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Category: WSL 160

WASHINGTON’S DIGITAL HERITAGE: AN AUDIO & VISUAL HISTORY

WASHINGTON’S DIGITAL HERITAGE: AN AUDIO & VISUAL HISTORY

The Washington State Library’s annual Washington Digital Heritage grant cycle has helped preserve a wealth of historical documents from organizations and private collections statewide. These grants support libraries and partner organizations in digitizing historically significant primary sources, special collections, and archives. In addition, the projects support the creation of digital exhibits, oral histories, open educational resources, and other community memory initiatives. Here are some highlights from the 2019-2020 grant cycle. Asotin County Library The Asotin County Library digitized a privately…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Eleanor (Ellen) Sharp Stevenson, 1888-1890

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Eleanor (Ellen) Sharp Stevenson, 1888-1890

Eleanor (Ellen) Sharp Stevenson, 1888-1890 From the Desks of the Central Library Staff She was the last Territorial Librarian and by default became the first State Librarian when Washington attained statehood on Nov. 11, 1889. Born July, 1848 in Logan County, Ky., she surfaced as a teacher in Olympia in 1882. In 1884 she was apparently teaching in Mason County. By 1886 Ellen was employed as a clerk for the Legislature and in that brief window of time (1883-1888) when…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Eliza Des Saure Newell, 1882-1887

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Eliza Des Saure Newell, 1882-1887

From the Desks of the Central Library Staff Eliza Des Saure Newell, 1882-1887 The longest serving Territorial Librarian was born in 1853 in New Jersey. In 1882 her father, the eccentric William Augustus Newell, was the Governor. Gov. Newell had appointed his daughter Eleanor as his personal secretary. His other daughter, Eliza, he appointed to the post of Territorial Librarian. The Governor’s nepotism forced the Legislature to change the Territorial laws regarding women in office. Maryan Reynolds picks up the…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Walter Newlin and James Ferry

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Walter Newlin and James Ferry

From the Desks of the Central Library Staff Walter W. Newlin, 1879-1880 Born in Pennsylvania ca. 1841, Walter W. Newlin was living and working in Olympia as early as 1870 as a lawyer. Appointed Territorial Librarian in Aug. 1879 by Gov. Ferry, his tenure was brief but eventful. With Newlin, we see the first glimmer of the kind of librarian we recognize in modern times. His Oct. 1, 1879 report laments the lack of a catalog and the poor facilities….

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160 Years of Service to the People of Washington

160 Years of Service to the People of Washington

From the desk of Kim Wyman, Secretary of State. From its beginnings as the Washington Territorial Library in 1853, the Washington State Library has played a major role preserving and providing public access to books, maps, collections, documents and other vital information about Washington’s history and government. For the past 160 years, the State Library has lived up to its mission and purpose, which is to “collect, preserve and make accessible to Washingtonians materials on the government, history, culture, and natural…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Elwood Evans 1877-1879

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Elwood Evans 1877-1879

From the Desks of the Central Library Staff It is difficult to get away from Elwood Evans while reading about the political history of Washington Territory. Born in Philadelphia Dec. 29, 1828, he was appointed a Deputy Collector of Customs under Simpson P. Moses and arrived in Olympia with the Moses brothers in 1851. Admitted to the bar shortly after setting up shop, he became one of the Territory’s earliest lawyers. His initial stay in Washington Territory was brief, in…

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WSL Updates for October 10, 2013

WSL Updates for October 10, 2013

Volume 9, October 10, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) WSL – 160 YEARS OF SERVING THE PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON 2) WASHINGTON HISTORY – ONLINE! 3) DIGITAL LITERACY GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN 4) CAYAS WORKSHOP – CONNECTING, MAKING, HACKING 5) MEDICAID EXPANSION TOOLKIT 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Frederick S. Holmes, 1875-1877

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Frederick S. Holmes, 1875-1877

Frederick S. Holmes, 1875-1877 From the Desks of the Central Library Staff He was born May 8, 1849 in Chicago and spent his early years in Kenosha, Wis. Holmes arrived in Olympia Nov. 9, 1853 with his parents, Samuel and Mary. Only 25 years of age, he was the first Territorial Librarian to be appointed directly by the Governor. According to Maryan Reynolds in The Dynamics of Change, When Yantis vacated the position of librarian in 1875, members of the…

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Oh, the places you’ll go! (Part 2)

Oh, the places you’ll go! (Part 2)

In November of 1854, the library was relocated to a small wood-frame building on Fourth and Main Street. Territorial Librarian B.F. Kendall had the structure built specifically to hold the library materials, the law insisting that it be housed “as convenient as possible to the house occupied by the legislative assembly.”