Volume 1, Issue 4 Sept 2014 to Dec 2014
Saving seeds today for a healthier tomorrow by Elise Tuma, Lifelong Learning Coordinator
Library Quarterly The
EAST BONNER COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT
The Sandpoint Seed Library began in 2011. East Bonner County Library employee Camile McKitrick was inspired to begin the first seed library in Idaho after reading an article about a seed library in California. What caught Camile’s interest - this seed library was housed inside a public library and operated 100% by volunteers. It took nearly a year to reach the stage where seeds were ready to be ‘checked out.’ Many local gardeners and seed companies donated vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Although the Seed Library volunteers cannot guarantee every seed donated is 100% non-GMO, non-hybrid, organic and heirloom (an ultimate goal!), they did carefully sort, catalog and place seeds into labeled packets and finally into old card catalog drawers. The nearly 2,000 seed packets were available for gardeners to take home to plant, free of charge, no strings attached.
The exchange system has been modified several times to make it easy to ‘check out’ and to return seeds. A binder sits upon the card catalog and each packet taken home is recorded. Suggestions for planting and best gardening practices materials are readily available. A bulletin board above the card catalog announces upcoming programs and community events. Empty seed packets are available at the Information Desk for filling up with new seeds! Seed saving is the core of this adventure. Our public library has a diverse selection of books, magazines, and DVDs to help explain and demonstrate gardening and seed saving methods. To assist the beginning gardener and seed saver, the Library sponsors classes on basic gardening, seed saving techniques, composting, encouraging natural pollinators such as bats and bees, and even a couple of cooking classes with the bounty from the garden. This spring, a plant exchange took place – gardeners brought plants,
and in return took home different plants they might not have had in their home garden. Knowing it might take at least two years to establish a sustainable seed exchange system, several grants and wonderful donations enabled the Seed
Library to share seeds again this past spring and summer. Many thanks go to the cadre of volunteers that have made this possible! From counting seeds to inputting the data into the computer and the packets into the drawers, these volunteers make the Seed Library a reality! But the future of the Seed Library remains tentative. Seeds are going out into the community, but not returning in equal number. This fall and winter, more seed saving and gardening classes will be offered and a new one-on-one mentoring program has just begun. If you are interested in volunteering, sharing seeds, learning more about the Sandpoint Seed Library and/or joining the email information list, we encourage you contact the Information Desk. Alternatively, you may contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Annette Anderson directly: Annette@ebonnerlibrary.org
The Bookmobile turns 100,000 miles by Susan Bates-Harbuck, Bookmobile Driver
It’s hard to believe, but on July 9th, a little north of Westmond on Hwy 95, the Bookmobile drove its 100,000th mile. The big book(and movie- and music-) filled bus is the same age as the Sandpoint Library, so that means it has travelled about 620 miles per month or 150 miles each week as it travels to Ponderay, Samuels, Vay, Careywood, Westmond, Hope and the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market. The four drivers, Lynn, Susan, Michelle and Robyn, take turns traveling to these far corners of the East Bonner County Library District. They carry every type of material that the big libraries in Sandpoint and Clark Fork have, except for magazines and video games, and if you ask for particular ones of those, they will bring them out as well. The bus even has its own Wifi hot spot onboard.
2000, it was one of 879 bookmobiles in the country, down from a high of 1,125 in 1992. It is 1 of 6 in Idaho. Come see us at any of the stops; your EBCL library card is good on the bus! Monday 10 – 1 Ponderay Post Office; 1:30 – 4 p.m. Samuels Store Hope Preschool students anxiously waiting to visit the Bookmobile.
As an example of the use the Bookmobile gets, on a typical week in May 170 people visited the bus and checked out 199 books, 180 movies, 25 music CDs, 18 books on CD, asked 40 reference questions and placed 19 items on request. When the current bookmobile headed out onto the road in
Tuesday 10:30 – 4 at the Vay Store Wednesday 10:30 – 12:30 Careywood Fire Station, 12:45 – 4 Westmond Store Thursday 10:30 – 4 Outskirts Café in Hope Saturday 9 – 1 Sandpoint Farmers’ Market (May through October)
Volunteer Profile - Jeanine Asche by Jeanine Asche, EBCLD Trustee and Sandpoint Branch Volunteer One of the first things I did when I was considering moving to Sandpoint was visit the library. Seeing such a new and spacious facility, bustling with all ages of people, indicated that our library is a well-loved institution and that this community supports its quality of life services.
This cemented my relocation decision, so, two years ago my husband, a retired fire chief, daughter (also a library volunteer), dog, cat and I moved here from Half Moon Bay, CA. I began volunteering by doing story times, but I primarily now do tech tutoring.
As a retired librarian, I’m passionate about library services and I believe access to information is a basic human
right, so this volunteer assignment fits me perfectly. When a library trustee position became vacant, I was happily appointed to that, too. If I’m not at the library in one capacity or another, I travel, dabble in oil painting, hike and bike a little, enjoy an occasional concert or movie, and, of course, read. I love serving my new community through our wonderful East Bonner County Library.
