Board of Trustees

Barbara Kelly, President

Friends of the McKinleyville Library P. O. Box 2612 McKinleyville, CA 95519-2612 Phone 707-839-3614

Library Contest Winner! Courtney Blake, left, and Barbara Kelly, president of the Friends of the McKinleyville Library, right, present a $25 Blake's Books gift certificate to Don Andrews. He won the Friends' contest which asked readers What Makes a Book a Classic? in 25 words or less. Andrews wrote, "It rings true for generations and one discovers new truths upon each reading." The contest is over, but we'd like to hear from more readers on this subject. Send your entry to street@humboldt1.com or mail to PO Box 2612, McKinleyville CA 95519. Other entries: A classic is not a bestseller-it is a book that makes you think. - Bob Boyd Emotion, when pulled from the reader, allows for the classic novel to be born. Sentiment eclipses any epic or ageless power the book may present. - Scott C. Schulman A book that reaches hearts, intrigues minds, Touches souls, is a classic; Whose message Ripples through centuries, Long after the author is gone. - Amy Fontaine A classic book says "Look, you have come home." Here shelter is: fire for the mind, retreat for soul. Ideas peek from the mouse holes. - Steven Phipps When you can read it over and over again and you never lose interest, no matter if you’re 10, 20, 40 or even 94. - Sharon Sterns If Courtney Blake says so. - C Schachter A classic is a book I can turn to as an old friend: rereading selected portions to resonate with my mood or reawaken mental paths. - Carol Hansen A book is a classic when Readers, enamored, fall into the pages, Savoring characters, lauguage, and plot While encountering wisdom that carries through the ages. - Lauren Gogan Classic books speak to people, of many ages. Reread over the years, they continue to provide new knowledge, insight and pleasure in the author's work. - Joan Alves Not sure what to read? Reading shouldn’t seem like punishment. If it does, you’re selecting the wrong books. Here are a few suggestions: • Ask the library staff for recommendations. • Ask friends and family what they are reading and why. • Pursue an interest by looking for biographies of your favorite celebrity, nonfiction books about a hobby such as quilting or woodworking or books about the natural history of Humboldt County. • Many popular movies and television shows are based on book; check out the original source for more depth. • If a book seems too overwhelming, try a magazine on a subject that interests you. • Join a reading group or start your own. Groups can be as simple as two people reading the same book and discussing it or as elaborate as you like, but they encourage you to try different books than the ones you are used to. • Visit a web site devoted to books. One of the most complete is www.bookreporter.com. It has everything from reviews and author biographies to bestseller lists, awards, reading group guides and other features. The Booksense Bestseller list is available on-line at www.bookweb.org/booksense/bestsellers. Once you have the title and author of a book you’d like to read, you can use the computerized catalog to see if our system owns it. Books from anywhere in the county system can be ordered and picked up at the McKinleyville library. See the library staff or visit www.humlib.org for more details. Is one book better for you than another? Don’t bet on it. Developing a love of reading is more important than subject matter. Visit our list of more reading suggestions, including the New York Public Library's "Books of the Century," and a list of our local Reading Groups' choices. New schedule The Humboldt County Library System is pleased to be able to restore the open hours which were cut from branch library schedules due to budget constraints. The McKinleyville Library is open five days a week again. The hours are noon to 5 PM Tuesday and Friday, noon to 8 PM Wednesday, 10 AM to 5 PM Thursday and Saturday. Storyhour, for young children and their families, is at 11 AM Saturday. Who are we? The Friends of the McKinleyville Library are people from all walks of life who support our library. By paying modest yearly dues, members provide the working budget which allows us to fund our activities, including the costs of fundraising for our medium and long-range goals. We purchased the initial collection of music CDs and a display rack for them and other media, the power-assisted door opener and a people-counter to track how many patrons use the library. Not everyone who comes in checks items out; the counter helps to quantify the library's service to the community. The CD rack The Friends bought these new paperback racks and a newspaper rack for the library in 2008. We also purchased a copier to replace the worn out one in the library work room. Short-term goals We routinely pay for newspaper and magazine subscriptions, craft supplies and facilities fees for children’s programing, extra copies of popular books and other materials and items such as a new paper shredder and open sign. We have recently donated matching funds to purchase large-type materials. We encourage the McKinleyville Branch Manager to come to us when the library needs something the county can’t provide. In addition, we raised $3,000 in 2004-05 and again in 2005-06 to help defray the cost of utilities for the library building, which is owned by the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD.) Like the library system, the district was left in dire financial straits when the state diverted local money. The community responded generously to our book sales and Beer and Books fundraiser, allowing us to ease the shortfall a little for the district. Mary Kay, from the Board of the Friends of the McKinleyville Library, presents this year's check to the MCSD. Photo courtesy of McKinleyville Press Medium-term goal We have raised $25,000 toward an expansion of the library building. The proposed room would be 300 square feet and would contain the public use computers, a hub for wireless Internet connections and tables and chairs for research, homework and reading. Library equipment and materials would be secured after hours to allow the room to be used for public meetings. The Friends and the Humboldt County Library System will take the lead in seeking grant money to supplement our $25,000, but we need more help from the community. We encourage local service clubs to consider helping us out, and individuals can assist with donations or by including the library fund in their estate planning. Long-term goal The library building is owned by MCSD, but the district lacks any specific funding for it. As the building ages, it will need paint, a new roof and other expensive maintenance items. After the addition is completed, the Friends will be establishing a fund to cover those future costs. Click here to go to our membership form to print out and mail in. By the Numbers In 1984, the McKinleyville Library checked out 14,789 items, in 2005-06, it checked out 40,958. The Summer Reading Program for children drew 97 participants in 1984, last year 298 took part -- that’s more than the Eureka Main Library or any other branch. Library worker Carol Waller (left) and Branch Manager Judith Pearson A Brief History of the McKinleyville Library Our library has been in several locations around town, including a previously residential building and a space in the shopping center. It was housed in a corner of the McKinleyville High School Library in 1984, and the 15 hours it was open each week had to be scheduled around school hours. The current building is small, but it’s a big step up.

Updated October 21, 2009