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WSL Updates for February 8, 2018

Wednesday, February 7th, 2018 Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for February 8, 2018


Volume 14, February 8, 2018 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SCREEN SCENE FOR CHILDREN

2) WSL & WEBJUNCTION OFFER SKILLSOFT

3) TAKE OUR SURVEY—PLEASE!

4) AMERICA SAVES WEEK

5) BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL – PNLA 2018

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) SCREEN SCENE FOR CHILDREN

Screens are everywhere! Young children are spending more and more time engaged with screen media. Learn what and when children might be learning from screens as well as how we can best support children’s media activities. The State Library presents Screen Scene: Best Practices for Using Screen Media with Young Children, a workshop that will explore important cognitive advances children make during the first years of life that impact their ability to learn from screens. The workshop will also discuss the many practical applications and resources for parents and educators, and ways to make the most of ever-present media technology.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize research-based understandings of the impact of digital engagement on early learning;
  • Apply an understanding of joint media engagement to their regular interactions with children in a library setting;
  • Develop appropriate models of digital engagement for very young children.

Who should attend? Anyone who works with pre-school children and/or their parents. Register at sos.wa.gov/q/screen. The following sessions are still available:

  • Monday, February 12, Burlington Public Library
  • Thursday, February 15, Bainbridge branch, Kitsap Regional Library
  • Tuesday, February 27, North Spokane branch, Spokane County Library
  • Wednesday, February 28, Sunnyside branch, Yakima Valley Library

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2) WSL & WEBJUNCTION OFFER SKILLSOFT

Looking to strengthen your technology skills or improve your interpersonal skills? All library staff in the state have access to free learning through the State Library’s WebJunction subscription to Skillsoft. With over 700 online courses, 30,000 short instructional videos (2 – 8 minutes) and job aids on a wide range of technology and business topics, you’ll find great learning opportunities. Library staff can pick up great skills as well as tips and techniques through this free resource.

Here are just a few of the courses that you have access to:

  • Time Management: Planning and Prioritizing Your Time
  • Creating a Positive Attitude
  • Privacy and Information Security
  • Essentials of Interviewing and Hiring Conducting an Effective Interview

There are also a variety of technology courses including:

  • New and Improved Features in Office 2016, Word, and Outlook
  • Microsoft Excel 2016 Essentials: Creating, Editing, and Saving Workbooks
  • Google Apps: Gmail and Calendar
  • Adobe Photoshop CC

Skillsoft is all self-paced, online learning so you can take a course when it fits your schedule. Register for your free account now!

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3) TAKE OUR SURVEY—PLEASE!

Thanks to all who have completed the 2018 Washington Library Association / Washington State Library Continuing Education Needs Assessment. We still need many more library staff from all types of libraries to complete the survey.

The deadline for adding your voice to the survey is February 16, 2018.

We need to hear from all parts of the Washington library community: academic libraries, public libraries, school libraries, special libraries, and tribal libraries. We rely on your input to help us understand which training topics are most important to you.

Please also share this survey with your colleagues. Many are not members of the lists to which we have access. Based on reporting statistics, the average time to complete the survey is less than 10 minutes. Your voice matters.

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4) AMERICA SAVES WEEK

America Saves Week (ASW) is February 26 through March 3, 2018. This annual event encourages consumers to save responsibly and automatically. Check out the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) blog posting which encourages consumers to save all or part of their tax refunds to help achieve their financial goals. To get your patrons involved, get a free America Saves Week Digital Toolkit featuring a sample of social media posts, digital content, and other helpful resources direct from the America Saves organization.

Get your library prepared to participate in Money Smart Week (MSW) programs, presentations, and educational classes that promote personal financial literacy. These events run from April 21 to April 28, 2018. To get more information about MSW and events in your area, go to www.moneysmartweek.org. CFPB provides free materials—like bookmarks, flyers, postcards, posters, standing displays, and more—to support your library’s participation in MSW. You can order free MSW materials for your library now.

Do you have Spanish-language patrons with financial education questions and needs? The CFPB has a Spanish-language website with similar information, tools and resources to their English-language website. To help these patrons get the impartial financial information they need, direct them to www.consumerfinance.gov/es. You can order CFPB’s free Spanish-language financial education publications in bulk as well as display materials for your library.

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5) BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL – PNLA 2018

In the theater, “breaking the fourth wall” refers to the practice of ignoring the invisible wall between actors and their audience. The 2018 Pacific Northwest Library Association Conference will explore what it looks like when libraries and librarians break the fourth wall to go beyond traditional roles to meet the needs of their patrons. This is a call for conference proposals.

  • PNLA 2018: Breaking the Fourth Wall – August 1 – 3, Kalispell, MT;
  • Conference proposals will be accepted through February 17, 2018;
  • Registration will open soon for the conference;
  • Details: www.pnla.org/conference_2018.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, February 12

Tuesday, February 13

Wednesday, February 14

Thursday, February 15

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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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WSL Updates for August 24, 2017

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for August 24, 2017


Volume 13, August 24, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) OUTSIDE THE LINES – LIBRARIES REINTRODUCED

2) GIRLS WHO CODE – FREE STARTER KITS

3) READERFEST 2017

4) BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL

5) AUTISM WELCOME HERE

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) OUTSIDE THE LINES – LIBRARIES REINTRODUCED

Libraries and library staff are skilled in their ability to adapt to meet the changing needs of their communities. Step into today’s library, and you might find expanded collections that include everything from telescopes to fishing poles to sewing machines. Libraries have embraced ideas and services that help communities to be their best, whether that’s by providing access to the latest technology or facilitating life-long learning through programming for all ages.

