Clippings, December 3, 2008

“The Kitsap Regional Library System will change its hours next year to balance its 2009 budget. Beginning Jan. 2, the nine-branch regional library system will cut back five hours a week system-wide.” Some branches will be open fewer hours, some a few more. All branches will open at 1 p.m. on Thursdays. “Research shows that Thursday is the day with the fewest visitors.” (The Kitsap Sun [Bremerton], 11-20-08)

Elections:

“Anybody want to buy a library? With the defeat of the parks bond Nov. 4, the future of the existing Sammamish Library becomes cloudy. The bond included funding to turn the library into a community center—to purchase the building, and renovate and expand it. The Boys & Girls Club would have operated the new center. But with that off the table, a prime piece of real estate is set to become vacant, likely in 2010. At present the King County Library System plans to put the facility on the auction block.” (With photo) (The Sammamish Review, [Issaquah], 11-19-08)

People:

“The story of a community is not easily told, but that is exactly what has been done in Lorrie Harrison’s new book, Lopez island Library; Sixty Years of Memories. Originally prompted by a generous donation made in the memory of Doris Nason, The Friends of the Lopez Island Library commissioned Harrison to tell the story of the heart and soul of Lopez: the Lopez Island Library.” The book is available for sale from the Friends. Also, Shannan Sword of the San Juan Island Library has accepted a Director’s position at the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library in Alberta, Canada, so the library will be seeking a new Youth/Services/Assistant Director.(With book photo) (Both, Island’s Weekly Newspaper [Lopez Island], 11-18-08)

Programs and Displays:

“Timberland Regional Libraries has announced a community-wide competition to be held throughout this school year. The goal is to have students at Ocean Park Elementary School read one million minutes….The community-at-large is encouraged to compete too. The Ocean Park Timberland Library will be tracking the progress of community readers.” (Chinook Observer [Long Beach], 11-19-08)

News from all three island libraries includes—at Lopez, an ornament-making party, and a closure beginning Dec. 8 to re-do floors and carpets; from Orcas, a Holiday Tea and new information on the library website about “our process to explore possible directions for our building, especially whether to build an addition within the next couple of years; and from San Juan, several programs and speakers, including former U.S. Army Muslim Chaplain James Yee, and Paul Bannick, author of The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds, also a Twilight discussion and outing to the movie for the teen book club. (Island’s Weekly Newspaper [Lopez island], 11-18-08)

Twilight activities in Bellingham include a “Twilight Prom” at the Fairhaven Branch of the Bellingham Public Library. (Bellingham Herald, 11-20-08)

Story Hours, Summer Reading and Early Learning:

The Ritzville Public Library displays some of the children’s books received from a recent Libri Foundation grant. (With photo) (Ritzville-Adams County journal, 11-13-08)

[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].]