September 2012

Community Liaison Contact: Carol Van Baalen  

LOCAL NEWS

Book Sales!

September is the month for used book sales.  Don’t miss the bargains at these annual sales in our community libraries:

Friends of the Des Moines Library    

Friday & Saturday, September 14-15

10am-5pm

Friends of the Kent Library

Friday & Saturday, September 21-22

10am-5pm

Sunday, September 23

1-3pm

Book Sale profits support children’s programs at our libraries.

Fall Programs Return

Story Times – for babies, preschoolers, and families, in English, or sometimes in Spanish.  Get a complete schedule at your community library, or click on the link in this newsletter.  Story times begin the week of September 10 at Woodmont; September 17 at Des Moines; and September 24 at Kent.

ESL classes at Kent, registration begins September 12, classes begin September 24.

Talk Time, an informal English conversation class, at Des Moines on Monday at 5pm, Woodmont on Monday at 6:30pm, Kent on Tuesday at 5pm.

 

Study Zone, an after school homework help program for grades K-12.  Volunteer tutors will be available at Des Moines on Tuesdays, 6-8pm; at Kent on Sundays, 1:30-3:30pm and Monday – Thursday, 3:30-7:30pm; at Woodmont Monday & Wednesday, 6-8pm, and Tuesday & Thursday, 4-6pm.  Begins the week of September 9.

For a complete list of programs at your library, see the attachments with this newsletter or click on this link:  http://www.kcls.org/programs/library_programs.cfm

Upcoming Meetings:

The Des Moines Library Advisory Board will meet Wednesday, September 12, 7:00pm at the Des Moines Library.  Special guests will be Pam Riess, from the KCLS Collection Management Department, and Barbara McMichael, former board member and now newsletter editor for SoCoCulture.  Board meetings are open to the public.

 

Take advantage of free computer training sessions offered at many community libraries. Increase your skills by learning how to use the Internet, popular software and online library resources.

SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS

FROM THE AUGUST DIRECTOR’S REPORT

OPERATIONS

It is a sign of the times that the government documents collection was weeded at the Bellevue Library. All of the materials have been replaced with more accessible and searchable online resources. At the same time, the weeding freed up enough space on the third floor of the Library to add tables and seating for fifteen. Staff did a great job of shifting over 2,000 shelves to open up the space.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Kirkland Library staff has been working in partnership with the City of Kirkland to gather public input regarding the use of a portion of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail corridor that runs through the City. Through a KCLS civic engagement initiative called “Convey,” the Library has fielded about 600 comments and suggestions. The project culminated with a public event at the Kirkland Performing Arts Center, which included presentations and discussion about the various possibilities.  Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride commented that it was one of the best public meetings she has ever attended.

Perkins+Will Architects and KCLS staff have been working closely with the Tukwila Village developer to determine the property lines for the new Tukwila Library. The first public meeting to present design plans was held on August 23. The KCLS Foundation is raising approximately $1 million to fund a portion of the building and Foundation Board members are hoping to enlist elected officials and City staff to serve on the campaign advisory committee.

OTHER

In early August, KCLS was contacted by the Sammamish Reporter Newspaper about a tip they had received about one of KCLS’ outreach vehicles being placed out of service due to a recent change in the law that now requires KCLS drivers to have a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) to operate the vehicle. KCLS was in the process of appealing the licensing requirement based on the vehicle’s weight and passenger limits or exploring other options for the vehicle. KOMO radio picked up the story and characterized it as a decision by the Washington State Department of Licensing that ultimately curtailed library services. Based on subsequent publicity, the Washington State Patrol reviewed KCLS’ request for reconsideration of the licensing requirement and ultimately agreed that it does not require a CDL.

KCLS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS

View all at http://www.kcls.org/bond/or sign up here to receive automatic updates on the KCLS Capital Improvement Projects!

Upcoming Dates

The next Planning Committee Meeting takes place on Thursday, September 6, 12pm at the Burien Library.

The next Finance Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, September 18, 4pm at the Kenmore Library.

The next KCLS Board of Trustees Meeting takes place on Tuesday, September 18, 5pm at the Kenmore Library.

 

August 2012

 

Community Liaison Contact: Carol Van Baalen  

LOCAL NEWS

Summer Reading Finale

“Dream Big! READ,” the KCLS summer reading program for kids, comes to a close at the end of August.  Over 2200 children are registered for the program at our three local libraries.  This month we are celebrating the finishers at finale parties, with crafts, snacks, prizes, and fun: 

Des Moines Library:        Monday, August 13, 7:00pm

Woodmont Library:         Tuesday, August 14, 7:00pm

Kent Library:                 Saturday, August 18, 1:30pm

For a complete list of August programs at your library, download the attachments with this newsletter, or click here http://www.kcls.org/programs/library_programs.cfm

Garden News & Views (Woodmont)

Harvest summer veggies (carrots, beans, and more!) and plant some for fall at the Garden Harvest on Tuesday, August 21, at 7pm. 

