tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52349670603944073062012-01-29T19:35:53.058-08:00The Redmond Library Blog is a community outreach initiative of the Redmond Library Board of Trustees. The goal is to supplement the library services by providing an online information resource for the City of Redmond.Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.comBlogger2491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-79157262168910841812012-01-29T19:35:00.001-08:002012-01-29T19:35:53.146-08:00

“WORDS AND MUSIC: How a Singer became a Novelist” Louise Marley Redmond Regional Library February 16 at 7:00 p.m. ”My presentation will focus on the marvelous and energizing phenomenon of a mid-life career change.  Since I had been a singer for decades before beginning to publish novels, I learned a lot about how the principles and lessons learned in a first career translate

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-70857084457639142152012-01-25T19:14:00.000-08:002012-01-25T19:16:50.394-08:00

Christoph Willibald Gluck was one of the three greatest opera composers of the 18th Century. His most famous work is his operatic retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Euridice. Seattle Opera will be presenting the French version, Orphee et Euridice, which features a tenor in the role of Orpheus rather than a mezzo-soprano as in the Italian version. This splendid operatic masterpiece has not

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-15503898957351159522012-01-18T19:59:00.001-08:002012-01-18T19:59:14.576-08:00

As if Redmond couldn’t be more beautiful, it’s been blanketed in (several) layers of snow for the past few days.  Wednesday was projected to be the worst of the snow, so many King County Libraries were operating on reduced schedules. Given the novelty of this much snow in the neighborhood, and my book on hold waiting for me, I took the opportunity to snowshoe the 3 miles round-trip from my house

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-52930627019890253932012-01-06T20:00:00.001-08:002012-01-06T20:00:44.623-08:00

Oh, the MLA Handbook. How that brings me back to my college days! “Founded in 1883, the Modern Language Association of America provides opportunities for its members to share their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy.”1 Through the weekend, the Modern Language Association is hosting their 127th Annual Convention in Seattle.  Some of

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-4136461628087798972011-12-02T21:56:00.001-08:002011-12-02T21:56:27.103-08:00

If you’re looking for something to do after the library closes at 5 p.m. this Saturday, take a few steps across the parking lot to the City Hall campus and join the crowd for the 13th Annual Redmond Lights.  You’ll actually want to arrive closer to 4:45 though, so you don’t miss Santa’s arrival and the tree lighting! Music and activities abound in City Hall, the Senior Center, and the Public

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-30844337080917669172011-11-29T16:23:00.001-08:002011-11-29T16:23:11.401-08:00

Join Puget Brass on Sunday, December 11th at 2:00pm for a holiday concert at the Redmond Library. This  entertaining performance for the whole family consists of popular music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of you may remember that Puget Brass performed at the Redmond Library in December 2009. Puget Brass is a local British brass band that performs traditional and contemporary

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-74703923654632809432011-11-13T00:44:00.001-08:002011-11-14T20:18:33.831-08:00

The By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943 collection consists of 908 boldly colored and graphically diverse original posters produced from 1936 to 1943 as part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Of the 2,000 WPA posters known to exist, the Library of Congress collection of more than 900 is the largest. These striking silkscreen, lithograph, and woodcut posters were

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-53356996644129826002011-11-10T23:16:00.001-08:002011-11-10T23:16:10.779-08:00

On November 7th, the Redmond portion of the East Lake Sammamish Trail was reopened. This 1.2 mile section of the trail has been paved — previously, it was hardpack gravel. However, the non-Redmond portion of the 11-mile trail is still unpaved. Parking  The East Lake Sammamish Trail improvements included the construction of a 77-space parking lot next to the trail on the south side of NE 70th

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-16953651561242717452011-11-05T16:31:00.001-07:002011-11-05T16:31:51.370-07:00

On Tuesday November 29th at 7:00pm, meet Christopher Paolini, whose most recently published work, Inheritance, is final book of the Inheritance Cycle. Join us at the Redmond Library, where you’ll get to chat with the author and hear about the remarkable fictional world of Alagaësia, in which Eragon and his dragon Saphira battle the forces of evil. Books will be available for sale by Secret

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-42195342050278481822011-11-02T18:27:00.001-07:002011-11-02T18:28:38.248-07:00

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later — my favorite graffiti in Redmond got painted over. For those of you who missed it, here's a photo of the tag underneath the NE 90th St. bridge along the Sammamish River trail from earlier this year. Apparently, someone was very passionate about the metric system!

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-68892083587574319592011-10-28T17:33:00.001-07:002011-10-31T16:34:44.023-07:00

Is the term “school librarian” an oxymoron? What defines this role as schools become more wired? Smashwords has just published an ebook collection of over 100 short essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. This ebook, School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come, provides an enlightening

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-915392539050087052011-10-23T17:34:00.001-07:002011-10-23T17:34:25.157-07:00

In the past week I’ve received my King County mail-in ballot with the accompanying voter’s guide and it’s reminded me of the resources your local KCLS library has to help you cast your vote!  The KCLS infoVote2011 site details resources available to help you to register to vote and learn about the candidates, measures, and initiatives on the ballot. Through the KCLS Collection, search the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-45637127883234805382011-09-26T21:08:00.001-07:002011-09-26T21:08:39.526-07:00

It looks like it’s going to rain actual water too this coming weekend, but what better weather to get acquainted with a new-to-you author and curl up with one of their books!?  Or attend a workshop and start working on your own debut novel? Dotted around Peter Kirk Park and including the Kirkland Library as one of the venues, there are activities at the 2011 Northwest Bookfest for the young

