Programs

On January 7th, Molly Gloss spoke at the Sandy Library.  Molly Gloss is the bestselling author of The Jump-Off Creek, The Dazzle of Day, Wild Life, The Hearts of Horses and Falling From Horses. Her work has earned numerous awards, including an Oregon Book Award, a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, the PEN West Fiction Prize, the James Tiptree Jr. Award, and a Whiting Writers Award.

On January 11, Barbara Virgilio, MSW from Mt. Hood Hospice shared about care options for end of life. Barbara earned BA degrees in sociology and philosophy with a Certificate in Gerontology from Oregon State University. Barbara then attended Portland State University earning her Master of Social Work.  Barbara began working for Mt. Hood Hospice in 2007.  She often assists families in deciding about whether or where to move their loved ones when needed.

On January 16th, Brian Doyle spoke at the Hoodland Library. Brian Doyle is the editor of Portland Magazine at the University of Portland, in Oregon. He is the author of many books, including the novels Mink River and The Plover. The Grail, is his account of a year in a pinot noir vineyard in Oregon. Mr. Doyle’s newest novel Martin Marten is set near Mt. Hood and the Zigzag river.  This event was standing room only, as 72 people attended.

A free show from The Sandy Actors Theatre!  Thursday January 21st in the fireplace room of the Sandy Library.  SAT presented a few scenes from their upcoming play.  The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr runs from January 29th-February 21st at the Sandy Actors Theatre.

On January 27, we held a Pajama Story Time and Teddy Bear Sleepover at Hoodland Library.  Kids Brought their second-most favorite stuffed buddy to the library for a special evening story time.  Their stuffed animal stayed overnight for a special party, kids picked them up the next day, along with pictures of their adventures! View the video (1:15)!

On January 27th we started a new Anime Club at the Sandy Library.  This club is specifically for 6-8th graders to come together to share their passion for anime.  We’ll watch some anime, talk about our favorites, eat snacks, and craft.  23 kids attended our first meeting.

On January 28th we held the first program in a Sustainability Series at the Sandy Library. It was for those interested in learning more about solar energy and the benefits, processes, costs and incentives associated with installing solar.  A free workshop by Solar Oregon, the region’s solar education non-profit.

On January 30th, Susan Blackaby spoke at the Sandy Library.  Susan Blackaby is local children’s author of the Brownie Groundhog series, Nest, Nook, and Cranny, and many others.  She spoke about the writing process, sharing her stories and illustrations, and offered a craft.  This program was geared towards parents and their 3-8 year old kids.

Administrative

In January, the library changed from using Square for Credit Card transactions, to using Propay.  Propay has a number of benefits for us, as it can be used directly through our library software program, has a simpler interface, and has additional security measures in place.

Planning for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) continues for all Clackamas County libraries.  We may be tagging our items as early as May.  The goal is to have all items in our collection tagged by September 15th.  The RFID implementation will include new self-checkout units, RFID pads for staff stations, and possibly security gates.

Art Installation

The library is currently hosting Indian Art of the Northwest Coast from the collection of George and Colleen Hoyt.  This beautiful exhibit will be up at least through the month of February.

Programs

On December 3rd, Author – Dan Bosserman spoke at the Sandy Library about his new book- Images of America: Sandy.

December 5th was our Teddy Bear Tea at the Sandy Library.  Kids and stuffies had a great time at this special storytime, then the stuffies spent the night at the library.  Photos of their adventures were given to the kids when they picked their stuffies up the next day.

The Sandy Public Library was one of the sponsors of the December 4th Christmas Tree Lighting on the plaza.  We had a table at the event, and talked about library programs and services with many people.

On December 6th, we held our first Check-In Circle. The Circle (or council) is an ancient form that has been gathering us into respectful conversation for thousands of years in many cultures around the world.This provides a shift from informal socializing or opinionated discussion into a receptive attitude of thoughtful speaking and deep listening.
Be curious.  This program was so successful that we plan to continue it monthly.

On December 18th we held a DIY Holiday Gift Making for Teens at Antfarm.  This was a really great program, but had low attendance.  There were holiday parties going on this day.  We will likely not hold a program for Teens in December next year.

