Library Development staff at the Washington State Library have long compiled information on our activities to share with our advisory committee, the Library Council of Washington. We do this four times a year in conjunction with the Library Council meetings held in March, May, September and November. We have now taken this report, converted it to a PDF format and posted it at http://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/library/libraries/Serving_Libraries.pdf.

While not inclusive of everything we do it highlights our activities in several key areas. These are: 1) consulting with library staff, local officials, and others; 2) meetings attended; 3) presentations made; 4) site visits; 5) service to library related organizations; and 6) short updates on projects, programs and services undertaken by Library Development staff at the Washington State Library. Hopefully this will increase your understanding of what we do to support libraries throughout the state. It might also give you thought regarding activities we undertake that could also serve your library and its staff.

For instance, did you know that Joe Olayvar adapted the workshop presentation he did at WALE and presented basic pc troubleshooting as a TechSoup webinar? Or that Gary Bortel is working with Cathlamet Public Library on a proof of concept pilot project using Koha as an integrated library systems platform for small libraries? Or that Evelyn Lindberg is working with small public libraries providing webpage training in conjunction with the development of a web front-end / content management system back-end (Drupal) to make it possible for small libraries to more easily provide online content for their patrons and other website visitors? These are just three examples of the work occurring everyday within Library Development at the Washington State Library.

We hope that you will follow us throughout the year as we continue to serve the libraries of Washington State, and through our library community, the residents of our State.

Jeff Martin, Library Development Program Manager, Washington State Library