There are activities going on inside and outside of your local library. Here is this month’s update.

Summer Reading

The children’s summer reading program is in full swing. Children’s specialist Katryna Barber has been providing a variety of ocean themed programs and encouragement for children to keep reading throughout the summer months.

The next summer program on the schedule is sea life mural painting at the library 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 30. Looking for something new to read? Check out the list of ocean themed books provided as part of the summer reading sign up packet.

Bird Watching Backpack and Discover Passes

These beautiful summer days are great for exploring the picturesque parks in our area, and observing the many species of birds which reside here. Check out one of our Discover Passes and use it to park for free in one of our many state parks. Check out our birding backpack and enjoy identifying local bird species. Grab a book on local flora and fauna, and your weekend plans are complete.

Construction Update

Highly visible progress can be seen at the site of the new La Conner Swinomish Library at 614 Morris Street. The parking lot and the sidewalks are complete. The storypole was installed and blessed by Swinomish Master Carver, Kevin Paul. The landscaping team has been hard at work. We anticipate completion of the library interior work in August. We will then close for a time while we move in and move the collection.

Landscaping

Landscaping with native plants at the new library site was a big success, thanks to a crew of volunteers who made it happen over the past few weeks. It was an amazing community effort!

Tiger Construction recently installed the irrigation system and brought in a soil mix that was donated by John Roozen, Washington Bulb and Nick Cecotti, Lefeber Turf Farm.

A mix of almost 300 native plants as specified in the building plan included vine maples contributed by Jim Barborinas, Urban Forest Nursery, and a mix of evergreen huckleberry, tall Oregon grape, salal, swordfern and low Oregon grape.

Once the plants were secured, a team of volunteers was organized to carry out the planting plan.

Many thanks to Dave Buchan (husband of Library Foundation director Susan Macek) for coordinating the entire process over the past several weeks.

He picked up the trees and shrubs, prepped the beds for plant placement, laid weed cloth, planted, mulched, watered and recruited a wonderful group of volunteers to plant and mulch the trees and shrubs.

Hats off and a big thank you to Al Call, Bruce Lindsay, Katryna and Craig Barber, Kathy and Larry Nelson, Nancy Crowell, Ruth Sutton, Sarah Eskenazi, Pat Hoover, Chris Howard and Lynel Westby.

Many of these volunteers are affiliated with the Skagit County Master Gardeners Program at WSU. Local mulch from the Town was provided by Scott Thomas, town administrator.

Moving the Books

As soon as we have completion dates for the interior work on the library, we will announce sign-ups are available to assist with moving the collection. All the books and other materials need to be relocated to the new space and we are inviting all interested to participate. Volunteers will be able to sign up for times to move book carts full of items to the new library. Anyone who does not want to wait for the schedule to be announced is welcome to call the library and leave your contact information in advance. Parents and children are welcome and will be assigned to a book cart as a team. We will call when the dates are available.