WA Secretary of State Blogs

WSL Updates for August 10, 2017

Thursday, August 10th, 2017 Posted in Digital Collections, For Libraries, News, Updates, Washington Center for the Book | Comments Off on WSL Updates for August 10, 2017


Volume 13, August 10, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WASHINGTON STATE BOOK AWARDS

2) GALAXY SCIFI ARCHIVE

3) THE STATE OF EBOOKS IN LIBRARIES

4) MORE THAN #MOTIVATIONMONDAY

5) LIBRARIES, LGBTQ YOUTH, & HOMELESSNESS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) WASHINGTON STATE BOOK AWARDS

The Washington Center for the Book, a partnership of The Seattle Public Library and Washington State Library, announces the finalists in eight categories for the 2017 Washington State Book Awards (WSBA) for outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2016. This is the 51st year of the program, formerly called the Governor’s Writers Awards.

Winners will be announced at the awards celebration, held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Seattle Public Library’s Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium, 206-386-4636. A reception and book signing will follow in the Norcliffe Foundation Living Room on Level 3 of the Central Library, with book sales by Third Place Books. This event is free and open to the public.

A book award is given based on the strength of the publication’s literary merit, lasting importance and overall quality to an author who was born in Washington State or is a current resident and has maintained residence here for at least three years. The authors of the award-winning books, as well as the illustrator of the picture book, will receive a $500 honorarium, thanks to the generous support of The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

For a complete list of Award finalists, and the names of this year’s judges, visit sos.wa.gov/q/WSBA.

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2) GALAXY SCIFI ARCHIVE

One of the science fiction genre’s best magazines is now freely available online. The Internet Archive is hosting a collection of Galaxy Science Fiction, which published many seminal works in the field, including an early version of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man. Included are stories from such SciFi legends as Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Clifford Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, and many more. Although the run is not quite complete, the archive comprises 355 separate issues, ranging from 1950 through 1976. In addition to the Galaxy collection, the Archive also has a complete run of Hugo Gernsback’s Amazing Stories.

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3) THE STATE OF EBOOKS IN LIBRARIES

Libraries have been handling eBooks for quite some time now, but while libraries have time-tested workflows for online serials, eBooks present complexities that may require new workflows. The online format provides many opportunities for libraries but also many challenges.

Join us for an engaging and informative discussion on these opportunities and challenges. This Forum will discuss the following topics:

  • Collection development and acquisitions models
  • Technical Services workflows
  • eBook licensing and metadata
  • Faculty outreach and user instruction and support
  • Usage and assessment

e-Forums are moderated, electronic discussion forums that provide an opportunity for librarians to discuss matters of interest on an ALCTS email discussion list. These discussions are free of charge and available to anyone who wishes to subscribe to the email list. Details:

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4) MORE THAN #MOTIVATIONMONDAY

Employees motivated to deliver top notch service are key to a library’s success. But many in library organizations don’t know how to effectively instigate employee motivation. As a critical management and leadership skill, it’s important to know what motivation is and isn’t, what works and what doesn’t. This WebJunction webinar, More Than #MotivationMonday: Motivating Your Team Any Day of the Week, will explore factors that influence motivation at work and review strategies for supervisors to keep their teams motivated and productive. No matter the size of your library or your role, you will be inspired to find your own motivation and will be able to catalyze others!

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5) LIBRARIES, LGBTQ YOUTH, & HOMELESSNESS

Libraries as Allies – A Beginner’s Guide for Libraries: Welcoming and Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness is a toolkit which provides an introduction to public libraries on the topic of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning) youth experiencing homelessness. The toolkit comes out of a pilot IMLS grant, the LAMBDA (Library Anchor Models for Bridging Diversity Achievements) project, which brought together the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as well as four public libraries, two in east Tennessee—Clinch River and Ocoee—and two in California: San Francisco Public Library and San Diego County Library.

During the three years of the grant, the LAMBDA project provided trainings, workshops, resources, a website, and a Summit. For more information about the LAMBDA project, visit lambda.sis.utk.edu. The toolkit is available at lambda.sis.utk.edu/libraries-as-allies-toolkit. Submit questions or comments to Julie Ann Winkelstein, PhD, Post-doctoral researcher, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, at [email protected].

