NEW! Library budget situation

Recent newspaper coverage of the Library's budget situation has raised the possibility of employee lay-offs, unpaid employee furloughs, and library closures in 2010 in order to bring expenditures in line with projected revenues and achieve a balanced budget. The Library Board is working closely with the library staff and the employees' union to balance the 2010 budget in such a way as to minimize the impact on services for library users and save jobs.

Since 2001 the North Olympic Library System has been shaving costs by cutting staff hours, spending less on books and other materials, reducing training, stretching the amount of time between hardware and software upgrades, deferring building maintenance, and taking other steps to live within the state law that limits taxing districts from collecting more than 101% of the property taxes received during the previous year, despite an average inflation rate of 2.8%. For 2010, despite a 4.5% decrease in the budget for books and other library materials, there are no more such "a little here, a little there" options, leaving the district with a projected $176,000 shortfall.

Between now and November 19, 2009, the Library will continue to refine its budget estimates and give further consideration to the reductions currently on the table: layoffs of up to 4 employees, two 1-week furloughs during which all libraries in the system would go dark, and/or a one-time transfer from the System's reserve for capital improvement/replacement.

Between now and November 19, when they will adopt next year's budget, the Library Board welcomes your comments and suggestions. Please email them at LibraryBoard@nols.org or fill out a customer suggestion card at any NOLS library.

If you would like to join the email list to receive regular updates about the Library's budget crisis and the Board's plan for long-term fiscal stability, email Library Director Paula Barnes at Director@nols.org.

Library plan for financial stability

Find out more about the Library Board's draft plan for library service: NOLS 2012. This plan, currently in development, responds to community demand for more convenient, consistent hours and more books. It addresses ongoing infrastructure maintenance and explains why lifting the Library's property tax levy from 31c to 50c will secure financial stability for the Library system for at least the next 10 years. The Board wants to get your input to this plan before they finalize it. Please share your ideas and reactions by emailing the Library Board of Trustees at LibraryBoard@nols.org, and watch the NOLS 2012 webpage for updates.

Campfire helpers at Port Angeles Library

A local 4^th Grade Campfire troop recently helped the Port Angeles Main Library with an alphabetization project. The troop volunteered four hours of their time to the library. Thanks to their efforts, the project is now complete!

Stop, drop and read!

On Saturday, November 7 at all North Olympic Library System locations, the Clallam County Literacy Council and the Library will present Family Literacy Day. Don't miss your chance to hear stories read by local firefighters, to get a tour of a fire truck, and receive a free book. You can "Stop, Drop and Read" at the Clallam Bay and Forks Libraries from 11am to 1pm, and at the Sequim and Port Angeles Libraries from 10am to 12noon. For more information, contact your local library.

NOLS and Port Angeles School District receive collaboration grant

The Port Angeles School District and the North Olympic Library System’s (NOLS) Port Angeles Library have received a $12,000 “Supporting Student Success” grant from the Washington State Library. The grant provides money to purchase books and other library materials to support the civics and history Classroom-Based Assessments at Port Angeles High School, Dry Creek Elementary School and Hamilton Elementary School. The assessments, developed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, are used by classroom teachers to gauge student understanding in social studies, the arts, and health and fitness. Duplicate copies of these materials will be available in the classrooms as well as at the Port Angeles Library, where they will all be available for check-out. Library staff will train teachers to use NOLS online database of historic local newspapers and other databases.

“Supporting Student Success” grants are given to public libraries and schools in Washington that collaborate to help students complete CBAs in social studies, and to educate students and teachers about public library resources and services that can help in this area.

The project will begin in October and conclude in June 2010.