Clippings, November 12, 2008

“The city of Kelso is slashing its street paving budget and laying off a full-time library employee to balance the budget for the next two years.” (With color photos) (Daily News [Longview], 10-27-08) http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/10/27/area_news/doc49055b1c888a7792338084.txt

“Longview City Council members agreed to lay off three part-time library employees, reduce library hours…”(Daily News [Longview], 10-25-08) http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/10/25/editorial/doc49023d5842963068747283.txt

Buildings:

“With a $2 million matching grant expected in 2009, officials from the city of Grandview and the Yakima Valley Community College branch campus are looking to drum up another $2 million to help build a new (joint) library on campus.” “Already $1 million has been raised.” The grant would be from the state, which would then own the building and “provide funding to maintain the building and pay for utilities.” (with photo) (Daily Sun News [Sunnyside], 10-28-08)

The Colville Public Library (Libraries of Stevens County) will be open on Sundays throughout the winter. (Statesman-Examiner [Colville], 10-29-08)

A group from the Mountaineers is hiking to each of the 27 Seattle Public Library branches. Celebrating the completion of the Libraries for All construction, SPL is offering a “passport” which, if stamped in all the branches before Jan.2, can be entered into a drawing for a gift basket. With color photos) (Seattle Times, 11-08-08) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008365916_librarypassports08m.html

“After a 44-day renovation, the Newport Public Library (Pend Oreille County Library District) will open its doors to the public with a few more services than it had when it closed…The renovation did not include any structural changes [(the building is owned by the city], but everything else from the ceiling to the flooring has been replaced.” (With photo) (Newport Miner, 10-29-08)

The Oak Harbor Library (Sno-Isle Libraries) has expanded its children’s/”Ready Readers” area with two new children’s computers, with “mice that look like ladybugs”, child-sized furniture and cushions, and other extras, funded by a $6,000 gift from the Friends of the Library. (Whidbey News-times [Oak Harbor], 10-29-08)

Letters and Editorials:

A columnist applauds the Timberland Regional Library for owning Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy’s Roommate and offers a short list of other books. (Olympian, 10-31-08)

A letter writer, who is also a high school librarian, writes about Fort Vancouver’s possible decision to close the Vancouver Mall branch. “Think carefully about the overall impact this will have on our community…I am stunned that this decision is possibly underway. (Columbian [Vancouver], 11-2-08)

People:

An interview with 98-year-old Gertrude Finney, who was one of the first staff of the White Center Library (King County Library System), beginning when the library was located “in a space under the fieldhouse steps…’You entered on the north end of the building under a sign that said ‘Ladies Restroom’ under the front porch. We wanted an outside entrance and raised money with book sales, coffee sales, bake sales….’” (With photo) (Highline Times [Burien], 10-29-08)

Programs and Displays:

“Best-selling Vancouver author Lisa Jackson gets embarrassed reading from her books, so instead she’ll give an informal talk at the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation’s upcoming benefit.” With an interview of Jackson, whose most recent book is Left to Die. (With photos) (Columbian [Vancouver], 10-31-08)

Debbie Dimitre will perform as the former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in a program as Montesano’s W.H. Abel Memorial Timberland Library. The Vidette [Montesano], 10-23-08)

The “Living Library” event at the Bainbridge Island Library (Kitsap Regional Library) is described, in which patrons “check out” a living book (person) for a half hour’s conversation about themselves. (With color photo) (The Kitsap Sun [Bremerton], 10-28-08) http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/oct/27/talking-instead-of-turning-pages-to-understand

The Kelso Public Library offered several Halloween events, a TAG (Teen Activity Group) gathering, and both an evening and a morning Family Halloween Party. (Daily News [Longview], 10-24-08)

The Yakima Valley Regional Library’s Big Read program of To Kill a Mockingbird included offering copies in English or in Spanish and, in cooperation with Granger’s Spanish public radio station KDNA, broadcasting a weekly reading of the novel in Spanish, and having a Spanish-language call-in book discussion program. (With color photo) (Independent Review [Toppenish], 10-29-08)

A free copy of Patrick Corman’s The House of Power is available at the Columbia County Rural Library District in Dayton to any home-schooled child between grades 5 and 8. As part of a One Book project funded by an IMLS/LSTA grant, a One Book Discussion Blog is available through the library website with a new discussion question each week. (Dayton Chronicle, 10-29-08)

A new Sequim Chess Club is meeting at the Sequim Library (North Olympic Library System), originated by a local 12^th-grader who got tired of driving to Port Townsend to play with a chess club there. (The Sequim Gazette, 10-29-08)

Book Sales:

The Friends of the Mill Creek Library raised $2,101 at their fall book sale, for support of programs and other services at the Mill Creek Library (Sno-Isle Libraries). (Millcreek Enterprise, 10-29-08).

[This summary of library news was created by Susan Barrett of the Washington State Library Division of the Office of the Secretary of State. It represents a newspaper clippings packet from all Washington newspapers received on the date shown. For more information about any of these stories, contact Susan at 360-570-5561 or [email protected]