Roughly 200 people gathered Friday evening to dedicate the newly remodeled Freeland Library and remember the woman who made it all possible.
Remodeled with an additional 1,300 square feet, the heart of the library lies in the updated children’s room named for Bettie Bell, Freeland’s first librarian.
Bell first brought books to Freeland by opening a portion of her dress shop for library shelves, and she was honored during the celebration hosted by the Friends of the Freeland Library.
The evening event was the official re-opening celebration, dedication and silent art auction to raise funds for Friends.
A special feature was the unveiling of a beautiful window to the children’s room, made of fused glass by artist Jerry Hill. The artwork salutes Bell, whose hard work brought the library from a closet space in her store to the beautiful and busy building it is today. The window has a book open with Bettie Bell’s name on the binding.
“She was a community treasure,” said Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory, director of Sno-Isle Libraries.
Judy Engman, Bell’s friend and the first president of Friends of the Freeland, told the crowd that Bell’s mission in life was to establish a library in Freeland.
“It seemed like an impossible dream, but Bettie was tenacious,” Engman said.
From 1975 to 1989, the library’s collection of fiction and non-fiction books, magazines and videos shared lodging with sweaters, scarves and dresses in Bettie B’s Apparel Shop in Freeland.
During pre-school storytime, children used the ladies dressing room for seating space.
Bell believed in supporting children because they are tomorrow’s leaders, parents and library users. Some of her fondest memories were of times spent in libraries, both as an adult and as a child.
Today’s children room includes child-size chairs and tables and a computer station for pre-schoolers loaded with age-appropriate software.
Two of Bell’s three children, son Bruce Bell of Freeland and daughter, Lois Tuller of Kennewick, unveiled the window dedicated to their mother.
“She believed in getting books to people,” Bruce Bell said.
Fifty-five works of art were donated by local artists for a silent auction to raise money for Friends of the Freeland Library.