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, August 14

Tuesday, August 15

Wednesday, August 16

Thursday, August 17

Friday, August 18

Saturday, August 19

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

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Gadget Menagerie Takes Off

Wednesday, January 29th, 2014 Posted in For Libraries, For the Public, Library 21 Initiative, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »


Less than a month into a whirlwind tour of over 40 libraries around the state and the Gadget Menagerie is officially a big hit in libraries. January kicked off the Gadget Menagerie with visits to Skagit and Lincoln Counties as well as the Ritzville Library and Mid-Columbia Libraries. Now, we are preparing for a super-busy February with visits to Gonzaga University, Richland Public Library, Timberland Regional Library, Washington State Library, Spokane County Library District, Sno-Isle Libraries and Everett Public Library. Wow, that’s exhausting just at a glance!

sedro2

Sedro-Woolley staff show off devices at the Gadget Menagerie

The exciting thing about the Gadget Menagerie program is that it is not only for staff, but also for the public. Libraries wishing to offer a public program are partnering with Washington State Library staff to bring the Gadgets to the library for patrons as well. Working directly with library users has been a joy. It is so much fun to help people discover the world of eReaders and tablets. Everyone has different needs when it comes to using a tablet and our job is to help people understand how they are all similar, yet different. Is this a contradiction in terms? Perhaps, but it is very true.

By working with staff and encouraging them to approach devices in a “device agnostic” manner, we hope to get staff more comfortable helping patrons coming to the library on a daily basis with various devices. Each day of the Gadget Menagerie, we are learning more about devices and about our communities.
Devices in the current menagerie include: Kindle, Nook Touch, Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, Galaxy Tab 10.1, iPad Mini, Microsoft Surface RT and a Chromebook.

New devices are coming soon and will include more android-based tablets. Patrons and students may bring their own device or explore one from the Washington State Library.

gadgets

Just a few of the available devices at the Gadget Menagerie.

At the public workshops, we assisted many people with their own devices and showcased the gadgets from our menagerie. An 83-year old woman wanted to compare tablets. After working with the various tablets in the Menagerie, she was able to narrow her interest down to 2 tablets. At another session, a 70-something farmer wanted to know when high speed internet would come to his county and town. He loves technology and has quite a few of his own gadgets already. He enjoyed showing us what he liked about the different tablets and was enthusiastic when telling us that when high-speed internet comes to his town, he’d be able to do so much more with all his high-tech toys. When the local librarian asked him “How did you get so tech savvy?,” he responded with, “My grandkids, and I have a lot of them!”

Our youngest patron at the Gadget Menagerie was 9 years old. She had a tablet and wanted to learn about YouTube. Unfortunately, since she has no access to internet at home, her tablet has limited functionality when items aren’t downloaded directly onto it. She loves coming to the library and now knows that she can bring her tablet in and use the library’s wi-fi to download what she needs and ask the friendly staff for help.

So, by now you are probably wondering, what exactly is this Gadget Menagerie?

The Washington State Library is partnering with local libraries across the state providing gadget training for library staff. Library patrons and students will be given similar training focused on the needs of the device user. Over 40 locations and 70 trainings are scheduled for the Gadget Menagerie through June 2014.

“We are very excited to be able to provide this training,” State Librarian Rand Simmons said. “We hope these skills will be beneficial to both library staff and those who rely on library resources.”

burlington

Staff at the Burlington Public Library study devices at the Menagerie.

Library staff will learn how various eReaders, tablets and other devices work. They will discover what these devices have in common, how they differ, and learn basic operating tips. Staff will learn basic troubleshooting and tips for helping patrons with their devices, including how to download books from the library.

The Gadget Menagerie will familiarize local library staff with the variety of gadgets available, allowing for staff to be more comfortable and skilled in helping library patrons.

Not all libraries are offering both types of training; some libraries are focusing only on staff training since they either already offer public workshops or don’t have the resources to offer trainings at this time.

These trainings are funded by the Washington State Library via the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

For this project, which is part of the Washington State Library Digital Literacy project, we are actively encouraging feedback and stories. So far, 100% of the public attendees say they have learned something valuable and would recommend the program to another. Comments from the public vary, but this one is very typical of the responses we have been receiving; “It was useful to have knowledgeable persons explain the equipment-what they will and will not do. Thank you for bringing the variety of devices.”

As one staff person said in a thank-you note, “We couldn’t have asked for better, more useful, hands-on training!”

