WCLS

An interesting report from the PEW Internet & American Life Project tells us what you may already know.

"While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been especially enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools. Social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled—from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010."

Read the report, then follow us on Twitter! http://twitter.com/wclslibraries

Whatcom County Library System

Administration and Support Services – Request for Qualifications HVAC Consulting Services

The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) is requesting proposals for professional consulting services to design Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System retrofits for its Administration and Support Services building located at 5205 Northwest Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM Pacific Time of September 7, 2010. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting & walk through of the facility is scheduled for August 31, 2010 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. RFQ documents are available from WCLS’ Administration and Support Services building located at 5205 Northwest Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 or from WCLS’ website at www.wcls.org. Please contact Kyle Teeter, Administrative Services Manager, at (360) 384-3150 x202 for additional information.

For complete Request For Qualification documents (pdf)
For Addendum 1 to the Request for Qualification (pdf)
For 1990 HVAC Revisions Mechanical Drawings (pdf)
For 1993 HVAC Revisions Mechanical Drawings (pdf)
For 2002 HVAC Revisions Mechanical Drawings (pdf)
For Subsequent HVAC Revisions Drawings (Hand Drawn) (pdf)

There are more than 47,000 public librarians nationwide, and they touch the lives of the people they serve every day. How has a librarian touched your life? Nominate your librarian for the "I Love My Librarian" award by September 20th! The award encourages library users like you to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians.  We want to hear how you think your librarian is improving the lives of the people in your school, campus or community.

Up to ten winners will be selected this year and receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times.  In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.

The award is administered by the American Library Association with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.

Join the American Library Association on Facebook for updates on the award throughout the nomination process.  You can read about the 2009 winners here.

Questions? Contact Megan Humphrey: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Friends of the North Fork Community Library are commissioning local potter and teacher at the Kendall Elementary School, Val Lloyd, to create an original commemorative tile display for the new library to honor donors to the building campaign who give $100 or more. The project concept is inspired by a quilt which is on display at the Port Orford Library in Oregon.  Names of individuals, families, or people to be remembered will be engraved on tiles in the shape of book spines and installed in a unique "bookshelf" in a place of honor in the completed library.  The number of tiles will be limited. Supporters are urged to donate soon.  The date for donations to be included in this project has been extended to September 18th.  Call the Maple Falls Library at 599-2020 for more information.

On November 7, 1944, residents in unincorporated Whatcom County voted by more than a 2 to 1 margin to create a junior taxing district to pay for public library services outside the Bellingham city limits. Members of the County Grange became the first library trustees for the new library district. Sixty five years later, Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) is still going strong - patrons checked out over 1.5 million books, audio, movies, music, and more in 2009.  Revisit memories, celebrate accomplishments, and look to the future with our 2009 Annual Report, a retrospective in honor of our 65th Anniversary. See it for yourself online at http://WCLS.org/annual-report.

County residents love their 9 local branch libraries in Blaine, Deming, Everson, Ferndale, Island, Lynden, Point Roberts, and Sumas, and the popular Bookmobile service to Birch Bay, Lake Samish, South Lake Whatcom, Sudden Valley, and Wickersham.  With 862,000 visits to your local community libraries that were open 19,279 hours, 2009 was a banner year for WCLS.  The grand opening of the expanded Deming Library, Sherman Alexie kicking off the first year of Whatcom READS!, the amazing community project to start the North Fork Community Library, and county residents confirming their support through passage of the library’s levy lid lift.

Children and teens showed their love of Whatcom County Libraries by checking out over 448,000 books and other materials in 2009.   Craft, science, music, aliens, and lots of stories were enjoyed through 656 programs for youth.  Teens proved reading is still a very popular pastime, even in the age of Facebook, by checking out 58,600 books and other materials last year.  The creativity of Whatcom County teens shines through the illustrations and stories in the 3rd edition of Whatcomics.

Remember using the card catalog and signing a card to check out a book?  From a paper “check out” system to the old Gaylord “ker-chunk” machines; from the card catalog to placing your holds online; from reading a bound book to downloading and listening or reading online, the Whatcom County Library System has been the best place to begin for over 65 years.  See you at the library!

Visitors to the WA Anytime Library will now find more than downloadable audiobooks - WCLS now offers downloadable eBooks! 

An eBook is a digital version of a print book that has been optimized for on-screen reading.  All eBooks at the WA Anytime Library are downloadable to the Sony® Reader & the Barnes & Noble nook™ eBook portable devices or any PC or MAC computer.  To use the new eBooks, you must install Adobe Digital Editions, a free eBook reader application available for download on the Anytime Library website.

The fledgling eBook collection of approximately 250 titles, includes many popular novels as well as 50 items related to business and careers.  The business titles were received through a promotion and chosen in support of our Hard Times Grant project.  The eBooks are circulating well and it is hoped that the Anytime Library consortium of Libraries will be able to increase the size of the eBook collection soon.

Have you dreamed of a class full of interested engaged kids discussing tough topics with good books?  Check out our "Issues Kit" for middle school students and watch the discussions begin!  

The Middle School Issues Kit contains five copies each of eight different fiction titles that cover a wide spectrum of social issues: from racism, to bullying, to child abuse.  A full set of book talks for each title helps you introduce the books to your students.  Titles in the kit: Black and White, Hurt Go Happy, Peeled, Rules of Survival, Schooled, Touching Spirit Bear, Stargirl, and Stuck in Neutral. 

There are 2 Middle School Issues Kits available. For more information or to reserve a kit for your class send us an email or call 384-3150 ex. 276.

Also available - 3 Lit Kits with Sherman Alexie's award-winning novel for teens The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  Lit Kits coming soon: Fantasy for Middle School, Hunger Games for High School, and Issues for High School!