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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2016)
Manzanita celebrates its ‘library of the future’ After an extensive renovation, the North Tillamook Library will hold a Grand Reopening celebration March 12 T he value of a public library goes beyond shelves full of books and banks of computers. Residents of smaller North Coast communities rely on libraries as hubs to gather and learn, ex- plore, interact and imagine. To ensure that it would continue to be a hub for the area it serves — Manzanita, Ne- halem and Wheeler — North Tillamook Li- brary in Manzanita recently underwent an ex- tensive renovation. With a Grand Re-opening Celebration set for Saturday, March 12, North Tillamook Library patrons are eager for their “library of the future.” The Manzanita branch of the Tillamook Library System opened in 1987. Nearly 30 years later, the building had become a bit dog-eared, not unlike many of the books lin- ing its shelves: worn furniture, old carpet- ing, outdated heaters, limited technology. In addition, the entire west corner of the building needed leveling after settling about three inches. North Tillamook Library Friends, an all-volunteer organization that owns and maintains the building, realized that a few cosmetic ¿xes wouldn¶t suf¿ce if the library was going to last another 30 years. “It really kicked off in 2014 when we participated in the Library Of The Future Project,” says Kay Stepp, board president of the North Tillamook Library Friends. The project, run by Tillamook County Library, was a study that discussed what li- braries are becoming and how communities are developing them. “We realized that libraries were becom- ing more than just a repository for books,” Stepp says, adding that it had become ap- parent that the digital world was coming to libraries. “People come to the library with their de- vices to work, study and research,” she says. Besides gearing up for increased demand for technology, the library also wanted to enhance its ability to offer a variety of edu- cational programs. Coastal Life Story by DAN HAAG 4 | March 10, 2016 | coastweekend.com Submitted photo The renovation of the North TIllamook Library in Manzanita will culminate in a Grand Reopening celebration at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 12. Submitted photo Volunteers removed nearly 10,000 books from North Tillamook Library in preparation for the extensive remodel. Submitted photo Photo by Dan Haag Much of North Tillamook Library’s furniture, fixtures and light- ing hadn’t been replaced since the building opened in 1987. New furniture and lighting lend a comfortable feel to the North Tillamook Library in Manzanita. With these things in mind, renovating and modernizing the building dovetailed into one project. The project to-do list was extensive, and, luckily, the Library Friends had received a $50,000 bequest from the estate of Linda Anne Easley, a part-time Manzanita resident and former Multnomah County librarian. “It was a spark-plug; it told us ‘we can do this,¶” Stepp says. The bequest allowed the Library Friends to attract grants from the Oregon Cultural Trust, Ford Family Foundation, and Samuel S. Johnson Foundation, as well as donations from community members. The project got underway in early Jan- uary with volunteers removing 10,000 books. Fresh paint brightened the interior, along with new carpeting, furniture, book- shelves, USB ports, computer stations, and eco-friendly lighting. A large screen television was installed to stream educational programming, and a meeting room was recon¿gured to accom- modate 50 people. “We envision the room being a really ac- tive place for programs,” Stepp says. One program on the horizon is what Stepp calls a “technology lab” where pa- trons can bring in their elec- tronic devic- es and receive instruction on their use. Even with the unpredict- able nature of remodeling, the project was on time and within the budget. “So many wonderful peo- ple came out and made con- tributions to keep the project going,” Stepp says. That included board member Lee Hilten- brand, who served as general contractor for the project. “Lee donated his time as general con- tractor, something that allowed us to do more in terms of investing in the facility,” Stepp says, calling Hiltenbrand “volunteer supreme.” Beginning at 3 p.m. March 12, the grand opening celebration will be an opportuni- ty for library friends and patrons to gather, share refreshments, listen to guest speakers, and admire the facility. In a nod to Easley, who played the ¿ddle and often invited other ¿ddlers to her Man- zanita home, eight ¿ddlers will perform at the celebration. “She was a member of the Oregon Old- Time Fiddlers, her other passion in addition to libraries,” Stepp says of Easley. As the project draws to a close and the re-opening approaches, Stepp is proud of how so many people pulled together to real- ize a shared vision. “We have taken a big step in making a very technology-friendly library,” she says. “This is going to be a place where people can gather and learn together for now and for the future.” ‘We have taken a big step in making a very technology- friendly library.’