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-3983161462236560372011-08-18T14:25:00.001-07:002011-08-18T17:05:25.445-07:00

Almost all photos from around the early 20th century are in black and white. However, Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorskii, a pioneering Russian photographer, developed an ingenious photographic technique for generating color images. His color images, reconstructed from his original glass negatives, provide an extraordinary look at early 20th-century Russia. You can find his photos as part of the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-79948186277252199462011-08-14T18:42:00.001-07:002011-08-14T18:48:16.558-07:00

On several recent trips around Washington state, I stopped by Sound Bend and Port Townsend. I was surprised to discover that both these towns have original Carnegie libraries still in use. In fact, the South Bend library, which is now part of the Timberland Regional Library system, has functioned continuously as a library for over 100 years. These libraries are a legacy of Andrew Carnegie, a

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-65224996782476194482011-07-13T21:55:00.001-07:002011-07-13T21:55:28.501-07:00

Chances are, if you visited the 71st Annual Derby Days last weekend, you passed the Redmond Library.  The parade route led by, vendors had booths set up in the shared parking lot with City Hall, and it was only (a few) steps away from the firefighter’s pancake breakfast. I borrowed the bike rack at the library to park my wheels, arriving early enough that I was the first person to lock up there.

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-43060784526613436642011-07-08T18:37:00.001-07:002011-07-08T18:37:39.343-07:00

Sometimes, libraries just happen.  In May, we stumbled across the Langley Library (Sno-Isle Libraries) after a biking trip on Whidbey Island.  To be honest, we were looking for a brewery, but came upon books instead!  Of course, I dashed inside to take a peek and snap a few pictures as I’m never one to pass up an impromptu library visit. However, in the case of the blog post topic I’m really

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-1457695759811952082011-06-24T17:48:00.001-07:002011-06-25T10:02:07.150-07:00

Word clouds, popular as Web navigation aids, can now be easily created for your own custom visual designs using a new generation of free Web tools. The most popular word cloud design tools are: Tagxedo, Wordle, Wordlings, and Tagul Tagexdo Tagxedo turns words — famous speeches, news articles, even your resume — into a visual word cloud. A word cloud (or tag cloud) displays words that are

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-1663068532862031792011-06-14T19:21:00.001-07:002011-06-14T19:24:39.245-07:00

The King County Web site has recently uploaded several short videos on the scenic small towns of Snoqualmie, Fall City, and Duvall. Snoqualmie The city of Snoqualmie is best known as the home to Snoqualmie Falls and the Northwest Railway Museum. Until recently, logging and Weyerhaeuser's milling operations were the mainstays of the local economy. Currently, the city's scenic and

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-29761479779197591822011-06-13T20:20:00.001-07:002011-06-13T20:21:22.643-07:00

Louie Foxx will perform a magic show at the Redmond Library on Sunday, June 19th at 2:30. Louie calls his performance a “one man side show” full of: Astounding Magic Tricks Side Splitting Comedy Amazing Cowboy Tricks Eye Popping Hand Shadows And much much more! The Magic! Here are a couple of magic tricks that Louie has created. The first one is the Tortilla Magic

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-61661794828120676692011-06-07T10:49:00.001-07:002011-06-07T10:49:02.571-07:00

The Washington State Archives recently revamped its online Digital Archives. The archives is dedicated to preserving electronic records from both state and local agencies that have legal, fiscal, or historic value. The archives also includes the State Library Photograph Collection, which contains 5,274 images of various subjects related to Washington's history, people, geography, and economic

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-46002386488150651062011-06-04T12:16:00.001-07:002011-06-04T12:16:10.351-07:00

This year's KCLS Summer Reading Program is entitled, One World, Many Stories. Starting June 13, children may register for the program either online or at their local library, where they can pick up a Summer Reading Log and start reading to earn prizes. Readers who read 500 minutes earn a halfway prize, and for 1,000 minutes, they earn the finisher’s prize! School-age readers who finish by August

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-39088167785516377202011-05-29T11:47:00.001-07:002011-05-29T11:53:43.389-07:00

In June 2011, the Gates Foundation will consolidate its operations on a new campus across from the Seattle Center. The $500 million campus was designed to be a model of durability, sustainability, and workplace efficiency. The main campus buildings are two dramatic, glass-walled structures that curve like boomerangs, with arms stretching out in different directions. Here’s a 3-minute virtual

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-81159807154009729802011-05-27T16:49:00.001-07:002011-05-27T16:49:31.056-07:00

Amazon published its Most Well-Read Cities in America list this week. Three Pacific Northwest cities made the Top 20 list: According to Amazon, the cities on the most-well-read list were determined by "compiling sales data of all book, magazine and newspaper sales in both print and Kindle formats since Jan. 1 on a per capita basis in cities with more than 100,00 residents." The leaders were

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-11184302655639645282011-05-26T11:18:00.001-07:002011-05-26T11:18:40.184-07:00

I was being watched while riding my bike along the East Lake Sammamish Trail! The green eyes peered out of a large photo mounted on a fence along the trail. The face looked eerie, as several years of weathering have created fracture patterns on the wood. Sammamish photographer and digital artist, Jim Wolfe, displays his prints along the fence in front of his house as well as his neighbor’s