Washington Libraries Shine in eBook Checkouts

Thursday, January 9th, 2014 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, News, Technology and Resources | Comments Off on Washington Libraries Shine in eBook Checkouts


One Million Digital Checkouts Club Official Members 2013

Two Washington libraries are in OverDrive’s 2013 Million Digital Checkouts Club. The King County Library System (KCLS) actually led the way with the most OverDrive digital checkouts of any library system worldwide! Seattle Public Library (SPL) was also in the club, at position number 6. OverDrive recently published the numbers (see below) on their blog.

OverDrive is a vendor which libraries frequently use to provide access to downloadable digital content, especially eBooks and eAudiobooks. Here are the 2013 members of OverDrive’s Million Digital Checkouts Club:

Last year, only two libraries broke the 1 million mark in digital circulation, but the number one both years was KCLS. We posted the top five for 2012 here on the blog last March. SPL was number 4 in 2012.

Here at the Washington State Library we also have the privilege of managing an OverDrive consortium for a group of smaller libraries, most of whom could not afford to offer this service to their patrons on their own. Going in together, these 39 libraries provide the Washington Anytime Library, also powered by OverDrive, and partially subsidized with federal LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) funds administered by IMLS (The Institute for Museum and Library Services). The group calls itself the Washington Digital Library Consortium (WDLC).

The 39 WDLC libraries serve a combined population of 725,362 which is less than King County’s 1,362,870, but more than Seattle’s 616,500. But, the group has a way to go to make it into the same league as KCLS and SPL, at least in terms of digital checkouts. In 2013, the Washington Anytime Library had 380,000 checkouts, compared to 216,000 in 2012. Still, that’s a 76% annual increase, compared to the 22-25% increases shown by the larger systems. So look out big guys, the WDLC is on your tail!

Congratulations to all of these libraries for staying relevant by offering eBooks and eAudiobooks to their eager patrons, who love to read, whether in digital formats, or in traditional print. It will be fascinating to track how these numbers continue to increase in years to come!

Cooperative Projects from Library Development

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Grants and Funding, Technology and Resources | Comments Off on Cooperative Projects from Library Development


Ft. Vancouver Regional Library downtown branch As a further recognition of National Library Week, we offer this overview of several cooperative projects that benefit libraries statewide.

The WSL Library Development staff coordinates several cooperative statewide projects which leverage the combined purchasing power of libraries throughout the state to save significant amounts of money for Washington libraries. In addition, LSTA (Library Services & Technology Act) funds provided through IMLS (The Institute for Museum & Library Services) are used to subsidize or kick start cooperative purchasing arrangements, helping libraries break into new areas such as virtual reference, eBooks, or downloadable audiobooks.

The oldest example of these kinds of projects is Statewide Database Licensing (SDL), which since 1997 has been providing a suite of research databases to public, academic, K-12, medical, and research libraries statewide. Library Development staff also coordinate library funded group purchases for other products; past examples include the online version of Consumer Reports, and an automotive repair database; a current example is Zinio, a very popular new platform for reading magazines online. It has been conservatively estimated that SDL saves Washington libraries over $20 million annually.

A more recent example is Off the Page: Downloadable Audiobooks and eBooks for Washington, which has helped libraries provide these new formats to their patrons. 31 public library systems in Washington are now able to offer both e-books and audiobooks via the Washington Anytime Library, and several more libraries are in process to join this consortium. More than 40 public and academic libraries, as well as over 300 K-12 school libraries are offering downloadable audiobooks via a statewide contract with another vendor.Ft. Vancouver High School Library

Another area in which Washington libraries are successfully working together is in providing access to 24×7  virtual reference services to their patrons. Via Ask-WA, more than 60 Washington libraries, both public and academic, are providing online reference services through chat, e-mail, and instant messaging (IM) technologies.

Just being rolled out as we write, is a brand new project, Connect with Your Library: A Mobile App for Washington, which in partnership with the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, is providing the opportunity for public and academic libraries to offer their services via a user-friendly mobile application (app). The app will let users locate libraries, place holds, renew materials, download eBooks, or check to see if the library has an item, and more, all from the mobile device they carry in their hand.

These programs and others like them are great examples of how under the leadership provided by the WSL Library Development Program, LSTA funds are used to assist in providing a level playing field, such that smaller libraries can provide their patrons with the same kinds of services and resources that otherwise might be restricted to the larger library systems, while simultaneously providing assistance to all Washington libraries, both large and small.

