Calling area artists! The Friends of Neill Public Library invite artists of all ages to submit original artwork with the theme of “Literacy”. Entries will be pre-sorted into three age groups: 0 – 11, 12 – 17, and 18+. Submissions must be original, in a single color, 8.5x11” in size, and submitted as a high resolution PDF or hard copy. Entry forms are available online at www.friendsofnpl.com or hardcopy at Neill Public Library. Entries must be received by March 12. Bring your entry to Neill Public Library, email it to pullmanfnpl@gmail.com, or mail it to Friends of Neill Public Library, 210 N. Grand Avenue, Pullman, WA 99163.

Artwork will be displayed for community voting at Neill Public Library March 13 – 31 to determine the top three designs from each age group. Final voting will be done by library staff and Friends of Neill Public Library board members. Winners will be announced April 11.

Prizes will be awarded to semi-finalists from each age group. The artists with the overall winning design will receive $100 cash and a free t-shirt featuring their design. Winning artwork becomes the property of the Friends of Neill Public Library.

Help the Friends of Neill Public Library Win $100!

Help us win $100! FNPL has a healthy endowment fund through Inland Northwest Community Foundation based in Spokane. This month we have been randomly selected as one of two nonprofits competing in the You Pick for Charity game on their website. Simply go to this link today through August 28 and pick apples into our bucket to help us win a $100 grant! Thank you!

http://www.inwcf.org/give/you-pick-landing-page-2/you-pick-for-charity-game  

SLICE Article: - Magic Happens at the Library

As I write this, spring has transformed the landscape of the Palouse.  Trees that only days ago were completely bare are now magically a riot of pink blossoms. Garden beds all over town and campus are suddenly full of tulips. Bishop Boulevard has yielded the surprising appearance of hundreds of daffodils in their first year of bloom.  Thoughtful and creative planning, the investment of time by community members, and the right environmental conditions yield a landscape that gladdens us all.

Such attention to planning and providing the right environment transforms other parts of our shared public life as well.  The communities of the Palouse are so fortunate to have great public libraries, but the services of those libraries are greatly enhanced by the support of the Friends groups that augment their financial and volunteer resources.

This past year the Friends of Neill Public Library was able to provide over $53,000 and 900 volunteer hours to Neill Public Library to supplement city support.  Those funds largely come from memberships of community members, from gifts given in memory or honor of loved ones, and from the proceeds of the Friends book sale area.  Contributions of many varied amounts gathered together transform the reach of our library services, programming, and materials.

The Friends’ contribution to Neill Public Library makes possible outreach such as Summer Reading, newborn and kindergarten literacy packets, public printing, and a variety of special programs for all ages.  In addition, this year funding supported new programs providing youth Lego programs and kits for check-out and computer instructional classes for seniors. Pullman’s well used public library, like the others in our area, serves as a vibrant hub providing needed information, joyful pleasure, and a welcoming space for all.

On June 8 the Friends of Neill Public Library will join with the BellTower Event Venue to celebrate and support the many ways that the library transforms our community by hosting two events by acclaimed Seattle magician G. G. Green. At 4 pm Green will provide the kick-off for the Summer Reading Program with a free youth performance at Neill Public Library.

That evening, from 7 to 9 pm, Green will be the featured performer for an evening fundraiser event at the BellTower in support of literacy programming, material acquisition, and facility improvements.  The evening will also include hearty hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, silent auction, and raffle items.

Tickets for the evening fundraiser are $35 per person and are available for purchase through May 27 at EventBrite.com as well as at Neill Public Library and the BellTower Event Venue office.

I join with all of you in my gratitude for those whose vision and planning have graced our common physical landscape with the beauty we enjoy each spring.  I encourage you to join your local Friends of the Library group to support the cultural landscape that similarly makes the Palouse such a magical place to call home.

Karen Weathermon
President, Friends of Neill Public Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Night of Magic to Benefit Library

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story Contact: Karen Weathermon
Phone: 509.332.6743 or 509-335-5488
Email: kweathermon@hotmail.com

Night of Magic to Benefit Library
April 21, 2016 – The Friends of Neill Public Library and BellTower Event Venue will host

A Night of Magic 

on 

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

from 7:00-9:00 pm to raise funds to benefit 

Neill Public Library.