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-78266077213266995062011-05-22T17:49:00.001-07:002011-06-04T10:07:24.661-07:00

Construction of the East Lake Sammamish Master Plan Trail Project will require the closure of the northern-most two miles of the trail corridor in Redmond and Sammamish for up to seven months. The trail is officially closed as of June 2nd. For more information and project updates, see the King County site, East Lake Sammamish Trail. Master Plan Trail Features The trail project includes

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-87578354515959826332011-05-15T13:36:00.001-07:002011-05-18T22:58:39.440-07:00

The 2011 Washington State Travel Planner is available online. This 152-page, full-color publication is filled with road trips, travel planning tips, maps and photographs that will inspire your wanderlust to explore Washington State. You can also order printed copies of the travel planner here. In addition, the state’s Experience Washington Web site provides a wealth of travel-related resources

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-41528825386825408642011-05-06T22:06:00.001-07:002011-05-06T22:14:06.931-07:00

I recently had the good fortune to visit our US neighbors in the Far North – Alaskans! In between hiking near the Knik Glacier and snow-shoeing near Eureka Roadhouse, I visited a library in Anchorage and a library in Hope. (I don’t feel I can count the drive-by of the Wasilla Meta-Rose Public Library, part of the Matanuska-Susitna Library Network, since it was closed.) I’m going to start

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-39228406988624975012011-04-29T13:46:00.001-07:002011-04-29T13:46:54.099-07:00

On April 27th, the City of Redmond released its sixth annual Redmond Community Indicators report. These reports monitor the city’s progress towards achieving the goals laid out in Redmond Comprehensive Plan developed in 2005. The report focuses on a variety of indicators that highlight economic, cultural, and demographic trends The full set of reports are available on the City’s website — see

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-83549118150669012842011-04-18T20:07:00.001-07:002011-04-18T20:07:54.777-07:00

If I wasn’t going to be out of town this weekend (Go, Bloomsday!), I would happily spend my April 30th, Saturday morning attending the grand re-opening for the Newport Way library branch.  While I technically visited all of the library branches in existence during my year of Jaime’s Jaunts, the “Newport Way” visit was a temporary location fill-in at Factoria Mall. This branch has been closed for

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-49782218262486944712011-04-10T20:12:00.001-07:002011-04-10T20:13:32.299-07:00

How does one even begin to say enough “Thank Yous” for ten years of volunteer service!?  In our April board meeting, we said good-bye to Doris Townsend, who has recently fulfilled her two, five-year terms, the maximum allowed, on the City of Redmond’s Library Advisory Board. Doris began her service in 2001, shortly after the opening of the building that currently houses the Redmond Regional

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-83442514641091221842011-03-24T20:52:00.001-07:002011-03-24T20:53:34.993-07:00

Bellevue | Burien | Issaquah | Kent Kirkland | Mercer Island | Renton | Vashon A library event, most definitely, after my own heart!  What better way to start Spring than to take advantage of the warmer weather and take a guided tour of one of the local communities that are participating in this unique way to experience your favorite books and authors. The KCLS website describes it best: “

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-47941758797955389712011-03-22T22:38:00.001-07:002011-03-22T22:38:00.504-07:00

On a recent visit to San Francisco, my wife and I stayed in North Beach at the Washington Square Inn. One morning, my wife looked out the window and saw two dogs patiently waiting on the sidewalk. A few minutes later, she went over to pet the dogs. The dogs were remarkably calm! Looking at them close up reveals why. These amazing dogs have been drawn onto the side wall of the Liguria

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-34542776825656193732011-03-13T19:50:00.001-07:002011-03-13T19:50:16.429-07:00

On Tuesday March 22nd at noon, meet Samantha Vamos, whose most recently published children’s book is The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred. Join us at the Redmond Library, where you’ll get to chat with the author, look at early illustrations for her books, and watch a short movie on being an author. You’ll even get to take home an activity sheet. Ages: preschool and older The Cazuela That

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-54793152837294056382011-03-07T17:03:00.001-08:002011-03-07T17:03:56.559-08:00

I’m a little behind the curve here (better late than never…), but I wanted to take a moment to continue to congratulate Amanda Hirst, Redmond’s Teen Librarian.  Amanda was honored by the Lake Washington School District Parent Teacher Student Association in February for her service to the community.  Each year, during their Founder’s Day Luncheon, Lake Washington PTSA honors individuals from the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-38247525349185558952011-02-20T22:09:00.001-08:002011-02-24T21:35:33.043-08:00

Extra special thanks to everyone that made my year such an amazing travel experience…it would not have been as excellent of an experience without each of you! I hope to meet you again in the King County Libraries at future events! Lorin Doris Bruce Roman Chris Debi Judith Brandy Travis

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-50079920127241947892011-02-07T20:56:00.001-08:002011-02-07T21:05:30.635-08:00

For me, part of the fun of any travel is all of the research and planning that goes on before I even step out of the front door!  I took a look at my trusty spreadsheet to see what “interesting” facts I could share about my year in library travel. Barely Basics   Places Visited: 51 Distinct

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-72549954650366328002011-01-29T17:11:00.001-08:002011-01-31T17:50:52.736-08:00

El Fin. La Fin. Конец. La Fine. Kết thúc. In other words, The End!  I wrapped up my KCLS Jaunts with trip number 29 for a weekday evening visit to the Issaquah branch and attending a KCLS Board meeting at the Service Center. I’ve had other occasions to visit Issaquah in the past, but it’s been a couple of years since the last time I saw the inside.  The branch has been refreshed and is laid out

