Automatic Door Symbol of Library Access for All

The new automatic doors for the lower entrance at the library were dedicated to the memory of former Deputy Library Director Sandy Pratt Dec. 10. Pictured, left to right, are Director Bette Ammon; Sandy’s friend Bill Appleton: her son, Tony; her daughter, Amber McKenzie; and granddaughters Zeni and Solea McKenzie-O’Neill.

New Entrance Improvement Dedicated to Sandy Pratt
New automatic doors at the lower entrance to the Coeur d’Alene Public Library are not just a convenience for parents with strollers and other who need a hand opening the door.
Dedicated Saturday, Dec. 10, to the memory of Sandy Pratt, the former deputy library director, the improved doorway represents something she believed in – access to library services for all people.
The button-activated doors were funded through memorial contributions from Sandy’s family and friends, with additional grants provided by the Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Public Library and the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation.
“We’ve had automatic doors upstairs since the new library opened in 2007,” said Library Director Bette Ammon. “That met the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but we have always felt like to really serve the patrons we needed the same kind of access for the door facing the park. Sandy’s family agreed with us that this is a fitting memorial to the professional life of our friend.”
Born July 27, 1948, in Boise to Robert and Maxine (Carrell) Green, Sandy passed away Aug. 4, 2015 at Hospice House in Coeur d’Alene. Most recently she had been a resident of Post Falls.
Her love of reading, learning and sharing knowledge with others led her to her life’s passion: work in libraries. In her 40s, she attended Eastern Washington University, where she received her undergraduate degree, and then the University of Arizona earning a Master’s Degree in Library Science.  She worked for Spokane County libraries for several years before moving to Coeur d’Alene Public Library in 1998. She retired in 2014.