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Month: January 2010

House OKs easier military and overseas voting

House OKs easier military and overseas voting

The Washington House has unanimously approved legislation to make it easier for military and overseas voters to cast ballots electronically. The 96-0 vote on House Bill 2483 came Friday after sponsors in both parties characterized it as a fitting tribute to the thousands of soldiers who serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the globe. The bill also would make voting easier for relief workers, business people, Peace Corps members, missionaries and others who are away from home….

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Library Legislation Tracker – January 19, 2010

Library Legislation Tracker – January 19, 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.

Picturing Washington’s Libraries

Picturing Washington’s Libraries

Since the Library Development team is out on the road a lot visiting libraries throughout the state, we often take advantage of our visits by taking some pictures of the libraries and their surrounding areas. This let’s us keep a visual record of the libraries we serve, but also allows you to tour a number of Washington libraries without having to pay for gas! Check out all our photos online via Flickr, or look below to see some of my…

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Moving Forward, Looking Back

Moving Forward, Looking Back

Last night’s opening of our office’s new exhibit, “Moving Forward, Looking Back“, was an extraordinary, energetic evening dedicated to the women of Washington.  Governor Gregoire, first woman insurance commissioner Deborah Senn, first woman lands commissioner Jennifer Belcher, and relatives of Dixy Lee Ray and Belle Reeves shared inspiring stories … and there were plenty of “huzzahs” from costumed ladies in the crowd.   If you missed the event, which celebrated women’s achievements in government, watch it below or catch the program on TVW today…

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WSL Updates for January 21, 2010

WSL Updates for January 21, 2010

Volume 6, January 21, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) STATE LIBRARY BUDGET CUTS DOCUMENTED 2) BROADBAND STIMULUS FUNDING ROUND TWO ANNOUNCED 3) NEW POSTER FEATURES SKIERS PHIL, STEVE, AND ANDY MAHRE 4) KID’S STUFF ON THE WEB: FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP 5) ONLINE GRANT-WRITING WORKSHOP OFFERED BY WSL 6) TEDX FOR LIBRARIES: DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING FOR FREE 7) WEBINAR DISCUSSES LIBRARY ROLES IN WORKFORCE RECOVERY

Homebuilders mount workers’ comp initiative

Homebuilders mount workers’ comp initiative

The politically active Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) has filed a ballot measure aimed at ending the state-run workers’ comp insurance program, which covers 2.5 million workers with coverage for work-related injuries, including lost-time compensation, medical care and other services. The BIAW initiative, filed with the state Elections Division on Wednesday, embodies House Bill 2879, currently before the Legislature but not expected to pass. The plan would transition the state from the government-run plan to a privatized system. Currently…

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Voting, again? Ballots coming your way

Voting, again? Ballots coming your way

It seems like we just counted the last of the November ballots and put the election equipment away, but any day now, most Washington voters will be getting ballots in the mail for the February 9 election. The state Elections Division has tallied it up: 254 measures are on the ballot in 37 counties, mostly special property tax levies for support of local schools.  Most of the state’s 3.5 million registered voters will take part, although Ferry and Pend Oreille…

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State Library facing budget cuts – again

State Library facing budget cuts – again

As state legislators work to fix a projected $2.8 billion budget hole before the 2010 legislative session ends in March, the Washington State Library once again is in the crosshairs. Gov. Gregoire’s budget proposal would ax $2 million from the State Library, resulting in 31 full-time or part-time workers losing their jobs. That’s one-third of the library’s staff. The jobs lost would impact the library’s reference desk, the acquisition and cataloguing of material and preservation of old newspapers. It also…

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WSL Makes the Front Page

WSL Makes the Front Page

The Washington State Library made the front page of the Olympian this morning. Unfortunately the headline reads: “State Library Faces Cuts.” I’ll keep my fingers crossed that one day in the future we’ll make it to the front page again with a better headline, something like “State Library prospers in new age of cultural awareness.” In the meantime, the article has some information on what’s going on at the State Library and the sorts of cuts we’re anticipating. Similar versions…

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