Sisters Library site getting closer

A few final sites are in the running for the new Sisters Library and now the Deschutes Public Library System (DPLS) Board must make a decision.

A four-member management team has been gathering input suggestions from hundreds of local area residents concerning possible library sites. Board members are now making on-site observations before their final decision, which may come as early as Wednesday, March 19, their next scheduled meeting in Bend.

Four or five final potential sites are currently under consideration, but they have not been publicly announced.

When the new library is constructed later in this decade, it will have about 8,000 square feet of floor space, tripling the present library's 2,600 square feet.

While the new city signs list Sisters population as 1,080, the larger service area for schools and postal service is over 10,000 people. With explosive growth in Central Oregon it is difficult to forecast service needs too far into the future.

Certainly, for those visiting the present library recently, the need for larger quarters is evident.

"This is a very exciting time," said Paul Bennett, Sisters Library Advisory Council Chairperson. "Our library makes a great contribution to so many people in the community. I use it on a daily basis but the present facility is limited spacewise. Also, there is not an adequate meeting room for groups to gather."

There are 126 library districts in Oregon and 20 are public districts with separate tax funding. This became possible in 1981 and DPLS was formed in 1999, separating from county funding, with branches in Bend, La Pine, Redmond, Sisters and Sunriver.

Michael Gaston is Library Director and is one of the four-member team that made their Sisters Library site selections to the DPLS Board. Also serving are Peg Bermel, Sisters Library Manager, Todd Dunkelberg, Redmond Library Manager and Tom Hogstad, District Facilities Manager.

The library today has many roles. Children's programs for pre-schoolers to teenagers are now offered. The library provides meeting facilities for craft demonstrations, music and informative talks offered by Friends of the Library.

Every day, local citizens use materials and assistance provided by reference librarians. A variety of newspapers and magazines are available for library use and checkout.

Almost 3,000 VHS video tapes are listed in the catalog and about 1,000 DVD movies are available for checkout. Audio books are also very popular.

Library computer use continues to increase with Internet use and e-mail retrieval proving quite popular. Computer classes are also planned for the Sisters Library branch.

An active library website is located at http://www.dpls.lib.or.us/ and offers reference materials, links to magazines and newspapers, renewal options and catalog holdings.