In the photo at left, the pink flowers are cosmos, and the burlap bags contain potato plants.  There are also pumpkins, carrots, beans, beets, and tomatoes in the 3x10 garden plot at the north end of the library property.

Let’s Read!

The Let’s Read campaign sponsored by the Community Center for Education Results (CCER) mentioned below in this newsletter has actively involved our library staff this summer.  Three school sites and four park sites have been visited weekly by the children’s librarians from Des Moines, Kent and Woodmont Libraries.  They have shared stories, songs, activities, and information about the summer reading program with groups ranging from 5 to 70 at free lunch sites in our communities.

Upcoming Meetings & Events:

Friends of the Des Moines Library             Wednesday, August 8, 7pm

Friends of the Woodmont Library             Thursday, August 9, 6:30pm

Friends of the Kent Library                      Thursday, August 23, Noon

Des Moines Friends at the Farmers Market Saturday, August 11, 10am-2pm

Des Moines Friends Annual Used Book Sale            Friday, September 14, 10am-5pm

Saturday, September 15, 10am-5pm

                                                         

Kent Friends Annual Used Book Sale                     Friday, September 21, 10am-5pm

Saturday, September 22,10am-5pm

                                                                        Sunday, September 23, 1-3pm

Take Time to Read Shelves at Sea-Tac share approximately 500 new items each week thanks to donations from staff, library partners, and the generosity of the KCLS Foundation. Valley View staff, with special “Brand Ambassador” airport ID badges, restock shelves six days a week to keep the collection fresh and appealing.

SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS

FROM THE JULY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

OPERATIONS

Over the years, staff has observed that parents and children have had a difficult time accessing materials in the children’s areas of the library. KCLS responded by shelving books by category; for example, picture books, easy readers, series books and easy non-fiction. Many of these items are shelved spine out, which has the disadvantage of obscuring cover artwork and segregating natural subject groupings. KCLS has begun to explore alternative shelving concepts by conducting focus groups of parents and caregivers in Kirkland, Burien and Federal Way. Some interesting themes are starting to emerge which could have implications for the way materials are arranged in KCLS’ libraries and the kind of shelving used to display and store materials.

Firm opening dates have been set for two KCLS libraries. The grand opening of the new Duvall Library is scheduled for Saturday, August 25 and the expanded and renovated Auburn Library will reopen on Saturday, September 15. Both events are scheduled at 9:30am. KCLS is hopeful that the Newcastle Library will open in October but it is not possible to confirm an opening date until glass is installed on the front of the building. The Federal Way 320th Library closed on Saturday, July 21 and construction is anticipated to take one year.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Washington Library Association Legislative Committee is following the work of a committee that was established at the end of the last legislative session to study the efficiency and financing of local taxing districts. While library taxing districts do not appear to be a focus of the study, it is still possible that public libraries, their governance and tax support could still come under scrutiny. Representative Springer and Representative Ross Hunter, House Budget Chair and sponsor of the study, represent KCLS communities. Both are supporters of KCLS and KCLS will keep in touch with them throughout the life of the committee. The Joint Select Committee is scheduled to issue preliminary findings before the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Earlier this month, the Community Center for Educational Results (CCER) won an All America Cities Award for its early literacy work in South King County and the “Let’s Read!” campaign that focuses on raising third grade reading scores. Since KCLS is one of the most visible participants, the System was prominently mentioned in the press release and news coverage. KCLS and officials from three participating cities filmed Public Service Announcements to promote “Let’s Read!” and KCLS librarians have visited numerous summer lunch program sites to engage hundreds of kids in summer reading activities.

OTHER

KCLS launched Safe Place in all of its branch libraries on June 1.  Safe Place is a national organization operating in over 40 states to help young people in crisis.  On the first day of the program, a young man came to a KCLS library after being kicked out of his house. He had nowhere to go and reached out to library staff. Counselors were able to find shelter for him that night and later in the week were able to reconcile the youth with his family.

The second year of KCLS’ Take Time to READ campaign launched in July and will run through September. Folks traveling through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport this summer are greeted by a stunning skybridge wrap over the departure drive.

                            

 

The multi-year reading initiative has garnered national recognition for KCLS, which received the Urban Library Council’s Top Innovator 2012 Award and a John Cotton Dana Award from the American Library Association. The John Cotton Dana Award came with a $10,000 prize.

 

KCLS staff and Board members accept the John Cotton Dana Award at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California on June 24.

 

KCLS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS

View all at http://www.kcls.org/bond/or sign up here to receive automatic updates on the KCLS Capital Improvement Projects!

Upcoming Dates

The next Planning Committee Meeting takes place on Thursday, August 16, 12pm at the Mercer Island Library.

The next Finance Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, August 28, 4pm at the Service Center.

The next KCLS Board of Trustees Meeting takes place on Tuesday, August 28, 5pm at the Service Center.