Photo gallery | Library’s Take Time to Read posters pop up in North Bend

Published 2:53 pm Friday, June 29, 2012

Above, Bank of America manager Jana Day shows off ‘Boy and the Moon,’ the business’s poster that’s part of a 20-stop reading tour in North Bend. Below, posters at Emerald City Smoothie, Twede’s Cafe and Si View Community Center.

North Bend insurance agent Hugh Reichenbach watched the legendary Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle play many times during his youth.

“He was always an idol,” says Reichenbach.

In 1981, an invitation for a Seattle meeting crossed Reichenbach’s desk that he initially threw away, and then reconsidered after learning that Mantle would be there. At the meeting, Reichenbach met and chatted with his idol for an hour, finding Mantle to be personable, just like the “guy next door.”

Reichenbach, of Farmers Insurance Agency, proudly displays a poster depicting a biography of Mantle, Jane Leavy’s book “The Last Boy,” on his building.

When Irene Wickstrom, the managing librarian for North Bend, Snoqualmie and Fall City, brought a binder of book covers for him as part of a new community reading promotion to look through, Reichenbach said, “go no further, I’ll take that one,” and pointed to Leavy’s book.

These posters are part of the King County Library System’s “Take Time to Read” program. This is North Bend’s first year involved in the program. Wickstrom invited every business with conducive walls to join, and hopes the success and enthusiasm of this year will persuade even more to join next time.

Looking at similar posters spread on businesses throughout North Bend, Hugh Reichenbach is proud to see so much support for reading.

“I am a strong supporter of the library system and the art of reading” he said.

Not only did the cover experience bring back memories, but it also expresses his values for the community.

Reichenbach said it’s important that children realize books will teach them a lot, and about things that they won’t see elsewhere.

Posters have slowly been making their way onto the walls of fifteen businesses, with brochures made available for those who want to participate in a treasure hunt to find all the North Bend posters, starting this month.

At North Bend Bank of America, manager Jana Day is always looking for ways to be involved in the community. She saw the tour as “a fun way for kids to be interested in reading.” Many staff members were intrigued by the poster, James Cristopher Carroll’s The Boy and the Moon, and really liked that they could be part of a fun community activity.

Another part of the program involves a book kiosk in many places, including the North Bend Les Schwab.

Alotgether, there are more than 260 book cover posters all over King County. Along with North Bend, you can also find them in Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Crossroads, Duvall, Issaquah, Kirkland, Kent, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Renton, Vashon and Woodinville. The posters will be up through the end of September.

For more information visit www.kcls.org/taketimetoread or visit a participating location.