Click for a Flickrset of some of the great pictures we took!

What started as a surprise, turned into a glorious celebration!  Several months ago when we learned that NASA was giving away eclipse glasses to libraries we decided to order 1000 pairs to hand out to Washington Libraries.  Those were quickly claimed, but NASA was kind enough to send us several thousand more, which we continued to distribute to interested libraries across the state.  Then one day, out of the blue, our phones started ringing, “Where can I get eclipse glasses?”  That was when we learned that NASA had published a list of all the libraries they’d given glasses to and we were listed as a place that was holding an event!  A quick change of gears and the response was “We will be holding an event on the day of the eclipse and we will hand out glasses then.”  But all we had left were 90 pairs.  Hmmm.

Meanwhile we had an event to plan.  Calls were made to find a local expert willing to speak at the event and we were fortunate to locate Ken Slavens from the Tacoma Astronomical Society (TAS), and Francisco Velez from the Evergreen Astrological Society who were willing to come to our event to present a program and be available to answer questions.  OK, we were getting a good program together.  Next we managed to buy 100 more pairs of glasses and learned that the TAS was bringing a whole bunch more.  Things were falling into place nicely.  Will anyone come we wondered?

Fast forward to this morning.  Arriving at 7 a.m. we found a line snaking around the building.  Some intrepid souls even slept in their cars in order to be sure they’d get glasses!  As the morning went on more and more people arrived.  By 8:30 a.m. when we started handing out glasses the line was seemingly endless.  We estimate there were around 500 people waiting.  All in all, we handed out 300 pairs of glasses to the assembled crowd. Others came with their own glasses to take part in the event.  There were lots of homemade viewers, everything from cereal boxes to elaborate cardboard constructions.  In the end, although we didn’t have enough glasses for everyone, it wasn’t a problem.  Many people shared glasses and they were generously passed around.

The weather was perfect, the visiting astronomers were great.  They brought posters, models, fielded questions and set up a telescope named “Luke Skywatcher” to project an image of the sun.  Another telescope had been made safe for the event so you could look closely at the sun through the telescope.  The astronomers shared safety tips and astronomical facts. The crowd was wonderfully engaged and often responded with applause and cheers. To keep kids busy while waiting, sidewalk chalk and coloring sheets were available. It became a community event where people made new acquaintances, talked with each other, and laughed and marveled at the glorious site.  Our guest astronomers occasionally gave a countdown to our ‘totality’ – about 94%.

As we neared this the sky grew oddly dark, and the temperature dropped. People sat and chatted or milled around and commented on their experience. Then came the big announcement “We hit totality, this is it. This is the best we’ve got.” A wonderful, spontaneous cheer went up again. Eclipse glasses were passed around again, the view was spectacular and the crowd loved it.  We were thrilled that hundreds of you came and enjoyed the eclipse here at the Washington State Library.

We didn’t set out to hold an eclipse program but sometimes serendipity happens and it’s best to just go with it.  I don’t think we could have asked for a better morning!

In September of 2001 the first National Book Festival was held in Washington D.C.  Laura Bush, a retired librarian, then First Lady of the United States, worked with the Librarian of Congress to launch this new event to encourage a lifelong love of reading.  James Billington, then Librarian of Congress, said, “We must all try, in every way we can, to send the message that reading is critical to our lives and to the life of our nation.” (1)

In 2002 a new addition to the Festival, The Pavilion of the States, was added. (2) Each year states choose a Children’s or Young Adult book they feel represents them.  A representative from each state heads to D.C. to set up a table to showcase their choice and more importantly their state. On the day of the festival thousands of children and their parents run through the pavilion collecting stamps, stickers and bookmarks, on the way learning more about the country they live in.  Washington State was involved almost from the very beginning sending representatives from the State Library to the book festival since 2003.  The books that have been selected each year are an eclectic mix, but they all have one thing in common, they represent Washington State.

The 2017 choice is by author/illustrator Nikki McClure, a Washington native and longtime resident of Olympia.  Waiting For High Tide  (Abrams, 2016) tells the story of a young boy scouring the high tide line for treasures, practicing walking the plank and waiting for high tide so he can swim. While he waits, sea birds and other creatures mirror the family’s behaviors: building and hunting, wading and eating. At long last the tide arrives, and human and animal alike savor the water.