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-5661065887392524142011-01-17T18:55:00.001-08:002011-01-17T18:55:00.755-08:00

The next time you’re in the combined Redmond City Hall/Library parking lot, take a look at the two new electric vehicle charging stations at the west end of the lot. The charging stations are designated Level II, which means they give out 220-240 volts versus the 110-125 volts that come out of an average Level I home electrical outlet. The higher voltage cuts down charging time — a full charge

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-8677702037137472492011-01-13T22:16:00.001-08:002011-01-13T22:18:31.159-08:00

If library patrons have difficulty coming to you, reach out to them! The King County Library System has a variety of outreach services and mobile libraries and for my 49th “branch” visit and 28th trip, I caught the ABC Express in action in Woodinville. ABC Express encourages early literacy and daycare providers can take advantage of monthly daytime visits for the young patrons.  In the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-38921237573455594932011-01-09T07:58:00.001-08:002011-01-09T08:10:13.194-08:00

Good things come to those that wait and I waited to visit the KCLS Shipping Department in Preston until nearly the end of my jaunts! We headed out for trip number 27 for a lunch time tour of the wizard behind the curtain. The shipping and materials distribution department is in east King County in a large warehouse-style building.  While the library trucks parked out front certainly gave it away

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-72451677918723209562011-01-04T21:29:00.001-08:002011-01-04T21:31:34.115-08:00

Weekday jaunts have been fairly rare along my journey, so it was nice to have a chance to spend a leisurely Monday afternoon visiting the Kenmore branch. My mission on trip number 26 was to check out a few more books from the Modern Library’s Top 100 Books of the 20th Century.   While currently one of the smaller branches with just a few thousand square feet, Kenmore is anxiously awaiting the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-47538590794351734952010-12-25T22:19:00.001-08:002010-12-25T22:19:39.761-08:00

Initial 2010 Census results are now available. The Census Bureau has recently released the resident population for the nation and states, as well as congressional apportionment totals for each state. For Washington state, the population increased 14.1% during 2000-2010. Click on the following image to display an interactive map that provides details on each state’s population change,

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-50109049261267013252010-12-18T17:45:00.001-08:002010-12-18T17:45:11.008-08:00

Redmond added its first rotary (or more accurately, roundabout) as part of the completion of the NE 36th Street Bridge in the Overlake section of Redmond. The bridge, which spans State Route 520, opened on Dec 15th after 18 months of construction. The bridge crosses SR520 diagonally. In the photo below (taken from Microsoft building 43), you can see the bridge’s “wings” — landscaped

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-56642122038471609442010-12-12T17:23:00.001-08:002010-12-12T17:23:50.601-08:00

This jaunt was definitely in the Northwest weather that we’ve all come to know and “love”!  Rainy, kind of dark, and just generally yucky.  But you know what are always warm and welcoming places? KCLS Libraries! As my travels begin to arrive at their close, I find myself fairly close to home.  But sadly, still in communities I don’t

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-46047624566208279052010-12-09T21:55:00.001-08:002010-12-09T21:55:35.470-08:00

Twenty thousand avid readers across Ireland and the U.K. will give out a million books on the evening of Saturday, March 5th, in what is being billed by organizers as “the largest book give-away ever attempted.” World Book Night, as the event has been called, will come two days after World Book Day, a UNESCO-backed international celebration of books that takes place each year in more than a

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-15758369895304979842010-11-16T20:53:00.001-08:002010-11-16T20:53:05.711-08:00

Many individual King County Library System libraries have collections that make them unique.  On my jaunts, I’ve had an opportunity to learn about some of them – the Native American Collection at Muckleshoot, the genealogy and auto repair collection at Bellevue, the Pacific Northwest material at Renton, to name a few.  Redmond’s contribution to specialized collections is the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-15921511038402791062010-11-14T16:47:00.001-08:002010-11-14T16:47:01.349-08:00

The drive to the Skykomish branch of the King County Library System was quintessential Northwest Fall.  The clouds were low over the Cascades as we drove out Saturday morning and though the air was chilly and the sky was heavy, we were lucky enough to not see a drop of rain on my 24th jaunt! One of the great things about visiting libraries with Chris is that she knows someone everywhere.  She

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-68513683884331992592010-11-11T22:29:00.001-08:002010-11-11T22:29:14.908-08:00

Jaunt #23 takes me out to Sammamish, which happens to be my fourth trip to a library in five days!  While two libraries were jaunt-related, the other two visits were in the normal course of Library Board Business.  On Monday, I attended a Library Advisory Board Forum and Budget Hearing at Kirkland and on Tuesday, at Redmond, I celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Nonprofit & Philanthropy

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-54990453799594832212010-11-07T20:16:00.001-08:002010-11-07T20:16:28.450-08:00

Whew, Fall has arrived with a vengeance!  This jaunt was definitely a damp one as we headed southeast of Redmond into Fall City on SR-202.  It’s still a beautiful drive of autumnal colors though, even viewed through the windshield wipers. On this jaunt, I had a special visitor with me – my Mom!  Her home library district is the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, which I have fond memories

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-62158602843675219812010-11-04T21:50:00.001-07:002010-11-04T21:50:31.947-07:00

