Secretary of State visits Camas

Secretary of State Kim Wyman made a stop at an iconic Camas landmark Tuesday: Its public library.

The Secretary of State’s office oversees Washington’s public library system, and Wyman, an avid reader, likes to schedule library visits whenever possible.

“We try to travel and do community visits during the year and see how things are going,” Wyman said Tuesday. “I’d like to partner with local libraries and see if there are ways we can provide better service to patrons.”

The Secretary noted that the book Charlotte’s Web is what helped her develop a love of reading as a young girl.

“Before, I hated to read because it was hard to retain the knowledge I needed to pass the test and continue to the next level in school,” she said. “That book changed everything for me.”

Wyman’s favorite genre is fiction, and the 55-year-old Republican Secretary says she loves anything by author Tom Clancy.

During her tour of the Camas Library, Wyman spoke with Library Director Connie Urquart and Support Assistant Christopher Knipes about a “passport to literacy program,” which would encourage people to get a “passport,” visit various libraries across the state, and find unique and interesting facts about each one — sort of like a library scavenger hunt.

“I am totally on board with something like that,” Urquart said. “We hear from patrons who go on road trips and will visit other libraries.”

Wyman also met with community leaders in Vancouver before heading back to Olympia later in the day.