The five-member Board of Trustees governs the Kitsap Regional Library System. Board members are volunteers who are appointed for five- year terms, with no trustee serving more than two consecutive terms. Kitsap County Commissioners appoints members of the KRL Board of Trustees to represent the five geographic regions of Kitsap County.

The KRL Board of Trustees sets policy for library services throughout the system. The Board holds an annual planning retreat where long-range budget, facilities, staffing and other services are discussed in an open forum. The Board also hires and holds accountable the Library Director, who oversees the library organization and day-to-day operations.

You are encouraged to attend the board’s monthly meetings and share your opinions, concerns and ideas.

Correspondence to the Board should be addressed to:

Board of Trustees
Kitsap Regional Library
1301 Sylvan Way
Bremerton, WA 98310

The actions of the KRL Board are governed by the Board of Trustees Bylaws

The Board of Trustees meetings are routinely held at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the branch listed below. The Board's two committees, Strategic and Long-Range Planning and Finance, meet every other month the hour before the regular board meeting. Please call Tammy Jeffries, Executive Assistant, at (360) 405-9158 for date and location verification.

Upcoming Scheduled Meetings of the KRL Board of Trustees:

• April 24, 2012, Port Orchard Branch
• May 22, 2012, Bainbridge Island Branch
• June 26, 2012, Kingston Branch
• July 24, 2012, Downtown Bremerton Branch
• August 28, 2012, Manchester Branch
• September 25, 2012, Silverdale Branch
• October 23, 2012, Poulsbo Branch
• November 27, 2012, Sylvan Way Branch
• December 18, 2012, Sylvan Way Branch

Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Click on a date to open or download a copy of the meeting agenda or minutes.

Reading Board agendas and minutes requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not already have a copy of Acrobat Reader on your computer, click here to download a free copy of the software.

The members of your Kitsap Regional Library Board of Trustees are:

John Lyall, Board President, Bremerton

I was raised on a large orange grove in Southern California where my family always made sure I had plenty of reading material. I have always been interested in libraries, and as an undergraduate at the University of California, Humboldt, I became a student assistant at the University Library. Libraries have always intrigued me, my experience there allowed me to help people and exposed me to areas I hadn’t considered before; it really broadened my learning experience.

I went on to earn a M.A. in English from California Western University, and a M.A. in Public Administration at the University of Puget Sound in 1976. I count myself very lucky to have spent 20 years as the personnel director at Seattle Public Library. It was an immensely rewarding experience and reinforced my view that libraries are exciting places to be.

I have been a Kitsap County resident for the past 18 years. I wanted to serve on the Kitsap Regional Library Board of Trustees because of my lifelong interest in libraries. I truly believe that libraries are committed to preserve and promote free access to information.

We need to let the general public know what libraries are, what they do, and all the services they provide. Libraries are amazing! They are so much more than books. Libraries are a portal to the world so much knowledge is at your fingertips with the amazing Research Databases available. And it’s available to everyone free of charge.

Highly Recommended Library Services: The e-resources that Kitsap Regional Library provides. E-information is the way to the future, and KRL is taking the lead in offering electronic services to Kitsap County. We are serving our communities today, and creating libraries for future generations.

Term ends Dec. 31, 2015

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Jackie Aitchison, Board Vice President, North Kitsap

I was born and raised in Bremerton, Washington. I am married, the mother of Chad and Kelly, and Grandma to Lexie, Bryce, Nicholas and Bradley. I served on the Poulsbo Planning Commission for three years and then on the City Council for twelve years. I serve on the Liberty Bay Foundation Board, the NK Fishline Board and am a Master Gardener. I am the Market Manager for the Poulsbo Farmers Market and the Program Director for the BI/NK YWCA A.L.I.V.E. program. I served for nine years on the City of Poulsbo Finance committee and bring my knowledge and experience in that area to the KRL Board of Trustees. As a Councilmember I was very involved in the formation of the Library Capital Facilities District that financed the renovation and expansion of the Poulsbo Library.

I believe Libraries are the heart of a community. Our Kitsap Regional Library system is top notch. Our libraries offer a wealth of information greater than books alone. I am grateful to be able to serve our community as a Board Trustee and to help ensure the Library system remains an integral part of our community.

As a child growing up in Bremerton my Dad would bring my sisters and me to the library on Monday evenings. Afterwards we would go to Dairy Queen. I have fond memories of our Monday evenings. My Dad fostered a love for books early on in my life.