This evening event for adults will include hearty hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, silent auction and raffle items, and a magic show by acclaimed Seattle magician G. G. Green. Doors will open at 6:45 pm.
Proceeds from the benefit will support literacy programming, material acquisition, and facility improvements.

Green will also put on a free magic show for youth at 4:00 pm on June 8 at Neill Public Library.
Tickets for the evening magic show benefit are $35 per person, on sale April 15-May 27. Tickets may be purchased through EventBrite.com, or by check or exact cash at Neill Public Library and the BellTower Event Venue office.

The mission of FNPL is to supplement library materials, programs, professional development and special needs not covered by the library's regular budget.

Books for a Steal!

I freely admit, I absolutely love to read in the sun.  The beach is preferable, but the river, the pool, or my own backyard will also do just as well.  I also acknowledge that my "leak-proof" water bottle has spilled on a few books in its time, and I personally replaced those books so that other patrons would still have access to great titles.

The Solution!:  If you, too, like to enjoy your books out in the sun, we encourage you to check out the hundreds of books available through the Friends of the Library Booksale area inside the library.  For a couple of quarters, you can grab paperbacks or hardcovers, fiction or nonfiction.  Choose from a mix of current, popular materials and more classic titles.  And what's on the shelves turns over constantly, so check regularly!

The Friends' Booksale area is the answer to your seaside (or poolside, or kiddie-poolside) reading needs-- the book is yours and only cost a couple of quarters, so if it gets dripped on by popsicles, dropped in the water, spattered with sunscreen, filled up with sand, left on an airplane, or forgotten at a rest stop, you won't have to worry about damage to a library book.

And, the quarters and dollars from the Friends' Booksale area add up-- and all that money directly supports the library, going to fund additional materials and programs we otherwise wouldn't be able to offer.  We thank the Friends for their amazing support!

Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week, October 21 - 26, 2013

Date: 10/18/13

To:  All media

Contact name/phone/e-mail:  Joanna Bailey, Library Director (509) 338-3252, jbailey@neill-lib.org

Event/Date:  Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week, October 21 - 26, 2013

Join us to celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week October 21 – 26, 2013.  Last year, the Friends of Neill Public Library donated $22,000 to provide additional resources for library programming, revitalizations to material collections and other special events throughout the year.  Their gift of personal time and commitment to the library sets an example for all in how volunteerism leads to positive civic engagement and the betterment of one’s community.

We honor and celebrate Friends members!  Stop by the Friends’ membership table this week and enter to win free literacy baskets!  You must be a current member to be eligible for this drawing.  Winners will be selected at the end of this week. 

For more information, visit Neill Public Library at 210 N. Grand Avenue, call 334-3595 or visit the library’s web site at www.neill-lib.org. 

New Items Added in June

If you'd like to see what new items have been added to the library collections during June, take this link to the catalog.  You can browse and place holds.  There's also a link over on the right side of this blog that will take you to the same place.  Don't forget to check out the downloadable ebooks and audios.  New titles are added every month.

Also take a look at the Friends of NPL book sale at the library located in the hallway to the Hecht Meeting Room. New items are added every week.  Great bargains!

We're All Friends Here.

Coming up on Monday, February 11th, the Friends of Neill Public Library will hold their 2013 Annual Meeting.  The agenda for this meeting, which will begin at 4pm in the Hecht Meeting Room, is as follows:


1.  Approval of January Minutes
2.   Reports:
2012 President's Annual Report
2012/2013 Budget Report
2012/2013 Membership Report
Director's Report
Other reports as needed
3.  New Business
Planning ahead for 2013 and beyond

The Friends of NPL do so much and help us in so many ways.  If you're interested in who the Friends are and what they do, stop by.  Being a Friend is an easy way to make a big difference for the library and the Pullman community.

Audiobooks Keep Coming In

Do you and Alexander McCall Smith go together like Blue Shoes and Happiness?  Or like Sundays and philosophy?  We were recently able to greatly expand our collection of Alexander McCall Smith's titles in Book on CD format.  The Charming Quirks of Others, Espresso Tales, and The Right Attitude to Rain, with many more, are all new in the catalog this month.  The circulation numbers of our existing Books on CD by the author tell us that these discs should also circulate very well.  Perhaps they'll go home with you for a while?