Washington Libraries Lead in eBook Circulation

Thursday, March 14th, 2013 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, News | 1 Comment »


ALA-ebook

OverDrive, one of the most popular public library eBook and eAudiobook vendors, recently announced its “Library eBook Leaders” for 2012. Two Washington libraries ranked in the top 5!

King County Library System (KCLS) was Number 1 in eBook and other digital title circulation, with Seattle Public Library (SPL) not far behind, in the Number 4 spot. Here’s a listing of the top 5, with the circ numbers:

1. King County Library System, Wash. (1.3 million checkouts)

2. New York Public Library (1.1 million checkouts)

3. Toronto Public Library (900,000 checkouts)

4. Seattle Public Library (850,000 checkouts)

5. Hennepin County Library, Minn. (750,000 checkouts)

Congratulations to KCLS & SPL for leading the North American continent in eBook circulation!

WSL Updates for October 4, 2012

Thursday, October 4th, 2012 Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for October 4, 2012


Volume 8, October 4, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NEWS FROM WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE

2) EBOOKS AND EREADERS SURVEY

3) FREE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP

4) CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOOK CHAPTERS

5) SCHOOL LIBRARY HUMANITIES AWARD

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) NEWS FROM WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE

Seven public libraries throughout the state recently completed work on 2011 LSTA grant projects for Washington Rural Heritage. The WSL-led digitization initiative currently provides online access to 25 collections representing the holdings of more than 80 cultural institutions. Explore some of the new content:

New grant-funded collections:

New content from existing collections:

Participating libraries also continue to add content using local resources, volunteers, and alternative funding sources:

Six public libraries and one tribal library are currently working on grant projects for 2012-2013. Applications for a new LSTA grant cycle will be available on the Washington State Library website beginning in February, 2013. To find out more about Washington Rural Heritage, please contact Evan Robb, Project Manager at [email protected], 360-704-5228.

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2) EBOOKS AND EREADERS SURVEY

Infopeople (infopeople.org) would like your input for an online course on eReaders and downloading eBooks set to launch in January, 2013. A short survey has been created for the purpose of collecting your experience with various eReader devices and identifying topics that will address knowledge gaps and support issues related to downloading eBooks to electronic devices. The survey is located at www.surveymonkey.com/s/H787FGR.

Please feel free to pass this link on to anyone who may be interested. Your responses will guide development of a course targeted for front-line support staff who assist patrons in eBook content access and download. Information regarding this new Infopeople offering will be announced at a later time.

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3) FREE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP

You may have a disaster preparedness plan, but will it work when disaster strikes? Sign up today for the free workshop, “Are You Ready? Scenario Planning & Collaboration Among Heritage Institutions to Improve Disaster Preparedness for Collections,” funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Take a day to test your institution’s disaster plan to identify areas for improvement, to improve your ability to evaluate risks, and to work together with other participants to build a shared vision for regional disaster preparedness.

The workshop instructor is Gary Menges, Librarian Emeritus, University of Washington, and WESTPAS trainer. One workshop in the state of Washington is scheduled for the end of October:

  • Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Everett Public Library;
  • Pre-registration required no later than Monday, October 22, 2012, at 5:00 p.m.;

For additional information and to register, go to www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/RUReadyEverett. For general and workshop content information, contact Gary Menges at [email protected]. For registration assistance, contact Alexandra Gingerich at [email protected].

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4) CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOOK CHAPTERS

Samantha Schmehl Hines, Associate Professor, Distance Education Coordinator, and Head of the Mansfield Library, University of Montana, is soliciting chapters for a book titled Revolutionizing the Development of Library and Information Professionals: Planning for the Future. Professor Hines requests content from anyone involved in professional development for a library association: conference planners, continuing education coordinators, researchers, writers, and presenters in the field. She is seeking a range of material focusing on all levels, types, and aspects of professional development.

Contact information: [email protected] or 406.243.7818.

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5) SCHOOL LIBRARY HUMANITIES AWARD

The ALA Public Programs Office is now accepting nominations for the $4,000 2013 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. School libraries, public or private, that served children in any combination of grades K-8 and conducted humanities programs during the 2011-2012 school year are eligible. Applications and award guidelines are available at www.ala.org/jaffarianaward. To be considered, nominations must be received by the ALA Public Programs Office by December 15.