On December 20-21, we partnered with a local crafts person to hold a Holiday Bazaar.  This was very last minute, so also had low attendance.  Library staff were not convinced that we were the best venue for this event.

On December 27th, the Library Photography Group met.

Exhibits

The High School Art Students had their art on exhibit for the month of December.  It was a great show!  We plan to partner with the Sandy High School each December.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

On December 2nd-3rd, key staff from the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries attended a two day RFID workshop/planning session. RFID will be implemented in every library throughout Clackamas County by September 15th.  This will streamline check-out and check-in, offer the possibility of easy inventory, and the opportunity for better security of items.

Programs

On November 6th, local singer/songwriter Steve Hale performed at the Library Coffee House.  He was a great interactive performer who engaged the audience in discussion about songwriting.

The new Mind-Body-Spirit adult programming continued for the second month with a 4-week yoga class presented by Nyssa Castle. There were 16 yogis on the class roster. Ms. Castle specializes in gentle therapeutic yoga. She teaches regularly at the Sandy Historical Society building, upstairs.

On November 12th, Folktime met at the Sandy Library for the first time.  In an ongoing partnership, Folktime will be meeting at the library once a month to allow their clients to socialize, and conduct a meditation and yoga class.  Folktime is about connecting individuals who share the experience of living with mental illness through peer support and community based activities.

On November 19th, we held our last class in our Financial Education series with Clackamas County Bank. It was on Identity Theft.

Building

The Friends of Sandy Library took the opportunity on Veteran’s Day to do a refresh of the Sandy Library.  They painted two walls in the Community Room to brighten things up and added some photos on one wall.  They touched up walls throughout the library, and placed plastic bumpers in staff areas that get high traffic use.

Programs

The Library Coffee House on Friday October 2nd was part of our Oktoberfest Series.   We featured Paul Bria, playing traditional polka and waltz on the accordion.  190 people attended.

We held our first weekly Baby Story Time on October 7th.  This is a special storytime to teach parents with babies up to one year old how to play with their babies to increase interaction and early literacy.

Our Oktoberfest Meet the Brewer Series ended with a great talk by Drinking Horse Brewing Company on October 15th at the Hoodland Library.  It was our highest attended of the Meet the Brewer programs, with 14 people in attendance.

Our first event in our ongoing series geared for adults over 50, Mind, Body, Spirit; Creating a Vibrant Adult Life was held on October 15th.  It was Talking about Dying organized by Oregon Humanities and The Cambria Health Foundation.  19 people attended this great program.

We held our first Haunted Library for teens on October 16th, and boy did we learn a lot!  Approximately 300 Kids came through, and about a dozen Teen Advisory Board kids with the help of Sandy Actors Theatre and Library staff managed to put together the show.  It was a great success, and we are already planning on how to improve it for next year.

In coordination with Clackamas County Bank, the library held a Budgeting Workshop on the evening of October 20th.

The Photography Group hung their first group exhibit this month.  Come by the Library through November to check it out. During the October 24th meet-up they practiced their skills with still-life photography.

The LINCC (Libraries IN Clackamas County) Library District held it’s first All Staff Day in more than 20 years!  This was a great day with speakers to get staff thinking about the current and future role of libraries, the User Experience, and Compassion Fatigue.  It was an excellent way to get LINCC moving forward on the same page.

Programs

Elvis is in the building! Mark Stevenz, locally renowned Elvis tribute artist played at the Library Coffee House on September 4th.  246 very happy members of the audience enjoyed a tremendous show.

On September 17th, our first Oktoberfest “Meet the Brewer” took place at the Sandy Library.  This series was five weeks of brewers, complete with beer tasting.  The fifth “Meet the Brewer” program took place at the Hoodland Library on October 15th.

September 18th kicked off our Teen Programming with a Lock-In.  The Lock-In was co-sponsored by Antfarm and the Library. We had 72 teens come to the program.  It was a great success! We had karaoke and gelato floats at Antfarm, and then walked over to the library to watch a movie and play Minecraft. View a video from the karaoke portion of the Lock-In here.