Many other Audiobooks have just recently hit the shelves, most of them made possible by a gift from the Friends of Neill Public Library.  If you know a Friend, hug one today!

New Items Added in November

If you'd like to see what new items were added to the library collections during November, this link takes you to the catalog. Browse and place holds on the new materials.  New downloadable eBooks and eAudios are added every month as well.  When you stop by the library to pick up your "hold" items, don't forget to visit the Friends of NPL book sale. "New" items are donated every week.

Attention Black Friday Shoppers!

Going out in the dark to purchase gifts for family?  Or perhaps participating in Small Business Saturday?  Remember to hit up the Friends of Neill Public Library Book Sale next week as well!  Experienced books and other materials are available for a steal:
Adult Hardcovers: $1
Adult Paperbacks: $0.50
Children's Materials: $0.25
DVDs and CDs: $1
Cassette tapes and VHS: $0.25
The "special" through the end of November: Mystery and Thriller titles are 2 for $1 (hardcover) and $0.25 each (paperback).

You can fill stockings, find gifts for media-lovers, and even keep a few extra books wrapped and ready to go in case you get a surprise gift; it's ready-reciprocation!

Another gift alternative is to make a donation in honor of a friend or loved one. It's the perfect present for someone who has everything or someone who's difficult to shop for.  Your donation could be used to purchase picture books Grandma can share with all her grandchildren-- and all the other kids in Pullman-- or cookbooks to continue family traditions, or fiction titles in your neighbor's favorite genre.  All items purchased as part of a donation like this get a sticker with the name of the person being honored. 

Stay warm out there and enjoy your quality time with family and loved ones. 

Our Community is at the Heart of Our Service

Neill Public Library has much to be grateful for, and the community is at the heart of it all.

This year’s Summer Reading Program for adults and children was a huge success thanks to our R.A.D.I.C.A.L. teen volunteer group, Friends of Neill Public Library, and local merchants.  Our teen volunteers donated an amazing 304 hours to this library program alone. The Friends provided the funding for performers like Reptile Man, Mr. Bubble Illusionist, and of course, our favorite celebrity musician, Victor Johnson.  We heard researchers talk about the affects of sleep on productivity and personal health.  And local merchants generously provided armfuls (literally!) of fabulous prizes to help our community celebrate the joys of reading.  From all of us to all of you – thank you for your generosity! 

The spotlight remained on our community throughout July’s month-long “10-19-31” library awareness project.  With the reality of budget cuts, we knew remaining funding to library services would need to be re-allocated based on priority.  Through surveys, a public forum, and a city council meeting, we encouraged you, our community, to help us with this prioritization by sharing your thoughts.

And share you did.  Thank you for raising your voices to articulate what matters to you.  Thank you for your flowers, cards, treats, and support.  We are sincerely touched by your strong response and will achieve the best balance we can between honoring your priorities and operating within our new financial reality, a reality we expect to be defined at the August 14^th Pullman city council meeting.

Results from the 627 surveys received have been tabulated.  Here is what you told us about library services:

1.  66.6% gave the library a 5 out of 5 in satisfaction with current services
2.  55.1% use the library on a weekly basis
3.  86% would prefer having a large collection of materials in adequate condition over a smaller collection in good condition
4.  Top most-used library services are:

• Borrowed library materials
• Asked a librarian for assistance
• Used the public computers or WIFI
• Read newspapers or magazines
• Attended a youth program

 5.  The top five prioritized services are:

• Access to materials on a wide array of subjects
• Children’s library programs
• Access to materials in a variety of formats
• Circulation staff to check out your books
• TIE between Reference staff to assist with research & Public internet computers

These results will also be useful as we launch into the next phase of strategic planning.  The Advisory Committee has recommended a prioritized service focus of “satisfying curiosity through lifelong learning”.  Out of 15 different foci, the committee felt this particular focus offered the broadest depth of activity, benefited the widest array of people, and had the best chance for success given available resources.  Once again, those we serve are taking an active role in helping us define library services.  As a public service department, this level of ownership is appropriate.  To our community, I say, thank you for being at the heart of it all.  

by Joanna Bailey, Library Director

published 8-11-12 in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Thank you, Donors!