The ALA Public Programs Office and ProgrammingLibrarian.org present the 2012 winner in an online learning opportunity especially for school librarians. Francis Feeley, school librarian of Inter-American Magnet School in Chicago, Ill., will present his award-winning humanities program model for school libraries ,”Who Are We?” which challenged seventh- and eighth-grade students to explore the individual and collective behavior of human beings in the past and present in a series of quarterly research projects. Feeley will discuss elements of his award application that lead to his selection, and give tips to prospective applicants to help get their applications started.

Workshop details:

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, October 8:

Tuesday, October 9:

  • All You Need to Know about E-reader services in Your Library (WSL); Richland Public Library, Richland, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT;
  • My Research & RefWorks: Perfect Together (ProQuest); 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ438;
  • Grantseeking Basics (GrantSpace); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Ring the Dinner Bell: New Cookbooks to Enjoy (Booklist); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Google Yourself Silly (InSync); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Personal Gadgets and the Library (Infopeople); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Mental Health First Aid USA for Library Staff (ALA); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/MentalHealth;
  • Factors Influencing Funding Decisions by Elected Politicians at the State/Provincial Level: A Case Study of Public Libraries in Canada (San Jose State University); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Common Core and ProQuest Resources (ProQuest); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ441;
  • History Study Center (ProQuest); 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ442;

Wednesday, October 10:

  • New Librarians Global Connection: best practices, models and recommendations (ALA); 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. PDT;
  • All You Need to Know about E-reader services in Your Library (WSL); Ritzville Public Library, Ritzville, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT;
  • Telling Your Story: Five Secrets for Successful Career Growth and Advancement (Infopeople); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;
  • CultureGrams for Elementary Schools (ProQuest); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ443;
  • Common Core and ProQuest Resources (ProQuest); 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ444;

Thursday, October 11:

  • Introduction to the New ProQuest Platform (ProQuest); 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ439;
  • All You Need to Know about E-reader services in Your Library (WSL); Hal Holmes Community Center, Ellensburg, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT;
  • Helping Patrons Find Legal Assistance in their Community: Online Referral Tools (Pro Bono Net); 10:00 – 11:15 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/ProBono11Oct;
  • Warm Up to Reading: Getting Kids Hooked on Books (Booklist); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Best Practices for Recruiting Online (VolunteerMatch); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/VMOnline;
  • How to Approach a Foundation (GrantSpace); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;

Friday, October 12:

  • Healthcare 101: Cradle to Grave (O’Reilly Community); 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. PDT.

For more information and to register (for those not linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/training.

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WSL Updates for September 27, 2012

Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for September 27, 2012


Volume 8, September 27, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) FIRST TUESDAYS – EREADERS: BEST PRACTICES

2) NEW DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT

3) 2011 WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY STATS ARE HERE – AND MORE!

4) 2012 ELPLP SYMPOSIUM: PUBLIC LIBRARIES & STEM

5) APPLY NOW FOR CARNEGIE-WHITNEY GRANTS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) FIRST TUESDAYS – EREADERS: BEST PRACTICES

Have questions about eReaders? Come to eReaders: Best practices, presented by Carolyn Petersen from the Washington State Library. Find out what happened when nineteen libraries in Washington, running the gamut from colleges to school libraries to public libraries both large and small, participated in an eReader services pilot project last year.

This free online webinar will take place on October 2, 2012, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PDT. For more information about First Tuesdays, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/tuesdays. To join the presentation, and for instructions, go to www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/FirstTuesdays.

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2) NEW DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT

The “Off the Page: Downloadable Audiobooks and eBooks for Washington” project is pleased to announce the addition of significant new content to both vendor offerings.

Recent additions to the Recorded Books OneClickdigital audiobook collection include:

  • Nine Modern Scholar titles (unlimited use), added to the 23 already available;
  • Almost 350 Pimsleur Method language programs, with at least 1 copy of every available Pimsleur language course, including all of the various ESL courses, and up to 5 copies of popular languages;
  • Over 350 single-use adult audiobook titles in all genres: both popular fiction and nonfiction, including romance, mystery, Sci Fi, suspense, history, business, self-help, etc.;
  • Over 300 single-use children’s and young adult audiobook titles in similar genres: fiction, fantasy, mystery, biography, etc.

Recent additions to the Washington Anytime Library (powered by OverDrive) include:

  • 1,945 single-use eBooks, of which 105 are added copies of existing titles;
  • 627 single-use audiobooks, of which 28 are added copies.

