The Library's Discard Pile

Dumpster full of paperback books, torn by hand, and filled to the brim.

How to use $5 million new tax dollars at the Library or isn't it nice that they recycle (?)

Renton Library - The good, the bad and the ugly

To be sure, there is always a good side to every new change and challenge, so let me start out with the good news where the Renton Public Library is concerned. After losing the vote to save our local library and Renton joining the ranks of the King County Library System, our library has gotten extended hours, access to the stacks at any KCLS branch (and there are over 40 of them) and my personal favorite, the ability to apply for a Seattle Public Library card for free (that's a $75 savings, folks.)

The KCLS system will finally be fully integrated with the Renton Public Library's system by this Monday, so all interested can get the new hybrid card, allowing you to check out books from KCLS and Renton's two branches. It is one of the cooler things to come out of this venture - it has a photo of our statue seen above on it and remains the same color of green. I plan to get right in there at the beginning of next week to get mine. I am glad that this transition is almost to an end. It didn't look like fun for anyone.

Now for the bad. The library has become - well, loud. You can use your cell phone and no offense, but the days of the quiet "shushing" librarian are gone. Some of them are the worst culprits and I kinda liked it when you had to be considerate of others who were reading and such.
Soon there will be a total of 28 computers (kinda good) and a lot of tables will be taken out. Guess it's more important to take your books elsewhere and browse.

You may notice that the electronic stanchions that stood at the entrance and exit have been removed and the books are no longer scanned in that fashion to prevent theft. Not the way KCLS does business. DVD's will soon be left out on the shelves, cases open, and any theft of stock from the stacks comes under the "acceptable loss" terms of the budget. Man - I think they should have just kept those electronic babies up. Keep everyone on their best behavior if you know what I mean. I hate having to pay taxes for books you know are gonna walk more frequently now. I even hate writing this and revealing the truth of the less than safe status of our books.

Now for the UGLY. These are all the books that I saw, torn apart by human hands, and left in the recycling bin outside the library's side door today. This container is FULL. Not left to the new secondhand bookstore that Renton finally saw it's doors open last week. Not for the much diminished sale shelves of books the library sets out, and not for Renton River Days when many of us have fond memories of buying discarded library books with relish.

There are comment forms on the head librarian's desk should you find anything you would like to see addressed heard and considered. I am going to fill one out today. I miss my local librarians, who now have schedules that force them to work in other branches instead of just at ours (the "cluster system is what it is called and as yet, I don't see the merits of it) and whom seem to be rather tentatively weathering the changing of the guard. Things seem to have gone from a generous "we" to a insular "ME" in the way things are run. Sigh.

I guess it just sucks not to have as much say in our local library. I wish that weren't the case. I am still available for "silver lining" moments. Chin up and all. I'll keep you posted.

Renton Public Library
100 Mill Avenue South
Renton, WA 98057
Phone: 425-430-6610
Regular Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Warning: It's a TAX people, however you slice it - Talking about Prop 1

Lynar Deluca and her son Sammy have spent many an hour in support of Keeping Our Libray Local. Lynar is the voice behind the blog, Vote No 'til You Know.


If you already voted and you just saw the newly released numbers (link here) (good link here) that show how much more you will be paying out of pocket to have KCLS run our library show (this is a new line item to your tax bill ) - don't worry, you can still change your vote, and vote NO.

If you are appalled by the fact that KCLS is currently petitioning their users for an increase from 42 cents to 50 cents per $1,000 in a special election that is being held right now because they claim that they will need to cut back on staffing and hours if they don't get the funds (Wait! that sounds like the same argument Pro Prop 1 is using to get us to sign on!) and you need to change your vote to a resounding NO, don't worry.

If you think that it is not right nor fair that the above mentioned sounds like "taxation without representation" and like it even less that the charts with costing per $1,000 does not reflect the possible addition of of this new tax from KCLS in the above link, you still can say NO.

If you are just now realizing that if Renton Public Library joins with KCLS, the current 21-26 cents per $1,000 tax that we are paying will NOT be applied to our new KCLS bill, but will go into a general fund whose application has not been decided upon - you can still say NO WAY Prop 1.

(check out the costing discussions on Randy Corman's blog in the comments section right here)


When you see that the City of Renton commissioned a MASTER PLAN by an outside consultant to advise on the library to the tune of $118,000 and the conclusion was to KEEP OUR LIBRARY LOCAL, and now we are spending another $130,000 for a "special election" and you wonder how many security officers could have been added to our force at that price, you can still VOTE NO - even if you already voted.

If you think that this special election is all because the City of Renton wants to annex Fairwood, already a member of KCLS since at least 2004, who refuses the city's annexation offer unless Renton joins KCLS. Stop the meglomania unfairly linked to our library issue and say NO to Prop 1.
And Fairwood - The Picaroon apologies and means no ill will.

If you didn't like the fact that the Voter Pamphlet, which should by law, come to you 30-45 days prior to the Ballot and arrived either on the same day or a day after. If you thought it unethical that you should receive Pro Prop 1 literature in with your utility bill. If you have heard King and Bunny Parker ( King is a council member) were the funding source for the expensive mailer that went out to a targeted mailing audience just when your ballot arrived - it is still not too late to VOTE NO.