If you sat down with a book or a magazine for half an hour…you might find yourself transported to a different world. But sometimes reading feels like an undeserved luxury. It seems like there’s never enough time for reading. Or when you have those free moments, there’s nothing handy to read. KCLS libraries are making it easy for you to take time to read by helping you find the time and

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-38877149319467119982010-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:002010-10-26T09:00:05.071-07:00

I’m on the home stretch! Boulevard Park, White Center, and Greenbridge represented the second to last “far out adventure” of libraries (still have to jaunt out to Skykomish. . .). I’m fairly certain that this was my first time in these three areas in southwest Seattle.  While Mother Nature wasn’t smiling too often Saturday, at least the traffic fairies were working their magic and

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-56498032436687003322010-10-24T10:23:00.001-07:002010-10-24T10:23:59.620-07:00

On October 8th, the Seattle Art Museum opened a major exhibit, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris, which includes works from every phase of Picasso’s life. The exhibition features more than 150 extraordinary paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and photographs. Join art historian Susan Olds at for a slide presentation on Picasso’s life and art at the following KCLS

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-17191669228887481802010-10-23T19:02:00.001-07:002010-10-23T19:06:21.651-07:00

Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew) will perform at 12 KCLS libraries during November and December 2010. Chris and his band play piano, guitar, and percussion, and sing simple songs — their audience is children ages 2 to 5. For library performance and schedule info, see Caspar Babypants Presents – More Please! BTW, Chris is better know as the lead singer of the Seattle-based rock band, The

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-84694082598647326852010-10-19T22:36:00.001-07:002011-01-27T22:57:09.628-08:00

I think the Pacific Northwest’s best kept secret is our gloriously sunny days.  We might not have a lot of them, but I think that might be because one can only appreciate so much natural beauty!  Needless to say, it was another gorgeously clear, though chilly, Fall day as I headed into southwestern-ish King County to visit Valley View and Skyway libraries.  Despite a wrong turn off I-5, I

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-42364726127026503692010-09-29T23:24:00.001-07:002010-10-19T23:52:35.133-07:00

Oh, how lucky were we on Saturday!?  I’ve always thought that September was one of the most beautiful months in the Pacific Northwest, but the weather we had been having at the beginning of the month gave me doubts.  However, Saturday made up for every other yucky day we’ve had! The journey to the Vashon branch starts with a drive to West Seattle, a 20 minute ferry ride, and then a short drive

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-86830006068726626502010-09-13T23:23:00.001-07:002010-09-13T23:32:49.983-07:00

As a Redmond resident, and a downtown Bellevue guest during some work days, I’ve visited Crossroads and Bellevue libraries a fair number of times. However, Lake Hills and Newport Way are a little bit farther outside of my usual library visiting radius, so I was looking forward to my first visit with trip number 18. Lorin and Bruce joined me on this jaunt and we chose Saturday to visit all of

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-38877485748206410872010-09-06T13:06:00.001-07:002010-09-06T13:06:58.041-07:00

On a recent trip to Vashon Island, I took the MV Rhododendron, a Washington State Ferry which runs between the island town of Tahlequah and Point Defiance in Tacoma. Onboard the ferry is a collection of photos taken of Tacoma in the early 1900s. The Octagon Pavilion pictured below stood on the site of the present day Boathouse complex in Point Defiance Park. The Washington State Ferry

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-35540445677845583302010-08-29T12:41:00.001-07:002010-09-06T21:40:26.559-07:00

The City of Redmond is hosting a visioning event, the “Park Bench Project”, for the Redmond Central Connector in downtown Redmond. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, 2010 and runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event location is at the corner of Bear Creek Parkway and Leary Way. Click here for more info. Light refreshments will be served at the event, and music will be provided by

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-57784887710336500202010-08-22T20:36:00.001-07:002010-08-22T20:48:55.006-07:00

Official KCLS jaunts in August have been a bit slow (non-existent, really) due to a just completed journey to Ireland and an upcoming trip to the Midwest.  But, have no fear, I’m still visiting libraries!  While on an 128 mile hiking adventure through Ireland, I happened upon a County Kerry Library branch in Dingle (An Daingean, in Gaeltacht). Unfortunately, it was closed and I didn’t get to go

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-33375909226981565722010-08-14T23:33:00.001-07:002010-08-14T23:48:34.592-07:00

Construction of the new Lake Hills Library is complete, and the staff is now preparing the interior of the library. The new library will reopen to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Saturday, September 11, at 10:00 am. Once the doors open, community members are invited to tour the building and enjoy refreshments and musical programs. For more info, click here.  The new

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-49396630460659902452010-08-05T08:34:00.001-07:002010-08-05T08:34:35.014-07:00

The 980-foot long freighter moved through the water so much faster than I thought it could go. And it seemed so close to the shoreline. Welcome to Point Robinson — where “island time” and urban hustle and bustle converge.  Point Robinson is the easternmost point of Maury Island, which is a small island connected to Vashon Island. This location is right on the narrowest part of the Puget Sound

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-65723133322994581012010-08-03T21:47:00.001-07:002010-09-13T23:33:07.465-07:00

What a whirlwind of activity at the Renton libraries!  Trip number 17 brought Chris and I south to visit Fairwood and the newly annexed Renton Highlands and Renton libraries.   We started our journey with a visit to Fairwood. Nestled amongst many residential areas, the library and lot present a very welcoming oasis.  Once inside, we headed straight for the information desk, where we met the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-53068074685806310392010-07-28T06:55:00.001-07:002010-09-13T23:33:27.601-07:00

