FULL SERVICE WILL RESUME ON FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH

WA State Library News
One way or another, budget writers in the Legislature are moving closer to saving the Washington State History Museum in downtown Tacoma, along with the state’s other history museums, from cuts laid out by the governor. Critics Thursday focused on the plan’s potential effect on the State Library, which would be removed from Reed’s office and consolidated into the new department. Patrons of the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, a part of the State Library that serves the blind, filled the hearing’s audience Thursday. (The News Tribune [Tacoma], 4.1.11) http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/31/v-printerfriendly/1607624/lawmakers-moving-closer-to-saving.html#ixzz1II28I8Fq

Library News
Libraries all across the United States are celebrating the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians during National Library Week, being held April 10-16. Along with hundreds of other libraries across Washington State, the Timberland Regional Library District (TRL) will participate in Library Snapshot Day, being held on National Library Workers Day, which is Tuesday, April 12. (Nisqually Valley News Online [Yelm], 3.31.11) http://www.yelmonline.com/articles/2011/03/31/first_report/doc4d94bb6a72aa3864641388.txt

The Columbia County Rural Library District is announcing their participation in the Washington State Library’s ‘Libraries at Light Speed’ project. The project will enable the library to receive high speed fiber optic connectivity with the potential of transmissions speeds of 100 megabits per second (100 mbps). As a result of working with the Washington State Library the Columbia County Rural Library District was included in a grant received by the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet), http://www.noanet.net. (CCRLD Newslog Online, 4.6.11) http://ccrld.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/library-to-recieve-broadband-fiber-optics-in-2012/

People
Washington State Library Branch Library Services Manager Laura Sherbo said that prison libraries are currently run similar to public libraries, with a mix of both vocational and recreational material. “We carry materials that address reentry to society after prison, life skills, books on resume creation, job search and other educational materials.” she said. The prison libraries do prohibit inmates from reading certain kinds of material related to weapons, bomb making, drug or alcohol manufacturing and sexually explicit material. (Statesman-Examiner Online [Colville], 3.30.11) http://www.statesmanexaminer.com/content/view/48392/60/

During the day, Everett librarian Kate Mossman is the consummate professional, all buttoned-up blouses and tailored slacks. But at night, out comes the black T-shirt and spandex shorts, the pads, the helmet and the mouth guard. Everett Public Library’s assistant director is a speed demon on eight wheels, the captain of a local roller derby team called the Camaro Harem. (Photos) (The Herald Online [Everett], 4.4.11) http://heraldnet.com/article/20110404/NEWS01/704049918/0/FRONTPAGE

[This summary of library news was created by Bobbie DeMiero and Leanna Hammond of the Washington State Library Division of the Office of the Secretary of State. It represents a selection of newspaper clippings about Washington libraries from all Washington newspapers received in the packets on the dates shown. For more information about any of these stories, contact Carolyn Petersen at 360.570.5560 or [email protected] ]