Volume 12, December 15, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) WSL REMEMBERS JOHN GLENN & LIBRARY 21 2) 2017 WLA CONFERENCE PROPOSALS SOLICITED 3) NEA BIG READ GRANTS 4) EZRA JACK KEATS MINIGRANTS 5) TEEN SUMMER READING WEBINAR 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK
To quote a prominent library administrator: “Every library is designed to serve a specific community: Public libraries serve the people of a specific city or county. Academic libraries serve the faculty, staff, and students of a specific college or university. School libraries serve the students and teachers of a specific school. Medical libraries serve doctors, nurses, and patients at a specific hospital. Law libraries serve the attorneys and staff of a specific law firm. Each library is designed to add value…
From the desk of Steve Willis, Program Manager for Central Library Services The Pacific Northwest Card File appears to have been started in the early 1950s as a finding aid for biographical and historical information in the Washington State Library. Information was indexed from newspapers across the state as well as many published local histories, creating a very unique point of access. Comprised of hundreds of thousands of cards, the drawers are divided into a Name File and a Subject File….
From the desk of Mary Paynton Schaff The expertise of the reference librarians at the Washington State Library has enabled even more people to find the government information they’re looking for. During the first quarter of 2014, librarians answered 449 questions regarding Washington State government, including referring individuals to the correct state agency, locating information on agency websites, and providing access to thousands of Washington state publications. Additional referrals were made to the appropriate federal or local government agency. The…
From the desk of Brian Frisina Washingtonians know the importance of preserving the history and culture of our great state. One way to preserve our history is by supporting the Washington State Library. Established as a territorial library, the Washington Territorial Library was created by the Organic Act of 1853, which also created the Washington Territory. The Washington State Library is the oldest cultural institution in Washington State and its original collections were chosen by Governor Isaac Stevens, the first…
As today is Seahawk blue Friday my mind as I drove south to my job at the Washington State Library was skittering between thinking about the Seahawks and thinking about the Washington State Library (WSL). Then it occurred to me: The State Library is like the head coach of a football team. Just as a good coach would, WSL thinks about winning the game—and winning the game is getting the best library services for everyone in the state by serving…
Less than a month into a whirlwind tour of over 40 libraries around the state and the Gadget Menagerie is officially a big hit in libraries. January kicked off the Gadget Menagerie with visits to Skagit and Lincoln Counties as well as the Ritzville Library and Mid-Columbia Libraries. Now, we are preparing for a super-busy February with visits to Gonzaga University, Richland Public Library, Timberland Regional Library, Washington State Library, Spokane County Library District, Sno-Isle Libraries and Everett Public Library….
From the desk of Mary Paynton Schaff It is not an uncommon occurrence for the reference librarians at the Washington State Library to be called upon for assistance by journalists. Questions come in regularly from newspaper reporters, bloggers, and radio contributors. So when Wall Street Journal reporter Michael M. Phillips contacted the Library about tracking down relatives of some Washington World War II veterans, librarian Kathryn Devine stepped up to provide information on the fates of these servicemen. The results…
From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian Signed in 1961 and ratified in 1964, The Columbia River Treaty (CRT) is an international agreement between Canada and the United States that coordinates flood control and optimizes hydroelectric energy production on both sides of the border. The United States and Canada are set to renegotiate this important treaty in 2014. Any decisions regarding the treaty will have profound impacts for citizens of the United States, Canada, Pacific Northwest Tribal…
From the desk of Rand Simmons Washington State is listed as one of 10 success stories by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in their 2013 report on early learning, Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners. “By proactively responding to new initiatives and policy actions, libraries across Washington have secured their position as key players in statewide early learning efforts,” the report states. It cites several activities in which the Washington State Library has been…