The Vashon Poet Laureate Reading Series will be launched at Vashon Bookshop at 6 p.m. Friday, with a reading from “What Rain Does,” a new book of poetry by Islander Ann Spiers.

The chapbook, Spier’s sixth volume of poetry, was published in December at Egree Studio outside of Bellingham.

Spiers was named Vashon Poet Laureate 2011-2013 by the organizing committee of Vashon Poetry Fest, which was held  last Memorial Day weekend. For the fest, she curated a gallery show, “Broadsides: Poems on Paper,” featuring Northwest poetry broadsides. She is also the keeper of Vashon’s Poetry Post in the Village Green.

Spiers said the series will be an occasional one, and feature mostly off-Island poets.

“I am always looking for suggestions,” she said.