Heather and husband, Roger snorkeling with dolphins in the ocean. Jeanine (center) hiking with her
daughter and husband.
Come by and meet me some Saturday morning or email me at
jeanine@ebonnerlibrary.org.
Staff Profile - Brenden Bobby by Brenden Bobby, Sandpoint Branch Circulation Desk Attendant I grew up on a mountainside overlooking Pack River. Born and raised a child of the mountains, curious and adventurous since the day I was born. At a very early age I was introduced to computers, and all the glorious technology that comes with them. By the time I had reached the sixth grade, I possessed a typing speed that was the envy of my class.
my life through the game, during a tumultuous time in my life when nothing seemed stable and my outlook was grim. She helped me through every step of this journey (Both in game and out), and every bump, every trial we encountered only brought us closer together, despite the incredible distance of two-thousand two hundred miles between us.
At the age of eighteen, I This July, we made an suffered a compound fracincredible journey togethture in my right leg, effec“The Library is the first job I've er from Louisiana back to tively immobilizing me for my home town of Hope, really had where I feel like I three months until I could Idaho, where we now live return to work. It was at together with her two belong here,” this time I discovered one children and both of our of the greatest, and most dogs. important things in my life to this day: World of Warcraft. Despite my love for the game, and the people I've met through it, my interests are Through the World of Warcraft, I discovmuch broader than just a simple game. ered a place where I could truly be myHaving lived here all my life, I've develself, with little fear of judgment or critioped a love for hiking and rock climbing, cism. I met people like myself, made especially in the mountains surrounding connections with others hundreds, even the Trestle Creek area. I can recall many thousands of miles away who shared the fond summer memories hiking through the same interests as myself, and who held forests and climbing up the rock walls of the same personality quirks that made me the mountains surrounding my home with so shy and awkward during my years in a tight group of friends all exploring the high school. Last year, I met the love of unknown, and savoring the sights and Page 2
sounds you can only achieve in the Pend Oreille area. I am a new addition to the library, and thanks to the great training and friendly atmosphere of everyone here, I'm learning quickly and doing my best to keep up with the pace. The Library is the first job I've really had where I feel like I belong here, where I truly enjoy my work and look forward to the little surprises that come with each day. I look forward to learning even more as I go on, and meeting all of the great people that work, study, and spend their time here. THE LIBRARY QUARTE RLY
Clark Fork Corner: the Pete Edition by Sharon Wallace, Clark Fork Branch staff member Being a library cat takes a special sort of feline, one whose specialty is public relations and knows the ins and outs of greeting patrons. Our Pete has his job description down to a tee. He keeps both older and younger patrons coming back for the “purr flirt,” the “lap flop” and the “keyboard scramble.” He also knows when to walk away and be just enough of a tease to keep his fans coming back for more. Pete is good for a timely walk through or holding down your favorite chair and is patient with the younger set. Yes, he’s getting older and may need to rest up from his nap but he’s most always good for a catly greeting or a serious cuddle. Our Pete, now 11, took a transfer from his
original job at the Westwood Veterinary Clinic as a “greeter,”- beating up the canine clientele was frowned upon, he was asked to move on. He was recommended for the newly reopened position of Feline Public Relations expert at the Clark Fork Branch. We had recently lost our long-time favorite
Pewter and Pewter’s replacement Panther kept checking out other openings for cat positions in the neighborhood and never returned from walkabout. At times Pete forgets himself and may be caught with his spectacles on perusing the latest Daily Bee or chittering at birds on his bird feeder, but that’s only at break time. Come by and meet Pete Pete enjoying lots of attentions. It’s all in a and his friendly staff at days work for Pete, Clark Fork’s Feline Pub- the Clark Fork Branch. lic Relations expert.
An Early History of the Friends of the Library by Pat Ramsey, FOL Member-at-large
Former location of the Sandpoint Library on 2nd Ave. in downtown Sandpoint.
The Friends of the East Bonner County Library was formed in 1989, inspired by Jim Clarke. At that time, the library building was at 419 N. 2nd Avenue which had previously been the Post Office.
Numbers were given to those in line and one could enter only as another exited. In the early days, FOL was glad to make $4560. Then the profit went up to average $200. (2014 sales average between $750-$1000)
Book sales were held downstairs in a room adjacent to a large vault. Jim Clarke and Ewell Stevens built shelves around the room and books were shelved or displayed in boxes. The sales were popular and sometimes 30 people were crammed into the small room until the fire code caught up and limited the number of people who could be in the room.
One story goes that on a sale day, the electricity went off in the sale room, but people continued to shop or use flashlights and took their selection up some stairs to a window or the outside door before making their purchases. Despite the power outage, no one left!
Save a tree and never miss an issue. You can sign up to receive every issue of the Library Quarterly via email. Call 208-263-6930 ext. 0 email us at infodesk@ebonnerlibrary.org.
