<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</b><br>
<div class="moz-forward-container"> August 23, 2012<br>
<br>
<i>For more information, contact:</i><br>
Buzzy Nielsen<br>
Director<br>
Hood River County Library District<br>
502 State St, Hood River, OR, 97031<br>
Phone: 541-387-7062<br>
Email: <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:info@hoodriverlibrary.org">info@hoodriverlibrary.org</a><br>
<br>
<b>Hood River County Library District ends its first year strong</b><br>
<br>
Hood River (Ore.) - Over a year ago, Hood River County, Oregon,
closed the doors on its three public libraries in Hood River,
Cascade Locks, and Parkdale. However, county residents reopened
those doors in 2011 by creating the independent and stable Hood
River County Library District (HRCLD). After the library
district's first year of operation, July 2011 to June 2012,
residents have shown just how much they missed their libraries.
During that year, HRCLD patrons checked out more materials, had
access to more new items, and came to programs more often than the
year before the libraries closed. And this was all done while
ending the year with a strong fiscal outlook.<br>
<br>
The situation did not always look so rosy. The Hood River County
Library, a department of Hood River County, faced severe cuts due
to mounting costs and decreasing revenues for the county. The
libraries closed on July 1, 2010, after the failure of a May
ballot measure to create a special library district, referred to
voters by the County Commissioners. At the November 2010, general
election, the voters of Hood River County approved a second
measure to form a library district, albeit at a lower rate than
the first measure. The newly-formed HRCLD is an independent unit
of local government, with a dedicated tax base devoted to running
the libraries in Hood River County. While the district did not
receive its first allotment of taxes until November 2011, it was
able to open in July thanks to the donations and efforts of Hood
River County residents, private foundations, and the Oregon and
Washington library communities.<br>
<br>
Even under these difficult circumstances, though, people came out
to support and use their libraries. The nearly 5,400 people who
used their card during the first year:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Checked out 101,246 items, 5.2% more than the previous open
year;</li>
<li>Gained access to 5,329 new items, 55% more than the previous
open year;</li>
<li>Came to 226 children's, young adult, and adult programs,
with the total attendance of 7,940 being 20% higher than the
previous open year;</li>
<li>Had 17,021 sessions on library-provided internet computers.</li>
</ul>
<br>
HRCLD also introduced many successful and new programs and
services. Patrons can now check out e-readers from their libraries
and receive personalized help with their devices. There is now
programming specifically for teens, including the popular Literary
Trivia Challenge. The libraries now have dedicated bilingual
English/Spanish staff to serve the over 30% of the county of
Latino descent. In addition, the Friends of the Hood River County
Library's annual Hood River County Reads with <i>The Circuit</i>
author Francisco Jimenez proved the most successful yet, with over
1,600 people attending talks by the author. And the Hood River
County Library Foundation, following its successful early opening
fundraising campaign, raised $40,000 to give to the library
district for its 2012-13 fiscal year.<br>
<br>
Despite anticipating a rocky first year financially, the library
district also ended the year in strong fiscal health. It has ample
reserve funds to operate through November, when new tax revenue
will be received, without the need to take out any loans, as is
common practice even among established districts. The district
receives approximately $700,000 in tax revenue annually thanks to
the generosity of Hood River County's voters and property owners.
The library district anticipates many more successful years to
come.<br>
<br>
For more information about HRCLD, its programs and services, or
its successful first year, please contact the district at
541-386-2535, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:info@hoodriverlibrary.org">info@hoodriverlibrary.org</a>,
or visit their website at <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://hoodriverlibrary.org">http://hoodriverlibrary.org</a>.<br>
<br>
<br>
<i>Attached image byline:</i><br>
Students from Cascade Locks School sing at the “Welcome Back Old
Friend” event in March, which was inspired by the reopening of
Hood River County's, Ore., libraries. The libraries just ended
their first year as a district in June.<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
</body>
</html>