Volume 5, December 3, 2009 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) DOWNLOADABLE AUDIOBOOKS PROJECT LAUNCH

2) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE DEADLINE DECEMBER 12

3) SUBMIT YOUR TAX QUESTIONS

4) REF22 PRESENTS ONLINE BOOKMARKING TOOLS FOR REFERENCE

5) INFOPEOPLE WORKSHOPS—APPLY FOR FUNDING

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1) DOWNLOADABLE AUDIOBOOKS PROJECT LAUNCH

The Washington State Library is pleased to announce the launch of the recruitment phase of the statewide Downloadable Audiobooks project. Please visit the project website to sign up, using the provided “intent to participate” form: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/audiobook. The signup deadline is Dec. 21, 2009. For additional information, visit the website, or contact Will Stuivenga [email protected] 360.704.5217 or toll free 866.538.4996.

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2) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE DEADLINE DECEMBER 12

All entries for the 2009-2010 Letters About Literature contest must be postmarked by December 12, 2009. For more information, please visit www.sos.wa.gov/library/lal/ or call 360-704-5211. Letters About Literature encourages young readers to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world. This is the fifth year Washington State Library has sponsored the competition as part of Washington Reads.

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3) SUBMIT YOUR TAX QUESTIONS

As previously announced, a new Washington law imposing a tax on digital products and services went into effect on July 26, 2009. Libraries are theoretically eligible for an exemption to this tax if they are purchasing the digital product or service for the purpose of making it available for free to others.

Because there have been a number of questions raised by libraries about specific products and services and whether or not they are eligible for the exemption, it is the intent of the State Library to submit a list of such questions to the Washington Department of Revenue (DOR) for official rulings. If libraries wish to be included in this process, it is requested that they send in any questions they have relating to this new law.

Please send your digital goods and services tax-related questions to Will Stuivenga at [email protected] by or before the Christmas holiday (by Dec. 24). For background information on the new law, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/tax.

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4) REF22 PRESENTS ONLINE BOOKMARKING TOOLS FOR REFERENCE

Ref22 is pleased to present Jaclyn McKewan on December 8, 2009 from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Jaclyn is the Virtual Services & Training Librarian for the Western New York Library Resources Council. For this month’s Ref22 session she will present on how and why to use online bookmarking tools, specifically Delicious bookmarks and the Firefox Delicious plug-in, to improve the services you provide via online reference. Virtual and physical reference librarians and any library staff that use the internet to regularly answer questions will find this session of interest.

Ref22 takes place the 2nd 2uesday of every month. For more information, visit the Ref22 website at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/ref22.

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5) INFOPEOPLE WORKSHOPS—APPLY FOR FUNDING

Infopeople workshops are flourishing, offering timely and useful online training to libraries and their staffs. Some Infopeople workshops are free, but many have fees. The Washington State Library provides Continuing Education grants to make training more affordable for libraries and their staffs. There are two requirements: the training must qualify for LSTA funding, and the application must be filed at least 30 days prior to the event. For more information and grant application forms, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/CE.

Examples of upcoming Infopeople workshops eligible for CE grant funding:

• Children’s Services Fundamentals (Online January 5 – February 1, 2010)
• Promoting Your Library to Diverse Populations (Online January 12 – February 8, 2010)

But hurry, it’s almost too late to apply for funding for these workshops! For descriptions of these and other InfoPeople workshops and to register for them, visit infopeople.org/workshop.

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