The year was 1962. John F. Kennedy was president, a gallon of gas cost 31 cents, and the country's best-selling novel was "Ship of Fools" by Katherine Anne Porter. The Arlington Library, which had opened just the year before in 1961, joined together with eleven other libraries to form the Snohomish County Rural Library District. In its first year people borrowed over 900,000 books, records and films from the new library system.

Fifty years later, the Sno-Isle Library system has grown to 21 branches, providing programs and services and lending 9.5 million books, CDs, DVDs and ebooks to customers of all ages in Snohomish and Island Counties.

"As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Sno-Isle Libraries, the Arlington Library is collecting stories and other items for a time capsule that will be sealed at our open house event next October," said managing librarian Kathy Bullene. "Community members could win a $50 cash prize from the Friends of the Arlington Library if they submit a favorite library story, memory, or prediction for what the library might look like in the future."

Entry forms are available at the library, located at 135 N. Washington Ave, and on the Arlington Friends of the Library webpage at http://www.sno-isle.org/?ID=1275.

The time capsule, containing selected entries, will be sealed at the Arlington Library's 50th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, October 13, and will be re-opened in 2022 in recognition of Sno-Isle's 60th anniversary.

For more information, contact managing librarian Kathy Bullene at (360) 435-3033 or kbullene@sno-isle.org.

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