Under the Cupola

iPad vs. Book

Oooo, isn’t it cool!?  Or is it hot?

The New York Times had an article recently entitled How Green is my iPad? which explores the green-ness of this new reading device.

The conclusion as to which is greener:  "When it comes to global warming, though, it’s 100 books; with human health consequences, it’s somewhere in between.

"All in all, the most ecologically virtuous way to read a book starts by walking to your local library."

Which is your Camas Public Library!

History at your Fingertips

Your Washington State Library is making its rare, historical resources accessible to everyone--students, teachers, researchers, and you--over the Internet.

Through the Newspapers in Washington Project, the WLS is scanning and indexing historical newspapers. 

You can search by people's names, read about calamaties and pioneers, and even follow stories of the Pig War, to mention just a few.

So far, the library has completed scanning issues from 16 newspapers from around the state and covering years as far back as the 1852 issues of the Olympia Columbian.  Some of the other papers completed thus far are the Walla Walla Statesman from Oct. 20, 1865 through December 18, 1869, The Lynden Pioneer Press from October 16, 1888 through June 26, 1890 and the Spokane Falls Review from May 19, 1883 through March 6, 1886.

These may be viewed by using the online index here. 

Additional newspapers will be added as they are scanned and indexed, so check back regularly.

Note:  To view the newspaper images you will need the DJVU plugin, free from Lizardtech.  There is a link from the State Library site.

--David

A Feather in Our Cap

Not a day goes by without a library user exclaiming "this is the most beautiful building!"

Now, you can share your belief with the world--vote online for the Camas Public Library in the Columbian newspapers's online "Best Architecture" poll.   The library was chosen by 5 architects as one of the 20 best structures in Clark County in the July 22 edition of the paper.  Only two buildings outside of Vancouver were nominated.

The original wing of the library was designed by noted Vancouver architect Day W. Hilborn in 1940.  Hilborn also designed the Kiggins Theatre, also a choice in the poll.

The 2003 remodel and addition to the library was designed by Fletcher Farr Ayotte, PC of Portland.

Vote and tell your friends to do the same.  The deadline is July 30.

--David

Head of the Class

The 2006 Hennen's American Public Library Ratings have been published and Camas Public Library is again ranked the best library of its size in the State of Washington. It ranked in the 96^th percentile of libraries serving a population between 10,000 and 25,000. There are 1,770 institutions of this size in the U.S. and in Washington.

Library Director David Zavortink thought that this would be the year that CPL would become the number one library of any size in the state. Alas, Camas was edged out by a smaller city's book emporium ranking at the 96.3 percentile. It serves a population of less than 10,000 and has less competition nationwide (1,460 libraries).

The rankings of over 9,000 public libraries are based upon 15 measures including the total budget and the percent of the budget spent on materials, the number of people visiting the building, program attendance and circulation.

“After a 65 percent increase in the number of items checked out, and an increase of 93 percent in program attendance over three years, I really thought we’d make it,” said Zavortink.

“With continued help from the Friends and Foundation to fund programs and buy new materials, we will make it to Number One. Next year.”

Happy Birthday!

It was three years ago that the new and improved Camas Public Library opened to a crowd of 4,000 excited library users.

A lot has happened in those three years.  The number of library items circulated in those three years is up 83% over what it was for the year before the opening.  In the last year alone the library checked out 293,862 books, DVDs, recorded books, CDs, videos and more.

The number of people entering the library has gone up to over 190,000 per year.  The number of people attending programs topped 13,000 in 2005, up a whopping 165% over what it was in 2002. 

It's a busy place.   Thank you!

Electronic Conversations

Welcome to the Camas Public Library blog.  It's the latest way to communicate with you, the library user.

What will you find here?

Just about anything--announcements for upcoming events for kids and adults, recommendations on books, hints for using library tools, pictures of library happenings, news about the book world, chatty news about the library, links to new and exciting "library things."  Scroll down to see some of the initial entries.

And the blog provides a way for you to talk back to the library.  We may post an entry about an upcoming program that you've seen before and liked it.  You can post a comment and let the world know it's not to be missed.

A book recommendation may be posted by the staff.  You've read it and didn't like it.  You can log on and let other readers know your opinion and maybe you'd recommend a better title.  It's back and forth, an electronic conversation.

Come back often.  Let us know what you'd like to see.

--David Zavortink