For more information about the Off the Page project, visit www.sos.wa.gov/library/eaudiobooks or contact Will Stuivenga: [email protected] 360.704.5217.

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3) 2011 WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY STATS ARE HERE – AND MORE!

Need statistics on public libraries in the state of Washington? Interested in 2012 Salary and Benefits Data for libraries? Looking for a map of public library service in Washington? Find these, as well as historic data on Washington’s public libraries, by visiting www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/WAStats. For more information, contact Evelyn Lindberg, State Data Coordinator at [email protected].

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4) 2012 ELPLP SYMPOSIUM: PUBLIC LIBRARIES & STEM

Register now for the fourth annual symposium presented by the Early Learning Public Library Partnership (ELPLP). This year’s event features presentations from:

  • Christine Roberts, Nurturing Pathways;
  • Dr. Sarah Roseberry, Institute for Learning & Brain Science (I-LABS), University of Washington;
  • Maile Hadley, Washington Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM);
  • Sally Chilson, Spokane Public Libraries.

Symposium information:

  • When: Monday, October 15, 2012, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.;
  • Where: Seattle Public Library, Central Library, 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle;
  • Cost: Free;
  • Registration required. To register for the Symposium, go to www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/ELPLP4.

For additional information, contact Susan Yang, Program Manager, at the Foundation for Early Learning at [email protected] or 260.525.4801, x28. Want to find out more about ELPLP? Visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/partners.

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5) APPLY NOW FOR CARNEGIE-WHITNEY GRANTS

Carnegie-Whitney Grants provide support for the preparation of popular or scholarly reading lists, webliographies, indexes, and other guides to library resources that can benefit users of all types of libraries in the United States. Grants of up to $5,000 are intended to cover the cost of preparation, including research, but not the costs of final printing or online distribution of the product. Grants are awarded to individuals, as well as libraries, library organizations, and programs of information and library studies/science. International applicants are also welcome to apply.

For more information and to apply, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/CarnWhit. Applications are due no later than Friday, November 2, 2012.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, October 1:

  • Celebrate With Shannon Hale Live! (School Library Journal); 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT;
  • Your Common Core Secret Weapon (TL Virtual Café); 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. PDT;

Tuesday, October 2:

  • First Tuesdays: eReaders: Best practices (WSL); 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PDT;
  • How to Retouch Images Like a Pro (O’Reilly Community); 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT;
  • What’s New in Series Nonfiction: Fall 2012 (Booklist); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Engaging Pro Bono and Skilled Volunteers (VolunteerMatch); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/skillvol;
  • ProQuest Administrator Module (ProQuest); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ433;
  • 5 Ways to Ratchet Up Your Fundraising Using LinkedIn (Nonprofit Webinars); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;

Wednesday, October 3:

  • Introduction to the New ProQuest Platform (ProQuest); 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ434;
  • Leading Disruptive Innovation and Change (AMA); 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PDT;
  • Nonprofit Boards and Effective Governance (Nonprofit Webinars); 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT;
  • How to Train Non-Technical Learners in the Virtual Classroom (Training Magazine Network); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/NonTech;
  • What’s New for Storytimes (Infopeople); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;
  • Washington State Book Awards (Washington Center for the Book); Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Avenue, Seattle; 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. PDT;

Thursday, October 4:

  • Advanced Searching: Beyond the Single Search Box (ProQuest); 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ435;
  • All You Need to Know about E-reader services in Your Library (WSL); Timberland Regional Library Service Center, Tumwater, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT;
  • Advanced Windows 7 Troubleshooting (O’Reilly Community); 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT;
  • Stories, eLearning and Mobility: A Triple Threat (Training Magazine Network); 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/triple;
  • My Research (ProQuest); 11:00 – 11:45 a.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ436;
  • Writing Accurate and Useful Volunteer Position Descriptions (VolunteerMatch); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/VPD;
  • Getting Boys to Read: Seeing Your Library Through a Guy’s Eyes (School Library Journal); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT;
  • ProQuest Research Library/PQ Central K12 (ProQuest); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ431;
  • CultureGrams for MS/HS (ProQuest); 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PDT: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/PQ432;

Friday, October 5:

  • Tech Tools With Tine: 1 Hour of Eventbrite (Texas State Library); 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. PDT;
  • All You Need to Know about E-reader services in Your Library (WSL); Longview Public Library, Longview, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT.

For more information and to register (for those not linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/training.