I was finally able to work in another jaunt on a weeknight!  Trip number 16 took me straight to the Lake Forest Park Library after work.  (Whew, quite the rush hour commute from Bellevue!) Located in Lake Forest Park Towne Centre since 1965, this is one of the busiest medium sized libraries in KCLS. Unlike other KCLS “mall” branches, the Lake Forest Park Library is a full-service library.  I

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-48498008913507159442010-07-26T23:57:00.001-07:002010-07-26T23:57:31.855-07:00

Wednesday night outdoor movies at Marymoor Park continue through the month of August 2010. Seating opens at 7:00 pm, with the movie starting at dusk. Here’s the lineup for August: The Blind Side Wed, August 4th The Neverending Story Wed, August 11th Star Trek (2009) Wed, August 18th The Princess Bride Wed, August 25th For more info, see movies @ marymoor on

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-85118125833587500852010-07-18T00:07:00.001-07:002010-07-18T00:07:29.842-07:00

Over 40,000 kids have signed up so far for the KCLS Summer Reading Program, and it’s not too late to get involved. This year’s reading theme is Make a Splash. To find out how to be part of the Summer Reading Program, click Get Started for info. The Redmond Library is hosting plenty of reading events all summer long as part of the program. Click the Redmond Library’s Children’s Summer Reading

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-60042539239270424572010-07-12T10:30:00.001-07:002010-09-13T23:33:42.568-07:00

Oh sunny day! Trip number 15 found me out in Shoreline, admiring the views of the Puget Sound at the Richmond Beach branch and making the easiest-to-find trip to a library so far, when visiting Shoreline.  This was the first time that I’ve ever really been to Shoreline, so I was definitely curious! My visit started with a walk around the Richmond Beach Center Park. The park sits atop a hill

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-85789952548307942602010-06-23T17:37:00.001-07:002010-09-13T23:31:27.877-07:00

I think this trip epitomized more than most how I never know what delightful experiences I’m going to have when I visit a new library!  Chris joined me for trip number 14 – visits to the Woodmont and Des Moines libraries, both located in Des Moines.   My last-minute-morning-of map printing troubles non-withstanding, we easily found the Woodmont branch as it is conveniently located off the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-74052636015095134052010-06-08T20:36:00.001-07:002010-09-22T20:11:21.276-07:00

Much pomp and circumstance awaited us for trip number 13 to the libraries in Federal Way!  Bruce, Lorin, and I headed out early-ish Saturday morning for the re-opening of the Federal Way Regional branch after a little more than a year of closure for renovations and expansion. We also visited the Federal Way 320th library and, of course, finished our trip with a bite to eat. The 600 other

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-36752553696166593512010-06-06T21:40:00.001-07:002010-06-06T21:40:39.780-07:00

When my wife and I moved to Redmond over 20 years ago, we were regularly entertained by Steve Johnston's humor column, Sunday Punch, in The Seattle Times. Steve also wrote the Just Ask Johnston question-and-answer column for the paper's Eastside edition. He was even gracious enough to answer my question about “de-beaked” chickens in one of his columns. Steve’s writing was a regular staple of our

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-72508738922781440422010-05-31T14:38:00.001-07:002010-06-23T17:40:38.014-07:00

I finally squeezed in a weekday visit to a library!  Trip number 12 brought me to Kingsgate on a late Friday afternoon.  Kirkland has two library branches, Kirkland (Jaunt #7) and Kingsgate. To wrap up my Kirkland branch visits, I took advantage of the free wireless at Kingsgate to accomplish a couple hours of work. I definitely wasn’t the only person with my own laptop taking advantage of

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-50020485642250924922010-05-26T23:32:00.001-07:002010-05-26T23:32:46.284-07:00

English Boom Historical Park is a hidden gem of public land on the north shore of Camano Island. This six-acre park overlooks the mud flats of Skagit Bay, and has 900 feet of waterfront. The park contains a scenic trail that wind through a salt marsh. The habitat is perfect for supporting diverse bird life, including eagles, herons, and falcons. Not surprisingly, this is a favorite place for

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-90701986197329516102010-05-23T23:07:00.001-07:002010-05-23T23:07:58.463-07:00

On Thursday, May 27th, 7:00 pm the Redmond Library will present Mud, Sweat, and Gears: A Rowdy Family Adventure Across Canada on Seven Wheels. Join us for an evening of humor and humanity with award-winning author and entertainer Joe “Metal Cowboy” Kurmaskie. Joe never just reads from his books-instead, the Metal Cowboy takes over a room with a multimedia performance that’s by turns stand-up

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-65253099528919597722010-05-19T20:54:00.001-07:002010-05-31T09:36:03.026-07:00

Another Sunday jaunt required libraries a little bit closer to home again!  The bonus to these jaunts is that they don’t start until a little bit later as many libraries, if they are open on Sundays, sleepily wake up between Noon and 2 p.m.  However, Lorin and I were out the door a little bit earlier to fill our late morning with our community adventure. . .involving food, of course! We had

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-14892573936491937962010-05-15T15:29:00.001-07:002011-06-10T15:18:34.546-07:00

They’re huge! That’s the first thing you notice as you drive up to the Wild Horse Wind Farm visitor center. In the photo below, the pickup truck is dwarfed by a forest of 221-foot tall wind turbine towers.   The Wild Horse Wind Farm is a 273-megawatt wind farm built by Puget Sound Energy that consists of 149 turbines on a 8,600-acre site 15 miles east of Ellensburg, Washington. Click here for

