Looking at his father's name, etched on a plaque on the wall of the Port Angeles Library, Lynn Emery thought the memorial was missing something.

That something was his mother's name.

Lee and Beth Emery, Lynn's parents, bequeathed a substantial donation to the Sequim Library branch in their will in 2001. The donation was never officially recognized, other than a plaque that was hung months later.

"I ran across the plaque while I was visiting the Port Angeles Library and I thought, 'My mother should be on that plaque and it should be hanging in Sequim,'" Emery said while sitting in the Sequim Library meeting room. "I don't frequent the Sequim Library because I live in Port Angeles, but when I'm here I always see a lot of people truly interested in the library, just like my parents were."

North Olympic Library System director Paula Barnes said she wanted to have a proper recognition of the donation to show how the library system has changed within the past year.

"One of the changes I saw to right away was to give donors the ability to dedicate a donation in which way they found necessary," Barnes said, indicating donations all went into a general fund before her time. "Mr. Emery wanted the substantial donation to go exclusively toward the Sequim branch and we'll see to that now."

Emery said he is glad to see the realignment of funds, especially in the face of the Sequim branch's renovation.

"Libraries are necessary in our lives and they are so much friendlier today than when I was growing up. I can only hope that the trend continues with

Sequim's new look," Emery said.

Barnes said the donation will be part of the funding to give the Sequim branch a face-lift, which will include new paint, furniture and an enhanced collection. The library is at 630 N. Sequim Ave.

Lee Emery was a farm machinery expert and was known for his green thumb, often grafting several different types of fruit trees together.

"He did consulting work for farm machinery for both locals and people back in Montana until the end," Emery said of his father, who moved to the area in 1966. "I think both farming and the library were two of his biggest passions living in Carlsborg."

Beth Emery was a deputy treasurer for Clallam County and an avid knitter, often active in local knitting clubs.

For more information on the North Olympic Library System or the Sequim Library, visit www.nols.org or call 683-1161.