Embracing Change by Pam Webb, EBCLD Trustee Most people check out tourist attractions when on vacation. I check out the library. I have this innate curiosity about libraries because I believe libraries are a reflection of the community they serve. This summer I visited four libraries. One of them being my hometown library. It’s not the library I grew up with, and this is a good thing, and here’s why: it has kept up with changes in the community. I am happy to say that our own EBCL has also kept up with changes.
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
The library, as an overall institution, is changing because times are changing. Our library has taken on the challenge of adapting to changing times through thoughtful consideration of its patrons’ needs. No matter what library I visit, I maintain that our library is my favorite. One reason is because it’s not only keeping up with the changing times, it’s foreseeing them. Our library embraces change because it
embraces the concerns of the community. The most exciting part of change is having a voice in shaping that change. You are part of that change. Your suggestions, needs, and concerns help shape the decisions that the library makes. Taking time to contribute your input will ensure the library remains the best it can be.
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E A S T B O N N E R C OU N T Y L I B R A R Y DISTRICT
Sandpoint Branch 1407 Cedar St. Sandpoint, ID 83864 Phone: 208-263-6930 E-mail: infodesk@ebonnerlibrary.org Clark Fork Branch 601 Main St. Clark Fork, ID 83811 Phone: 208-266-1321
We’re on the web: www.ebonnerlibrary.org
East Bonner County Library District Mission Statement The mission of the Library District is to provide free and open access to information and ideas which are essential to a democracy. In support of this mission, the District encourages lifelong reading and learning, supports activities important to our diverse community and is dedicated to the basic First Amendment principles of intellectual freedom and access to information without censorship.
Special thanks to Selkirk Press for their help in preparing this issue for distribution.
Selkirk Press 1714 Industrial Dr. Sandpoint ID 83864 208.263.7523 weprint@selkirkpress.com
“Check Out” the Numbers: A statistical snapshot of library usage in your district by Dawn Hughes, EBCL District Admin Sandpoint. Summertime. Tuesday. 2:45 in the afternoon. The Library. What is happening here you ask? Let me tell you!
DVDs left for you to choose from? With over 25,000 DVDs in the collection you are sure to find something to watch!
This is a bustling community hub within the city of Sandpoint. It’s filled with toddlers and youngsters attending story time. We have teens, tweens and all ages participating in the Make-It Program. We have retirees, snowbirds, and any other demographic you could think of. Right here. At the Library. And by 7:00 p.m. on most days 1000 people have walked through these doors.
Not only are people watching a lot of movies they are reading a lot of books, which by the way came to 20,206 for June alone! That doesn’t even include the books folks are downloading to their favorite device….OR the books they are listening to on their CD player! Combined, it’s a total of 22,602 books whether its print, electronic or audio. For just ONE month! Grand total? For all items checked out (all formats), that is over 55,000 items JUST for the month of June! Isn’t that wild??
Not only do we have the public attending programs offered by the Library but we have patrons that are returning materials, checking their email, uploading books, checking out movies or seeking information. There are folks listening to guest speakers and yes, some just sitting and reading a book! I’m constantly blown away, and you should be too since it’s your library! Did you know for instance that 19,898 DVDs were checked out at the Sandpoint Library? And that was just for the month of June! Of course, it doesn’t include the Clark Fork or the Bookmobile Branches. Those two branches combined checked out almost 3,000 DVDs for the month of June. A lot of movies are being watched! And isn’t it amazing that when you come in to the library there are still so many
Have you ever thought of just how many people use the Library? For such a small town, the Clark Fork Branch services quite a large number. On average each month about 3,400 people go through the Clark Fork Branch doors! They have an outstanding Youth Services Program available for kids. That and the MakerSpace program brings in up to 137 kids monthly! This doesn’t even include the regular patrons that visit the library daily or those traveling through. And since they are so close to the Montana border some of the patrons who do use the Clark Fork Library come from the small towns over in Noxon and Heron. The Sandpoint Library for the month of
June had 20,416 patrons come through its doors. This number not only includes its regular patrons but those on vacation to the area, cyclists, and other travelers who pass through our beautiful town of Sandpoint. We constantly have travelers come through and tell us it’s one of the nicest libraries they have been to across the country. On the average we issue 200 new library cards monthly. And believe it or not, other libraries borrow materials we have here! The Interlibrary Loan Department sends materials to other libraries all over the United States every month. Around 167 loans are made monthly to other libraries! Sadly, not everyone owns a computer. And some do not have printers. Well, that’s where your Library comes in! We provide this service free and every month 4,500 or more check outs to internet computers occur just at the Sandpoint Library. Clark Fork also provides Internet computers for the public and with a normal check out count of 700 or more times a month they are also busy at the Internet stations. These computers make it possible for you to access your email, create a resume for job searching, print out important forms or play a game of solitaire! Like I said, it’s a hub of activity here and you should be proud! Give yourself a pat on the back Sandpoint & Clark Fork! You have amazing libraries. We know it and now you know it! Just “check out” the numbers!