COMMUNITY
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Just what is the special
library district?
ERIN
McCUSKER
LIBRARIES PROVIDE —
COUNT Y WIDE!
I
am often asked ques-
tions like this: Are you
the library on Dorion?
The one that’s at the Pend-
leton City Hall? No? Well
then, what library are you?
Do you check out books?
Do you have computer
access or wi-fi ? What
exactly is the Umatilla
County Special Library
District?
I admit that I had to do
some asking around when
I applied for the district
director position several
years ago — what is the
UCSLD?
To answer this question,
let’s take a little trip back in
history. In the early 1980s in
Umatilla County, there were
several city public librar-
ies and a county library. In
the mid-1980s, the county
library was closing, and a
community group inves-
tigated the possibility of
a special library district
to provide stable fund-
ing, ensuring that people
living outside the city limits
could access public library
service through the estab-
lished local libraries.
This dedicated commu-
nity group utilized several
public library studies, met
with and heard from resi-
dents and, with help from
the State Library of Oregon,
asked the people to vote
on the establishment of the
Umatilla County Special
Library District. It passed in
1986, and the levy vote was
passed the next year.
The district boundar-
ies include all of Umatilla
County except for the area
within the Hermiston city
limits. Hermiston chose
not to be included in the
district.
From the original ballot
and order establishing the
East Oregonian
A7
COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Weston-McEwen
Lions gather again
district, “The purpose of the
Umatilla County Special
Library District shall be to
provide library and infor-
mation services to persons
within the district.” Being a
special district, a fi ve-mem-
ber voter-elected board
of directors governs the
district, which is an inde-
pendent, special taxing
district that receives tax
revenue with the specifi c
purpose to provide public
library services.
When the district was
established, the cities within
the district boundaries were
providing library service.
These libraries became
member libraries. Today,
the district encompasses
libraries in Adams, Athena,
Echo, Helix, Milton-Free-
water, Pendleton, Pilot
Rock, Stanfi eld, Ukiah
School District, Umatilla
and Weston.
Even though Hermiston
city is not within the district
boundaries, the UCSLD
works in partnership with
Hermiston to ensure the
people living outside the
city limits who are part of
the district have access to
library service at a conve-
nient location.
Today, the Umatilla
County Special Library
District works in partner-
ship with our libraries to
advance and make available
excellent library services,
programs and continuing
education opportunities
for all. This is our mission
and purpose. It is why the
district was voted into exis-
tence and it continues to
guide the valuable work we
do.
Thanks for taking a trip
into the past. I’ll provide
more information in future
columns. For more informa-
tion, link to www.ucsld.org.
———
Erin McCusker is the
district director of the
Umatilla County Special
Library District. Reach her
at 541-276-6449 or direc-
tor@ucsld.org.
UMATILLA COUNTY
— The Weston-McEwen
Lions Club recently held its
fi rst meeting since January
2020, which included an offi -
cial visit from District Gover-
nor John Taylor of Pendleton.
According to Gerald
Hopkins, members expressed
a concern about membership
and projects and if the club
could continue to serve with-
out growth. Taylor encouraged
the club to take a self-evalu-
ation to determine strengths
and weaknesses, further stat-
ing the Lions were the “great-
est unheralded group in the
world,” and members should
look at projects that might
be successful. Taylor invited
members of the Weston-McE-
wen Lions to participate with
the Pendleton food wagon,
which will be a part of the
Pendleton Round-Up set to
take place this year.
Taylor also presented an
award to Betty Bugbee, not
only for her work within the
club, but hours of service with
visual screening across the
district.
Challenge
program highlights
hope, help
MISSION — The Adult
& Teen Challenge program
off ers hope in changing lives.
Several men who once
struggled with life-con-
trolling issues will share
their stories during a service
at Mission Assembly of God
Church. Everyone is welcome
to attend Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
at 47328 Shortmile Road,
Mission.
The faith-based recov-
ery program, which offers
treatment to teens, men and
women, is typically 12-15
Gerald Hopkins/Contributed Photo
Weston-McEwen Lions Club member Betty Bugbee, left, and President Cheri Jackson lead a
discussion on the future of the club.
months long. Participants
confront their destructive
choices, self-sabotaging
behaviors and unhealthy
views while gaining an under-
standing of the love of God
and guidance utilizing bibli-
cal principles.
For more about the
program, visit www.teenchal-
lengeusa.org.
Native student. The sale is
Friday, June 4, from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m.; Saturday, June 5,
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and
Sunday, June 6, from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. It will be at the Nez
Perce Wallowa Homeland
Farmhouse, 71054 Whiskey
Creek Road, Wallowa — just
past the Tamkaliks Powwow
Grounds on the left.
Tamkaliks
Celebration hosts
rummage sale
Umatilla County Historical
Society Presents:
17 TH ANNUAL
WALLOWA — People
might be able to fi nd some
hidden treasures as well as
purchasing fry bread, bison
chili and baked goods during
the annual rummage sale of
the Tamkaliks Celebration.
The event serves as a
fundraiser for the Tamka-
liks Scholarships, which are
given each year to one local
graduating senior and one
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Facebook!
Donations to the Tamka-
liks Scholarship fund can be
made by mail to P.O. Box 15,
Wallowa OR 97885, online at
www.wallowanezperce.org,
or in person at the rummage
sale. To schedule a drop-off
time to donate items for the
rummage sale, call 541-398-
1112.
— EO Media Group
OLD IRON SHOW
June 4th-6th
in Roy Raley Park
Admission is FREE and open to the public
www.heritagestationmuseum.org
Pendleton
When people share their time, treasure and talent, the benefits spread throughout the entire
community. In celebration of this culture of generosity, we thank the tremendous work of
nonprofits, volunteers and donors who help improve the lives of all Oregonians.
JUST A FEW OF THE 350 EASTERN
OREGON GRANTS AWARDED IN 2020:
EASTERN OREGON 2020
LOCAL I M PAC T TOTA L S:
Burns Paiute Tribe
Grants and Scholarships: $5.6M
Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts
Grants: 350
Euvalcree
Scholarships: 320
Four Rivers Cultural Center & Museum
Value of Endowment: $47.7M
High Desert Partnership
Volunteers: 173
Kids Club of Harney County
Funds: 148
Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center
Northeast Oregon Compassion Center
Pendleton Friends of the Library
St. Mary’s Outreach Food Pantry
Umatilla County Historical Society
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 922
L E A R N | CO N N EC T | D O N AT E
BRINGING OREGONIANS TOGETHER SINCE 1973
PORTLAND | BEND | SALEM | EUGENE | MEDFORD
O R E G O N C F. O R G