Library system has one of the largest digital collections for a public library in the country, with approximately 60,000 items.  (N. Seattle Herald-Outlook City Living, 9.28.11)

The Columbia County Rural Library District has purchased new books for children and teens that are reluctant to read.  Also purchased for the adult readers are High Interest, Low Reading level books, known as ‘Hi-Lo’.  Friends of the Dayton Memorial Library generously gave the district $4,000 for the 2011 year to purchase Reluctant Reader and Hi-Lo Interest Reading level books for the Dayton Memorial Library.  (Dayton Chronicle, 9.28.11)

On the top of the hill in Uniontown September 22, Whitman County mayors, elected officials and other community representatives gathered for a quarterly roundtable.  Kristie Kirkpatrick of the Whitman County Library talked about how Tekoa approved the rewiring of their library for new computers.  She spoke of plans for the recently-purchased Hamilton Drug building in Colfax which was paid for with donated money.  (Photo)  (Whitman County Gazette [Colfax], 9.29.11)

Residents of Lopez Island can now receive assistance from librarians at the Lopez Island Library even if they can’t visit the library in person.  Anyone who needs information by a librarian may submit questions on the library’s web site.  “All you do is click on the ‘Ask a Librarian 24/7 button,’ and you’re on your way”, said Library Director Lou Pray.  (Island’s Weekly Newspaper [Lopez Island], 10.4.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/isw/community/130215108.html

At a special meeting Monday, Walla Walla City Council members made it clear they are ready to cut services to approximately 1,750 county resident card holders unless the Walla Walla County Rural Library District agrees to pay what Council members claim is the district’s fair share.  The county Rural Library District had proposed contributing nearly $100,000 less than what the city asked for library operations.  (Union-Bulletin, [Walla Walla] 10.4.11)

A man caught spying on women in a bathroom at the downtown Yakima library was sentenced Thursday to 45 days in jail.  The case raised the eyebrows within the Yakima Police Department, where detectives assigned to the department’s Special Assault Squad complained that Yakima Valley Regional Library Director Kim Hixon seemed reluctant to assist in the investigation.  (Yakima Herald-Republic, 10.7.11) http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/10/06/library-voyeur-sentenced-to-45-days-in-jail

Seattle has a brand new bookmobile – a red, white and blue van that went into service this week.  The vehicle replaces one of four that deliver books to child-care centers, nursing homes and homebound residents who can’t get to the library. (Sketches)  (Seattle Times, 10.8.11) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seattlesketcher/2016441142_smiles_and_hugs_welcome_bookmo.html

A University Place city councilman is pushing for the American flag to be flown in front of the new civic and library building as soon as possible.  Councilman Javier Figueroa said federal flag code requires the American flag “be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution.”  He contends the building became a public institution when the University Place Pierce County Library opened in February.  (The News Tribune, [Tacoma] 10.15.11) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/10/15/1865617/up-official-wants-flag-to-fly.html#storylink=misearch

Buildings

City of Chelan Council Members will soon decide whether to spend $500,000 to expand the library or build a new one.  The city’s Library Planning Committee and the contractor hired to perform the planning recommended the city should buy the Masonic Lodge building and reconstruct it to replace the current library. (Photo)  (Lake Chelan Mirror, 9.28.11) http://lakechelanmirror.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=4889&SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&S=1

The Yakima Valley Libraries’ newest branch will be built by Blew’s Construction of Spokane under a $1.2 million contract.  The project will be funded with a $2 million bond, which will also pay for upgrades at the libraries’ central office, said library director Kim Hixson.  (Photo)  (Yakima Herald-Republic, 10.5.11) http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/10/04/1-2m-contract-awarded-to-build-west-valley-library

Officials broke ground on the new Richard E. Ostrander West Valley Library on Monday afternoon, beginning a construction project they estimate will be completed next July.  The library is the newest addition to the Yakima Valley Libraries system and will be 9,960 square feet – a 44 percent size increase from the current building. (Yakima Herald-Republic Online, 10.17.11) http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/10/17/ground-broken-for-new-west-valley-library

Letters & Editorials

You’ve probably already noticed how many online readers offer the opportunity for buyers to review and rate products they’ve purchased.  The five-star rating and customer comment system used by these companies provides meaningful and timely feedback.  Good news! That same interactive service is now available in the North Olympic Library System’s online catalog at www.nols.org.  (Photo)  (The Sequim Gazette, 9.28.11)

The Wapato Library has a new look due to twenty four pieces of “touchable” art displayed on the front of the building.  All the originals were drawn by Wapato students in grades elementary through high school then cast in bronze by Caldwell Studios.  (Review Independent [Toppenish & Wapato], 9.28.11)

Thank you, Snoqualmie Valley library patrons for donating used books throughout the year for our annual Friends of the Library book sale.  The money raised remains in the North Bend Library and helps fund library enhancements as well as adult, teen and children’s programs.  (Snoqualmie Valley Record, 9.28.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/svr/opinion/letters/130660418.html

You may remember that in recent years the city of Walla Walla and the Rural Library District have been having a hard time agreeing on a fair contract amount for the city library to provide full service to residents of the RLD. At this point, it looks as if the public will have to decide whether the RLD board is representing their best interests.  (Union-Bulletin [Walla Walla], 10.5.11)

People

Local librarian Mary Lou Gregory worked as a librarian for the Hoquiam School District for almost 30 years.  After retirement from the school district, she continued to work with the Timberland Regional Library District and now helps out part-time with the library at Grays Harbor College.  (Photo)  (Daily World [Aberdeen], 10.2.11)

Who are the best spellers in Everett? It appears to be Anne Lambert and Kinuko Noborikawa.  They won “A Spelling Bee for Grown-Ups” two years in a row. Eileen Simmons, director of the Everett Public Library, said 25 teams participated including … the Everett and Sno-Isle Libraries and several preschools. (The Herald Online [Everett], 10.18.11) http://heraldnet.com/article/20111018/NEWS01/710189933#Duo-retain-title-as-top-spellers-at-Everett-library-bee

Awards

“Polar Opposites,” written and illustrated by Erik Brooks, has won the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award for best picture book.  The Winthrop author and other Washington State Book Award winners were honored during a celebration held October 12. Brooks toured the county last summer as a speaker in the North Central Regional Library System’s summer reading program.  (The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, 9.28.11)

Programs & Displays

Artwork by more than 40 artists will be on display at the Lynnwood Library Gallery, a part of Sno-Isle Libraries, through November 17.  The Lynnwood Arts Commission is hosting its eighth annual juried themed art exhibit.  This year’s theme is “In the Red.”  (The Weekly Herald [Lynnwood], 9.28.11) http://www.weeklyherald.com/article/20110928/TWH05/70928992

The ongoing “Art in The Library Series” by the Olympic Peaks Camera Club will be at the Sequim Library, a part of the North Olympic Library System, in October and November.  This series also features the works of local artists Bob Thompson, Judy de Chantal, June Echternkamp, Monica Gutierrez-Quarto and Anna Nichols at the Port Angeles Library through October.  (Photos)  (The Sequim Gazette, 9.28.11)

This fall, explore the theme of house and home as portrayed in the novel “The Shipping News” by Annie Proulx, the memoir “From Our House” by Lee Martin, and a handful of poems.  Taught by Jill McCabe Johnson, the class is on Fridays, October 14 to November 18 at the Orcas Island Library. (The Island Sounder [Eastsound], 10.5.11) http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/isj/lifestyle/131284579.html

[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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