Library Development administers Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds received from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Library Development plans, implements, and manages programs that provide services to all libraries across the State of Washington. You can find the programs and services we provide at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/libraries/.
Our Current Statewide Projects and Initiatives
Ask-Wa
Ask-WA is a cooperative of more than 60 libraries throughout Washington State, both public and academic, providing online reference services through chat, email, and instant messaging (IM) technologies. This statewide network is tied in to a global network allowing access to 24/7 live online reference services for every participating library and its users.
Connecting to Collections
Preserving Washington’s Cultural Heritage: Connecting to Collections will create a model statewide plan for preserving Washington’s cultural heritage collections.
Hard Times in Washington Libraries
We’ve assembled a Hard Times work group and are compiling resources and training to assist libraries in dealing with new information demands during these rough economic times. Resource topics include job hunting, resume writing, computer instruction, and helpful economic websites. We’ve also created a community where libraries can share best practices and resources with other libraries.
K-20 Network
State Library staff coordinate the connection of public libraries to the K-20 Educational Network, a high speed data network serving educational institutions throughout Washington State.
Off the Page: Downloadable Audiobooks for Washington
The goal of this project is to allow residents of Washington State access to downloadable audiobooks by negotiating a statewide price that would make the product more affordable for libraries.
One Book
This project assists libraries in developing or expanding One Book One Community efforts.
Statewide Database Licensing
The SDL project coordinates the efforts of nearly 2,000 libraries to purchases a statewide license for online, full-text, periodical and newspaper databases and facilitates group purchases of other electronic resources.
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Summer Reading Program
The Washington State Library has joined a consortium to provide children with summer reading program materials through their public libraries.
Supporting Student Success
Supporting Student Success is a new project designed to assist school and public libraries to work together for the success of K-12 students in completion of Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs).
Washington Rural Heritage
Washington Rural Heritage is a new initiative undertaken by the Washington State Library to establish a statewide digital repository and provide the infrastructure and training to both digitize and serve historically unique collections to a widespread audience.
Wayfinder: The Catalog of Washington Libraries
The Wayfinder catalog provides a single search for locating materials held in over 250 Washington libraries, with the eventual goal of including all of Washington’s libraries. This project leverages local library systems and increases visibility for library collections statewide.