In addition to digitizing historic materials, we collect and preserve Washington State publications in electronic formats as part of our State Depository Program. We crawl state agency websites for all kinds of publications. Whenever possible, we create and monitor RSS feeds with an aggregator which notifies us when new publications are available.  We find documents outlining proposed legislation, the latest research conducted by various agencies, handy informational guides produced for the public, and much more.

Recently, I came across these surveys of Historic Theaters and Heritage Barns produced by the Department of Archeaology & Historic Preservation, and squealed with delight. It is heartening to see the research dedicated to recognizing and preserving our state’s cultural history. The beautiful color pictures in these surveys got me itching to hit the road to see some of the structures in person.  Start planning your own summer road trips at Experience Washington, the official Washington State Tourism website. You’ll find tons of travel ideas, along with the most scenic ways to reach your destinations.

You can find many more state publications on a slew of subjects by searching our catalog (be sure to check Washington State Publications under “Search Special Collections” before you click the search button). If you are interested in current events, browse some of the library’s Documents in the News feature, which highlights important stories and contains links to  government publications.