Shirley Lewis and Carolyn Petersen paid a visit to the Kalama and Cathlamet Public Libraries in southwest Washington in January.  Kalama is planning an expansion as the City’s Offices move into a former bank building.  Louise Thomas, Director, and the Library Trustees are looking forward to providing patrons with more seating, program, and collection space.  During their visit, a library volunteer provided a story time attended by 10 small children and their parents in the current children’s area (see photo below).  Everyone had a great time, but it’s a tight fit!

Imagine this space filled with 10 wiggly children and their parents.

Cathlamet Public Library finished remodeling about one year ago.  The Library is light and inviting with a lovely view of downtown, the Columbia River, Puget Island, and, in the distance, Oregon.  Library patrons are enjoying the welcoming reading areas and computer spaces.  Carol Blix, Town Librarian, and the Library’s dedicated volunteers are seeing increased use of collections and services.

Cathlamet Library

Taken in Cathlamet. Wouldn’t you like to have that view every day?

The winner of the 2012 Teen Video Challenge for the state of Washington has been announced!  Own the Night by Teeler brought home first place this year.  His video was created at the Story Lab at the Tacoma Public Library.  He will win $275 and his library will receive $150 from the Collaborative Summer Library Program(CSLP), the organization sponsoring the contest.

The video and accompanying song were created by Teeler.  The beat was provided by PeonBeats and remixed by Teeler.    Teeler would like to show his appreciation to students at the Seabury Middle School and the Tacoma Public Library StoryLab.

There was stiff competition this year as we had six well made and creative entries submitted by teens from across the state.  In addition to Teeler’s winning submission, there were videos from:

San Juan Island Library

Mill Creek Library

Volume 6, November 18, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NEW DIGITAL COLLECTION – WAHKIAKUM COUNTY HERITAGE

2) FIRST TUESDAYS – DOES YOUR AUDIENCE HEAR YOU?

3) WSL HISTORIC NEWSPAPERS ADDS ARGUS

4) 2010 ADULT SUMMER READING SURVEY

5) ONLINE CONFERENCE – SERVING THE 21^ST CENTURY PATRON

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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From the desk of Evan Robb

The Washington Rural Heritage initiative is pleased to announce its newest digital collection: Wahkiakum County Heritage. A project of the Cathlamet Blanche Bradley Public Library in partnership with the Wahkiakum County Historical Society & Museum, the collection consists of more than 300 items depicting river life, fishing, forestry, and early homesteading along this lower stretch of Washington’s Columbia River.

Three sub-collections make up Wahkiakum County Heritage. The Wahkiakum Community Collection, which is comprised of material from the private collections of local citizens. The Cathlamet Blanche Bradley Public Library Collection, from the Library’s holdings. And the Wahkiakum County Historical Society Collection, from the Museum’s holdings, which comprises roughly half of the material in the collection. Together, they do an excellent job of documenting the small communities and landmarks of Wahkiakum County, including: Cathlamet, Puget Island, Skamokawa, Grays River, Deep River, Altoona, Brookfield, and Rosburg.

A few of our random favorites include:

• The Smalley family, Rosburg Grange Hall, August 1936.
• Images of horse seining for salmon on the Columbia.
• Loggers at Leisure.
• Funeral boats from Puget Island to Westport and In Skamokawa after a dance – both illustrating how the Columbia and its tributaries were used before the penetration of paved roads.
• A collection of John Fletcher Ford logging photographs. (More of this wonderful photographer’s work can be seen in a Flickr Commons set from Oregon State University).

Congratulations and a big thank you to: the Cathlamet Public Library’s director for managing the project; the project’s digitization contractor from Lower Columbia Community College Library (for many hours of dedicated scanning and cataloging); and to the Wahkiakum County Historical Society’s curator, whose local history expertise is evident in these wonderfully detailed records!

Clippings, June 3, 2009

When all was said and done, the vision of Ferndale’s future came down to green and red dots.  Those dots made a swimming pool, downtown revitalization and a new Ferndale library (Whatcom County Library System) unofficial winner’s during the fourth annual community Coordinating Association meeting Thursday, May 7. (Bellingham Herald, 5.8.09) http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/901958.html

This month, Pierce County Library System (PCLS) will hold 16 public meetings in Pierce County for residents to hear proposed improvements and give comments on recommendations for how PCLS can best meet future community needs. [Milton-Edgewood Signal [Tacoma], 5.7.09)

Library News from the Cathlamet Library, circulation increased by 75% in March when compared to March of 2008, Library volunteers continue work on labeling and sorting materials, a WHS English Composition class made a field trip to the library in March, Long-time library volunteer, Mary Watkins was honored.  (The Wahkiakum Co. Eagle [Cathlamet], 5.7.09)  

When Stimson Bullitt died in April, he was lauded for his many contributions, including his philanthropy. As it turned out, he arranged for additional donations after his death.  This included 20 percent of his estate to the Seattle Public Library Foundation. The contributions are unrestricted and can be used in any way. (Photo) (Puget Sound Business Journal [Seattle], 5.29.09)

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