Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2009)
Page 10 The INDEPENDENT, October 1, 2009 Between the Bookends By Susan Cackler, Library Assistant Banks Public Library Wi-Fi is now available at Banks Public Li- brary. Due to high demand from the public, libraries struggle to provide enough PCs, wiring, electrical outlets, tables, etc., and patrons frequently must wait in line, and have a limited amount of time to use the In- ternet. So the Washington County Cooper- ative Library System (WCCLS) has in- stalled wireless networks in all member li- braries. This allows anyone with a WCCLS library card and a laptop, iPhone, iPod Touch or mobile device to access the free public wireless network and there are no ses- sion/use limits. Patrons will need their patron barcode number and password to log on. While patrons will be able to access the inter- net without a time limit, they will not be able to print on library print- ers. Visitors without a library card can be issued a temporary guest pass. The next big fundraising event for the Friends of the Banks Public Library will be a book fair on November 13 and 14 at the Tanasbourne Branch of Barnes and Noble. The library will coordi- nate some fun events at the store and may have a special sur- prise! A portion of the proceeds from all patrons who mention the library at checkout on either of these days will go to the library. Join us for Preschool Story Time on Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. in the community room of the library. Story Time is designed for children aged three to six, but younger siblings are welcome. This month Miss Cathy will read stories on the following themes: October 7: Eat Your Veggies October 14: Let’s Talk Croc October 21: The FALLing Leaves October 28: Boo Whooo Join us for craft night and enjoy some lively conversation while you work on your favorite craft. Come and meet some new friends or visit with old ones while using the library’s work space and en- joying some light snacks. Join the Friends of the Banks Public Li- brary on Wednesday, October 14 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the community room. The Friends of the Banks Public Library can always use your Pet of the Month Columbia Humane Society in St. Helens has a variety of wonderful pets available for adoption. Find the pet that’s right for you in the shelter at 2084 Oregon Street. Phone 503-397-4353 Open Mon - Fri 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 am. to 5 pm. Bella is a large Great Dane mix. She is a loving girl who loves to go for walks. She is around 5 years old and has the spirit of a 2 year old. Bella is looking for someone that she can she can love the rest of her life. Bella is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed la Bel The Columbia Humane Society is a No-Kill non-profit shelter dedicated to helping friends find each other since 1985. This Adopt a Pet is Sponsored by: Senator Betsy Johnson support. You can make a tax deductible donation, become a mem- ber, or volunteer. Money that the Friends raise helps the library purchase Cultural Passes, upgrade equipment and purchase books and movies. Remember that Swatco is no longer offering recycling on the second Saturday of the month. On the Shelf: A Change in Altitude, by Anita Shreve. Shreve is back with an- other novel that examines the complexities of close human rela- tionships. This time, her main characters are newlyweds who set off on an adventure to live in Kenya for a year. Patrick is a doctor, treating local patients, and Margaret works as a photojournalist. Another couple invites them on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya. The trip ends in tragedy, however, and Margaret is left struggling to understand what happened and how events have changed her and her marriage. Shreve details the exotic nature of Africa and also delves into the core of a marriage. Day After Night, by Anita Diamant. In this novel, based on the extraordinary true story of the October 1945 rescue of more than 200 prisoners from the Atlit internment camp, a prison for “illegal” immigrants north of Haifa, Diamant creates a cast of vivid charac- ters. The story is told through the eyes of four young women at the camp who all survived the Holocaust, although their experiences were very different. The women find themselves forming bonds of friendship as they meet the challenges of a new country. This is a story of tragedy and redemption, a novel that reimagines a mo- ment in history with eloquence and detail. Rhino Ranch by Larry McMurtry. McMurtry brings the reader back to Thalia, Texas, one more time, telling the final chapter of the Duane Moore story that started in 1966 with The Last Picture Show. In this story, Duane has returned to Thalia to recover from a heart attack. He becomes intrigued with his new neighbor, a quirky billionairess who is seeking to open a ranch dedicated to preserving the endangered black rhinoceros. Duane reflects on all that he and the town have been through, a world where love and betrayal walk hand in hand and a Texas oil town can become home to a nature preserve. Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street. Hours: Mon., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 for information Internet: www.wccls.org Browse library resources, reserve or renew materials online. Call for information. Wi-Fi is also available. !! s l a De t a SAVE up Gre to 50% Save on Hundreds of New Pet Items in stock! For Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Dogs, Cats + 3,700 help clean beaches Facing the threat of cloudy skies and rainy conditions on much of the coast, more than 3,700 volunteers turned out to participate in the 25th anniver- sary of the SOLV Great Ore- gon Fall Beach Cleanup on September 19. The entire Ore- gon coast, over 362 miles, was cleaned of debris that had ac- cumulated since last spring. Volunteers removed an esti- mated 54,460 pounds of trash from Oregon’s beaches. “Citizens from across the state demonstrated their com- mitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment by turning out to keep the Oregon coastline pristine” said SOLV Program Coordinator, Diana Bartlett. “Oregonians should feel proud of their efforts over the past 25 years to preserve our incredible public beaches for future generations.” In the north at Fort Stevens State Park, the sun broke through the morning clouds and coordinators saw one of the largest volunteer turnouts ever for this event. Among the many interesting items found Saturday were a car bumper, a pacifier, a box of baby wipes, an unopened package of hot- dogs that expired last year, a small refrigerator, a life vest, and over 125 shoes and flip flops. Volunteers reported find- ing an unusual number of homeless camps on the beach. At Beverly Beach State Park near Newport, four goats joined volunteers to help keep the coastline clean. Some of the most common items found on the beach in- cluded styrofoam, plastic caps, lids, bottles and cigarette butts. While these are often small items, if they accumulate, they can do big damage to marine wildlife and the environment, particularly the plastic debris that never fully degrades or disappears. Scientists have discovered that more than 5 million square miles of the Pa- cific Ocean is covered with trash, and most of it is believed to be compiled of the remnants of plastic trash from the world’s shorelines. Data from past cleanups tell us that nearly 80% of ocean trash comes from land-based activities, meaning this problem is pre- ventable if we all do more to re- duce, properly dispose of, or recycle trash.