WCLS

See the spot "A New Library for Ferndale" by Deb Slater, host of the KVOS show "Experience Northwest" at: http://www.kvos.com/content/experiencenorthwest/story/Ferndale-Library-Project/uO89r8mAF022akvlltNHCg.cspx 

The Friends of the Ferndale Library presented a check for $10,000 to the New Ferndale Library Project in February, bringing the total funds raised to over half of the $5 million dollar goal. “We challenge businesses, organizations, and citizens to each match our donation during the start-up “Pioneer” phase of fundraising,” said Friends President, Norine Amend.   Through the end of April, the Friends of the Ferndale Library challenge the community to raise $150,000 in matching pledges from regional corporations, local companies, area businesses, community organizations and individuals.  Donations can be made at http://www.newferndalelibrary.org/.

Whatcom County Library Foundation (WCLF), the non-profit that provides support for the Whatcom County Library System, is pleased to announce grant awards for the spring 2010 grant cycle.  The grants will fund a Parent and Child reading program to inmates at the county jail, reading incentives for Teen Summer Reading, and the Annual Poetry Festival; Poetry Sings - provided by the Friends of the Ferndale Library.  

Reading For Others - A Jail Family Program will help inmates connect with their children through reading the same book and discussing it together.  The Foundation grant of $500 will fund books and program supplies.

POETRY SINGS! A fundraiser to benefit the New Ferndale Library Project was awarded $500.  The program will include recitations of beloved poems followed by spoken performances of local poets and will be held Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Horizon Middle School, 2671 Thornton Road, Ferndale, WA.  This is the first WCLF grant to the Ferndale area.

Teen Services at WCLS will focus their project efforts on reaching reluctant readers by offering incentives and prizes for reading over the summer.  The grant of $500 will join with many donations from area businesses to provide attractive incentives to keep kids reading during the all-important summer gap.

The Whatcom County Library Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 2005, seeks to promote and enhance the libraries in the Whatcom County Library System through grants for library programs and capital project funding.  WCLF endeavors to augment, not replace, tax-based support for our community libraries through gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals and organizations.  Our aims are to foster intellectual freedom and First Amendment rights and to encourage life-long learning.  The Foundation demonstrates local support of, and value placed on area library service.

The Friends of Ferndale Library (FOFL) are taking donations for their Build Our Building (B.O.B.) shop, a resale shop whose profits will support the New Ferndale Library Project (NFLP).  Books and media will be abundant, but they also hope to have needlework, fiber art, crafts, pottery, woodworking, antiques, home décor, garden art and plants, children’s games, toys, and more!

The B.O.B. Shop will be located at the former Dimitri’s restaurant City Annex building adjacent to the NFLP building site.  Their Grand Opening will be Saturday, March 13th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Following opening day, The B.O.B. Shop will be open for business each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until April 11th.  A clearance sale is in the planning, date and time to be announced.

Donations of gently used items will support the Friend’s fundraising efforts for a 21^stcentury library for Ferndale.  Book donations can be dropped off at the Ferndale Public Library during open hours.  Donations of other good quality items can be dropped off at the B.O.B. shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  To learn more about the New Ferndale Library Project go to www.newferndalelibrary.org.

The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) elected officers for 2010.  Deb Lambert is serving as Chair, Judy Phillips is Vice Chair, and Janet Boyhan is Secretary.  Tom Burton and Jamie Amend are also seated on the 5 member Board.  Trustees serve 5-year terms.

 Committee Appointments:

• Policy Review: Deb Lambert, Judy Phillips
• Finance: Tom Burton, Judy Phillips
• Advocacy: Deb Lambert, Tom Burton
• Personnel: Janet Boyhan, Jamie Amend

WCLS is governed by a five member volunteer Board of Trustees appointed by the Whatcom County Executive.  The board is responsible for the library's budget and policies. The Library Board holds regular public meetings on the third Tuesday of the month.  For meeting and location schedule, agendas, and minutes of previous meetings visit the library’s website; http://www.wcls.org/library-board-of-trustees.

WCLS envisions a future in which the curiosity of each generation flourishes and where our communities cannot imagine a world without their libraries.  Whatcom County Library System: the best place to begin!

Pictured standing from left to right: Jamie Amend, Janet E. Boyhan, Secretary; Tom Burton. Seated: Judy Phillips, Vice Chair; Deb Lambert, Chair.

Whatcom County Library System is looking to celebrate National Library Week, April 11-18, with some real knee slappers!  One doesn’t have to spend much time in a library to appreciate some pretty funny stuff can happen in place of the stereotypically stuffy.  For example, have you heard the one about the chicken in the book drop?   

We want to collect these stories! WCLS Chuckles, our new website devoted to collecting and sharing library humor is online at wclschuckles.weebly.com.  Everyone can participate!  Whether you are a library patron, a Friend of the Library, or library staff, WCLS Chuckles will feature your stories. 

Check out the Funny Stories blog to see the latest entries and then switch over to Submit a Story where you can contribute one of your own. 

Story categories include: 

• Reference Repartee, revelry from the Reference Desk
• Checkout Chuckles, clowning around at checkout
• Snickers in the Stacks, silly situations all over the library
• Delivery Diversions, only the delivery crew knows for sure
• Service Center Shenanigans, accountants and selectors and youth services, Oh My!
• Philanthropic Farce, fabulous Friends and Foundation fun
• Executive Escapades.  Tickled by Trustee stories

There’s a place for every story!

To immortalize this memorable collection of library stories, WCLS will publish the best original stories in a pocket sized booklet of library humor in honor of National Library Week.  Enter your story now! To be considered for publication, entries must be received by March 23, 2010.  For questions contact Sally Crouse at 384-3150 ext. 200 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

James Amend replaces Jan Hunter on the volunteer five-member WCLS Board of Trustees.  His term of office is five years. 

As an energetic Ferndale Library supporter with three years experience as President of the Ferndale Downtown Development Association, James Amend is well prepared to take on the responsibilities of being the new appointee to the Whatcom County Library Board of Trustees. His career includes being Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, in Pomona CA. He has also worked in a university setting in Texas, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario This work included administrative jobs with budget and policy development.

Why is he interested in serving as a WCLS Trustee?  Jamie has been involved in the development process for the proposed new Ferndale Library and is “fully aware of the need for hard work on WCLS issues.” 

Regan Robinson, new WCLS Public Services Manager, replaces Sigrid Brorson who has decided to retire from WCLS after 35 years of service.

After receiving her B.A from the University of New Hampshire and M.S. from Simmons College in Boston, Regan held positions with the King, Spokane and Stevens County Library Districts serving as branch manager, head of collection development and director.  She joined the WCLS staff in 2006 as the Lynden Library branch manager.

Regan says: I had gotten to know Joan Airoldi (WCLS Director) in statewide meetings and grabbed at a chance to work with her and for this great library system, she explains.  Serving the extended community that comes to this outstanding facility for the last several years has been joyful. The Lynden Library staff and volunteers are stellar; and the community support of the library is manifested by the ever-growing use they make of the services provided by WCLS.

Regan’s new responsibilities includes the full range of branch staffing and public services, the coordination of programming for the various age groups, and assisting the library director in administration of the library.