Library Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Groundbreaking with Enhanced Landscape

 From Margaret Payne

Twenty years ago, June 20, 1992, Orcas Islanders broke ground for the construction of a new library on the Rose Street bluff, overlooking Eastsound. The 6,000-square-foot building was the fulfillment of a dream that began in 1949 with a few shelves of donated books at the Madrona Club.  When the “library” outgrew that space, it spread across the island, occupying shelves at stores and post offices, with clerks and post-office employees acting as “librarians.”  In 1956, a dedicated building was constructed on Main Street on land donated by Mrs. Fred Meyer, owner of the Outlook Inn.  In typical island fashion, the first library was funded by donations of money, time, talent and materials.

During 2013, the Orcas Island Library will celebrate its 20^th anniversary in its current building. This summer and fall, the groundbreaking and construction period are being recognized with an enhancement of the library landscape.  Like any living organism, the plantings of twenty years ago have been altered by the vicissitudes of time and weather.  Some plants have outgrown their site; others have failed to thrive; and more recent, arbitrary plantings have compromised the original design.

Supported by grants from the Friends of the Orcas Island Library ($2,500) and The Orcas Island Garden Club ($500), and by donations from local businesses, including Lorna Vester of Driftwood Nursery and Emily Aring of KaBloom Landscaping, Trustee Margaret Payne, “Friends” President, former Trustee and long-time volunteer, Pierrette Guimond, and Emily are enhancing the landscape with new plantings.

The philosophical foundation of the enhanced landscape is both aesthetic and ethical:  to make the library grounds as beautiful as possible, using as much volunteer time and donations as possible, with a focus on plants that are deer- and drought-resistant and are beneficial to birds, bees, butterflies, and humans. The long-term goal is to create a garden that is lively, lovely and learner-centered, a resource for islanders who want to learn more about the special conditions for gardening on Orcas Island.

At the moment, the new plants are immature, but by next summer, when the library celebrates its anniversary with a community picnic, they should be buzzing with insect, avian, and human interest.