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Anytime Library Reaches Milestone

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For Libraries, For the Public, News | Comments Off on Anytime Library Reaches Milestone


Recently the Washington Anytime Library celebrated the addition of its 30th member library to the group. The Grandview Library became library number 30, meaning that almost half the state’s 62 public library entities are now members of the Washington Anytime Library!

Washington Anytime Library

The Washington Anytime Library provides a substantial collection of downloadable eBooks and audiobooks to its patrons. The Anytime Library is the cooperative effort of a consortium of Washington public libraries, coordinated by the Washington State Library. A list of participating libraries is available on the Anytime Library’s web site.

Congratulations to Grandview Library, and to the Washington Anytime Library for providing this valuable service to library users throughout the state!

This project is funded in part through the use of LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) funds provided under the auspices of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the coordinating efforts of the Library Development Program at the Washington State Library. Additional funding comes from the participating libraries.

Other Washington libraries provide similar services to their patrons. A list of libraries offering downloadable  audiobooks is available on the project website.

Questions about the project may be directed to Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager, Washington State Library.

Libraries offer advice on purchasing eReaders

Thursday, August 16th, 2012 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For Libraries, News, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education | Comments Off on Libraries offer advice on purchasing eReaders


Stacks of books behind an eReader, signifying the number of titles available on the device“If you are going to circulate eReaders to middle schoolers, consider buying “bomb proof” covers for each eReader device.” This is the advice that a school librarian tendered after participating in the eBook Pilot project which concluded in May, 2012. The objective of this pilot project was to distill the experiences of academic, public, and school librarians as they experimented with circulating eReader devices and training staff and the public on how to use these devices.

Their collective wisdom includes information on the following:

Read more on the eBook Pilot Project’s Purchasing Tips page.

Government At Hand

Friday, July 13th, 2012 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For Libraries, For the Public, News, State Library Collections, Technology and Resources | Comments Off on Government At Hand


Electronic government publications in the Washington State Library online catalog can be downloaded to desk and lap top computers and handheld devices, such as, Kindle* and Nook*.  There is no charge to download a state or federal government publication.  In most cases, Washington State and U. S. government publications do not have copyright restrictions.  The downloaded publication can be searched by key words and simple phrases.  Publications with hundreds of pages can be stored and accessed conveniently on a computer or handheld device as long as needed for a class or project.  The file can be deleted when no longer in use, but the publication will be preserved for future use in the Washington State Library (WSL) online catalog.

For some devices, pdf files must be converted to electronic publications format.  Calibre, a free software program, can be downloaded to convert pdf files to an epub format which ereaders can use.

Washington State government publications — the links below are to the catalog records in the WSL online catalog.  Click on the link that reads “View online version” to read the publication with the option to download.  The catalog record provides information on which agency produced the publication and the publication date, scope, etc.

A 10-year Retrospective of Washington’s Labor Market Experience under the North American Free Trade Agreement

What does Washington State get for its Investment in Bonuses for Board Certified Teachers?

Freedom Tails  (It is difficult to tell what this publication is about with just the title, but there is a lot of information in the catalog record.)

Listed below are three more examples of Washington State government publications; these are direct links to the publications, but records can be found in WSL’s online catalog:

Use of Social and Health Services by Children of Incarcerated Parents

Stakeholder recommendations for efficient water rights processing and effective water management

Washington State Patrol Retirement System Pension concerns study

Some samples of U.S. government publications:

Raising the Ages of Eligibility for Medicare and Social Security  This link is to the WSL online catalog record for this publication.  Click on the link that reads “View online version” to read the publication with the option to download.

Or, click on this link to WSL catalog record for Unauthorized Hair Samples Submitted for Analysis and solve the case of the “unauthorized hair samples”.  (Could it be a job for Lady Godiva?)

Listed below are three more examples of federal government publications; these are direct links to the publications, but records can be found in WSL’s online catalog:

Indian issues:  Spokane Tribe’s additional compensation claim for the Grand Coulee Dam: Testimony before the Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S. Senate

Coastal Habitats of the Elwha River, Washington – Biological and Physical Patterns and Processes Prior to Dam Removal (This publication takes awhile to download).

Assessment of Soil Disturbance in Forests of the Interior Columbia River Basin:  A Critique

For more information, contact Public Services at Washington State Library.

*These products are listed as examples only.  The Washington State Library does not recommend or endorse any products listed.