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Month: January 2010

Clippings, January 29, 2010

Clippings, January 29, 2010

Washington State Library News A big round of spending cuts is coming to the Washington State Library, and agency leaders said it means 31 lost jobs and elimination of work to preserve many of the state’s oldest historic documents. “It’s over a third of our staff, if the governor’s budget goes through, which is what makes this so devastating,” State Librarian Jan Walsh says. (The Olympian, 1.19.10) http://www.theolympian.com/legislature/story/1106455.html The State Library, which is a division of the Office of Secretary…

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Library Legislation Tracker – January 29, 2010

Library Legislation Tracker – January 29, 2010

Courtesy Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association State Bills of Interest. The Washington Library Association(WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted to the WLA web site and we will also post it weekly on this blog.  For information on the legislative process or becoming involved see the WLA site referenced above. Click below to view the tracker.

Didyaknow…?

Didyaknow…?

… Washington-themed note cards are being sold for bargain prices through the Secretary of State’s Office!?  The Archives Division recently slashed prices for three separate packages of note cards: Early Statehood note cards are scanned images of Washington trademark designs from 1892 and 1895; this pack includes eight cards and envelopes for $3. The Salmon Run note cards feature salmon trademark designs from1982 and 1897; eight cards and envelopes are being sold for $4. And, the Asahel Curtis note cards display beautiful scenes of Washington landscapes taken in 1925….

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9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to temporarily suspend their ruling that threw out Washington’s longstanding ban on voting by felons. The court granted the request by Secretary of State Sam Reed, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Governor Chris Gregoire to place a hold on the controversial ruling while the state pursues a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court granted the request Thursday in a three-paragraph order, agreeing to not issue a “mandate” that would have…

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WSL Updates for January 28, 2010

WSL Updates for January 28, 2010

Volume 6, January 28, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) THE FEMINIST BROADSIDE WITH ARTISTS O’LEARY AND SPRING 2) FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY – SERVICES TO OLDER ADULTS 3) VALUE OF LIBRARIES SURVEY 4) SCIENCE & MATH RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET 5) FREE WORLDCAT HOLDINGS WEBINAR FROM OCLC 6) WEBJUNCTION ONLINE CONFERENCE – TECHNOLOGY ESSENTIALS 2010

State Library hosting Tacoma letterpress artists

State Library hosting Tacoma letterpress artists

With the centennial celebration of women’s suffrage in Washington now in full swing, the State Library has a speaking event scheduled for February 10 that continues on this monumental theme. Tacoma letterpress artists Jessica Spring and Chandler O’Leary will discuss their work and speak in particular about their very popular collaboration, The Feminist Broadside series. For more info, go here. The speaking program begins at 6:30 p.m., with the doors opening at 6. The State Library is located at 6880…

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Oregon update: Voters OK income tax hikes

Oregon update: Voters OK income tax hikes

While Washington lawmakers and Governor Gregoire contemplate the prospect of tax hikes to help close a $2.6 billion budget shortfall, Oregon voters have upheld the Oregon Legislature’s decision to boost corporate and personal income taxes to the tune of over $730 million. Oregon voters, balloting by mail, on Tuesday approved a pair of referenda, both by a margin of better than 53-47.  Measure 66 will raise the margin income tax rate on personal income above $125k for individuals and $250k…

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Library Legislation Tracker – January 26, 2010

Library Legislation Tracker – January 26, 2010

Courtesy Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association State Bills of Interest. The Washington Library Association(WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted to the WLA web site and we will also post it weekly on this blog.  For information on the legislative process or becoming involved see the WLA site referenced above. Click below to view the tracker.

Mr. Reed visits the Legislature – twice

Mr. Reed visits the Legislature – twice

While Secretary Reed regularly meets with legislators to discuss proposals and issues impacting the Office of Secretary of State, it isn’t every day that he actually testifies before a legislative committee. This week, he had one of those days. The Secretary of State went before lawmakers not once, but twice, on a proposal to move the Combined Fund Drive, a popular workplace giving program, from the Department of Personnel (DOP) to our agency. Secretary Reed spoke before the House General Government…

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Parties still don’t like Top 2 Primary

Parties still don’t like Top 2 Primary

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Washington political parties are back in court, hoping to take down the state’s voter-approved, Supreme Court-approved Top 2 Primary. The parties have long objected to the state’s tradition of wide-open voting that allows us to “vote for the person, not the party” when we pick our finalists for the November General Election.  First, they and their brethren from California brought down the time-honored “blanket primary” that allowed voters to pick their favorite…

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