The Arlington Years

Arlington Public Library--"Best Place to Learn Something New"

 
Greetings,

It was announced at today's County Board Meeting that Arlington Public Library was voted "Best Place to Learn Something New" in the 2009 Arlington's Best Best Business (People's Choice "ABBIES") Awards. Thanks for all your support.

In accepting this award, we, the staff of Arlington Public Library, are simply building on the groundwork laid by the remarkable women of Arlington in the early days of the 20th century.  They had no money, no books, no knowledge of library procedures. But what they did have was vision, heart and moxie.  Operating out of spaces scrounged from likely and unlikely places--a double garage, a school, a storefront, the second floor of a bank, a venerable town hall, a fire house--these mighty women, known variously as the Cherrydale League of Women Voters, the Women's Civic Club of Clarendon, the Arlington Community Club, the Jefferson District Women's Club, the Library Committee of the Aurora Hills Garden Club grew Arlington Public Library one book and one building at a time. 

And they were not afraid of doing it for themselves. 

When a roof leaked over a circulation desk at one location, they plugged the hole with blotter paper.  When they needed money for books and supplies, they baked and sponsored lectures.  When the properties their libraries were housed in sold, they packed and took their shows down the road, to other locations.

In 1937, "the libraries" became a department within the County government with an annual budget of $3500 and a newly minted trained librarian. The goal was to begin to create the system of seven branches plus Central we enjoy today. 

Mrs. Nat Hynes, Mrs. Fred A. Lyons, Mrs. Frances V. Speek, Mrs. C.C. Nikiforoff and many others, hometown heroes whose names you won't come across in the standard history texts, but whose collective will and determination speaks volumes. 

Ms. Robert Livingston summed it up best when she said in an article that appeared in the Washington Star in 1938: "Where there's a woman's will in a good cause, she generally finds the way, if she refuses to become discouraged." I think it's safe to say that this was a bunch of women who did not get discouraged. 
 
The facts in this brief entry are courtesy of the Virginia Room of the Arlington Public Library, a treasure trove of Arlington's unsung heroes if there ever was one.  So if you are reading this, thank a librarian.

And thanks for learning with us. See you again soon.

Diane

Own a Piece of the OLD Westover Branch Library

 Here comes your chance to own a piece of Arlington history. On Oct. 24, starting at 9 a.m. at the 

OLD Westover branch building, 1800 N. Lexington, the County will hold an auction of support materials from 

the old branch. That means furniture and shelving, etc., NOT library materials like books and DVDs. 

Those we're keeping for the new place,  which opens a week later on Oct. 31. 

The auction will continue until everything is sold. Items will be cash only. Unless customers are buying

 shelving ranges, they should be prepared to take their purchases with them--most items will be cash

 and carry. Larger units of shelvingwill be dissembled and available for pick-up on Wednesday, Oct. 28 

from 8 a.m. to noon ONLY.

Employees of Arlington County are not eligible to participate in the auction.

The auction will be conducted by Colonial Auto Auctions, which handles such sales for Arlington County

Government. http://www.colonialautoauction.org/

Hope to see you there and that you find something good.

Keeping Up with Westover

Hello,

Just a quick note to encourage folks, particularly in the Westover neighborhood, to continue checking our Westover website/blog for new information on the transition to the new branch facility.

Add it to your bookmarks or subscribe to the RSS feed. Check soon for your invitation to the opening festivities at the end of October.

Summer Reading to Remember

Just a quick note to remind participants in Youth Service's "Get Caught Reading" program that you have until Sept. 12 to turn in your reading list and collect your prize.

Even though we're still waiting for the final numbers, we already know it was another record turnout for summer reading, made possible with the support of Friends of the Arlington Public Library.

That's a wonderful way to head into the Labor Day weekend and the start of another exciting school year.

OLD Westover Will Close Sept. 26 in Preparation for NEW Westover

Greetings,

We wanted to let users of the old Westover Branch Library know that public operations at the 1800 N. Lexington St. facility will end with the close of business--5 p.m.--on Saturday, Sept. 26. It's been a great 47-year run but we're all due for some extra elbow room--almost three times the amount.

The drop slots at the new Westover branch, 1644 N. McKinley Street, will begin accepting returns the evening of Sept. 26 and those materials will be checked back into the collection on a regular basis. The old drop slot at 1800 N. Lexington will be sealed. Of course, you can always return Arlington Public Library items at any of our locations regardless of where it was checked out originally.

From Sept. 27 to Oct. 30, Westover hold items will be relocated to Central Library hold shelves.

With the new Westover branch opening on Oct. 31, we'll be scrambling during the break to move materials, hook up computers, set out furniture and test the wi-fi.

Although the new place isn't open yet, we've already got a terrific new web page for it so do visit in cyberspace. And check back often for updates. We might just put out a call for folks to help move books from the old building to the new in one giant bucket brigade. Stay tuned.