McClure’s picture book features full-bleed cut-paper illustrations in black and white with isolated use of blues and pinks. “Lavish with words and images in a story that is a worthy heir to Robert McCloskey’s work. The sense of place is so rich that it seems possible to smell the air and hear the gulls,” says a Publisher’s Weekly starred review.

It is that sense of place that led to its selection to represent the state of Washington in the Pavilion of the States and in the Great Places, Great Reads publication at the National Book Festival. McClure said she wrote the book to “represent place and to have a beach book that wasn’t East Coast and was for Washington kids.”

Nikki McClure is an author and artist who works with cut-paper to create picture books and an annual calendar. “I cut my images from black paper with an X-Acto knife. Everything is connected,” McClure says. “It’s all one piece of paper, yet it now it holds a story.”

Her books include “To Market, To Market,” “How to Be a Cat,” “Mama Is It Summer Yet?” and illustrator of “All in a Day” by Cynthia Rylant.

The Washington Center for the Book is a partnership of The Seattle Public Library and the Washington State Library.  It is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress.

Hinode Observes Annular Solar Eclipse – Courtesy of NASA

If you didn’t already know, there will be a total eclipse rolling through the United States on Monday, August 21, 2017, and we are happy to announce that in collaboration with STARnet, the Washington State Library (WSL) has distributed nearly 4,000 eclipse glasses to 44 libraries across our state for safe viewing of the eclipse. Each library location will host programs filled with safety information, fun facts, and learning opportunities for the whole family. Check out the list below for more information.

The Olympia area will experience about a 95% eclipse developing around 9:07am as the moon rolls east. The optimum viewing time will be at 10:19am, with the eclipse wrapping up around 11:38am. If you would like your own pair of eclipse glasses for viewing this event from your choice of location, you can find many deals online and in stores. Just make sure you use the word ‘eclipse’ in your search and verify that they are safety certified. Additional safety information can be found on the NASA website.

Visualization of the August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse – Courtesy of NASA

Here at WSL, we are planning our own event! It will start at 8:30am on the 21st, and go until Noon. We have 90 pairs of eclipse glasses to hand out, and they will be given out on a first come first served basis. There will be a liability waiver that each person who comes to the event will be required to sign to receive a pair of glasses. We have a speaker from the Tacoma Astronomical Society who is going to come and talk about the science behind the eclipse and answer participant questions. This is going to be an amazing event that we won’t see again at this magnitude until 2044! So bring a blanket, some snacks, and your family and come picnic with us while we watch the eclipse!

UPDATE:

• We will have a reflective projection viewing area set-up outside so that those who may not get safety glasses can still watch and enjoy the eclipse!
• If you’re unable to attend the WSL event, do not have safety eclipse glasses, or would just like to be creative and make your own safe eclipse pinhole viewer, there are two options on STARnet’s Resource Center webpage. Use either a cereal box or shoebox!
• As parking is limited we encourage you to take public transportation to the event.  The #13 bus comes right down Capitol Blvd. and stops right by the State Library (at Israel Road)

Libraries that have received glasses

• Anacortes Public Library
• Brier Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Calispel Valley Library, POCLD
• Camas Public Library
• Cathlamet Public Library
• Coupeville Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Denny Ashby Library
• Ellensburg Public Library
• Everett Public Library
• Goldendale Community Library, FVRL
• Grandview Library
• Hesseltine Public Library
• Kalama Public Library
• La Center Community Library, FVRL
• La Conner Regional Library District
• Liberty Lake Municipal Library
• Lopez Island Library
• Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Library
• Mariner Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Marysville Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Mid-Columbia Libraries
• Monroe Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Mount Vernon City Library
• Newport Public Library, POCLD
• North Central Regional Library
• North Olympic Library System
• Ocean Shores Public Library
• Orcas Island Public Library
• Port Orchard Branch Library, KRL
• Richland Public Library
• Roslyn Public Library
• Samish Indian Nation Tribal Library
• San Juan Island Library
• Shoalwater Bay Tribal Community Library
• Snohomish Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Squaxin Island Museum, Library, and Research Center
• Sultan Branch Library, Sno-Isle
• Tacoma Public Library
• Upper Skagit Library District
• Walla Walla County Rural Library District
• Walla Walla Public Library
• Whitman County Rural Library District
• Yakama Nation Library
• Yakima Valley Libraries

From the desk of Carolyn Petersen

Kids visiting the Mobius Science Center

The city libraries of Reardan, Harrington and the Ritzville District Library  have banded together  to tackle a common problem: summer enrichment activities for children which would slow the summer learning slide. Their solution: a day camp for grade school children with the libraries providing essential mid-day programming.