We receive many physical donations here at the library: children's books, adult fiction, movies, a little bit of everything, really.  Some of these items end up on our shelves for other patrons to check out; some of the items go to the Friends of Neill Public Library Book sale area, where they may find new homes and bring a little something in to the library in the process.  Most of these donations are dropped off anonymously; unless we see someone adding items to the donation wagon, we can't even say "thank you."  So, if you've ever made a donation to the library and we didn't catch you, let me say: THANK YOU!

I'm prompted to share this because, today alone, I see 12 seasons of various TV shows have been donated along with 5 audiobooks; last week, 9 seasons of different shows came through, along with other family, nonfiction, and entertainment DVDs.  This is a substantial donation when you consider that TV series can run up to $70, and Books on CD aren't generally less than $30. 

If you've never donated materials to the library, I encourage you to consider it for the future.  A book purchased for a plane ride, a book club read you finished, DVDs your family no longer watches: they can all find a home here at or through the library.  Many of our donations seem to be people moving and bringing in bags or boxes of items, but that's certainly not necessary.  Collections are built one book at a time.

Next time you check out an item with a "Gift from an Unknown Friend" sticker in the front, now you know that the item was an anonymous donation left in our little red wagon.  Thank you, donors, thank you! 

Adult Summer Reading Program Wrap-Up

What a great Adult Summer Reading Program!  Here are some stats to wrap up, and then we're on to more (or at least different) exciting things here at NPL! We've included photos of some of our winners; click on any to enlarge.

Angie, July prize pack winner.

In June, we had 285 drawing entries from 66 unique individuals; that prize pack was won, as you may remember, by Lana Wood.  In July, we had 194 drawing entries from 49 unique individuals, and the winner was Angie Larkin.  Devon Harris-Taylor won a one-night stay at the Wesson Loft and Bunkhouse.   For these prizes, patrons were invited to enter the drawing for every book, magazine, downloadable book, or audiobook they 1) checked out from Neill, and 2) finished reading. 

Devon, B&B stay winner.

Separately, there were 156 entries for the Nook Tablet (40 unique individuals), which was won by Adelaide Snider. Adelaide came by this morning to pick up this amazing gift, entirely paid for by the Friends of Neill Public Library. We organized the Nook Tablet drawing to call attention to our collection of downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks.  We had many patrons give it a try, patrons who had never attempted to download before; I believe that makes the program a success! 

Adelaide, with Adult Services Libarian
Sarah Morrison, and the Nook Tablet.

Altogether, for public entries for both months and for the Tablet, there were 635 submissions.  The most submissions summer-long was 44; two patrons actually submitted 44 entries each among all the boxes. 

As to the staff component, 17 staff participated in the Staff Summer Reading Program, with 87 total entries.  June’s prize pack was won by Michelle, and July’s went to Rezina.  We support a Staff Summer Reading Program as it encourages staff to be more familiar with the collection, feel involved with patron in the programs offered by the library, and increases Reader's Advisory skills.  

Three programs were offered in conjunction with Adult Summer Reading: What’s Your Next Read? (20 participants), author talk by local writer Kevin Carson (14), lecture by Dr. Hans Van Dongen (5), and lecture by Ph.D. researcher Kathryn Jewett (10).

One of our many Weekly Winners
deliberating over her choice.

If you have thoughts about this year's Adult Summer Reading Program-- parts of the program you liked that you'd like to see next year, or aspects you wish we'd have in addition (or instead)-- please let us know so we can serve you better.

Finally, I'd like to use this space to thank our sponsors.  Many local business donated great prizes, and these were supplemented (and made more "themey") by items purchased with funds given by the Friends of Neill Public Library.  Have I mentioned how we couldn't do this without them?  Local business who donated goods or services are:
Banyans on the Ridge, The Bookie, Brused Books, Crimson and Grey, Fireside Grill, Neill's Flowers and Gifts, The Quilted Heart, South Fork Public House, Sweet Mutiny, Three Forks Therapy, and Wesson Bunkhouse and Loft.  Maybe you'll consider taking your business to these local retailers, in support of their support!