The first of our financial series programs happened on 9/23: Retirement Planning for All Ages. It covered basic investing, health care, social security, and long term care. Barb Clare for Clackamas County Bank facilitated the program.

A photo from Hoodland storytime is to the left.  Creating Green Monster Masks to go with our monster themed storytime!

Building

The photography of Paul Sivley of Lake Oswego is currently on display at the Sandy Library.  All photos were taken in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Training

Six Library staff members were trained on three products from the Adobe Creative Suite.  We now have Four licenses to the Creative Suite for staff to use to create fliers and brochures.  Step one of our marketing plan is complete.

Staff

We hired two new on-call library staff to work at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries.  Rebecca Robinowitz (pictured left), and Barbara Bartel.  Rebecca previously worked at Estacada Library, Milwaukie Library and Gladstone Library (15 years total).  Barbara has worked at the Estacada Library for 12 years.  They are great knowledgeable additions to our staff.

Programs

Library Coffee House

The library tried its first open mike this month.  227 people stopped by to hear our talented community members.

Training

As of August 26th, all regular staff at the library have their Certification Card for CPR, and First Aid for Children, Infants, and Adults.   This was a comprehensive 4-6 hour online course with a final in person hands-on training done by Carla Zenner of MEDIC First Aid International.

Programs

Sandy Library held our July Library Coffee House on July 3rd.  Despite the looming holiday and the fact that First Friday was not happening downtown, we had 67 people attend to hear No Time 2 Lose, a great bluegrass band.  People who came were very complimentary of the music.

Summer Reading is in full swing.  We have had 508 kids, 86 teens, and 33 adults sign up at the Sandy Library.  At Hoodland Library we have had 46 kids, 13 teens, and 11 adults sign up. 25 kids have signed up from the Vista Apartments. People have until August 22nd to complete Summer Reading to be eligible for prizes.  Our kids Summer Reading programs have been popular.  In July 88 kids attended the programs in Sandy, 68 in Hoodland, and 83 at the Vista Apartments.

Outreach

The Sandy Library had an information booth at Sandy Mountain Festival.  Over the course of the two days, we chatted with over 121 people about library services and programs.

Building

A new art exhibit was installed at the Sandy Library. Clackamas County artists are presenting work inspired by the book All the Light You Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  The exhibit will be up until September 2nd.

The new Hoodland Library is now open!  It took many hours of staff and volunteer people power to get it done by August 1st.  A special thanks to SandyNet for toiling overnight to make sure we had Internet service the day we opened.  Thank you to Chris Wilhelmi for leading the charge while I was out of the office.  She is truly invaluable!  The Hoodland Llibrary is now located at 24525 E Welches Road.  We will hold a Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, August 15th 1-3pm.

Molly assisting patrons on Opening Day!

Programs

On Monday, June 1st, the Sandy Library participated in Red, White, and Barbeque, an event in the Fred Meyer parking lot.  Fred Meyer gave out free barbecue, and the library gave out library cards, information on library services, an did a craft with kids.

The performer at the Library Coffee House On June 5th was Pablo Grabiel and the Steelstalkers.  The Coffee House brough 299 people into the library to listen to the music, eat treats, and chat with their neighbors.

The Summer Reading progams have begun!  Starting June 15th kids, teens, and adults can pick up their summer reading materials at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries.  Join the fun!  Summer Reading runs through the end of August.  Prizes for all ages.  Summer Reading Programs for kids start in July at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries, as well as at the Vista Apartments!  Visit the library website for more information about Summer Reading.

Our Saturday Afternoonb Kids’ Club Craft Program has been continuing to grow!  This month we created these fun fish pinwheels.  The Craft Club takes place every third Saturday of the month!

June 22, 24, and 26th, the Sandy Library hosted the Parks and Recreation Department Summer Kids’ Camp for two hours at the library.  The kids played with LEGOs, did craft projects, and played Minecraft.  Fun was had by all!

Networking

On June 11th, Sarah and Diane Downey attended a two hour meeting titled State of the Arts & Cultural Heritage at the Resort on the Mountain.  This meeting run by the Clackamas County Arts Alliance, brought together artists and those promoting the arts in the mountain corridor to discuss how to market and improve cultural tourism.

