In the Library’s April newsletter which came out on April 1 we weren’t fooling when we talked about how everyone will need to have their library card with them (either digitally, in person or memorized) in order to check out. You can read that article here.

The reason why you’ll need your card (or card number) handy is because our new checkout system requires you to have it present. The new checkout system is really snazzy though; you’ll be able to check out multiple items at once and pay your fines and fees right on the machine. Our staff will be on hand to assist you with whatever library needs you have. You can see a walk-through of the new checkout machines here.

Along with the new checkout system we are also adding new “document stations” in all the libraries. These are for printing, faxing, scanning, and copying and will cost 5 cents per page (less than our current photocopiers and printers that are 10 cents per page). Those will be in place at the end of the month.

Tip: One way to make it easy to have your library card with you all the time is to store it in your smartphone. We recommend the following apps: CardStar, Stocard and KeyRing, or one of your choice.

Food for Fines is here – this week and next (April 12 -25)! We are so excited to launch a Food for Fines program which will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. For every non-perishable food item donated at the library we will forgive $1 of overdue fees, up to $10 per account.

This is a great chance to take care of fines, but more importantly support a community non-profit whose sole mission is to feed the hungry in Spokane and Eastern Washington. The library is more than just a building full of books, we are a part of the community, and supporting and partnering with other agencies is a key component of our mission to provide opportunities for all to read, learn and discover. Second Harvest serves 55,000 people per week. So why not bring in a few non-perishable food items (think whole-grain cereal, peanut butter, canned soups and stews)?  You’ll lower your fines and help folks in Spokane!

P.S. you don’t need to have fines to contribute food!

If you missed the first annual Citizen Hall of Fame breakfast that was held Thursday, April 2 at the Davenport Hotel then you’ll want to check out the event online. It was truly inspiring. At the event we celebrated the nominees and those who were inducted. It was so impressive to see a packed room with citizens who have given so much to Spokane. Citizens who give to Spokane, not for the honor, but because it’s who they are – just people who are driven to make Spokane a great place. The overwhelming gratitude to these individuals was palpable and there were quite a few damp eyes in the audience.

The full list of nominees is on the Citizen Hall of Fame website. There were six categories and three finalists in each category.  Here are the inductees (winners) for each category. You can read more about the event and see all the nominees online here; you can learn more about the inductees by clicking on their photo once you’re at the site.

• Harold Balazs, Arts and Letters
• Donald F. Kardong, Innovations and Leadership
• Dr. Elizabeth Welty, MD, Public Service and Philanthropy
• Gary A. Livingston, Ph.D., Education
• Gordon Budke, Economic Development and Business
• Peg Hopkins, Science, Health and Medicine

Additionally, six historic individuals were inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. They were:

• Chief Spokan Garry, Historic
• Vicki McNeill, Historic
• King Cole, Historic
• Daniel K. Oliver, Historic
• May Arkwright Hutton, HIstoric
• Thomas S. Foley, Historic

The Citizen Hall of Fame event was a partnership between the City of Spokane and Spokane Public Library Foundation. Funds raised at the breakfast and from sponsorships are used to support the library’s nonprofit, business, and entrepreneurial services which help individuals grow their businesses and ideas from good to great and help make Spokane a place where people stay, the city of choice.

We’re so grateful to the sponsors who supported the Hall of Fame: Avista Foundation, KHQ, The Spokesman Review, WSU Health Sciences Spokane, and Numerica Credit Union.

It’s not too early to start thinking about who to nominate for next year’s Hall of Fame event. Public nominations will go live in early 2016. Remember, you can nominate people year after year so if someone was nominated this year and not inducted please consider nominating them again!