Sequim Library Parking lot will be closed Mon 12/7-Fri 12/11

The parking lot at the Sequim Library will be closed from 8am Monday, December 7, 2009 through 9am Saturday, December 12 to allow the Sequim Branch to be connected to the City of Sequim sewer service. The Library itself will remain open during the entire project.

Library parking will be available at the Sequim Worship Center next door to the Library to the north. Pedestrian access to the Library is available from this adjacent parking lot. Unfortunately, drive-up access to the book return bins will not be available, but the bins will be available for walk-up traffic. Access to the sidewalk along Sequim Avenue will also be restricted for much of this time.

The Friends of Sequim Library booksales will take place as planned on Friday and Saturday December 11 and 12, with parking available at the church next door.

Once the Library is connected to the City sewer system, the existing septic tank will be abandoned in accordance with City and State regulations. The cost of the entire project is $62,764 including permits and fees, construction and sales tax. Quadra Engineering of Sequim was in charge of project design and engineering. Primo Construction of Carlsborg is doing the construction.  For more information contact Library Director Paula Barnes at Director@nols.org.

2010 Budget update

At the  Library Board meeting on November 19, 2009, the Board unanimously adopted the 2010 budget of $3,051,080 for the library district, including 2 one-week unpaid furloughs for all staff.  This budget is $37,267 more than the 2009 budget of $3,013,813.  During the staff's unpaid furloughs, all NOLS libraries will be closed for a week in the spring and another week in the fall.  The tentative dates for these closures, and for the staff to be on unpaid leave, are March 29-April 3, 2010, and August 30-September 4, 2010.  These dates have not yet been approved by the Board.  The Board directed staff to make additional cuts totalling $22,948 in personnel costs in 2010.  The approved budget also includes a transfer of $88,021 from the Reserve Fund for Economic Uncertainty.  This combination of reserve funds and spending reductions reduces the $176,043 budget shortfall to $0.  

The Board anticipates needing to draw from the Reserve Fund for Economic Uncertainty again in 2011.  If the levy election planned for November 2010 passes, the additional property tax funds will not start coming in until April/May 2010, probably resulting in another shortfall.  If the planned election fails, or if the Board decides to not seek an increase in the Library's property tax rate, even more will be needed as the Library initiates a phased downsizing of staffing and services. 

At the November 19 meeting, the Board also formally directed staff to seek additional revenues and cut spending as ways to reduce the impact on the Reserve Fund for Economic Uncertainty. 

For more information about the North Olympic Library System's plan for fiscal sustainability, check out the NOLS 2012 business plan  or email LibraryBoard@nols.org.

Family Literacy Day at NOLS was a Success

Fire fighters read to the children and showed them their fire trucks. It was a bright, sunny day--perfect for reading.

Port Angeles

Sequim

Sequim

Halloween at the Forks Branch Library

Forks patrons met some famous personalities on Friday, October 30. From left, Sarah Palin, Groucho Marx, Charlie Chaplin, and Harpo Marx posed for the camera. Actually, it was Theresa Tetreau, Laura Kesey-Farrell, Rebecca Barker, and Christie Stallman--always helpful library employees and playful characters!

Photo courtesy of Chris Cook, Forks Forum