By Terry Murphy
The Bainbridge Island Library neon Open signs are getting rave reviews. Now, instead of having to drive up to the front door to check hours, people can simply drive by. According to Lois Reitz, board member of Friends of the Library, cutbacks in library hours caused some confusion. Better signage has been on the library agenda for a long time. “We discussed it for several years, and then the light bulb went on,” said Gail Christensen, public supervisor for the library. The Bainbridge Community Foundation (BCF) funded the signs. They were installed in November 2012 above the front door on Madison Avenue and in a window fronting High School Road.
Since its inception, BCF has contributed more than $3.7 million to causes important to the Bainbridge community. Jim Hopper, executive director for BCF, believes the library grant was a perfect fit. “There has been a reduction in complaints about limited hours and many appreciative comments since the installation of the signs,” Hopper said. Emi Letson, an island mom, has another reason to celebrate the signs. As she and her four-year-old son, Ian, waited in the lobby for the library to open, she pointed at him and said, “He’s learned how to spell open.” “I like it,” Ian chimed in. Judging from the public’s response, Ian speaks volumes.