Thanks for checking in. 

An A-Fair to Remember

It's that time of year again folks--the Arlington County Fair returns this week to the Jefferson Community Center, just south of Route 50 and just east of Glebe Road.

And while we're sad to hear there will be no pig races this year (don't think about the possible fate of former contestants), the Library will have staffers on hand in the "Play and Learn" section of the County Government area (indoors, air-conditioned) to answer questions and steer folks to online library card applications and the like. Just look for their "Ask me. I'm from the Library" buttons.

But that's not all--

As a bonus, Thursday through Saturday our Library Cyber Team will be in the "Play and Learn" section to answer basic computer and technology questions you might have. Stop by. It's simpler than calling Microsoft. Cyber Team times will be posted at "Play and Learn."

But that's not all--

Our great Friends of the Arlington Public Library will once again have their own booth at the Fair, offering a summer mini-version of their now-legendary "Arlington ReReads" twice-annual used book sale.

Good stuff. And as always, admission is free. You will have to pay for the fried funnel cakes (in more ways than one).

We'll see you down at the Fair, Arlington.

The New Westover Branch Library Opening in Late October

More details to come but we've set Friday, Oct. 30 for the official ribbon-cutting and Saturday, Oct. 31 for an "all treats, no trick" Halloween open house for the new facility, which is a joint project between Arlington Public Schools and Arlington County Government.

Former Library Director Lelia Saunders Has Died

Sad news today about someone who played a key role in shaping the Library as we know it:

Lelia B. Saunders

 

Former Arlington (Virginia) Public Library Director Lelia B. Saunders died July 12, 2009 at a hospice in Reston, Va. after a short illness. She was 91.

 

Saunders was director of the Arlington Public Library from 1980 to 1986. She was named acting director in 1979 following her service as assistant director beginning in 1957.

 

Saunders' predecessor, Jane B. Nida, described Saunders as "my right arm" during a tenure in which Arlington Public Library became a widely popular system, opening the County's first Central Library and building new facilities for all six of its branches.

 

Under Saunders' direction, the Library system made a strong push in areas of technology—establishing the use of anti-theft devices for materials; a computer-aided database research system; equipment and reference services for the blind and deaf ; and an early computer catalogue network.

 

Saunders oversaw growth in the Library's historic document collection, as its Virginia Room became the repository for a widespread "Search and Save Drive" in partnership with the Arlington County Historical Commission. Saunders also made the difficult decision for the Library to emboss its logo on rare book plates in the Virginia Room collection to ward off theft and mutilation.

 

In 1980, Arlington Public Library joined the reciprocal borrowing program sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Non-residents no longer had to pay $10 per year for an Arlington card and Arlingtonians were able to obtain public library privileges in the District, Falls Church, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Prince George's and Montgomery County.

 

During Saunders's tenure, the County re-examined pay scales for library staff compared to other systems in the region. It also became known that Saunders, the only woman heading a department in the County, was being paid less than her male peers.

 

Born in Roanoke, Va. in 1917, Saunders was a longtime resident of Alexandria, Va. She was an alumnus of Columbia University and former president of the Virginia Library Association.

 

There will be a graveside service at Evergreen Burial Park at 1307 Summit Avenue S.W. Roanoke on July 15 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations in her memory can be made to the Old Presbyterian House at 323 S. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.   

 

Jane Nida once called her assistant and future successor as "the best book-selector I've ever known." She was also "a real Virginia gentlewoman."

New Thursday, Friday Hours for Cherrydale, Glencarlyn; Westover Remains Open

Hello again,

Thank you for your patience regarding the new hours for the Cherrydale and Glencarlyn branch libraries. Beginning the week of July 1, they will be open Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These times were chosen after getting feedback from those communities.

We've issued a news release, which also explains changes in some library fees, also beginning July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

Finally, we're still awaiting word on a closing date for the old Westover Branch Library as construction continues for the new Westover facility down the street. Programs will continue at the old Westover building except those summer reading events already slated for the Lee Center at 5722 Lee Highway. Please check the Library website for schedules or you can call the Westover staff at 703-228-5260.

Thanks again for your patience.

Diane

Aurora Hills to Keep Hours; Cherrydale, Glencarlyn Reduced By One Day

More details on the approved FY 2010 Library budget to follow including the impact on materials. Here is the news release issued following the April 28 Board vote. Please note that Fiscal Year 2010 begins July 1, 2009.

Here is a breakdown of the proposed FY 2010 budget and what the County Board decided. The Department of Libraries numbers are on the first page.

The complete online version of the adopted budget will be available in mid-June.

A new schedule of Library system operating hours, including the reductions affecting the Cherrydale and Glencarlyn branches, is being developed and will be posted in a few weeks.