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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>A great leader, a great staff, and a great community effort.
Congratulations to you all!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Rob Everett<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>
libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us
[mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Buzzy
Nielsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 23, 2012 12:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> HRCLD staff; Libs-or; Sage listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Libs-Or] Press release: Hood River County Library District
ends its first year strong<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>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 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:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Checked out 101,246 items, 5.2% more than the
previous open year;<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Gained access to 5,329 new items, 55% more than
the previous open year;<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>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;<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Had 17,021 sessions on library-provided internet
computers.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><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
href="mailto:info@hoodriverlibrary.org">info@hoodriverlibrary.org</a>, or visit
their website at <a 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>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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