Library turns page for future, borrowing past.

Byline: Bob Welch The Register-Guard

When Eugene Public Library librarian Rob Everett arrived in June to become the new director of the Springfield Public Library, longtime patrons politely shared their vision for the future with him.

"`We love this library and we love the people who work here,' they told me. `Don't screw it up.'?"

So far, so good.

In this, the 100th year of the library's existence, Everett finds himself doing what he believes the library has been doing since it was founded in 1908: "pushing the boundaries and conserving the traditions at the same time."

In 2008, pushing the boundaries might mean providing more information in digitized form. And, he says, conserving the traditions might mean offering an author and music series like the one that continues tonight after a summer break.

On tap: Arizona author and humorist Laurie Notaro, author of "We Thought You Would Be Prettier" and "I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies)."

"A library should always be reflecting the culture and expanding it," he says. "I love that dynamic. A library is at its healthiest when there's that tension between the two. If you're doing one and not the other, there's no tension."

Thus, amid the mix of guest artists for the Centennial Author & Music Series will be Lauren Kess-ler of Eugene, author of the 2009 Oregon Reads selection "Stubborn Twig" (Oct. 21); and poets from the local chapter of the Oregon State Poetry Association, Gary Adams, Joy McDowell and Paula Lowden (Oct. 28).

To offer such "extras" - 7 p.m. and free of charge in the library meeting room - would have been unheard of 100 years ago, when the library was simply trying to get a foothold in the community.

Public donations of $65.10 got things started, with the state library association loaning 50 books for starters.

But, naturally, Springfield wanted its own. "All manner of plans were laid for raising money," says Crystal Fogle's history of the library, "the first of these projects being a bazaar which netted $53.67. Donations from local business firms and individuals were being received so Mrs. N.W. Emery (wife of the local dentist) agreed to canvass the city for `new subscribers' to the library. Mrs. Alice Kester (now Mrs. George Perkins) offered her services free of charge to act as librarian once each week, thus enabling the library to be open twice weekly."

Now, the Springfield Library offers 154,736 items - books, magazines, CDs, DVDs - and 24 Internet computer stations, reflecting that "pushing the boundaries" stuff. But when you hear how the centennial author and music series came about, you realize there's still a little of that "conserving the traditions" going on.

To wit: A retired librarian, Judy Harold, started working the phones until she had enough businesses to sponsor the series, which sounds a lot like what happened in 1908.

Then and now, goals are similar: "What we're really all about here is hooking up a person in the community with exactly what they need," says reference librarian Woody Dwinell, who's been on staff for 30 years. "Even if they don't know what they need."

Not long ago, a woman came in because her landlord was going to evict her. "We helped her find state laws to show her what her rights were," he says.

At 100, the library must now focus on the future, Everett says. "We're proud to honor the past, but as we look at Springfield and its energy to revitalize downtown, its national recognized medical center, its growth of neighborhoods to the east and its increase in Latino population, we need to figure ways to embrace that level of change."

And, meanwhile, to "not screw it up."

For more information on the Springfield Public Library, go to wheremindsgrow.com/.