Volume 6, July 1, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WASHINGTON READS – WASHINGTON AS PLACE

2) FIRST TUESDAYS – ELLUMINATION!

3) FREE ONLINE CLASSES FROM WSL AND AMIGOS

4) WSL OFFERS FUNDING FOR ARSL-ABOS CONFERENCE

5) OPPORTUNITY TO ORDER DISCOUNTED FLIP CAMCORDERS

6) COME TO THE FAIR

7) E-GOVERNMENT TOOLKIT RELEASED

8) TEN SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & SECRETS

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1) WASHINGTON READS – WASHINGTON AS PLACE

Jan Walsh, Washington State Librarian, announced her Summer 2010 Washington Reads book selections. Her theme this season is “Washington as Place."

Jan writes, "This broad and wide-ranging topic led me to discover a number of intriguing books that grew from Washington as place. A sense of place is developed through experience and knowledge of an area, its history, geology, sociology, and geography; it is also further defined by the lens or filter each person brings to a place. Its definition has many layers, blending the land with stories, art, and personalities. Our state lends itself to diverse subjects within the broad theme, opening the door to a myriad of interesting subjects, such as architecture, adventure, tourism, environmental activism, and more. We all come from somewhere, and for now we are blessed to call magnificent Washington as our place."

A list of the books and Jan’s comments about each can be found on the State Library’s web page at: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/Place. All of these books are available for check out from the Washington State Library and other libraries in Washington. If your local library doesn’t own a book, they can request an interlibrary loan for you. Each of the above titles is also in print, available through your favorite book store.

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2) FIRST TUESDAYS – ELLUMINATION!

Designed as a continuing-education opportunity for staff of libraries in Washington State, First Tuesdays is a free web presentation from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month that lets attendees share their skills and successes and learn about new topics. This month’s topic is Elluminate, presented by Jennifer Fenton, CE/Training Coordinator, Washington State Library.

WSL and the Washington Library Association (WLA) recently switched from Wimba to Elluminate for online meetings and trainings. Join WSL staff to learn about available features and become comfortable in this virtual environment. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and become Elluminated!

Tuesday, July 6, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PDT. To join the session, or for more information on First Tuesdays, including archives of previous presentations, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/tuesdays.

Additional Elluminate sessions are available on July 14 and July 28, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m., PDT. For more information and to register, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/ellum3.

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3) FREE ONLINE CLASSES FROM WSL AND AMIGOS

The Washington State Library has contracted with Amigos to offer a series of online training courses on a variety of topics to Washington libraries. These free classes are scheduled from July through September. There are a limited number of seats available for each class date, so sign up early. The topics include:

• Core Reference Skills;
• Tools for the Reference Desk;
• Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery;
• Medical Information on the Internet; and
• Preservation of Photographic Materials.

For class descriptions, dates and times, and to register, follow the links under “WSL Training” at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/WSLtrain.

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4) WSL OFFERS FUNDING FOR ARSL-ABOS CONFERENCE

The Washington State Library is offering four competitive scholarships for the joint conference of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) and Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services (ABOS) to be held in Denver October 14-16, 2010. Applicants must be first time attendees for both conferences.

Scholarships will cover air transportation, all conference fees, and full per diem. Applications are due on July 30, 2010. For application guidelines for the competitive scholarships contact [email protected].

This conference is also eligible for CE grants (with 25% local match). Applications for CE grants are due at least 30 days prior to the event. To apply for a CE grant, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/CE.

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5) OPPORTUNITY TO ORDER DISCOUNTED FLIP CAMCORDERS

Techsoup is offering the Flip Video Ultra U1120, a pocket-sized digital camcorder that can record up to 120 minutes of audio and video. Its one-button operation and flip-out USB arm make it easy for staff or volunteers with no technical knowledge to record video and connect to a Windows-based PC or a Mac for editing.

This discounted bundle includes two Flip Video Ultra U1120 camcorders and one Flip Video tripod. Each camcorder comes with a TV connector cable, a soft carrying case, a wrist strap, two AA batteries, and a "quickstart guide." To view system requirements, full descriptions, and order information follow this shortcut: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/flipcam.

DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

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6) COME TO THE FAIR

The Foundation for Early Learning (FEL) will be celebrating children age birth through five with the third annual statewide Early Learning Community Fairs beginning on Saturday, August 14, 2010, and running until October 1. The Fairs, held in communities throughout the state, connect parents and caregivers with local early learning resources and publications and increase public awareness of the importance of early learning. For more information, use this shortcut: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/Fair.

The Foundation for Early Learning welcomes libraries to be a part of the celebration. If your library would like to host a Fair or partner with others, please contact Erin Okuno, [email protected] or 206.525.4801, ext. 23. Although the Fairs begin on August 14, you can choose a date that works best for your library.

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7) E-GOVERNMENT TOOLKIT RELEASED

The American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Legislation (COL) announces the release of the E-Government Toolkit, created to assist librarians with addressing the growing public demand for assistance with online government services.

According to ALA research, 61 percent of libraries report providing access to government information is one of the most critical Internet services they provide. As government agencies at the local, state, and federal level continue to shift the availability of services directly to the public by putting them online, new opportunities as well as challenges emerge for the nation’s libraries. The toolkit contains tips and other information to guide librarians in planning, managing, funding and promoting E-Government services.

Access the E-Government Toolkit via this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/toolkit.

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8) TEN SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & SECRETS

This free Techsoup webinar begins by explaining the role of social media in the context of Web 1.0 (static web), Web 2.0 (dynamic web) and the coming Web 3.0 (mobile web). After the big picture is illuminated, the webinar will move on to 10 of the most important social media best practices [a.k.a. secrets] that the presenter has learned from spending over 40 hours a week for the last 4 years on social networking sites. From the basics [how many status updates should I post each day on Facebook?] to the advanced [should we be early adopters of Foursquare?], this webinar cuts through hype and demonstrates clearly where the ROI is – and where it is not.

Thursday, July 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT. For more information and to register, use this shortcut: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/10-tips.

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