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| The Mission of the Friends of the North
Fork Community Library |
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Our mission is to bring
the joy of reading and access to the world of ideas to people of
all ages, by providing quality library services
in a community gathering place that will be welcoming to everyone. |
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A big sign
is up, marking at the future home of the library.
Watch the
building site for more updates! |
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| After 5 years of community effort, land has recently
been purchased by the Whatcom County Library System for a new library
building to serve the Kendall/North Fork area. This building will
replace the outgrown Maple Falls Library to become the new library
center for our region.
The library building, which will be built through donations and
grants, will be owned by the Friends of the North Fork Community
Library at Kendall, a tax-exempt non-profit organization which
will raise funds for construction.
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| Generous donations of
services have already been offered, including design, engineering,
site development, framing, electrical and window and door installation,
trim carpentry, painting and stonework. Dollars are now needed
for building materials and other construction services. |
The Friends of the Library are spearheading a campaign to Design,
Fund and Build the library next to the Kendall Fire Hall. The
Friends, working with local residents and the library system,
have developed a Conceptual Design and Floor
Plan that reflects
the needs of the library and community. |
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A library, like a school, is a foundation
of a community “Perhaps no
place in any community is so democratic as the town library.
The only entrance requirement is interest.”
Lady Bird Johnson
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| The
Plan |
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The
Friends of the North Fork Community Library, in partnership
with the Whatcom County Library Foundation and the Whatcom
County Library System, are proposing to build a new 4,000-6,000
sq. ft. public library facility to be located at the intersection
of Mt. Baker Hwy (SR542) and the Kendall Sumas Rd. (SR547),
across the road from the Kendall Elementary School.
The library building will be owned by the Friends of the North Fork Community
Library on property owned by the Whatcom County Library System. Funding for
this project will come from various sources such as community donations,
and public and private grants.
Library materials and staffing for the new library will be provided by the
Whatcom County Library System as part of their operational budget. |
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| A
Center of Life Long Learning |
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The
new library will benefit the entire community by providing
a full range of library services to all community residents.
The library will become a community center for lifelong
learning for all ages and cultures by providing library
services, such as:
* "A Job Shop at the Library" - On-line and print resources for Employment and
Occupational Services including assistance with Resume Preparation for adults
and young people as well as providing on-site economic resources.
* A Homework and Tutoring Center and greatly expanded Teen area and collection.
* Expanded Russian & Slavic Language Collection for our Slavic residents including
ESL and audio-visual collections, and literacy support through the Whatcom Literacy
Council.
* Investing in our children's future, by increasing our collaboration with the
Mt. Baker School District and by providing a greater percentage of space to Early
Childhood Education materials, computer stations for our youngest users, an expanded
Elementary level collection and increased programming for children.
* Increased number of Computer Internet Access Stations - Technology and public
access to the Internet is an essential part of literacy in the 21st century and
it is sometimes the most effective way of addressing issues of rural isolation
and limited transportation. The new library will provide the only Public Internet
Access in our region, as well as provide assistance and support for those lacking
computer skills, and so help to bridge the 'Digital Divide.' |
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Friends of the North Fork Community Library
PO Box 310
Maple Falls, WA 98266
©2004-2007 |
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