Library books changes in 2011

http://www.fvrl.org

• Battle Ground, 1207 S.E. Eighth Way, Battle Ground, 360-687-2322.

• Cascade Park, 600 N.E. 136th Ave., Vancouver, 360-256-7782.

• La Center, 1402 E. Lockwood Creek Road, La Center, 360-619-1800.

• Ridgefield, 210 N. Main Ave., Ridgefield, 360-887-8281.

• Stevenson, 120 N.W. Vancouver Ave., Stevenson, 509-427-5471.

• Three Creeks, 800-C N.E. Tenney Road, Vancouver, 360-571-9696.

• Vancouver Community Library (main branch), 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd. (change due mid-July 2011 to 901 C St.) Vancouver, 360-695-1566.

• Vancouver Mall, 8700 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive, Suite 285, Vancouver, 360-892-8256.

• Washougal, 1661 C St., Washougal, 360-835-5393.

• Woodland, 770 Park St., Woodland, 360-225-2115.

• Goldendale, 131 W. Burgen St., Goldendale, 509-773-4487.

• North Bonneville, 214 CBD Mall (in City Hall), North Bonneville, 509-427-4439.

• White Salmon Valley, 77 N.E. Wauna Ave., White Salmon, 509-493-1132.

Camas Public Library

http://www.ci.camas.wa.us/library

625 N.E. Fourth Ave., Camas, 360-834-4692.

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District is poised for big things in 2011.

Having welcomed roomy new branches in Battle Ground and east Vancouver the past two years, FVRL should open its flagship Vancouver Community Library by mid-July.

The five-level, glass-and-steel building in the city center is the first component to emerge in a large mixed-use development, now dubbed Library Square, planned for 4 acres at the southeast corner of East Evergreen Boulevard and C Street.

The new facility is double the size of the current main branch, a few blocks east. It will have four stories of public space, including an outdoor roof terrace, quiet alcoves for private reading, computer nooks and large community meeting rooms.

Other amenities are separate areas for children and teens, free wireless technology, coffee-shop type lounge areas and sales displays, additional books and movies on portable devices.

Of special pride is a section devoted to early childhood learning and reading literacy.

Visitors will use a surface parking lot; an underground parking garage may come later.

When the new branch opens, it will have a full, seven-day schedule again, Sundays included.

That’s thanks to a one-time property tax levy increase narrowly approved in August 2010 by voters in FVRL’s four-county territory. That turf stretches from Woodland to Goldendale, in Klickitat County.

About $2.7 million in one-time revenue will boost the system, starting this spring.

The first of May, 12 of the system’s 13 branches will restore one day of operation trimmed in February 2009 when officials ordered budget cuts. They will open six days per week and hours will be lengthened.

At the popular Vancouver Mall branch that kept its seven-day service, customers will enjoy 10 additional weekly hours.

All FVRL users — including some 240,000 cardholders — should see noteworthy changes.

The system will add several more book titles, audio books and other items, starting in May. Emphasis will be on popular, high-demand titles, with a new “Lucky Day” approach designed to help walk-in customers snare the latest hot read.

Typically, FVRL lets patrons place an item on hold, either online or in person, on a first-reserved, first-served basis. Now, it will add a “Lucky Day” collection in each branch, exempt from holds, to keep hot items on hand for regular walk-ins hoping to “get lucky” and find that title they’ve been seeking.

Most new items will not stay at one branch, but will circulate freely. As usual, all items may be returned at any branch.

The district also will build a collection of downloadable e-books, so patrons can read entire texts on personal computers and portable devices, and will add more digital research databases.

Web-based subscription services already include Chilton’s Auto Repair manuals, the Reference USA business database, Heritage Quest genealogy database, Morningstar Investment Research Center and Powerspeak Languages. FVRL plans to add the online version of World Book Encyclopedia and other language-learning services.

The Web-based subscription upgrades will include the new e-books.

For those who cannot easily travel to a library branch, FVRL still offers a books-by-mail service, at a flat $4 per-item fee.