Volume 5: April 16, 2009 for the WSL Updates mailing list

This week’s early release of WSL Updates is due to the WLA Conference in Spokane April 15-17. We hope to see some of you there!

Topics include:

1) WAYFINDER LAUNCHES ON WORLDCAT.ORG

2) OCLC ANNOUNCES ZERO PRICE INCREASE

3) GOVERNOR SIGNS HB 1291—CHANGING LIBRARY DISTRICT ANNEXATIONS

4) CONSUMER REPORTS GROUP PURCHASE

5) HEALTH REFERENCE BASICS WEBINAR

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1) WAYFINDER LAUNCHES ON WORLDCAT.ORG

The Washington State Library and OCLC are pleased to announce that Wayfinder: The Catalog of Washington Libraries is now available on the user-friendly WorldCat.org platform at wayfinder.worldcat.org. Wayfinder provides a single search for locating over 17.8 million items held by over 250 Washington libraries of all types. Individual items are linked to local library online catalogs for verifying availability and local information.

For additional information about Wayfinder, visit www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/Wayfinder, or contact Will Stuivenga at [email protected] 360.704.5217 or toll free 866.538.4996.

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2) OCLC ANNOUNCES ZERO PRICE INCREASE

OCLC has announced that there will be no price increases for “OCLC cataloging and metadata services, resource sharing and access, and digital and preservation services” for the 2009-2010 fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). On February 9, the OCLC Board of Trustees unanimously adopted OCLC management’s recommendation to keep prices at current levels. For libraries that are part of the Wayfinder/Washington Group Services project, this means no price increase as well.

For more information on Washington Group Services, visit www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/Wayfinder, or contact Will Stuivenga at [email protected] 360.704.5217 or toll free 866.538.4996.

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3) GOVERNOR SIGNS HB 1291—CHANGING LIBRARY DISTRICT ANNEXATIONS

HB 1291 was signed by the Governor on April 9, 2009. “Any city or town with a population of three hundred thousand or less at the time of annexation may become a part of any rural county library district, island library district, or intercounty rural library district lying contiguous thereto by annexation in the following manner: The inclusion of such a city or town may be initiated by the adoption of an ordinance by the legislative authority thereof stating its intent to join the library district and finding that the public interest will be served thereby. Before adoption, the ordinance shall be submitted to the library board of the city or town for its review and recommendations. If no library board exists in the city or town, the state librarian shall be notified of the proposed ordinance. If the board of trustees of the library district concurs in the annexation, notification thereof shall be transmitted to the legislative authority or authorities of the counties in which the city or town is situated.”

This change only impacts those jurisdictions with populations between one hundred thousand and three hundred thousand. These five cities are potentially affected: Spokane 204,400; Tacoma 202,700; Vancouver 162,400; Bellevue 119,200; and Everett 102,300.

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4) CONSUMER REPORTS GROUP PURCHASE

As of July 1, 2009, EBSCO Publishing will have an exclusive contract to provide library subscriptions to Consumer Reports, via the ConsumerReports.org web site. The Statewide Database Licensing (SDL) project has arranged a group purchase opportunity for Washington libraries. The greater the number of libraries that participate, the larger the potential discount off list pricing, with up to a 25% discount available if more than 20 libraries join the group. This offer is open to all types of nonprofit libraries.

The deadline for participation is May 29, 2009. For pricing information, and to sign up, contact EBSCO Account Executive Erin Cheever [email protected] or 800.653.2726 x2347. For other questions about SDL, contact Will Stuivenga [email protected] 360.704.5217 or toll free 866.538.4996.

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5) HEALTH REFERENCE BASICS WEBINAR

The College of DuPage will present An Ounce of Prevention: Health Reference Basics, a Soaring to Excellence teleconference, on Thursday, April 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., PDT. This will be available as a free webinar from your own computer by registering here, www.bcr.org/training/partners/teleconferences or for viewing the webinar in person at the Washington State Library, Room 221, register at www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/healthwebinar.

Notice that the program is on a Thursday, not the usual Friday. Note for those who will be busy attending WLA–those who have registered for the webinar can access the program online for 30 days, and WSL will later have the program on DVD for borrowing.

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