FVRLibraries is celebrating 75 years as a library district! In 1950, Executive Director Eva Santee united Vancouver Public Library and Clark County Libraries into the new Fort Vancouver Regional Library District. Skamania County joined in 1952, and libraries at that time were in Battle Ground, Fruit Valley, McLoughlin Heights, Stevenson, Vancouver, and Washougal. In the following years, libraries were added, some were consolidated, and Klickitat County and the cities of Goldendale and Woodland joined us. Today we operate 15 libraries and two bookmobiles in four counties.
To celebrate, we’ll be offer special programming throughout the year. Beginning on April 6, pick up an FVRLibraries Road Trip Passport and explore our libraries and communities with a possibility to win a prize. We’re also offering an opportunity to design our anniversary edition library cards. Learn more about our celebrations on our anniversary page.
In the spirit of celebrating our communities, here are some fiction and nonfiction books set locally in Clark County.
- Urban trails: Vancouver, WA: Longview, Battle Ground, Camas, Yacolt Burn State Forest by Craig Romano. (Nonfiction) Perfect for walkers, runners, and cyclists of all fitness levels. Features trails in Clark and Cowlitz Counties.
- Haunted Vancouver, Washington by Pat Jollota. (Nonfiction) Home to the first operating airfield in the United States, Vancouver’s seen triumphs and tragedies by air, land, and sea. Shadows haunt the courthouse and voices echo through empty barracks. Ghostly army mules are spotted near their old barn, and a decades-old plane crash is sometimes visible again. Author and historian Pat Jollota uncovers the fascinating stories behind the unexplainable.
- Night kill by Ann Littlewood. (Fiction) Iris Oakley, a young zookeeper at the Finley Memorial Zoo in Vancouver, Washington, hopes to reconcile with her newly sober husband, Rick. But then he is found dead (and dead drunk) in the lion exhibit.
- Having a great crime—wish you were here: a Sandi Webster mystery by Marja McGraw. (Fiction) In the small farming community of Battle Ground, Washington in 1936, actress Bonnie Singleton is the victim in an unsolved murder. Many years later when Sandi Webster-Goldberg and her husband visit a new bed and breakfast there, the owner asks for their help. She doesn't want her business to be known as the local haunted house—and once again Sandi is on a cold case.
- Sparked by love by Peggy Bird. (Fiction) Shannon works for the City of Vancouver and is trying to plan the Fourth of July celebration at Fort Vancouver, but a fussy artist is getting in her way. Leo sees his big break ahead with the installation of his glass art at the Fort’s Independence Day festivities, but a crabby bureaucrat at the city is getting in his way. Sparks are destined to fly.
Library tip of the month: We’ve partnered with Washington’s Consumer Protection Division to offer a virtual series of programs on scam prevention, filing a consumer complaint, cybersecurity, and AI (artificial intelligence) safety. They are available to view at libraries or online. Find a schedule on our events calendar. Call 360-906-5000 for assistance.