Seeing a need and realizing that libraries could play a role in filling that need, Carolyn, the overall project manager for Stimulating Summers, corralled disparate funding sources: an Inland Northwest Foundation grant, LSTA funding, “Feed your brain” grant  from School’s Out Washington and USDA summer nutrition funds.

Next she coaxed the key players to support the effort

• Local librarians who would now need to provide DAILY library programming for 90 minutes for SIX weeks  instead of  one hour of programming once a week for six weeks
• School district personnel (thank you Justin Bradford superintendent of the Harrington School district for donating the use of the Harrington school pool and Kelli Tanke who recruited EWU student teachers to serve as key Feed your Brain reading counselors)
• 4-H camp expert (Thank you Bridget Rohner, Lincoln County 4-H for designing the day camp, training the camp counselors and allowing Judy Boutain your administrative assistant to provide essential administrative support such as lining up buses and drivers to get the kids to the field trip.
• Margy Hall (Economic Development Counselor for Lincoln) to serve as our on the ground PR expert (Please send this required USDA announcement to the local papers to fulfill the requirement to get the summer meal funds approved)

It was a lot of organization but efforts are starting to pay off.  We are half way through the summer and pictures are starting to appear on Facebook.  It looks like a good time is being had by all!   One summer down, two to go.

By now we hope you’ve heard about the new partnership between the Seattle Public Library (SPL) and the Washington State Library.  Yes, we are talking about the Washington Center for the Book. As with all new  endeavors, it can take a while for the behind the scenes work to emerge but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.  Lots of ideas and projects are being cooked up, and we hope to announce things soon.  Meanwhile, if you don’t have your own Summer Reading Book Bingo going, SPL kindly adapted their Bingo card and shares it with you to give you a taste of things to come.  So,  here’s a Bingo card that your library can download, print and hand out to your patrons as we head into the dog days of summer. It’s never too late to read a book! How many do you think you can read before Labor Day? Happy Reading!

Volume 13, July 20, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) IMLS BUDGET VICTORY

2) TWO NEW RURAL HERITAGE COLLECTIONS

3) CENTER FOR THE BOOK

4) MEASURES THAT MATTER PART 3

5) GRANTS – RECORDINGS AT RISK

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Read the rest of this entry »

In the early days of the Seattle-based Washington Hellenic Civic Society, little did community citizens know their comings and goings would reach an international audience through the publication of the monthly newspaper, the Washington Hellenic Review.

It had just over a 10-year run (1924-1936) under the vision of WHCS president Pericles H. Scarlatos.   It reached an audience mostly in Seattle, but also across to subscribers in 33 cities, and even a few in Greece. The many activities of members of the community were chronicled: births, baptisms, name days, marriages, illnesses, deaths, vacations abroad, visitors, graduations, picnics, bazaars, formal dinners, events of local clubs and societies, and the news of the local parish of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.

At the time of publication, the Society aimed to assist the Greek immigrants of Washington with integrating into American culture and keeping up on church news, how to apply for and practice good citizenship in America, which candidates to support in upcoming city and state elections, and when and where to see Greek cultural activities.

The Hellenic Review was an essential newspaper to the Greek community in Seattle and now the publication is an essential document of Seattle’s local history and to the descendants of Greek immigrants in Washington. The Washington State Library is proud to present online access to the Hellenic Review, one of our most recent titles on the Washington Digital Newspapers website.