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-25597513727392070702010-05-11T18:29:00.001-07:002010-05-23T23:20:07.820-07:00

A long time ago I worked on Mercer Island. Sadly, before the offices moved to Bellevue, I never went farther south on the island than those offices - which were right off the freeway!  I certainly didn’t know what I was missing.  And truth be told, I wouldn’t have seen as much of Mercer Island on trip number 10 if I hadn’t gotten “lost”. (Though, it’s a 5 mile by 2 mile island, so one

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-24927828561111039252010-05-09T19:43:00.001-07:002010-05-09T19:43:48.195-07:00

On a recent trip to New Mexico, I stopped by the Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos. The first thing you notice is that there’s a skateboard park right in front of the library! Once inside the library building, it’s hard not to be distracted by the spectacular views of the Jemez Mountains to the west. A wall of windows frames the mountains. The Mesa Public Library Building AIA Gold Medal

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-12849457391572249572010-05-07T17:01:00.001-07:002010-05-07T17:01:18.125-07:00

On Thursday, May 20th, 7:00-9:00 pm the Redmond Library will present Backyard Poultrykeeping in a Nutshell. Raising happy chickens that produce eggs is easier than you might think! For people who are considering the idea of keeping chickens in their backyard, this free presentation provides an overview of the pros and cons. Presenter Paul Farley teaches classes for Seattle Tilth. For more info,

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-52686983390411183752010-05-03T00:02:00.001-07:002010-05-03T00:06:43.811-07:00

The start of the month of May means the Northwest Folklife Festival is just around the corner. This year, Folklife runs from Friday, May 28th thru Monday, May 31st at Seattle Center. The Northwest Folklife Festival is an annual festival of ethnic, folk, and traditional art, crafts, and music that takes place over the Memorial Day weekend in Seattle. It brings together an estimated 250,000

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-34797321111373371392010-04-17T20:47:00.001-07:002010-09-22T20:14:04.950-07:00

As befitting the express concept of the “library” at Redmond Ridge, this will probably be my shortest jaunt and blog entry! It may seem that I’m slowing down a bit – April and May is filled with other travel and weekend commitments that put a bit of a dent in my pace.  But, with a third of the libraries already visited, I’m still in good shape for the year. As I saw this sign and turned into

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-38898529349870248062010-04-12T23:07:00.001-07:002010-04-12T23:07:14.169-07:00

KCLS has just released its 2009 Year in Review. Here’s a summary from KCLS Director, Bill Ptacek: “In 2009, King County Library System (KCLS) rose to a new challenge: helping patrons find essential information during tough economic times. In addition to maintaining regular standards of service and continuing construction projects, KCLS developed an innovative approach in response to the

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-1289136860689675402010-04-01T21:39:00.001-07:002010-05-23T23:22:00.502-07:00

Trip number 8 was a study in contrasts from my other trips.  As this was my first “long-distance” jaunt by myself I chose to spend a quiet afternoon reading in the North Bend and Snoqualmie libraries – reading. . .in the library. . . what a “novel” idea! I headed out to North Bend first.  By distance it’s towards the top of the list of the places far away from Redmond.  As I made the drive past

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-66008496579937961282010-03-27T20:37:00.001-07:002010-03-27T20:37:56.896-07:00

Nearly one-third of Americans age 14 or older – roughly 77 million people – used a public library computer or wireless network to access the Internet in the past year, according to a recently released national report. In 2009, as the nation struggled through a recession, people relied on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-41728426153457468732010-03-24T22:18:00.001-07:002010-05-23T23:22:47.231-07:00

Mother Nature, (even without Lorin this time!), continues to smile on our weekend adventures.  Trip number 7 found Doris and I heading south in sunny skies, yet again. Redmond’s geographical location within King County means that all of the South King County branches are farthest away and therefore on the top of my list to visit first!  I think I’ve been on SR 167 more times in the past few

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-39235327994322476972010-03-20T23:25:00.001-07:002010-03-20T23:25:51.865-07:00

The Spring Redmond Recyling Event is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th from 9:30am to 4:00pm. This is a great opportunity to get rid of used tires, household goods, vehicle and household batteries, clothing, and even that rusting BBQ you’ve been meaning to get rid of for the last year! The recycling event is open to Redmond residents only. For a complete list of all acceptable items for

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-91772442036639952072010-03-16T07:18:00.001-07:002010-03-20T23:28:48.088-07:00

After several very rainy (and snowy!?) days in the run-up to the weekend, Saturday shined sunny, if a bit chilly.  (You guessed it, Lorin was with us!) Trip number 6 was definitely an anticipated destination – all but one of the Library Board members plus Chris, Redmond’s Managing Librarian, were able join me on the trip to the new Burien library branch.