Yet, despite these innovations, many outdated perceptions of libraries linger. For the library industry as a whole, the challenge remains: How do we help our communities understand that libraries are more relevant than ever? Outside the Lines, now in its fourth year, is an international grassroots initiative aimed at doing just that.

Outside the Lines is a weeklong celebration – September 10-16, 2017 – demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Libraries of all types–small, large, urban, rural, public, academic–are invited to participate in an effort to reintroduce themselves to their communities. To do this, organizations agree to host at least one event or campaign during Outside the Lines (OTL) that gets people thinking and talking about libraries in a new way.

For more information and ideas, visit www.getoutsidethelines.org/ or this WebJunction page.

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2) GIRLS WHO CODE – FREE STARTER KITS

Computing skills are the most sought-after in the US job market, but girls across the US are being left behind. Today, less than a quarter of computing jobs are held by women, and that number is declining. By 2020, there will be 1.4 million open jobs in computing, but fewer than 1 in 5 computer science graduates are women. With women making up almost half of our work force, it’s imperative for our economy that we’re preparing our girls for the future of work.

Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of the national non-profit organization Girls Who Code, has taught computing skills to and inspired more than 10,000 girls across America. At the opening general session of the 2017 ALA Annual Conference this past June, Reshma spoke about Girls Who Code, how they are working to teach 100,000 girls to code by the end of 2018, and the organization’s many intersections with libraries.

Ms. Saujani is motivated to make sure that libraries—especially those who are interested in developing coding resources and programs—know about her free resources. She invites ALA members and advocates to join the Girls Who Code movement. To request a free Girls Who Code Starter Kit, including tips for leaders, giveaways and more, email: [email protected]. For more information, visit girlswhocode.com/clubs or (for the ALA connection): sos.wa.gov/q/code.

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3) READERFEST 2017

Join beloved local storytellers and authors from around the world September 9 for a free all-day festival at Magnuson Park in Seattle, WA. The event runs from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and has both indoor and outdoor events for all ages: live music, creative activities for kids, thought-provoking panels with noteworthy authors, and a wealth of diversity in participants and vendors. Headliners include Nisi Shawl, Nebula finalist for 2016, and Salina Yoon, author of more than 100 children’s books.

Readerfest is also seeking “rogue librarians,” storytellers, and others who would be interested in presenting a reading, or telling a story during the event. For more information, visit www.Readerfest.com or contact Karen Junker [email protected] 425-429-3698 or 425-443-3895 cell.

Readerfest is a nonprofit organization in Washington formed for the purpose of creating more free literary events in Seattle that are fun for all ages.

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4) BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL

Breaking the Fourth Wall is the theme for the Pacific Northwest Library Association’s 2018 Conference. The 2018 PNLA conference will be held from August 1 – 3 at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell, Montana. Mark your calendars today for this great event!

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5) AUTISM WELCOME HERE

The “Autism Welcome Here: Library Programs, Services and More” grant is sponsored by Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected. Each year, a total of $5,000.00 will be awarded. Depending on the applications received, one grant for the full amount or multiple grants for smaller amounts totaling $5,000.00 may be awarded.

  • 2018 grant applications are now available.
  • Applications will be accepted starting September 1, 2017.
  • The application deadline is December 1, 2017.
  • The grant funding period is April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.
  • For more information and application materials, visit librariesandautism.org/grant.

Any type of library in the United States or Canada can apply, and the proposal can fund projects and services for any age group. Applicants may propose to initiate a new, creative program or service, bring an already-existing, successful program or service to their library for the first time, or enhance a program or service they already offer. All programs or services proposed must benefit people with autism or their families, directly or indirectly. Funds may be used to hire a trainer to present a workshop, to buy program materials, to pay for staff, etc.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, August 28

Tuesday, August 29

Wednesday, August 30

Thursday, August 31

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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.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at:

WSL Updates for March 30, 2017

Wednesday, March 29th, 2017 Posted in Federal and State Publications, For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for March 30, 2017


Volume 13, March 30, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) LIBRARY SNAPSHOT DAY

2) FIRST TUESDAYS RAISES RELEVANCY

3) APPLY FOR PNLA LEADS

4) LIBRARY DEGREE PROGRAMS

5) CENSUS DATA WEBINAR SERIES

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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WSL Updates for October 23, 2014

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for October 23, 2014


Topics include:

1) CE GRANTS FOR STEM INSTITUTE

2) CAYAS FALL WORKSHOP REGISTRATION OPEN

3) $2.2 BILLION REASONS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WIOA

4) PNLA CONFERENCE PROGRAM PROPOSALS SOUGHT

5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) CE GRANTS FOR STEM INSTITUTE

Continuing Education (CE) grants are available from the Washington State Library (WSL) for librarians and support staff who need financial assistance to attend the 2014 Early Learning STEM Institute. To provide additional support during these hard economic times, WSL is temporarily lowering the match for CE grants to 25%, and will cover the remaining 75% of eligible expenses.

