The Importance of a Library: An Interview with the Asotin County Librarian

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The Importance of a Library
I had the opportunity to interview Jennifer Ashby. She has been the director of the Asotin County Library since February of 2001. She oversees just about everything that goes on in the library. She is in charge of budgets, facilities, personnel, collections, technology, programs, services, and public relations. She gave me a lot of great information on the history and current events of the library.
Before the original library was built in 1913, books were sent from an Episcopal congregation in Vermont to the Episcopal Church in Clarkston. A library of sorts was set up in the basement of the church. More and more books were purchased and this space was eventually outgrown. The books were then moved to the parsonage next door and the living room was turned into the new library, which was outgrown as well. The family grew tired of people coming in and out of their living room to browse the books, so a Carnegie library was built on the corner of Chestnut and Sixth in 1913. Eighty years later, the current location on Sycamore Street was constructed.
An interesting event that has happened in the time that Jennifer has worked at the library is a big windstorm that nearly destroyed the building. In order to prepare the library for the construction of a mezzanine, a floating wall was installed on the south side of the building. In February of 2008, a heavy windstorm struck the valley. The wall separated slightly from the others, leaving spider web-like cracks three-eighths of an inch wide all over the surface. The library had to close for three months for repairs. Another unusual occurrence was a sinkhole next to the building that caused flooding and damage in November 2013.
An event that the library has held...

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...he also wants people to know that the library has more to offer than just Internet and provides equal access. The library spends a lot of money on their online databases and one off-the-wall resource that people may not know about is their information about auto care. They also give advice on job applications, resumes, research and genealogy. One of the goals of the library is to bring culture to our area. They often have exhibits and displays about history and other ways of life. They even have foreign film nights.
Overall, the library is very important for our community. It offers a wealth of information and resources for all generations. Jennifer Ashby provided a lot of helpful materials and she loves where she works. She wants everyone to understand how vital libraries are to education and society. Visit the Asotin County Library today!

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