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Sandpoint Idaho-Library book passing spans generations
By: BEN SILVERMAN - Staff writer
3/31/2000
SANDPOINT - Under crisp blue skies, several generations of Sandpoint residents formed a human chain across the city linking the old library with the new.
SANDPOINT- Under crisp blue skies, several generations of Sandpoint
residents formed a human chain across the city linking the old library with the new.
"How do I feel?" said Library District Director Wayne Gunter. "Excited! This is a perfect day for this."
The symbolic book passing from the old facility on Second and Alder to the new library on Cedar and Division was held Thursday, more than 32 years
after the Sandpoint High School class of 1968 helped the library move from a small room above City Hall to the now defunct building.
"It's kind of sad leaving the old library," said Pat Ramsey, president of the Friends of the Library. "The new building is so stunning though that
we'll get over it soon enough."
Residents and hundreds of students from five of the city's schools lined up along Cedar Street as the first book, "The Autobiography of Ben Franklin"
was passed along to the new building almost a mile away. The next books passed were by local authors; Sandy Compton's "Jason's Passage," "Singing in
my Chains" by Carol Jean Rose and a book by Ron McFarland.
As the fifteen books passed out of the city and into the quiet residential area of Cedar Street, school children sat curbside squirming in anticipation
as some of their teachers read to them from story books. Brook Edy, a third-grade student from Farmin-Stidwell Elementary, said she
liked the new library.
"I saw part of the inside of it because my friend lives by there," she said with a nervous giggle. "I like it because it's bigger and has 100
computers."
At the new Library, the class of 1968 waited in line to complete a new cycle of life for the district. At the entrance sat Regina Mosher, who
passed the first book into the Second Avenue library some 32 years ago.
"I'm excited about this one the same as I was excited about the other one," Mosher said. "I'm happy because it will serve more people. The old library
seemed so big when they gave us the keys, but we filled it up pretty
quickly. Now we have a new space to fill up."
Mosher's husband sat nearby and remembered the old Jefferson Elementary School he attended in the 1920's that sat on the current library site. He
said he was glad the site was being used for a good cause and agreed the new building will be good for years to come.
Sandpoint Mayor Paul Graves praised the more practical side of the new building.
"I think the best part is we won't have to go down the aisles sideways anymore," he said. "This is a wonderful addition to the community, it will
certainly be used."
Mosher, the holder of the first library card issued in 1975, collected the final book to be passed and the crowd broke out in applause. The new library
officially opens on April 8 at 10 a.m.
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