For many years one of the projects of the State Library was an emailing and blog post called “Clippings.” We contracted with a newspaper clipping service to scour Washington newspapers for mentions of our libraries.  These stories were collected and published weekly, as a way of keeping all of us up to date on what was happening around our state.  It was a great service but it had its limitations.  First, by the time the clippings made their way to us many of the events were weeks old.  Also many of our small libraries rarely turned up in the newspaper and that felt lopsided.  We know that you are all doing great things and we wanted to find a way to capture them.

A few years ago we started playing around with a web newspaper tool called Paper.li, designed to collect news on a given topic from around the web.  We were intrigued by the possibilities but life was busy and other things took priority. Then one day last fall we learned that our Clipping service was closing. It was time to resume our investigation!  One of the problems we hoped to address was the under-representation of our state’s smaller libraries. Was there a way that moving to the new online format could fix that issue?  Brain flash- most libraries have a Facebook page.  We could learn what was happening through their Facebook posts and share that on our new newspaper.  Fast forward several months (and a lot of trial and error) and we launched the new, flashy updated “Clippings” now renamed “WSL Presents: News from Washington Libraries.” We still look for mentions in the news, we are combing your Facebook feeds BUT (this is where you come in) we would LOVE it if you sent us your news directly.  Staci Phillips is the seeker, finder, collector and creator of the paper.  You can send her your stories and pictures at [email protected].  We want to hear from public, academic, school, tribal, and special libraries, in other words YOU!

Meanwhile if you haven’t discovered it yet, our bi-weekly online newspaper is found here.  On the upper right of your screen you’ll see a “Subscribe to the Email Newsletter” box. If you are interested in keeping up with all the good library news in the state why not sign up?  When a new edition is published you’ll receive an email announcement so you know to visit the page.  All past editions are available in the archives.  So, please send us your news and help us create a rich resource to celebrate all things Washington Library.

Book signing at the Washington State Book Awards

The Washington State Library has joined forces with The Seattle Public Library to lead the work of the Washington Center for the Book.

The Seattle Public Library was designated as the home for the Washington State Center for the Book by the U.S. Library of Congress back in 1989.

The mission of the Washington Center of the Book is to promote Washington’s literary heritage and the importance of books, reading, literacy and libraries.

There is a Center for the Book in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We are very excited to collaborate with The Seattle Public Library to broaden the reach of the Center for the Book in our state,” said Washington State Librarian Cindy Aden. “We believe by combining our efforts, we can be more effective in strengthening Washington’s community of readers.”

She noted that some State Library programs – such as the Letters about Literature contest – will receive an added boost from the partnership, since they will now be produced jointly. Letters for Literature invites children from across the state to write letters to their favorite authors.

Washington’s three top winners for the 2017 Letters About Literature contest

Marcellus Turner, city librarian for The Seattle Public Library, said collaborating with the State Library will heighten awareness about many other activities local libraries offer to support writing, reading and literature.

“Events such as The Seattle Public Library’s annual Washington State Book Awards and the Seattle Reads program – which connects communities with books and authors through discussion – will benefit,” Turner said.

In addition to creating and calling attention to programs that highlight Washington’s robust literary heritage, future goals include offering unifying literary activities and promotions across our state. “We are just getting started, but we intend to explore opportunities to increase reading and literacy in Washington in new and innovative ways,” Turner said.

From the desk of Ken McDouall, Library Associate, Washington Corrections Center for Women

The Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) library branch was pleased to welcome Tacoma’s newest Poet Laureate last week. Kellie Richardson is a lifelong resident of Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood, and her poetry is informed by her intersecting identities as an activist, an African American woman, a mother, and a Christian. She has taught at Pacific Lutheran University and is often busy conducting workshops and giving presentations to local schools and community events.

Ms. Richardson formed immediate connections with the crowd of inmates gathered for an open mic event on the evening of May 26. She read a couple of her pieces, and encouraged those in attendance to come up and share their work. The evening featured some stellar performances from the inmates, including a striking presentation of a couple Nina Simone songs. When participation started to flag, Ms. Richardson energized the crowd with several rounds of “pop-up poetry,” engaging participants to create spontaneous poems based on words chosen by their peers.

Enthusiasm for poetry and spoken word is high at WCCW, and the library branch here makes every effort to keep it that way. Ms. Richardson looks forward to returning and encouraging other poets in the area to connect to this unique population of library patrons. ​