Volume 5, August 27, 2009 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) FIRST TUESDAYS FEATURES WSL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

2) BABY BOOMERS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES

3) UPDATED TAX EXEMPTION FORM

4) PICTURING AMERICA GRANTS

5) TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR K-12 RURAL SCHOOLS

6) PARENTHELP123.ORG OFFERS NEW RESOURCES TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES

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1) FIRST TUESDAYS FEATURES WSL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

First Tuesdays, WSL’s continuing education program for staff of libraries in Washington State, will feature Sean Lanksbury, Special Collections Librarian for the Washington State Library, on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

Join Sean for a virtual tour and discussion of the State Library’s Special Collections. These collections of manuscripts, maps, books, journals, and other rare or unique publications are invaluable resources for researchers in the history and culture of Washington State and the Pacific Northwest region.

Join the conversation by going to webj.horizonwimba.com/launcher.cgi?hzlguser=FirstTuesdays.

Instructions for first time attendees may be found at www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/tuesday.

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2) BABY BOOMERS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES

The Western Regional Fellowship: Public Libraries & Baby Boomers is a collaborative initiative of the California State Library, Idaho Commission for Libraries, Oregon State Library, and Washington State Library in partnership with the Peninsula Library System. Approved in July, Public Libraries and Baby Boomers will provide a continuing education opportunity for librarians and library professionals to advance their library and information science skills related to improving services to and community engagement with active, older adults.

The planning process is presently underway and Washington State’s representatives on the Advisory committee are Cindy Bonnaro, Pierce County Library, and Theresa Gemmer, Everett Public Library. This initiative is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). To follow the progress of this grant and learn more about the project visit transforminglifeafter50.org and stay tuned for further announcements.

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3) UPDATED TAX EXEMPTION FORM

The Washington Department of Revenue (DOR) has updated the form that libraries must use to claim the exemption to the new digital products and services tax. The form has now been reformatted so that all of the required information can be typed into the PDF document online, then printed, signed, and submitted to a vendor.

The form is available on the DOR site via this shortcut link: www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/ExemptCert. For more information, visit our summary page, www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/tax and/or the DOR’s site via this shortcut link: www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/DigitalTax.

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4) PICTURING AMERICA GRANTS

The Picturing America School Collaboration Projects grant opportunity is designed to help teachers and librarians whose schools display the Picturing America images form connections with courses in the core curriculum. This project builds on the national distribution of Picturing America and invites proposals for local and regional projects that foster collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities scholars to encourage engagement with the rich resources of American art to tell America’s story.

Picturing America School Collaboration Projects can receive up to $75,000 in outright funds for projects involving one or more conferences. The grant period will be twelve months. Cost sharing is not required.

Applications must be received by Grants.gov on or before October 7, 2009. These grants are available through the National Endowment for the Humanities. More information is available at www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pascp.html.

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5) TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR K-12 RURAL SCHOOLS

The Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED) was established by the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO) to address the educational and developmental needs of rural areas. The Technology Grants for Rural Schools Program, administered by FRED, was created to help meet the growing need for innovative technology in the classroom. These grants of $1,000 to $10,000 are intended to help public schools in rural areas bring modern computers to every classroom, connect schools to the information superhighway, and assure that effective software and online resources are an integral part of the school curriculum.

Any public K-12 school located within the service area of an OPASTCO telephone company may apply. Use this shortcut link to determine eligibility: www.secstate.wa.gov/quicklinks/FREDeligibility. A letter of support from the local company must accompany all applications, which are due by September 14, 2009. Visit the FRED website for program details and application guidelines: www.fred.org.

This announcement is taken from GrantStation Insider, provided by GrantStation in partnership with the Washington State Legislature, Governor Gregoire, and the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED). For more information about free GrantStation subscriptions, visit www.cted.wa.gov/site/378/default.aspx or contact Tina Roose at [email protected].

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6) PARENTHELP123.ORG OFFERS NEW RESOURCES TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Summer meals programs may be winding down but public libraries remain a key access point for many families. With grant funding from the Group Health Foundation, ParentHelp123 has developed a special resource section for library professionals (www.parenthelp123.org/professionals/resources-prof/library-professionals) to assist families in finding health and food resources. The resources section includes an online tutorial, and free outreach materials.

For more information, visit www.parenthelp123.org or contact Sue Waldin, Outreach Specialist [email protected] or 206.830.7646.

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