Summer Reading Program Finale!

A great time was had by all at the Summer Reading Program Finale last night at Reaney Park!  Victor Johnson provided an hour of music (patrons provided the dancing), followed by ice cream and prizes.

All of Summer Reading Program, from paying for Victor Johnson and the Bubble Illusionist, to the book prizes, and even the ice cream, pencils, and stickers, was funded by the Friends of Neill Public Library.  Membership isn't expensive, but my, how far it goes and what a difference it makes in the community!

Our RADICAL teen volunteers have also been indispensable. Without either of these groups, the Summer Reading Program would literally not exist.  Neill thanks you, Friends, and we thank you, RADICAL teens! 

Go, Dad, go!

New friends were jiving in the front row all night long.

Comedic Juggler, Curtis Carlyle

The Friends of Neill Public Library invite you to enjoy a hilariously entertaining show by Oregon's renowned comedic stunt performer, Curtis Carlyle, in the library's Heritage Addition on Friday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.  With a style all his own, Curtis fuses world class juggling skills, innovative comedy, and lively audience participation.

Curtis earned a bronze medal in the International Juggling Association team competition and has had a featured role at the famous Hershey Amusement Park.  In addition, he has appeared on a variety of television shows.

What I love about my library...

During the recent National Library Week the Friends of Neill Public Library put up a sign with heart-shaped post-its for patrons young and not-so-young to express in writing what they love about their library.  Here's a sampling of the sentiments:

Very helpful & knowledgeable staff.
Book Club in a bag. Used book sale. YA books!! The staff. 
I love listening to grown-ups reading to the kids!
Getting answers!
I love the friendly help I get at the Info desk.
Downloadable eBooks!
I like the dollhouse at the library. I like singing time and toys and storytime.
I like the library’s children’s computer.
Miss Kathleen, storytime, the selection, the kindle books.
The really helpful friendly staff!
To play with the dinosaurs.
I love all the large-print books!
 “It takes a community to raise a child.” – Thanks for being part of our community and instilling a love for literacy!
Ms. Kathleen! (and the great kids programs)
I love the very resourceful learning materials I can get at the library and the awe-inspiring book at the parent center. Keep it up. Good job.
That I get to check out books!
I can play and read. 
Wide selection of books.
I love picking out books & storytime.
I like all the Max & Ruby books.
Storytime is one of my family’s highlights of the week! My daughter loves it and the joys of story and song carries over into our home! Thank you!!
I love the smell of books.
Welcoming to a newcomer like me!
I like sitting in the big rocking chairs while the kids play.
Love the books.
Berenstain Bears and Heidi
I love everything about the library!
I like the library because you can play.
I love Mother Goose and storytime activities. It’s such a fun time activity. I have learned many nursery rhymes. Good job!!
I love the wonderful assortment of books!
I love how clean this library is!
I like reading.
I love the kids’ DVDs and books. Those are soooo good. Good luck!!
I love the book of Robin Hood.
I like the Hunger Games.
Trains, dinosaurs, and computers.
Storytime!
Everything.
I love that the library has all the books in my favorite series.
I love the library because it’s fun to go to.
I love my library because the people are really nice.
I love the airy open atmosphere.
Love all the helpful staff. Love storytime. Wonderful. Thank you.
I love the great materials, friendly staff and fun programs!
We love storytime.
I like the fish. They make it a friendlier library. I like how you can use computers for help and research.
I like the different genres/categories. I like that they have multiple books from the same author. Also, it’s nice that they have DVDs.
I like: stickers, songs, board books.
I like to play at the Neill Public Library!
Being able to borrow kindle books!
I love books, CDs, movies, computers, magazines, etc, etc, etc.
I love all the light through the windows.
I love reading books here.
I love my library because I love coming here to hang out with my friends.
I like the books. (I’ll sit down and read all the books in the library!) I like storytime.
Love the staff & selection.
Play.
The awesome people who work here!!
I love storytime.
I like this library because there are so many books!
Books feed my soul.
I love all the good books and nice people that work here…
Audio books for my whole family!
Our library is fabulous – wonderful folks serve us well!!
Reading with Ms. Kathleen.
I love being able to renew books online.
I like the environment. Everyone is so kind.
I love the staff here! For grown-ups, they are so cool and also hip!
I love Thomas Jefferson watching over us!
I love all the books and video tapes! P.S.:  I also like the computer.
We have a terrific library. And our library staff is wonderful – the “BEST” place in town!

