Woodinville Library is turning 13 and to mark the occasion, the Friends of the Library are planning to host an open house.

“We hope the community will come to help us celebrate this anniversary,” says Marcia Seip, secretary of the Woodinville Friends of the Library. “We’re going to have birthday cake and refreshments and Woodinville resident and award-winning children’s author David Patneaude will be there, as well as the Timbercrest Junior High School String Quartet.”

Patneaude is a nationally acclaimed author of suspense books (“Someone Was Watching,” “Thin Wood Walls,” “Deadly Drive”) for readers, ages 10 to 14.

Patneaude will have his books available for sale and children may also bring their personal copies for autographing. Patneaude will be on hand to discuss his writing style and writing techniques with interested individuals.

“The Woodinville Library is a treasure in our community, with a wealth of programs available to all,” comments Managing Librarian Laura Boyes, “and it continues to be a source of enrichment for everyone in the area.”

Boyes notes that there have been changes over the past years in the library, as the number of patrons served continues to rise.

She says, “There are now approximately 16,000 people coming into the library on average each month. They come for a number of reasons, ranging from checking out books and other materials to doing research and accessing the computers.

“We have kids coming in for homework help, and also parents and their young children come to participate in the variety of children’s programs we have here. In addition, the library holds a number of performances and cultural activities which draw people and it serves as a meeting place for several community groups.”

Boyes is relatively new to the library, having replaced Don Julian, the previous managing librarian who retired last year, but she notes that during the time she has been at Woodinville, the number of items checked out has increased.

She adds, “Last year, 462,000 items were checked out. We are still seeing heavy use of our book collection, despite the reliance on technology. Books continue to be the main attraction even though computer usage has definitely risen.”

Boyes is most proud of the way her staff interacts with patrons to help them take advantage of the library’s resources. She is also happy with the library’s open access to computers.

“For some people,” she says, “the library is their only or best access to computers, so it’s important to be able to fill this need.”

In the near future, there will be an early literacy center at Woodinville Library, created for parents who want to help their young children with pre-reading skills. There will be interactive stations providing information and hands-on activities that parents can access.

“We have been focusing on early literacy for awhile,” explains Boyes, “and we even do outreach in the community to talk with parent groups and daycare providers about the importance of starting with children when they’re very young.

“But, with a center at the library, people can come in and access materials on their own. Of course, a librarian will always be available for assistance if needed.”

For Boyes, the library faces several of the same challenges all libraries do currently, mainly limited funding. She feels that the library must try and make the best use of available funds to keep up with the demand for services and materials, while balancing staffing needs.

The library recently received new carpeting and future goals include moving the collection around to provide easier access and allow more space for people to read.

The Woodinville Library Birthday Open House will be held Sunday, March 12, from 2-4 p.m.