QUILCENE — As soon as the Jefferson County Library’s new satellite branch in the Quilcene Community Center opened last week, it drew users.
“It’s only been open three days,” said community resident Linda Herzog last Friday, “and already 50 books have been checked out.”
Herzog led the Quilcene Conversation series of discussions that led to the library’s agreement to establish the satellite operation, which opened last Tuesday at the center at 294952 U.S. Highway 101.
The collection provides south county residents access to more than 200 popular books.
“This is a great thing for the reading population of Quilcene,” Herzog said.
The expansion reflects the library’s commitment to the southern part of the county, said Ray Serebrin, library director.
“We have long wanted to extend service beyond the bookmobile,” he said. “This collection provides that opportunity and gives us a cost-effective way to support the inspiring community-building that is going on down here.”
These aren’t hand-me-down titles. For example, patrons can borrow the latest Spenser book by Robert S. Parker.
There are also titles from modern authors such as Dan Brown and Stuart Woods or more cerebral fare from Carl Sagan and Mark Twain.
The community center is open from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The books are housed in sturdy wooden shelves built for the occasion by the Boeing Bluebills.
The shelves are full. To accommodate more books, new shelves will need to be built, said Herzog, who already has heard from people who want to contribute books to the collection.
The collection will be expanded after the library determines the community’s tastes, said Meredith Wagner, associate director of the Jefferson County Library.
“We want to see what kind of books people like and what the demand is before we add anything else,” she said.
Wagner said the library is accepting donations that can be directly allocated to Quilcene.
Before they appear on the shelves, they must be processed, she added, so donations should be taken to the main library at 620 Cedar Ave. in Port Hadlock.
In addition to the new book collection, the library is hosting three summer events in the south county. They are:
■ A Book Arts event scheduled for 2 p.m. July 26 at the Quilcene Community Center.
■ A Letterbox Logbook and Personal Stamp class in the bookmobile at 2 p.m. at Johnston Realty, 40 Brinnon Lane in Brinnon.
■ A Letterbox Treasure Hunt and Summer Reading Party from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 4 at Dosewallips State Park.
A Discover Pass will not be required for entrance into the park because the event was scheduled before June 1.
For information about the community center, phone 360-765-3321 or see www.quilcenecommunity.blogspot.com.
For information about the Jefferson County Library, phone 360-385-6544 or see www.jclibrary.info.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
