But now, because of a generous federal grant, several other small and more rural branches are also getting high speed. From a Timberland Library press release:

Timberland Regional Library is a participant in two high-speed broadband projects recently funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These projects will help bring faster Internet service to more than 100 community institutions in underserved areas across Washington State. Thirteen of Timberland’s library buildings are expected to benefit from the projects.

The projects are funded by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The ARRA provided a total of $7.2 billion to NTIA and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to fund projects that will expand access to and adoption of broadband services. Chehalis, McCleary, Naselle, Mountain View (Randle) and Salkum will be upgraded to high-speed broadband connections in the first project. Four additional Timberland libraries, Centralia, Ilwaco, Raymond and South Bend, already have high-speed connections, but will receive infrastructure upgrades.

The second project will positively impact four Timberland libraries: Amanda Park,
Hoodsport, Packwood and Westport. These sites have slower network connections that will be upgraded to high-speed broadband connections. Over the last five years, TRL has upgraded network connections to 14 of its 27 libraries to meet the needs of patrons using public PCs and free Wi-Fi access. The BTOP projects will fund broadband connections into most of the remaining library communities.

These two federal grants are expected to create jobs, attract economic investment to rural areas, and provide reliable, high-speed Internet access to schools, libraries, emergency responders, hospitals, government agencies, businesses and individuals. Both projects are expected to be substantially complete by the fall 2012 and fully complete by the fall 2013.

1. What should the Olympia Library of the future look like?
2. What sort of activities should the Friends of the Olympia Library support?

Post your comments here; we’ll share them with the Friends Board as we discuss future plans. Thanks!

The books are selected by the PageTurners members each year in June. Our major focus is on reading the works of contemporary foreign authors, both fiction and non-fiction. The discussions are always vigorous, illuminating and a great deal of fun!

The Friends of the Olympia Library purchases five copies of each book that we’ve chosen. After the PageTurners read a book, all of the copies are donated to the Library for its circulating collection.

PageTurners 2010-2011 Book Selections
Fridays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the meeting room

September 17
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie

October 15
Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner

November 19
Little Bee by Chris Cleave

December 17
The Stranger by Albert Camus

January 21, 2011
Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls

February 18
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

March 18
After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam by Lesley Hazleton

April 22
Wanting by Richard Flanagan

May 20
The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo

June 17
Select books for next year

Despite reduced library hours, limits on holds and the start-up of a fine system for overdue materials, circulation in the Timberland Regional Library system rose by 2 percent in 2009 from the previous year.

Also, Olympia Friends board member (and TRL trustee) Emmett O’Connell mused about some aspects of the article on his blog: “Debby Abe’s piece on libraries (featuring TRL and Pierce County)”

blaming social media for isolation and proposing the library as a brick-and-mortar solution seems to ignore how libraries can use social media for their mission

On that note, check out our Twitter feed, written by board secretary Elaine Nelson, and Facebook group, managed by new board member Carleigh Hill.

“A third of Americans 14 and older – about 77 million people – use public library computers to look for jobs, connect with friends, do their homework and improve their lives, according to a new study” — including half of the nation’s teens.

A good reminder of the power of libraries to make a positive difference in people’s lives!

Olybabies promotes Book Babies program at Olympia!

We have a large and dedicated group attending our Book Babies program at Olympia. Little did we know that some of these parents were using technology to network and support each other as parents of young babies! We were surprised that on their own they were advertising our Book Babies program on their site. The site is called Olybabies: a gathering space for mamas and papas of OlyBabies. Parents of young children can often feel isolated, but new social networking software can ease those transitions. Check out Olybabies: a gathering space for mamas and papas of OlyBabies: http://olybabies.ning.com/.

Local artist Nikki McClure donated a paper cut original from her recent children’s book, “All in a Day.” Children’s staff at the library selected a second paper cut original from Nikki’s book courtesy of the Peggy Coppinger Memorial Fund and the Friends of the Olympia Library. Peggy Coppinger was the Library Manager at the Olympia Timberland Library from 1978 – 1983 and it was her dedication and hard work that saw the completion of this library. As Peggy said upon her retirement, “I wanted the library to feel like a home away from home.” I think Peggy would agree her vision has come to be. You are invited to attend the dedication of the artwork in Peggy’s memory on Friday, June 26 at 6 p.m. in the Children’s area of the library. I hope to see you there!