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School board accepts bid for NHS construction
Dundee facing
shortage in police personnel
Newberg police
get grants to reduce crime, improve safety
A
dynasty ends,
another begins |
The Newberg Public Library says goodbye to
longtime children's librarian Sandi Olmstead |
By Gunnar Olson, Newberg Graphic
reporter
E-mail Gunnar at golson@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Sandi Olmstead has had to explain herself a lot lately.
On Oct. 6 Olmstead started as manager at Chapters Books in Newberg, leaving
behind a 20-year career at the Newberg Public Library. Her title there was youth services
manager, but she preferred to be called the children’s librarian. As implied, she
worked with kids.
Many of her youthful clientele have paid her a visit at Chapters, and often
an explanation of sorts is in order.
Once Olmstead had to explain to one pair of former library patrons that the
books she had were no longer for them to borrow. When they were new to the library, she
had had to explain that a library didn’t sell books but lent them; this time around
her message was reversed.
And often, Olmstead’s explanations to the kids have to do with her
career change.
“They sometimes think adults don’t make any changes,” she
said, explaining to them “it’s kind of like going from preschool to kindergarten
— it’s just a change.”
She said the kids understand that. Her explanation to adults is about the
same.
“I felt a sense of completion at the library,” she said. And just
at that time, she was offered the job at Chapters. She said she loved her job at the
library, and her move from the public sector to the private was prompted by nothing to the
contrary.
As way of thanking Olmstead for her 20 years of service, the library is
hosting a reception in her honor from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Refreshments will be served
and musician Anne Louise Sterry will provide entertainment.
“As a library, we’ll miss her greatly,” said Leah Griffith,
library director and Olmstead’s boss. “But we know she’ll do a great job in
her new endeavor.”
Griffith said Olmstead was in touch with the town.
“She’s very attuned to the community,” Griffith said,
“and can recognize its needs.”
The library saw many changes in Olmstead’s tenure. One of the first
things she did when she started was start a story time for kids. It grew from an
occasional occurrence 20 years ago to the present-day offerings: four story times for
different age groups, as well as book clubs for first- through fifth-grade students.
When the story time kicked off, there were by Olmstead’s estimate about
40 children who attended. This year there are roughly 1,000. According to the library,
during Olmstead’s tenure there was a 450 percent increase in program attendance and a
356 percent increase in the number of items checked out.
The collection of children’s literature, subsequently, grew by
“leaps and bounds,” Olmstead said. Because, she said, the community wanted
better books for its children.
But perhaps the favorite mark she left on the library is the collection of
“toddler totes.” These were the result of a characteristic Olmstead noticed in
her young patrons.
Kids, she said, much like adults, get passionate about different subjects
from week to week — about dinosaurs one week to boats the next. And when they’re
on their kicks, they want as much information on the subject as possible.
So, with a federal grant, she began the long process of putting together 150
backpacks full of material on such themes as spaceships and princesses. More were added as
the years passed, and there are now 180 toddler kits.
Olmstead said she felt some personal attachment to the kits, and struggled to
leave her brainchild in someone else’s care.
“Oh, no!” she mimicked the thought that went through head. “I
have to leave the toddler totes here.” |
|
From Oct. 15,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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