The American Library Association is working with the White House, in partnership with the Corporation for National & Community Service, to get libraries involved in a national volunteer initiative that will run from June 22 to September 11, 2009. Early the week of June 15^th an announcement will come from the White House asking partners, including libraries, to post their local volunteer opportunities online. Since the initiative will then officially launch on June 22, you’ll want to have any information on volunteer opportunities at your library ready to go in anticipation of this quick turnaround. We recognize that this doesn’t give you much time, but we hope you will consider being a part of this important initiative.

Please visit www.ala.org/summerofservice to find a one page fact sheet on the initiative from the Corporation for National & Community Service.

Volunteer opportunities can be posted right now by visiting www.serve.gov, Libraries are encouraged to post their volunteer opportunities as soon as possible.

Family Tree Magazine’s e-newsletter selected Washington State Library’s free obituary service for Washington State Ancestors as their TIP OF THE WEEK.  The newsletter stated “folks with Washington State ancestors will want to know about:

“E-mail [email protected] with the name of your ancestor and the date and place of death in Washington State, and they will scan the person’s obituary and send it to you via e-mail.”

The Genealogy services at the Washington State Library are a service that not everyone knows about, but which deserves further publicity.

KUDOS!!

Our colleague, Martha, found this story posted on the Whatcom County Library web site.  If you needed extra ammunition about how libraries and books can affect individual lives, here is a prime example.

This happened during a “Whatcom Reads!” One Book event at the Whatcom Community College:

“A woman, near the front of the line for the book signing, asked me if she thought it was ok if she just spoke to Sherman since she didn’t have a book for him to sign. I said I thought he was very flexible and to go ahead. When it was her turn, she and Sherman spoke for several minutes. I heard her ask him if he would please sign a piece of paper for her, since she didn’t have a book. She explained that she had been homeless for awhile and was really moved by his speech, especially what he said about poverty. He was signing her piece of paper when the next woman in line tapped the first woman on the shoulder and gave her her own copy of the book. The first woman protested, saying she didn’t have any money to pay for it. The second woman demurred and said, “I have other books at home. This one is for you.” Sherman said, “Take the book,” and everyone within hearing got a little teary. I have this image in my mind of this homeless woman clutching her very own signed copy of The Absolutely True Diary and keeping it as a precious treasure, and the second woman keeping a warm memory of a time she did a good deed. Awesome!”

This and more great comments from the Whatcom Reads! program on their website: http://www.whatcomreads.org/comments.shtml.