Story Digest

Read about how you can submit your own story. What's Your Story?

The Family That Skypes Together, Stays Together

We have a family that frequents our library. One of their older boys is away in California and the other day was his birthday. The father asked us for help installing Skype on his laptop. We quickly showed him how to sign up and he walked away in awe at how simple it was.

Shortly after, I heard "Happy Birthday" being sung from our meeting room. I looked over to see the mom and dad and four of the siblings gathered around the laptop, singing! With closer inspection, I was able to see their son's smiling face on the screen and even wish him a "happy birthday" myself. I was so thrilled to see this family "gathering" and had to smile at this clever application of technology.

The library remains a center for people, ideas, and culture; a place where families can congregate, even if it means using our high-speed Wi-Fi to do so. His mom's only complaint was that she wasn't able to hug him through the computer.

Asheley Bryson, Public Service Assistant, Darrington Library

Love of Learning Becomes a Family Tradition

I homeschooled my three children for seven years, and I could not have been successful without the help of the Lynnwood Library. This privilege has helped me to instill a love of learning, as well as a love for the written word, in my children. It is something I will always treasure.

Michele, Lynnwood Library customer

License to Learn

A few years ago I spent a lot of time in the Snohomish Library studying for a state licensing exam. The quiet and inspirational atmosphere proved conducive for learning, because I passed the exam!

Jon, Snohomish Library customer

Veterans Benefit

Artist and fly fisherman Bob Banks taught a fly tying class at the Marysville Library. Three people attended. Unsuccessful event? Not in the slightest.

One attendee, John, had flown in from Missouri to visit his brother-in-law. John had a unique interest in this library program: he works with disabled veterans and he had heard about a device which enables people to tie fishing flies with just one hand. The device, called the 'Evergreen Hand,' was designed right here in Washington by Bob's assistant, Jesse Scott.

When John had the opportunity to spend the two-hour library event experimenting with the Evergreen Hand, he was delighted! He kept exclaiming, "I can't believe I'm getting to use this!"

Jesse had one more piece of good news for John: he told John to go ahead and take the device back to Missouri to use with veterans there. When John heard that, "the smile that split John's face is something I will never forget!" says Mark Barnett of the Marysville Library.

Mark goes on, "Getting to be a partial catalyst in helping people halfway across the country in a way I could never have imagined gives me one more reason to be thankful for my profession and the variety of services Sno-Isle provides."

No Age Limit for Learning New Things

There have been times in my life when I haven't been able to buy the books I want, so libraries have been a way to deal with my problems, going places I have never been and learning new things even at 60 years of age. Libraries are pathways to learning and fun.

Annette, Lake Stevens Library customer