Cd'A has state's top library
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Susan Thorpe reads to a group of preschool children Wednesday at the Coeur d'Alene Library during one of the facilities children's afternoon activities.</p>
The Coeur d'Alene Public Library was named "Library of the Year" Thursday by the Idaho Library Association at its fall conference in Pocatello.
According to Library Director Bette Ammon who accepted the award at the conference, "The award is conferred upon any Idaho public library, library system, or library network for distinguished achievement in service."
"We are a library of excellence in a city of excellence," she said.
Kathleen Sayler, president of the Library Board of Trustees, said the community of Coeur d'Alene values its library tremendously.
"They are so pleased with the architectural beauty of the building, its functional design, and the way it showcases the natural beauty just outside our doors," she said as part of the application for the award. "The community really stepped up to add beautiful features that make the library outstanding for everyone. The puppet theatre, the craft room, the community room where our larger events are held, the sound system with portable mics, the filming capabilities; they are all additions to our library made possible by special gifts beyond our construction costs.
"Whether it is a musical performance, a Smithsonian exhibit, an author presentation, or an art exhibit, we are so very grateful to have the space for these creative offerings that were not possible in our old facility."
The Coeur d'Alene Public Library was founded in 1905 following a reception by the Coeur d'Alene Women's Club in Blackwell (now City) Park where they collected 235 books and several magazine subscriptions. Later that year the first library was set up on three shelves in the E.B. Keller and Co. grocery store near Fourth Street and Sherman Avenue. The library operated three days a week.
From those beginnings the library collection grew and was moved to various locations over the years including the Exchange Bank building, now the location of Java on Sherman; to the second floor of the old City Hall on Sherman; to a building donated by the Ralph S. and Jeanette Nelson family, at Seventh Street and Lakeside Avenue; and then to the former GTE office on Harrison Avenue.
In 2005 a supermajority of city voters approved a $3 million bond issue for a new library as the Coeur d'Alene Public Library Foundation collected donations and pledges totaling nearly $3 million. In 2007 the library moved to the first building actually designed to be a library with a dedication for the $6.5 million on Sept. 9 of that year.
The former library site now houses the multi-agency HELP Center managed by St. Vincent DePaul that rents the building from the city.
A joint project of the Foundation, the city of Coeur d'Alene, and the Lake City Development Corp., library was designed by Architects West and was constructed over a 14-month period by Leone and Keeble Construction.
The 38,5000-square-foot facility houses the main library on its upper floor and the Seagraves Children's Library, the Community Room, two smaller meeting rooms, the Parkside Gallery and work areas on the lower level. The library has a collection of about 70,000 books, audiobooks, music CDs, and DVDs. As a partner in the Cooperative Information Network the library provides patrons access to more than 400,000 items from the 28 libraries in the group.