Page 8
The INDEPENDENT, May 16, 2012
Between the Bookends
by Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
With tentative approval of its proposed 2012-2013 budg-
et, library staff should be able to provide a level of service
to the community comparable to previous years. There is
always a feeling of relief and gratefulness when budget fig-
ures show the likelihood that the quality and quantity of
services will be available to the community. A comparison
of library services including programs offered to the com-
munity, staffing, circulation, funding, etc., may be found on
the Oregon State Library home page, under Library Devel-
opment Services and public library statistics. I encourage
you to look at these figures and see how our library compares to others serving ap-
proximately the same number of patrons.
Saturday’s conversation project, “Life After War”, presented by photojournalist
Jim Lommasson, was amazingly informational and poignant. His interviews with
returning ‘soldiers’ allowed those of us who have not seen war first-hand to have a
better understanding of the tribulations faced by these men and women.
Plans for this year’s Summer Reading program are taking shape. The theme,
“Dream Big, READ!” presents the opportunity for a myriad of exciting activities.
Jennifer Moloney is currently requesting donations to provide incentives for young-
sters meeting their reading goals. Sign-up sheets will soon be available in the li-
brary for youngsters who will be taking part in this summer’s activities, which will
include tie-dying, learning about owls, and a puppet presentation.
The microfilm of Vernonia’s newspapers has all been converted to digital format
and may be searched on the library’s computers. We are very pleased with the
quality of these reproductions which can be searched by keywords and dates. The
public is encouraged to utilize this resource, which was made possible by a grant
from the Meyer Memorial Trust.
New acquisitions are varied in setting and time frame. Hard Country, by Michael
McGarrity, takes place from just after the Civil War until the early 1900s in the wild
New Mexico territory. This is an historical western family saga that has been com-
pared to Lonesome Dove. The title of Madeleine Albright’s Prague Winter: A Per-
sonal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948, is a remarkable story of adven-
ture and passion, tragedy and courage set against the backdrop of occupied
Czechoslovakia and World War II. James Patterson’s latest in the Women’s Mur-
der Club series, 11th Hour, and Charlaine Harris’ latest Sookie Stackhouse novel
Deadlocked, (even though it involves vampires) take place in the present. Many of
the newest books for young readers are futuristic; including Insurgent by Veronica
Roth, Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, and Book Three of the Kane Chronicles by
Rick Riordan entitled The Serpent’s Shadow. These are just some examples of the
range of reading materials one might find in our library.
The novels of local author Heather Sharfeddin have become some of my latest
favorites. These include The Windless Summer, Damaged Goods, and Sweetwa-
ter Burning. The Windless Summer takes place on the Washington side of the Co-
lumbia River in the fictional town of Rocket, a summer playground for windsurfers
and tourists. When a windless summer ignites fear as businesses and residents
move away, patrons of one room in Tom Jemmet’s Rocket Motel seem to suffer ex-
tremely good or extremely bad luck. Is this coincidence, fate, or something super-
natural caused by Tom’s autistic daughter?
In Damaged Goods, set in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, auctioneer Hershel Swift
suffers memory lapses following a car accident. When he rescues drifter Silvie
Thorne from a roadside breakdown, the two confront their troubled pasts and mis-
takes and Swift discovers how the values a man gives something can potentially
lead to murder. In Sweetwater Burning, Chas McPherson tends his blackbelly
sheep in the small Idaho town of Sweetwater. As Chas tries to make room for
home-care nurse Mattie Holden and his terminally ill father, in a house haunted by
the past, Sweetwater is set on edge by an act of arson—and Chas is the suspect.
The hardscrabble ranch becomes the setting for both love and violence as this
novel builds toward a shattering conclusion. Sharfeddin’s novels are not all sweet-
ness and light, nor are her characters perfect, but she captures the essence of hu-
manity—people and their motivations and decisions.
Hillary Jordan’s When She Woke will be the topic for Book Discussion on Tues-
day, May 29 at 5:30 p.m.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Avenue
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Thu. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30 a.m when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
There’s still time to get your space in Vernonia’s community garden
by Bill Langmaid
Amidst the chaos of this
summer’s school deconstruc-
tion project, Vernonia’s com-
munity garden will be growing
like crazy thanks to a generous
donation from Bamboo Gar-
dens of North Plains. Following
the completion of the new
downtown park, the community
garden will move just east of
the new school’s parking lot at
the end of Missouri Ave.
503-901-1705
Thanks go to both the city and
the school district for their co-
operation in making the com-
munity garden a priority in both
this year and the future.
Penny Costley and Allison
McLeod are leading the organ-
ization this summer, and are
ready to accept reservations
for space in the garden. This
year’s garden will be based in
containers, rather than in-
ground planting. The maximum
size plot available is 3’ by 21’,
or 27 containers, and smaller
sizes are available. Full sized
plots are $20 this season, and
are pro-rated based on the size
of the plot and ability to pay.
Please call Penny (429-0196)
or stop by the Vernonia Phar-
macy and speak with Phil Dar-
rah to pick up an application.
The garden will be open for
members starting on June 1.
New members can show up
with their own seeds or veg-
etable starts and tools, or can
obtain starts and seeds from
the Master Gardeners on hand
for the grand opening. Every-
one, no matter their skill level,
is encouraged to participate if
they want to garden. Costley
added, “We're setting up class-
es and workshops to meet the
needs of our members.” The
volunteer staff will also be
demonstrating a rain barrel
with a solar powered pump,
and helping people set up their
new garden plots.
According to Costley, “The
main advantage to the commu-
nity is the Master Gardener
knowledge base. We have over
20 Master Gardeners in Ver-
nonia, and all are ready to help
the community learn about gar-
dening. We want to teach the
practical skills, as well as the
benefits. There is nothing tasti-
er than a fresh ripe tomato eat-
en warm right off the plant.”
The garden is projected to
hold 400 lineal feet of growing
space, which will all be planted.
Any food produced in excess of
that claimed by participants will
be distributed to Vernonia
Cares and other organizations
that provide nutritious food to
those in need. The garden is a
collaboration between the Ford
Family Foundation, City of Ver-
nonia, Vernonia School District,
Vernonia Health Board, Ver-
nonia Cares, and Kiwanis Inter-
national.
Columbia County
Domestic Abuse
Mental Health
800-294-5211
Hotline
503-397-6161
-----------------
or
Suicide Hotline
1-800-
866-397-6161
784-2433
or
Military Helpline
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
-----------------
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)