The 2014 Early Learning STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Institute, presented by the Early Learning Public Library Partnership (ELPLP) and the Washington State Head Start/ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) Association will include sessions on the following topics:

  • Math Common Core and its relation to early learning;
  • Project VIEWS2 and the benefits of storytime;
  • Integrating STEM in the classroom.

Institute specifics:

  • What: Washington Early Learning STEM Institute;
  • When: Wednesday, December 3, 2014, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PST;
  • Where: The Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle (Exit 158 off Interstate 5);
  • Registration: Free for ELPLP members; $100 for non-members; registration deadline is Monday, November 24. To register, go to sos.wa.gov/q/ThriveSTEM14;
  • Questions? Contact Susan Yang, Program Director at Thrive by Five Washington at [email protected] or 206.621.5573.

If you need financial assistance to attend the STEM Institute, apply now. CE Grant applications must be postmarked no later than 30 days before the beginning of the conference on December 3. For additional information about CE Grants and to apply, visitsos.wa.gov/q/CE.

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2) CAYAS FALL WORKSHOP REGISTRATION OPEN

Registration is now open for the 2014 CAYAS Fall Workshop.  CAYAS (Children’s & Young Adults Services) is proud to bring you the 2014 Fall Workshop. This year’s workshop is a confluence of trendsetters in children’s and young adult services programming.

Friday, November 21, 2014

  • 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • King County Library System Service Center
  • 960 Newport Way NW, Issaquah, Washington 98027

For more information, please contact Jose M. Garcia, Jr. at 253-931-3018. CAYAS is an interest group of the Washington Library Association.

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3) $2.2 BILLION REASONS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WIOA

The American Library Association will host “$2.2 Billion Reasons to Pay Attention to WIOA,” an interactive webinar which will explore ways public and community college libraries can receive funding for employment skills training and job search assistance from the recently-passed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Monday, Oct 27, 2014

  • 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PDT
  • Free webinar – Please register now as space is limited: sos.wa.gov/q/WIOA

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act allows public and community college libraries to be considered additional One-Stop partners and authorizes adult education and literacy activities provided by public and community college libraries as an allowable statewide employment and training activity. Additionally, the law defines digital literacy skills as a workforce preparation activity. The webinar will be archived and emailed to subscribers of the District Dispatch, ALA’s policy blog.

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4) PNLA CONFERENCE PROGRAM PROPOSALS SOUGHT

The Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) conference planning committee is seeking program proposals for one hour presentations. The 2015 conference “Pushing the Boundaries” will take place August 5-7 at the Hilton in Vancouver, Washington.

Please submit proposals to Karen Yother at[email protected]or mail to 8385 N Government Way, Hayden ID 83835.

  • For more information, please email Karen or call her at 208-772-5612 ext. 121.

The deadline for submitting proposals is January 9, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

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5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

October 27

October 28

October 29

October 30

October 31

For more information and to register (unless otherwise linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at sos.wa.gov/q/training.

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WSL Updates for December 23, 2010

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for December 23, 2010


Volume 6, December 23, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NAVIGATING THE RIVER OF CHANGE WITH PNLA

2) GRANTS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES

3) EARLY LEARNING GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIPS

4) CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS – ARCHIVED WEBINAR SERIES

5) PROQUEST PLATFORM MIGRATION MATERIALS

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Thoughts on Innovation in Reference Services

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education | Comments Off on Thoughts on Innovation in Reference Services


Last Friday I had the pleasure of [virtually] being part of a panel at the WLA / PNLA conference in Victoria. The panel was called “Reference Service Innovations: Present and Future”, and my fellow panelists and I were given some excellent questions to consider.

Since I wasn’t sure how the technology would play out (I was a virtual presenter on a panel that was otherwise physically present AT the conference), I recorded the questions with my answers and sent them along so that I could be represented even if the technology failed. Thankfully, it didn’t, and I’m happy to have my thoughts recorded so that I can share them here with you.

The questions were provided by Heather McLeland-Wieser at the Seattle Public Library. These answers represent some of my thoughts on the future of reference service. I hope they’re of interest, and that you’ll share your thoughts as well in the comments.

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WSL Updates for May 27, 2010

Thursday, May 27th, 2010 Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for May 27, 2010


Volume 6, May 27, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NO LIBRARY IS AN ISLAND – THE 2010 PNLA/WLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2) WASHINGTON LIBRARIES RECEIVE FREE LYRASIS TRIAL MEMBERSHIP

3) BRUSH UP YOUR PR SKILLS – JUNE FIRST TUESDAYS

4) FREE BOOK – GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES

5) TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FUTURE OF LIBRARIES

6) POWER TO THE USER – INTERACTIVE ONLINE REFERENCE SOURCES

7) RE-TOOLING FRONTLINE STAFF WITH E-GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

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