One of the library staff responded with a sentiment that all the staff share:
Our friendly, polite, happy patrons!! Patrons, fellow staff, and, of course, the books!! All make coming to work a joy!!! 

The library staff also enjoyed dressing up as book characters on Thursday.  Can you identify these characters??

On Friday a different group of characters showed up.

Do you have a vision for Pullman and Neill Public Library?

We are ready to start strategic planning for the future!  As a first step, we are asking for your help to form a Community Planning Committee.  This committee will be responsible for defining a vision for the Pullman community and its library.  This committee will meet twice over the next few months.

Do you know someone who might want to serve on this committee?  Maybe you'd like to offer your own name for consideration?  We want to hear from you!  Suggestions can be dropped into a box inside the library or emailed to Library Director Joanna Bailey at "jbailey (at) neill-lib (dot)org".  Deadline for submissions is March 25.

Please be sure to include contact information for the person you are recommending and a brief explanation about why you feel he or she would be a good addition to the committee.  The Board of Trustees is responsible for the final selection of committee members.  Invitations will then be mailed to prospective members.

Get out your visioning goggles!

Neill Public Library is about to embark on an exciting adventure and we would like you to join us.

Our sleeves are rolled up and we stand ready to hand out visioning goggles to community members. Visioning goggles? Yes, indeed. The time has come for the library to start Strategic Planning work.

What, you might ask, is strategic planning?  Simply put, it is an identified process used by groups united with a common purpose to turn the needs of the community into a shared vision, a vision that will serve as a guide to planning the future services of an organization.  Why, you might ask, is strategic planning critical for Neill Public Library?  Because the needs, interests, and priorities of our community are always changing.  Now more than ever, with advances in technology and downturns in the economy, patrons are accessing library services in ways different than before.  As public servants, it is critical we stay in touch with the needs of the people we serve.  Strategic planning will identify the library’s role in meeting our community’s needs and establish measures to ensure the services being provided are the ones that matter most to the people we serve – that means YOU, our valued community member.  Strategic planning is an exciting time of visioning, evaluating, and, of course, planning for the future.  Work is slated to begin next month and the initial phase of this project is expected to last approximately three months.

The first step in this process is to form a planning committee, with members selected by the library’s Board of Trustees.  This committee should be comprised of community stakeholders and selected members should reflect the demographics of the community and serve as representatives of the various constituency groups within the library’s Pullman service area.  Because the committee will focus on visioning for the community, members do not necessarily need to be familiar with the services provided by Neill Public Library.  The committee will meet twice over the course of a few weeks.  During the first meeting, members will be asked to define a vision for the community served by Neill Public Library and identify what needs to happen in the community to reach that vision.  This will include, but not be limited to, ways the library can contribute toward achieving that community vision.  During the second meeting, the committee will select the service priorities for the library (based on the community vision) and propose adoption by the Board of Trustees.  The planning committee is an integral component to the library’s strategic planning process.  Careful selection of committee members then will be a key element to the successful outcome of our joint planning efforts. 

We would like your help to build our planning committee.  Do you know someone who might want to serve on this committee?  Maybe you’d like to offer your own name for consideration?  We want to hear from you!  Suggestions can be emailed to me at jbailey@neill-lib.org, deposited into a box inside the library, or dropped into either of our outdoor book bins during the week of March 4 when the library will be closed for maintenance and in-house work.

Please be sure to include contact information for the person you are recommending and a brief explanation about why you feel (s)he would be a good addition to the committee.  The Board of Trustees is responsible for the final selection of committee members.  Once a list has been compiled, invitations will be mailed to prospective members.

On behalf of the Board and staff, I thank you for your help and support of our endeavors.  I look forward to working with you to create a new vision for the community and its library.

by Joanna Bailey,

Library Director

published March 3, 2012 in Moscow-Pullman Daily News