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-37322935626034330532010-03-10T08:21:00.001-08:002010-03-10T08:21:07.529-08:00

As I was filling up my car at a Union 76 gas station in Maple Valley recently, I noticed a poster that showed a colorful collection of windshield victims. The poster was entitled, A children’s guide to splattered bugs. Actually, this was pretty fascinating reading — definitely more interesting than reading about how to apply for a Union 76 gas card! Loosen up, while you fill up On

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-34684433704366313632010-03-05T23:25:00.001-08:002010-03-05T23:25:47.305-08:00

Measuring 5x7 feet and weighing nearly 150 pounds, the world’s largest book, Bhutan, is on display at UW’s Suzzallo Library. Everything about Bhutan is extraordinary: it is printed with a gallon of ink on a roll of paper longer than a football field. The printing process takes an entire 24 hours for each copy. It weighs 133 pounds making it the heaviest book in UW’s Special Collections as

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-67408499506143204522010-02-24T21:57:00.001-08:002010-03-06T10:53:00.744-08:00

Trip number 5 was another stunningly beautiful Pacific Northwest day.  Lorin must be our good luck sunshine man as on both trips with him so far we’ve had beautiful weather. While much of the rest of the country has had record breaking cold and snow, Washington state notched its warmest January on record (!!).  February has only brought more sunshine and warm-ish temperatures. For

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-57843935762815438142010-02-20T17:53:00.001-08:002010-02-21T12:19:37.168-08:00

The best laid plans. . .my 4th trip to my 7th library is again a little bit out of my original plan of order.  However, I visited Kirkland last Thursday night on business unrelated to Jaunting and I’m going to take the excuse to count it as a trip and talk about another passion of mine – adult literacy. First things first though, the wonderfully newly

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-63114594559426694842010-02-17T23:20:00.001-08:002010-02-18T08:20:06.125-08:00

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years. The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for things such as:    • Hospitals    • Job training centers    • Schools    • Senior centers    • Bridges and tunnels     • Emergency services The data collected

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-19612002995390468822010-02-08T18:03:00.001-08:002010-02-21T12:19:37.169-08:00

My third adventure into KCLS libraries dawned bright and beautiful last Saturday!  For this trip, Lorin and I headed out in the early afternoon as south King County beckoned yet again. As I was with Doris, I was happy to have Lorin accompany me as he is also a lot more outgoing than I am!  Plus, he remembered to bring his KCLS Library Board business cards, so we looked totally legitimate. For

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-41452579989268031442010-02-03T23:32:00.001-08:002010-02-06T19:16:41.566-08:00

e-books are getting the headlines. However, liv-e-books are making a comeback with the rise of on demand book printing sparked by specialized machines. The Espresso Book Machine is a fully integrated book making machine which can automatically print, bind, and trim on demand. This machine creates perfect bound library-quality paperback books that are no different from their factory made versions.

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-15738057312712666642010-01-25T16:50:00.001-08:002010-09-22T20:12:47.084-07:00

Adventure Checklist:  Get “lost” – check! Change of plans – check! Meet new people – check! Discover great local diner – check! As yesterday dawned a little dreary, Doris and I headed south to visit two of the libraries farthest from Redmond*: the Auburn and Muckleshoot branches.  I was excited to have Doris along because she’s a lot more outgoing than me and I knew we would

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-51785580315008260172010-01-24T20:13:00.001-08:002010-01-25T20:47:10.889-08:00

It’s no surprise that many people are choosing to stay close to home for vacations this year. You can get some great ideas for travel planning by checking out the state’s new Experience Washington Web site. Here are some recent trips around Washington state I've taken over the past year: Chihuly Bridge of Glass The Chihuly Bridge of Glass is a 500-foot-long pedestrian bridge linking

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-51637009372084137592010-01-17T20:19:00.001-08:002010-02-21T12:19:00.811-08:00

I hope that the first few weeks of 2010 are bringing you good fortune!  This year, I’ve pledged to visit all of the branches of the King Count Library System and blog about my adventures.  It’ll work out to be about 4 branches a month. My “a-ha!” moment came one day as I was perusing the KCLS branch map. I was startled to realize how few communities I’ve stepped foot into in King County!  As an

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-46193098170175175162010-01-09T18:03:00.001-08:002010-01-09T18:17:18.438-08:00

If you’ve ever been to Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle and walked along Elliott Bay, you might have seen these interesting formations near the water’s edge — rock stacks. The rock stacks were created by persons practicing the art of rock balancing. Essentially, it involves placing combinations of rocks in an arrangement whose creation appears to be physically impossible by natural forces. As you

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-83250906909872913942009-12-28T19:51:00.001-08:002010-01-25T17:55:14.037-08:00

My husband took the KCLS plunge!  On Saturday, we visited the Bellevue branch so that he could get his first KCLS library card and check out a book on WWII.  He was the fifth person that hour to sign up for a card. (Sorry Redmond, I would have loved to have him visit our home library, but you didn’t have the book he wanted on the shelf like Bellevue did.  Since he needed a card, we needed to

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-39774132320773671372009-12-23T13:38:00.001-08:002010-01-25T17:55:40.095-08:00

As the year comes to a close, take a moment to review the  King County Library System’s Best Books of 2009. The books on this list can also make great (very) last minute holiday gifts! Compiled by the Material Selection Team, the list covers six categories: Adult Fiction Adult Nonfiction Teen Books Children’s Fiction Children’s

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234967060394407306.post-35621698510126286942009-12-21T17:47:00.001-08:002009-12-21T17:47:10.170-08:00

The Redmond Arts Commission welcomes you to the 2nd Digital Arts Festival, beginning with special events in December 2009 and featuring workshops and presentations on January 15 and 16, 2010. Here are some of the free featured events: Motion Capture Open Studio  January 16th 10:00am-3:00pm  (free)  Ever dream of being like those Hollywood actors that get their movement captured onto a CG

Redmond Library Board of Trusteeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253137537691400891noreply@blogger.com0