Celebrity readers help highlight library’s needs

Fred Dole reads to children Tuesday at the Asotin Co. Library.

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Story Published: Jan 5, 2010 at 10:13 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jan 5, 2010 at 10:13 PM PDT

By Stephanie Smith

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CLARKSTON - Asotin County's top law enforcement officer shared a love for reading with kids Tuesday.

Sheriff Ken Bancroft along with Lewiston Civic Theater music director Fred Dole, read books to pre-schoolers at the Asotin County Library.

It's part of the library's Learn and Play program that meets each week.

Also at the library, they are preparing for a special election in February to support programs like the one happening Tuesday.

"What we are asking for is a levy lid lift, which would bring our levy rate up to 50 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value," said Asotin County Library Director Jennifer Ashby.

Ashby said if passed, the levy would bring $160,000 into the library budget.

"We've cut back on materials, books 39 percent, magazines, 29 percent," said Ashby. "There's been a hiring freeze since September 2008 and we've lost two employees in that time."

Ashby said it's important to support the library, especially during tough economic times.

"Computer use is up 22 percent since the start of the economic downturn and the number of people coming through the door is up 90 percent," said Ashby. "People can come here to get free videos, free books, if they've been unable to keep their Internet access going at home, they can come here and use the computer. So there a lot of things that during tough economic times they cant afford, they can get through their library."

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