by Ralph Nichols

Although Puget Sound Park no longer is under consideration as a potential site for a new King County library, White Center and Boulevard Park residents remain concerned about the future of their community libraries.

And little was said to ease their fears when the Planning Committee of the King County Library System (KCLS), chaired by library trustee Lucy Krakowiak, who is also a Burien City Councilwoman, met at the Burien Library on Thursday, Jan. 14.

Library system Director Bill Ptacek did tell those in attendance from the Highline area “the park is no longer an issue.” In November, the library system considered buying Puget Sound Park as the site for a new facility to consolidate White Center and Boulevard Park libraries.

But the planning committee also got their first look at a list of goals and metrics for a Library System Area Analysis that, Ptacek said, would help determine “the equitable distribution of library resources” throughout the library district.

This process will guide the trustees in identifying what is needed to provide good library service, rather than just responding to “who talks the loudest,” he added.

Board of trustees president Robert Spitzer later observed that if their goal system wide is to be “oriented toward consolidation,” then the most equitable approach would be to “build a 200,000 square foot library in the center of our service area.”

“There is a balance to be reached between efficiencies and meeting community needs,” Spitzer continued. That includes “considering the level of community involvement and access.”

Rachel Levine, a member of the White Center Library Guild, said the “metrics don’t mean anything if they don’t meet the needs” of these under-served communities.

Noting that the 2004 library bond issue, passed by voters throughout the library district, included funds for new or expanded library buildings in White Center and Boulevard Park, Levine asked, “Why should we wait for that new library with the money there?”

Ptacek said the metrics would be only the first step in a process for siting any new library. “The nature of the library business is changing, with outreach and technology,” he noted. “There is more to it than just four walls … it is old fashioned to look at a library building only.”

But, responded Levine, “Library buildings are important because that’s where it happens … we have a very proud history [at the White Center Library] and we intend to keep it.”

Highline residents will have an opportunity to address the library trustees during public comment at board meetings on Jan. 26 and Feb. 23. Both meetings begin at 5 p.m. at the library administration’s administrative offices at 960 Newport Way NW in Issaquah.

The February meeting includes the board’s quarterly public forum at which those speaking can take longer to make their points than the usual three minutes.

North Highline’s community libraries became an issue in November when word got out that former King County Executive Kurt Triplett had entered into an agreement that would sell Puget Sound Park at 1st Ave. S. and SW 126th St. to the library system.

The library system planned to use the park as the site for a new facility, where the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries then would be consolidated.

However, Burien objected to the sale of the park, which is in southern North Highline that will be annexed by the city on April 1. Two weeks ago, new King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that the county will cede the park to Burien as part of annexation.

The future of the two libraries, which is a library system and not a city issue, remains unresolved.

Before the Planning Committee meeting started, some in attendance criticized Ptacek and Krakowiak for sitting with their backs to the audience and indicating they would not introduce themselves. Introductions by the trustees and staff subsequently were made.

by Marilee A. Cogswell
Manager, 
White Center Library

Holiday Greetings to all my new Readers from your White Center Library Empress of Information™!

While I truly enjoyed the recent snowfall, and the subsequent studying to determine if indeed any two snowflakes are exactly alike (alas, they are not…but I vow to keep looking!), it’s nice to be able to see the gray cement again.

And welcome to my first column for the White Center Blog, the first local blog for this community, which first burst onto the scene Aug. 11, 2008!

Onward…

SCHEDULE UPDATE:

• On New Year’s Eve, all Libraries will close early at 5pm (Wednesday, December 31st).
• All Libraries will be CLOSED on New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1st).

DID YOU KNOW?
You can access lots of business and investing information including the ‘Valueline’ & ‘Morningstar’ databases through the KCLS databases page, which is located here – all you need is a current KCLS library card and a current pin number (usually the last four digits of your phone number).

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

WHITE CENTER LIBRARY:

• Game ON! Teen Program: Wednesdays beginning at 2:30pm, January 7th; also Jan. 14th, 21st, & 28th – Play your favorite multi-player video game on GameCube, Xbox 360, and the Wii! We’re turning the meeting room into an arcade so don’t miss the fun! Check out our webpage for more program details!
• Family Story Time: Stories, songs and finger play fun, Thursdays beginning at 11:30am, January 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th.
• Study Zone (K-12): Tuesdays in January beginning at 5pm, AND Wednesdays beginning at 6pm in January-Drop in and Get Help with your Home Work from our volunteer tutors! More information here.

GREENBRIDGE LIBRARY:

• Family Story Time: Thursdays January 15, 22, & 29th beginning at 7pm.

BOULEVARD PARK LIBRARY:

• Preschool Story Time: Tuesdays at 10:30am beginning January 13th.
• Family Story Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning January 14th.
• Spanish Story Time: Cuentos en Espanol para Ninos – Thursdays at 4pm, Los Jueves a las 4pm.
• Study Zone (K-12): Mondays & Wednesdays in January 6-8pm. Drop in and Get Help with your Home Work from our volunteer tutors! More information here.

BULLET POINT BOOK REVIEW:
‘Touchstone’ by Laurie R. King

• A suspenseful tale set in the English countryside circa 1926.
• Politics, old families, class struggle, and love set the stage for this compelling drama.
• The story opens as FBI agent Harris Stuyvesant arrives in England to ‘informally’ follow the trail of a possible bomb-making union organizer, whose latest work in America has rendered Stuyvesant’s younger brother incompetent.
• Stuyvesant gets no help from the British government and is about to give up when he is inadvertently put in touch with Aldous Carstairs, a very shadowy British operative whose motives for helping Stuyvesant are at the very least questionable.
• The touchstone in ‘Touchstone’ is a British veteran of WWI by the name of Bennett Grey.
• Carstairs has worked with (and exploited) Grey in the past and knows of his uncanny abilities- now Carstairs is looking for ways to control and use him again.
• To Carstairs, Stuyvesant looks like the perfect patsy to help him reclaim his leverage over Grey.
• The story is further complicated by Grey’s sister Sarah, who Stuyvesant seems to be falling for.
• This is a page turner with a surprise ending that will leave you wanting more.
• Highly recommended!
• Also available in large print and on CD.
• For a list of the Best Books of 2008, visit this website.

Marilee A. Cogswell is the Manager of the White Center Library.

The House of Writers/Casa de Escritores is sponsoring a special literary and cultural event this Friday, Dec 5, from 6-9pm at the White Center Taqueria del Rio, located at 10230 16th Ave SW (map below).

There you’ll enjoy a variety of readings, music and food.

This is a FREE event for the community, so please spread the word!

For more on House of Writers/Casa de Escritores, visit their blog:

http://houseofwriters.blogspot.com/

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