3/30: Cornelius presents the Art of Fly Tying

Cornelius Public Library is pleased to present a demonstration and discussion on fly tying, Tuesday, March 30, at 5:30 PM.

Join local fly tying expert, Brian Blihovde, as he presents about fly fishing and talks shop about the basic styles, techniques, tools and materials for fly tying.

Learn a new hobby or improve your current skills!

Cornelius Public Library is located at 1355 N Barlow Street, next to the Fire Station.

Washington County Library Use Surpasses Record Statewide Growth

The Oregon State Library recently reported that statewide library book, CD, and DVD checkouts grew more than 7% in 2009.

WCCLS achieved an amazing 16% increase in item checkouts in 2009. Washington County Libraries have seen double-digit increases in almost every measure of use over the last two years.

Let's look at the numbers, shall we?

10,553,359	total number of books and other materials checked out by WCCLS patrons in 2009 (equal to 2,680 books per hour or more than 28,913 per day)
5,340,443	total website visits to wccls.org (about 14,917 per day)
3,855,731	total number of visitors to WCCLS member libraries in the last fiscal year (nearly 11,000 per day)
172,971	total attendance at library sponsored children’s programs in the past fiscal year (about 480 per day)
41,444	number of new patrons registered for library cards in 2009 (about 116 per day)
24,783	number of children and teens participated in the 2009 Summer Reading Program (an increase of 56% over the last five years

WCCLS libraries stretch funding to meet local needs and rise in demand

"WCCLS member libraries provide quality service to the more than 280,000 Washington County library patrons, even while experiencing tremendous growth in use," reports WCCLS Director Eva Calcagno.

"The 2006 WCCLS local option levy allowed libraries to restore reduced open hours, rebuild book budgets and meet demand for childrens' and adult library programs. Extended open hours, book budgets and library programs are contributing to the surge in library use."

Tax Help and Tax Forms

photo by "Cowboy" Ben Alman

UPDATED 2/12/2010
Need some tax help? Or some federal tax forms? Your WCCLS library may be able to help.

Currently five WCCLS libraries are pairing with AARP volunteers to offer tax assistance. Here are the details:

Beaverton City Library

• By appointment only
• Sign up for appointments while visiting the library

Hillsboro Main Library

• Walk-ins only. No appointments.
• Mondays and Tuesdays, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM
• Last walk-in, 7:15 PM

Hillsboro Shute Park

• Wednesdays and Fridays 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
• Appointments only, sign up in person at library
• Walk-ins accepted if time permits, before 3 PM

Tigard

• By appointment only. Call (503) 684-6537 for appointments.
• Saturdays, starting February 6th, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM

Tualatin Public Library

• by appointment only, call (503) 691-3072
• for taxpayers with low- and moderate-income, especially those age 60 and older
• Saturdays, February 6–April 10, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM

Other AARP Tax Aid in Washington County
see http://www.aarp.org/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.do, and search by zip code or by county.

Free Federal Online Filing
The IRS has links to various free file software companies. This service is free to anyone whose adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less in 2009.

The online application is available 24/7. It asks you simple questions and puts your answers on the right forms. It then checks the math. You'll get an IRS confirmation within 48 hours, and your refund in as soon as 10 days.

Federal (and State of Oregon) Tax Forms
Common federal tax forms are available at:

• Beaverton City Library
• Cornelius Public Library
• Forest Grove City Library
• Hillsboro Main Library
• Hillsboro Shute Park Library
• Sherwood Public Library
• Tigard Public Library
• Tualatin Public Library
• West Slope Public Library

Most WCCLS libraries also have federal reproducible forms available.

Oregon Department of Revenue, because of the State's budget problems, has decided to send no personal income tax forms to Oregon public libraries in 2010.

State of Oregon personal income tax forms are available at some post offices as well as online, but not at Washington County Libraries (except West Slope Library, which got a few boxes of personal income tax forms from the post office).

If you prepared your taxes last year, you should have received your State of Oregon tax booklet in the mail.

WCCLS libraries will have State of Oregon forms available to print out or copy for a nominal fee.

3/5: Hillsboro hosts Northwest Nature Guide author

Hillsboro Public Library is pleased to present an author visit with James Davis.

Davis, author of The Northwest Nature Guide and Wild in the city : a guide to Portland's natural areas will share his best wildlife watching opportunities on Friday, March 5 at 7 PM.

From fall salmon runs, to wintering waterfowl and raptors, The Northwest Nature Guide offers more than 150 best bets for wildlife adventures year round in the Northwest. Davis will share his original slides of, and tips for, the best PNW wildlife watching opportunities in every season.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase after the presentation.

Hillsboro Main Library is located at 2850 NE Brookwood Parkway, north of Cornell & Airport Roads.

2/22-28: Food for Fines at Beaverton City Library

The Beaverton City Library is partnering with the Oregon Food Bank to provide Food for Fines Week from Monday, February 22nd through Sunday, February 28th.

Up to $10.00 in fines on library accounts may be paid off by donating one on-perishable food item for each $1.00 in fines. Donated food items should be brought to the Circulation Desk at the Library at 12375 SW 5th Street in Beaverton.

Food donations may be used towards the payment of fines only and may not be used to pay replacement or processing fees for lost or damaged items. For further information, please call the Library at 503-644-2197.

Featured Resources — Academic OneFile and General OneFile

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! We've recently added two huge databases of general interest magazines and scholarly journals for your reading pleasure. Search for specific topics or browse through tables of contents. Set up an account and be alerted when new stories on your topics are published.

See peer-reviewed, full-text academic articles in Academic OneFile. And in General OneFile find news and periodical articles on computers, current events, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, politics, sports, technology, and just about anything you can think of. Just a couple magazine titles are National Geographic, Better Homes and Gardens, and Macworld. Find these and more.

Check out the Academic OneFile and General OneFile with your WCCLS library card handy.