This letter from Timberland Regional Library’s Fall, 2010 mailer to patrons is printed here with permission:

Michael Crose, the Timberland Regional Library Districts (TRL) Interim Director, was promoted this summer to Library Director following an intensive interview process. He had been serving in that capacity since October 2009.

As TRLs Library Director Crose is responsible for managing all aspects of the multi-county rural library district, which includes 27 libraries, five cooperative library centers and four kiosks.
Previously, he served as TRLs Manager of Administrative Services since 2006 and Assistant Director of Management Services from 1980 to 1994.

Mr. Crose is a graduate of Central Washington University with a B.A.in Business Administration and Economics as well as a Masters Degree in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College. The library of today blends high-tech tools with our traditional high-touch services.
A library is not just about whats on the shelf, its about the people in that library becoming more informed as they build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities.
From computer stations with Internet access to downloadable movies, music, audio books and eBooks, the library remains the commons of its community, remarked Crose.

The public library will continue to reach out and form partnerships in our five counties that best serve the public and our mission to improve literacy by connecting with schools, literacy and early learning groups, theater groups, museums, businesses and others, Crose said. For example, the library partnered with Northwest Pediatrics in Centralia for Reach Out and Read, a day of early learning and reading activities in the park across from the Centralia Timberland Library.

Crose said, I look forward to collaborating over the next year with staff and patrons to form TRLs strategic plan and long-range objectives. Ill be considering alternative ways to provide services besides library buildings, which take great investments of time and money. One possibility is expanding TRL kiosks into malls, coffee shops, grocery stores and other high traffic spaces.

Your public library serves the unique needs of every community by bringing people and information together and providing equal access to information for all, said Crose, Ill see you at the library.

Ed. Note:
Director Crose gave a frank interview on the status of the Yelm Library with the Yelm Community Blog on September 3, 2010.

A follow-up interview with readers’ questions and a response to Mayor Harding’s local newspaper column on the local library is forthcoming.