Foundation News July 2023

A Note from the Executive Director

Dear {contactfield=firstname|Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation Friend},

The extra daylight means summer is finally here. And summer means it’s time for Summer Reading! At the Foundation, we are excited to continue supporting this popular library program, which encourages thousands of students each summer to maintain and improve upon reading skills gained during the school year.  
 
All kids and teens who read for ten hours can get a prize book courtesy of the Foundation and our Friends of the Library groups. All reading is encouraged – any book, any language, any format, listening to an audiobook, or being read to! Before you head out to the beach, camp, or that much-anticipated family vacation, stop by the library to ensure your kids and grandkids have plenty of exciting new reads. 
 
In 2022, 5,537 Summer Reading finishers logged nearly 2.3 million minutes of reading. Will you help us hit 3 million minutes of reading this year?  
 
Summer Reading has inspired generations of avid readers in Snohomish and Island counties. Your contributions to the Foundation enable us to continue investing in life-changing early literacy programs that inspire and nurture the next generations of lifelong readers. Thank you for your support, and happy summer reading!      

With gratitude, 

Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation Executive Director

4,200 Students Participated in Third-Graders Read Together    

Thanks to the generous support from Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation donors and the Dorothy Koch Family Foundation, 2,440 books were donated to 65 participating schools in Snohomish and Island counties during the 2022-23 school year. This partnership program between Sno-Isle Libraries and public schools throughout the Library District encourages children to have fun while reading and honing their literacy and teamwork skills to develop a love of reading at an early age.  

Donor Spotlight: Rim-Benoud Schmitz  

Meet Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation Board member and supporter Rim Benoud-Schmitz. Learn why she believes in the importance of supporting public libraries.    

Make a Plan and Make a Will

August is Make-A-Will Month! There’s no better time to get organized and make a plan for the future. Join estate planning attorney Tiffany Gorton Tuesday, August 15, at 12:00 PM to learn what documents you need and questions you should ask when creating your estate plan, plus basic will-writing terms and concepts.

Speaker Tiffany Gorton from KHBB Law in Seattle has over ten years of experience in estate planning and taxation.  

Presented by The Seattle Public Library Foundation & The King County Library System Foundation. 

Sno-Isle Libraries Staff Spotlight: Betsy Arand 

Sno-Isle Libraries' amazing staff are the heart of our libraries. Get to know Betsy Arand, the Freeland Library Manager. 
  
“I grew up in an Illinois town northwest of Chicago, where corn fields were just up the road from our house. The land was flat – not a hill or mountain in sight! I visited relatives in Port Angeles when I was young and fell in love with Olympic National Park. Even though I had a wonderful job as a librarian at the Evanston Illinois Public Library, it only took a 5-minute discussion with my husband to decide to apply for a job with Sno-Isle Libraries.” 

Join Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation Board of Directors

Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation is seeking to expand its Board of Directors. Residents of Snohomish and Island counties are encouraged to apply. Application deadline is August 15.

Oak Harbor Library Trivia 

• The first Oak Harbor Library was opened in the Ladies Aid Hall in 1920. 
  
• In 1935, the City of Oak Harbor offered space in their city building and, in 1936, the library had its first paid employee, Miss Rubye Weaver, who earned fifty cents per afternoon, with a budget of $50.00 per year allocated for book purchases.   
  
• In April of 1993, the Oak Harbor Library moved to its current location on the Skagit Valley College campus. Sno-Isle Libraries partners with the City of Oak Harbor and Skagit Valley College for occupancy and use of the building and shared facilities. 
  
• The library has an expansive view of the harbor and Whidbey Island. The children’s area is notable for its original artwork installation of an archway featuring local wildlife, created by artist Celia Marie Baker in 2011. The art depicts Whidbey Island beach and sea creatures on one side and land creatures on the other. Letters of the alphabet are hidden throughout.

Oak Harbor Library will be hosting many exciting Summer Reading programs, including service dogs from Summit Assistance Dogs, the Oak Harbor Firefighters and their firetruck, the Reptile Lady, and Life Flight Network will land one of their medic helicopters at the library!

There are many different ways to support the work of the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation. Show your love for your library today by making a gift of any size that is meaningful to you.  
 
Questions? Comments? Ideas? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at Foundation@sno-isle.org, follow us on Facebook, or via mail at:

7312 35th Ave NE
Marysville WA 98271
(360) 651-7074
sno-islefoundation.org

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