4 JUNE 1,2011
Smoke Signals
Library expansion ready for June 2 Open House
Project doubles size of
Tribal facility to almost
3,000 square feet
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The Tribal Library's expansion
is complete and an Open House
to see the improvements new
entryway, a fountain, restrooms
and 1,500 square feet of new space
will coincide with the Education
Division's Summer Kickoff barbe
cue at 5:30 p.m, Thursday, June 2,
out behind Youth Education.
The celebration couldn't come
soon enough for Tribal Elder and
Librarian Marion Mercier.
"It's been a journey," she said.
Mercier has overseen the ex
pansion that began in January,
marshalling resources to give
a proper welcome to new shelv
ing and appropriate attention to
righting off computer crashes and
software glitches. She also kept
on top of design issues and out of
the way of dust and the everyday
comings and goings of electricians
and builders. In between, she
continued managing the library's
daily operations.
For two weeks, she was without
a library computer system. She
checked items in and out the old
fashioned way; they were not like
the good old days.
Now it is done and much was ac
complished. The 1,400-square-foot facility has
more than doubled.
"We have space to expand the
collection in all the different catego
ries," said Mercier, taking a break
from re-shelving books. Before the
expansion, she said, "We had no
wiggle room on our shelves." To
day, she has enough room to use
the bottom shelves for storage, if
she wants.
"They were so cramped in there,"
she said of her little fish-sized read
ers, "like sardines. If everybody came
in, it was packed. Now, we have
enough room to be comfortable."
The Tribe's Information Systems
Department chipped in a "bonus"
wide-screen television that has been
mounted on the wall inside the en
trance. It will be used for showing
movies, hooking up to a computer
driven slide show and providing
group access to the Internet.
"I can't say enough for IS," said
Mercier. "They were here from the
beginning, to take things down, to
store them. They were always right
here whenever we needed them to
be here."
In addition to the television,
IS provided the library with new
software to connect the library's
database with such other functions
as loaning books and DVDs and
keeping track of the collection.
In fact, the project brought out
the best in a number of depart
ments. "Joe Loomis (Limited Energy
Telecommunications technician)
and Jodie Kraemer (Telecommu
nications administrator), who keep
the Tribal phone system going, had
to work at night to get the wiring
done," said Mercier.
t :
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Librarian Marion Mercier fills new shelving with books in tha 1,500-squara-foot expansion of the Tribal Library
on Friday, May 20. An Open House of the Tribal Library will be held on Thursday, June 2.
"Thanks go to the Procurement
Department, and especially Kevin
Mueller, for all the help, planning
and securing furniture and equip
ment moving and storage. A huge
thanks to Larry Leith for his help
in getting SMC furniture items for
us to use at the library.
"Plus, those guys have a great
sense of humor."
The Tribal Library has been on
the radar of many people from its
beginning in 1990 with the first of
many grants given by the Institute
of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS).
"IMLS has been
a most gener
ous partner for
the library," said
Mercier, "and we
attribute our suc
cessful beginning
to this grant agen
cy." In December
2009, the Tribe re
ceived a $325,000
Indian Community
Development Block Grant to expand
the library. It required $108,000 in
Tribal matching funds. In July
2010, Spirit Mountain Community
Fund put up $52,000 as part of the
match and Tribal Council added
another $56,334.
More than half of the current
collection of some 13,000 items has
been contributed to the library. The
expanded library will hold twice
that many.
Tribal Council member Chris
Mercier started the DVD movie
collection with a gift of the first
15, Marion said. He was the first
librarian and, more recently, he
contributed an entire month's sal
ary to the library.
"He's a reader," said Marion,
"so the kind of things he donates
are the kind of things the library
needs."
"I read a quote somewhere that a
"I read a quote some
where that a library
tends to be a reflec
tion of the community.
Well-used and stocked
libraries indicate a
community that cares.
I believe this."
Chris Mercier
library tends to be a reflection of the
community," said Chris Mercier.
"Well-used and stocked libraries
indicate a community that cares. I
believe this. On top of that, reading
is one of the most healthy things
you can do for your brain."
Tribal Elder Terri Dilts, a mem
ber of the Tribal Education Com
mittee and former elementary
school teacher, donated some 500
elementary-level books that she
used in her classroom.
The Marsters of the Dallas area
"brought in probably 100 items for
us to add to our
Native American
collection books
on plants and trees
and mushrooms;
and three Kachi
na dolls, collectors
items that now add
value to the library
collection.
"They just lived
in the area and
read about the
Tribe getting a li
brary," Marion said.
Vancouver, Wash., bookstore
owner Ronnie Pederson donates 50
to 100 books every year.
"He grew up in Grand Ronde,"
Marion said, "and used to play on
a ball team with (former Tribal El
der) Russ Leno and (present Tribal
Elder) Chip Tom."
And thanks also go to Tribal
member Brian Glass for his gener
ous contributions.
BnK was the general contractor
for the project with John McDowell
as the site manager. Ken Andrews,
owner of Milstead Inc., was project
manager. The architectural firm
LGA designed the expansion with
Les Godowski as lead architect on
the project. Various sub-contractors
worked on the project as well,
Marion said.
"Several Tribal members worked
as sub-contractors and laborers.
Joe and Rob Haller did an awesome
job painting the library. Charles
Gleason contracted the carpet and
tile work, and both look fabulous.
And Anthony Henry put in hours
of hard work doing various jobs for
the project.
"It's amazing how many people
come in and say, 'I didn't know
there was a library here' still!"
Marion said.
Reflecting on the things that
make the job worth getting up for,
said Marion, "Everybody who comes
here wants to be here. They have a
reason they're here. I love that!
"And when you hear those kids
reading in September, and then see
how well they are reading in Feb
ruary, you just want to celebrate
everything they have learned. It's
an awesome thing to be part of, that
individual's achievement."
Three second-graders came in to
look at the finished library recently,
Marion said. "One said, 'I wish I
could live here now.' It was so sin
cere and precious."
This summer, the library will
sponsor "One World Many Stories
Your Library" and will hold two
Saturday events; the first on June
25 from noon to 2 p.m. called, "Cel
ebrations Around the World," and
the second on July 16, also from
noon to 2 p.m., called "Art Around
the World."
Registration for the summer
Reading Incentive Program ends
June 17. The program, for youth
ages 4-17, runs from June 13 to
July 29, and enables young readers
to earn Book Bucks for each book
read. It takes 10 books to complete
the program. Then, during the
program's last week, readers can
purchase prizes with their Book
Bucks.
The library is open from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday,
but closed over the noon hour for
lunch, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturdays. B