Sisters library honors director

Michael Gaston, library director for Deschutes County, earned plaudits from Sisters library supporters for steering the library system through tough financial times.

Gaston led the Deschutes County Library District through three difficult 1998 elections, culminating in a funding tax levy overwhelmingly passed last November.

The Sisters Library Board and Friends of the Sisters Library Board presented Gaston with a glass clock with an inscription thanking him for his tireless efforts in the library elections.

Their meeting was held Thursday, March 25, in the "old" library located behind the present Sisters Library.

Gaston recently was honored with the OLA (pronounced Olé) Award from the Oregon Library Association. The award is given to the librarian who has done the best job in turning around a troubled library system.

Sisters Library is one of five county library branches. Others are located in Bend, La Pine, Redmond and Sunriver. Bend recently opened its new library and La Pine will have a new facility in one to two years.

Gaston noted that library hours of service have expanded by about 40 percent this year, including new Sunday service. He also pointed out the increase in children's services with addition of four children's librarian specialists. Heather McNeill will visit Sisters Library twice a month for children's story times.

An outreach committee will determine the best ways of meeting community needs - particularly for those patrons who have difficulty reaching one of the library branches. There is a vigorous effort underway to evaluate the library collection and to bolster those areas deemed weak. Recently, the library added the MacArthur collection of videos, available for check out by patrons.

"All of these improvements were promised if the library tax levy passed" said Gaston.

The library system is currently evaluating a new broader bandwidth system to allow better Internet connections between home and library. Currently there is an older text-based system in use.

Gaston also said that the Deschutes County Library System is becoming recognized for its "world-class" volunteer program headed by Sisters librarian, Peg Bermel.

The new Deschutes Library District (formed during last November's election) takes effect on July 1 of this year. The new five-person library board, headed by Mary Beth Pearl of Sisters, will officially start its duties at that time.

The Sisters Library currently serves about 6,000 patrons. Plans for library expansion in Sisters look toward a five-year time frame (2004).

Several events are scheduled at the Sisters Library. during National Library Week in April.

The Friends of the Library will present a talk by Maggie Hughes on gardening at the open library meeting on Monday, April 12, at 7 p.m.

There will be all-day readings for children on April 14 and 15. The evening of April 15 provides a program for the whole family, "Laughter at the Library," at 6:30 p.m. at the Sisters Library.