If you think that there has been a lot of DOOMSDAY SCARE TACTICS (don't support Prop 1 and the library will... - what!? not exist??!!! Our librarians have been making it work for YEARS of being underfunded! it's just time to give them the support they so need!). That our "progressive" city council may just be out of touch with this community and be talking down to us all here a wee bit -

You can STILL VOTE NO on PROP 1

If you already voted, you can pick up a replacement ballot at the King County Election's website

If you haven't yet voted, check these sources out:

Vote No 'til you know

Save Renton Library

PS if the librarians say it's not a good idea, you know, maybe it's not a good idea. They would know. And PPS, the librarians at KCLS are not happy with their employer -FYI

UPDATE 1/30:Randy Corman's blog covers where the monies owed to us from KCLS and our Benson Hill annexation here and other facts. The debate is HOT folks!

Grass Roots efforts to keep our Library Local

The ballots have been sent out, and the time has come to cast your vote. There is a strong grass roots effort to keep our library local (as it has been for the last 100 years) and inform you, the voter, of the price that you will have to pay to get that shiny, new KCLS that is being promoted as the library's second coming. More taxes, a bond, and the loss of a local treasure.

With 4 million books in their stacks and over 40 locations, the undisputed need to update our local library through the hands of KCLS seems to many the pretty penny choice - until you look further. Newcastle(joined in 2005) and Federal Way joined KCLS, and where are their new digs? (Thanks RentonBen for the links). Ever try to get a book in a timely fashion when you are the 200th person on the list? At the holidays, I looked for a book by author Garrison Keillor and when the librarian assisting me noticed it wasn't in the stacks, she ordered it for the library and within a week I was reading it. Now that my friends, is service. I personally think our book selection nothing to be sniffed at and don't feel like becoming a lost cog in the KCLS wheel.

The effort to remind citizens of the benefits to stay local is provided by the hard work and efforts of concerned library goers. The signs are paid for by those that hang them. The signposts in streets and in front of homes are made from recycled council election signs. The artwork by local denizens who care (thanks Catherine Mille).

My mother's home received a very pretty and shiny mailer endorsing KCLS and asking for a "Yes" vote on Prop 1 the other day (targeted audience - my home never got one!). It was at least an $8,000 investment a practiced eye told us, and listed so many of the council members who refused to take a stand on the KCLS issue in the January 8th issue of the Renton Reporter and at the council meeting held a little over a week ago Monday. But they were willing to endorse and add their names to the pretty, expensive flyer that goes along with the expensive, singular "special election"voting ballot for this issue. Now why again could we not wait for a later date when there surely would be other issues that the citizenry had to vote upon? So much for our precious taxpayer dollars. A big shout of praise and thanks to council member Marci Palmer who has publicly been a supporter of keeping the library local since day one - never keeping us in suspense as to her thoughts or affiliations.

Look for yourselves before you vote - these links have a lot more to say about this issue than The Picaroon could ever begin to address.

Vote No 'til you Know

Save Renton Libary

Beth Asher handing out pamphlets asking voters to keep our library in our own hands and out of KCLS's domain. Hard work and hoping to win the good ole fashioned way - one vote at a time.

Local businesses are not afraid to let you know where they stand. Yeah Liberty Cafe and Happy Delusions, you rock!


Super artistic effort for the cause by Catherine Mille (but not a super picture here on the blog. See it in person - this doesn't do it justice)

VOTE NO on PROP 1

To join or not to join - that is the library question

Tonight at the Renton City Council meeting, step two in the process of allowing the public to vote on whether or not our Renton Public Library joins the King County Library System (KCLS) takes place. On July 20th, the reading of the ordinance was held and tonight it is the approval of said ordinance, which can be seen here at the City of Renton website item number 10, that will be addressed and voted upon.

In August, The Renton Reporter had an article about this issue, fleshing out a little bit of the opposing thoughts and dynamics concerning whether our city loses its independence and possibly staffing to join up with the King County Library System or remain autonomous but find the absolutely necessary funding to improve and expand a library service that has been coasting along on minimal funds and because of it, fallen woefully behind in servicing a fast growing population.

Last month, I posted a link to a survey that was available online for the general populace to make their voices heard about what local library services they felt were more important and basically asking them, if they were the library accountant, where would they scale back and what areas would need more primping and plumping. The survey purportedly was online until 7/31 and the next move for accumulating public feedback will be through an enclosed survey in utility bills which you should see in the mail shortly.

Whatever the outcome, whatever each personal view we might hold - the library needs more money to bring it's services on par with others in the nation and to meet the needs of a changing and growing clientele. I personally like having the small town feel of a library that services it's own clientele first and foremost, allowing the staff to be hired for our town's needs and not being a mere cog in a larger wheel. The consultants that were initially hired by the city, Mirriam Pollack & Associates along with Tina Roose of Roose Research, are also in favor of not joining the KCLS but see a need for a huge infusion of cash and effort. Bottom line, though - how do we market this to the people at a time when finances everywhere are stressed? Being a library and book lover all of my life, I hope to see a little more information about this issue in print before it comes to vote. I don't think anyone yet has a clear picture of just what either choice will bring us where our library's future is concerned. I just have a glimpse - and it makes me want the library to remain a Renton concern.