One Holiday season, my children and I wanted to celebrate Hanukah as well as Christmas. We went to the library to acquire information about Hanukah. We found many books that included everything we could possibly want to know. The books included recipes, songs, games, the history of Hanukah, etc. It was great and enabled us to celebrate this Holiday.

Highly Recommended Library Services: The KRL website is fantastic. You can get a library card online. There are connections to local governments. You can access some great genealogy sites. You can also access the Department of Health for information about birth certificates and so much more. Check it out!

Term ends Dec. 31, 2013

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Dan Gottlieb, Bainbridge Island

I love libraries! I grew up surrounded by books. My family had thousands of them at home: classical literature, modern fiction, poetry, art, music, history, even cookbooks (my mother’s 2,000 volumes are now the nucleus of a culinary research collection at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College). What wasn’t available at home could be found at the local library, which I frequented. Needless to say, I started reading at an early age. I read constantly, which helped me earn my B.A. from Columbia University and my J.D. from Harvard Law School. I still read voraciously, both for business and for pleasure.

I am a lawyer with Gottlieb Fisher PLLC in Seattle. I have been in private practice for over 30 years. My practice focuses on public finance and municipal law, but I have a long-standing specific interest in Washington state and federal library law. This has permitted me to develop a statewide library law practice, and I have significant experience in advising many Washington public library districts, including KRL. I hope this professional experience working with other libraries around the state will bring a valuable perspective to the Board.

My family and I have lived on Bainbridge Island since 1989. My wife, Marilynn, is an artist. We have two daughters: Gwendolyn, who attends UW Medical School, and Rebecca, who is a student at Western Washington University. All of us are longtime patrons of KRL’s Bainbridge Island branch, which is one of the crown jewels of our community.

I heartily support KRL’s mission to serve the community as a center for lifelong learning and a steward of access to stories, information and knowledge. But it is the role of KRL’s libraries as central informational hubs in their communities that excites me most. In addition to serving as gateways for access to information and ideas, public libraries are the foundation of our democratic society, providing neutral forums for the presentation and discussion of important community issues.

Term ends Dec. 31, 2016

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Gail Mathison, South Kitsap

I have always been an enthusiastic reader and a lover of libraries. As a young girl in the midwest, visiting the library and checking out books was a highlight of my childhood. I was a "flashlight under the covers" reader and loved the fabulous adventures that I could participate in while reading great books. My high school job was in the Minot Public Library where I served as a page and bookmobile librarian. Fond memories abound about those early library days.

Later as an educator in Kitsap County I have been a strong proponent of literacy and libraries. Many of life's greatest experiences begin in the library.

I am a retired educator. I was a teacher and administrator for many years in South Kitsap and ended my career as an administrator in Bremerton - Principal of Kitsap Lake Elementary School. After that career, I served others with Western Washington University as an instructor and supervisor of future teachers. I am now retired from education and love serving on the KRL Board of Trustees and helping my grandchildren (and others) become wonderful literate people.

Term ends Dec. 31, 2012

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Teresa McDermott, Central Kitsap

I have called Kitsap County home since moving here in 1978 with my husband. We have three children; our youngest will graduate from high school this year.

As an Educational Administrator at Olympic College, I oversee the Cooperative Education and Internship Program, whose mission is to assist students with "connecting education to work"? by participating in work-based learning experiences related to their major for academic credit. I have more than 20 years of marketing and project management experience. Over the years, I have enjoyed collaborating and establishing partnerships with businesses, schools and organizations to promote education and employment opportunities. To this end, I have co-published a community newspaper, the Kitsap Chronicle.

Originally, from Cleveland, Ohio, my first recollection of going to a library is one of great excitement. I would walk to the library with my sister and cousins instead of taking the city bus, saving our pocket money to buy a treat on the way home. We loved to read about far away places and used our imaginations to take adventures that were not in the family budget.

Libraries have always been, and continue to provide us all with a wealth of information and resources. I believe in the mission of Kitsap Regional Library, and value the contributions libraries make in the areas of education and literacy. More specifically, I am extremely impressed and excited about the literacy efforts the library is working on with the school districts.

Highly Recommended Library Services: I encourage others to explore the Research Databases available at today's modern library. It is easier than ever to use library resources, thanks to online access. For those without access to a computer, the Library has them for you.

Term ends Dec. 31, 2014

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