Programs

Our Library Coffee House Performer Mary Flower on May 1st, brought in one of our highest recorded events in the last year with 334 attendees.  People came to listen to the acoustic ragtime blues, eat treats, and visit with the neighbors.

Winner of the Sandy Public Library costume contest for FCBD

We held our first Free Comic Book Day at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries on Saturday May 2nd.  Free Comic Book Day is a National event for Comic Book shops and libraries in North America and around the world.  Comic books are an original American art form. They are fun to read, featuring a wide range of diverse story lines that capture readers’ imaginations.  We had 30 people in Hoodland, and 89 in Sandy attend to crawl through the bat cave, make super hero cuffs and masks, mingle with comic book characters, and get their free comic books.

We held our last Teen After Hours Program of the school year.  It as a Cinco de Mayo fiesta on May 15.  We had tamales and pan dulce, a hot pepper eating contest, a pinata, decorated sombreros, and made mexican paper flowers.TeenThird Friday Programs will start up again in September, until then, the Teen Advisory Board will continue to meet twice a month to plan.

Winner of the Hot Pepper eating contest!

The library had a new addition to our volunteers in May.  Thimble became a part of the Read to the Dog team.  You can make an appointment for your child to come in every Thursday afternoon to read to Thimble.  It’s a great low-stress way to earn reading confidence!

Marketing

The Friends of the Sandy Lilbrary held their annual military book sale in honor of Memorial Day.

On May 9th, The Sandy Garden Club held their annual plant sale on the library sidewalk.

Services

As part of our Book-A-Librarian Program, we’ve started doing free public notaries at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries.  Susie did her first notary at the Sandy Library in May!

Building

Construction began on the New Hoodland Library on May 18th.  Cherryville Construction has been hard at work!  We will be moving in on (or possibly before) August 1st.

Construction

24525 E Welches Road

Programs

The Library Coffee House with Samsel & the Skirt, Wy’east Art guild reception, and Firwood Biome Art Project was a big success with 234 attending.

We held the Third annual Poetry Slam at the Sandy Library on April 16th.  65 people came to hear ten poets present their poetry.  Our winners were:  in the Under 16 Category – Logan Crichton with the Poem: Friendship; in the 16 and Over Category – Frank E. George IV with the Poem: A Life Beside the Sea; and in the Group Category – “The Books Gang” Rylee and Damian with the Poem: If Books Could…  Poems will be published on the library website shortly.

The Teen After Hours program on April 17th was a Scavenger Hunt.  The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members created 4 different hunts for the teens to go on.  Eight people attended, and had a great time matching their wits against the TAB.

Sandy & Hoodland Library Photography Group met for the first time on the 26th of April. A group of 4 interested individuals were in attendance. There have been other inquiries. A camera outing to Meinig Park is planned for the last Sunday in May.  Photos will be shared via a Flickr account.

Marketing

LINCC Food For Fines! took place in all Clackamas County Libraries during National Library Week (April 12-18).  For each item brought in, $1 in library fines was waived.  The Sandy Library collected 450 lbs of food for the Sandy Community Action Center, and Hoodland Library collected $250 lbs of food for the Neighborhood Missions.  Combined, we waived $424.90 in fines.  People seemed to respond enthusiastically to bringing in food.

In honor of National Poetry Month, we painted the library with poetry; with a basket of poems for kids, and one for adults, as well as poetry origami displayed on shelves throughout the library.

pamphlet holders

Parenting Materials

Adult Fiction Books

In April, the Sandy Library installed pamphlet holders by the community bulletin board outside the community room, and moved new adult fiction books into the lobby area.  Our hope is that this will be a convenient impulse location for people coming in to pick up their holds.  As part of this move, an additional bookcase was moved into the Kids’ Room to house a collection of parenting materials, and the kids new non-fiction books are now found in the Kids’Room.  We have gotten very positive feedback from parents who were unable to leave their kids to get parenting materials in the past.

We started our Book Bundles program in the kids’ department.  Four books are chosen on a theme, and bundled together for parents to take home and read with their kids.  We’ve had many great comments on these!