[Libs-Or] Press release: Hood River County Library District ends its first year strong

[Buzzy Nielsen]

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
August 23, 2012

/For more information, contact:/
Buzzy Nielsen
Director
Hood River County Library District
502 State St, Hood River, OR, 97031
Phone: 541-387-7062
Email: info at hoodriverlibrary.org

*Hood River County Library District ends its first year strong*

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.

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.

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:

  * Checked out 101,246 items, 5.2% more than the previous open year;
  * Gained access to 5,329 new items, 55% more than the previous open year;
  * 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;
  * Had 17,021 sessions on library-provided internet computers.


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 /The Circuit/ 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.

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.

For more information about HRCLD, its programs and services, or its 
successful first year, please contact the district at 541-386-2535, 
info at hoodriverlibrary.org, or visit their website at 
http://hoodriverlibrary.org.


/Attached image byline:/
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.


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