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Category: WSL 160

Profiles in Washington Territorial Librarians – Henry R. Crosbie, 1857

Profiles in Washington Territorial Librarians – Henry R. Crosbie, 1857

[The Territorial Librarian profiles were compiled by Sean Lanksbury, Mary Schaff, Kim Smeenk, and Steve Willis] Born ca. 1825, Pennsylvanian “Harry” Crosbie was elected to the first three territorial legislative sessions (1854-1855) as a member of the House representing Clark County (then known as Clarke County), where he had been District Court Clerk. In his capacity as a House member he was also on the first Commission on Education. In the 2nd Session he served as Speaker of the House….

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Profiles in Washington Territorial Librarians- Bion Freeman Kendall

Profiles in Washington Territorial Librarians- Bion Freeman Kendall

[The Territorial Librarian profiles were compiled by Sean Lanksbury, Mary Schaff, Kim Smeenk, and Steve Willis] Bion (Benjamin) Freeman Kendall, 1853 – 1857 Born Oct. 1827 in Bethel, Maine. Fresh out of Bowdoin College in 1852, Kendall found employment as a government clerk in the Survey Land Office in Washington, D.C. He served as an aide (along with future Territorial Librarian Elwood Evans) on the 1853 Isaac Stevens survey team when the first Territorial Governor made his way to Olympia….

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160 celebration: Priest Point Mythbusting

160 celebration: Priest Point Mythbusting

[One bit of folklore concerning the Washington State Library Territorial Collection has to do with the original source of ownership for a dozen books, mostly vellum bound and chiefly dating back to the 1500s. When old catalogers gather around the campfire at night, they tell tales of the ancient books in WSL that were initially part of the library at the Catholic Mission in Priests Point, in north Olympia. And if this is fact, these library books predate all others…

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WSL 160 celebration – Law Library

WSL 160 celebration – Law Library

[Not all the surviving books of the original Territorial Collection reside in the Washington State Library. A good portion of them went with the Washington State Law Library when they split from WSL. The current State Law Librarian, Kay Newman, tells the story]: The Territorial Library originated March 2, 1853, when Congress passed the Organic Act of the Territory of Washington. Section 17 provided $5,000 to be spent by the Governor of the new Territory to purchase a library. On…

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Territorial Collection Trivia

Territorial Collection Trivia

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: In the summer of 2002 I was given an assignment that turned out to be a career highlight for me as a cataloger to use my vast powers for Good. The task was to make the Washington State Library Territorial Collection the subject of a recon project, i.e., adding the 400+ titles (800+ volumes) to the online catalog. Providing bibliographic access to the oldest library…

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Washington’s Second Library is Also the First

Washington’s Second Library is Also the First

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Although the Washington Territorial/State Library was formed in 1853, making it the first library and indeed cultural institution in Washington to be supported by public funds, the distinction of becoming the very first community library belongs to Steilacoom. In our Rare Vault, WSL has two copies of the Constitution, by-laws, and rules and orders of the Steilacoom Library Association, Washington Territory : organized in March,…

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WSL Updates for June 6, 2013

WSL Updates for June 6, 2013

Volume 9, June 6, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) LOCAL HISTORIAN SOLVES TERRITORIAL LIBRARY PUZZLE! 2) IPAD TABLET LAB GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN 3) TURNING THE PAGE – LIBRARIES BUILDING COMMUNITIES 4) SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NW ILL CONFERENCE 5) FREE WORKSHOP – FUNDING PRESERVATION PROJECTS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Invincible!

Invincible!

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Last week we asked if any Between the Lines readers could help us in identifying the first of two ships that brought the Territorial Library collection from New York to San Francisco in 1853. The story of the second ship, the Tarquinia, which delivered the books in the final leg of the journey is well known, but the first ship has been a mystery to…

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WSL Updates for May 30, 2013

WSL Updates for May 30, 2013

Volume 9, May 30, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) 160 YEARS OF LIBRARIES IN WASHINGTON – A GOOD REASON TO CELEBRATE 2) GETTING THE MOST OUT OF ONLINE GENEALOGY SOURCES 3) WALE PROPOSALS DUE NEXT TUESDAY 4) CE GRANTS FOR STARTING STRONG 5) GALE/LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION TEAMS AWARD 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

The Voyage of the “Unknown Steamer”

The Voyage of the “Unknown Steamer”

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: 160 years! And our flame continues to illuminate the world around us. The Washington State Library is celebrating its 160th birthday in 2013. Why is this an important number? First, no other public cultural or educational institution in Washington can make this claim. And second, not only are we are still here but WSL staff continue to provide excellent access to the information needs of…

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