WA Secretary of State Blogs

Learning through play

January 23rd, 2018 Nono Burling Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education Comments Off on Learning through play

five boys playing with Lego robots on the floor.With Microsoft, Amazon, Google and many other companies based in Washington we are a technology state. Washington State is endlessly hungry for skilled technology workers and STEM learning is an important component of educating our future workforce.  The State Library, seeing this need, has invested in many STEM kits which we circulate to interested libraries around Washington. Coding and robotics are work skills that are highly prized, and one of our original, and very popular kits, Lego Mindstorms teaches these skills.  Purchased in 2016 these kits have so far visited 28 libraries and have a waiting list that stretches out until well into 2018.

While endlessly fun, fascinating, and educational, Lego Mindstorms also have a steep learning curve.  At the beginning of the program, Joe Olayvar and Evelyn Lindberg developed a hands on training, signed up interested libraries and hit the road.  Travelling around the entire state, Joe and Evelyn visited 43 public, Tribal, School and Academic libraries, training staff in 44 different Legislative districts. The trainings were a huge success with comments such as, “Great example of how to do a Mindstorms program.”, “Excellent training – I want MORE!” and “I wished there was an hour of just free play.”

As popular as the trainings were, the kits soon had a waiting list that was over two years long.  Joe realized that by the time they arrived at some of the later scheduled libraries, the person running the program might need to learn all over again, or might not even work there anymore. Being a problem solver by nature he set out to do just that, solve the problem.  A comprehensive LEGO® Mindstorms® EV3 Programming Basics tutorial was created complete with accompanying YouTube videos.  While he was creating this resource, Joe thought of it as support for Washington libraries. Little did he know that his work would be discovered and spread widely.  The first to contact him was COSUGI .  They were so impressed by the tutorial that they are bringing Joe and Evelyn to Atlanta to do a training at their annual conference in April.  Recently a Community College instructor in Oregon contacted Joe asking permission to use the resource.  Joe regularly receives calls about the tutorials, which are being used around the nation.  We can only imagine what will happen after their April conference presentation!

Thanks to this effort, the youth of our state, and now the nation, are being exposed to robotics education and coding in a way that is so fun and hands-on they don’t even know they’re learning.  You’re welcome Tech industry.

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WSL Updates for January 18, 2018

January 17th, 2018 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates, Washington Center for the Book Comments Off on WSL Updates for January 18, 2018

Volume 14, January 18, 2018 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) REPRISE – ADVOCACY, ETHICS, AND THE LAW

2) POET LAUREATES FEATURED

3) PROMOTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

4) SPARKFUN MAKERS

5) MAKING YOUR JOB EASIER

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) REPRISE – ADVOCACY, ETHICS, AND THE LAW

Earlier this week, Rob Mead, the State Law Librarian for Washington, presented a webinar on “Advocacy, Ethics, and the Law for Librarians.” That presentation is now archived and available for viewing on the State Library’s YouTube channel.

For information on upcoming First Tuesday webinars, and links to other archived presentations, visit www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/firsttuesdays.

Do you have a topic to suggest that you think would make a good webinar? Something you’ve always wished for but never found? Send an email to Nono Burling at [email protected]. Good ideas are always welcome!

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2) POET LAUREATES FEATURED

Tod Marshall, outgoing, and Claudia Castro Luna, incoming Washington State Poet Laureates, will be celebrated at an upcoming poetry reading at the Seattle Public Library, January 31, 7:00 p.m. The event features readings from WA129, an anthology of poems collected and curated by Marshall. There are 129 poems in the published book—one for every year of statehood up to 2018, the end of Marshall’s term as State Poet Laureate.

The event is presented in partnership with the Washington Center for the Book, as well as several other organizations. For more details, visit sos.wa.gov/q/WA129.

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3) PROMOTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Promoting Healthy Communities is a consumer health initiative of the Public Library Association (PLA) and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM). The goal is to spread the word about the great consumer health-related programs already underway in the nation’s public libraries.

Libraries are encouraged to submit a brief write-up about a recent library health program to ALA’s Programming Librarian website. This free website contains a wide variety of program ideas for libraries. Library professionals are encouraged to submit their own programs for publication in a section of the website called Program Models.

To submit a program for consideration, please fill out the “Share Your Program” webform. Or email your submission (using the provided Word document) to [email protected]. Programs from all library types are welcome. Please limit your submissions to programs from the past two years. For questions, contact Sarah Ostman, communications manager for ALA’s Public Programs Office, at [email protected].

Thanks for your consideration! Together, we hope to inspire more public libraries to take on this important work.

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4) SPARKFUN MAKERS

The SparkFun Community Partnership Program facilitates one-time collaborations between SparkFun and its community partners to support the work of makers in the field. In exchange for support through the donation of SparkFun hardware, community partners provide content for SparkFun’s channels to share their stories with the maker community at large. SparkFun believes that amplifying the successes of makers in the field helps the maker community around the world continue learning and innovating.

SparkFun looks for individuals and organizations who embrace maker values of open source, collaboration, playfulness, learning at all levels, and making the world a better place. Their community partners will demonstrate a noble cause, a vital need, and an inspiring story. For example, SparkFun is more likely to sponsor an educator who is having students build robots for a school robot dance party that will benefit a local charity than to simply help a school stock its makerspace.

On the third Thursday of every month, the Community Partnership team reviews applications and will contact applicants with any questions if necessary. For more information and to apply: www.sparkfun.com/pages/sponsorships.

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5) MAKING YOUR JOB EASIER

Work smarter. Save money. Get answers. The Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) is a nonprofit organization that helps local governments across Washington State better serve their citizens by providing legal and policy guidance on any topic. MRSC believes the most effective government is a well-informed local government, and as cities, counties, and special purpose districts face rapid changes and significant challenges, they are here to help.

Presenting Making Your Job Easier with MRSC’s Services, a free webinar describing MRSC’s vast suite of services—from personalized inquiries to a vast collection of online tools and resources—all of which can help you, no matter what department you work in. Even if you’ve used MRSC’s services for years, you’ll learn something you didn’t know about MRSC!

Who should attend? Local government employees at all levels, elected and appointed officials, and private consultants or attorneys that advise local governments. Details:

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, Jan 22

Tuesday, Jan 23

Wednesday, Jan 24

Thursday, Jan 25

Friday, Jan 26

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities. By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

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Keeping our library workforce well trained.

January 12th, 2018 Nono Burling Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Training and Continuing Education Comments Off on Keeping our library workforce well trained.

people sitting at a table with laptopsOne of the roles we take very seriously at the State Library is making sure that the library workforce in Washington is kept up to date with the latest, and greatest information about the skills needed to be a success in the 21st century.  We do this in a variety of ways, First Tuesdays webinars, specific in person trainings offered at sites around the state, professional development grants, support for WebJunction and subscriptions to Skillsoft and Lyrasis trainings .

The first of these, the First Tuesdays webinars, are accessible to anyone in the state or even the world.  We host a webinar every month on a wide variety of topics, selected to be both timely and forward thinking as well as appeal to a broad range of library staff.  Recent topics , “Let’s talk about race in Storytimes” to “Public data and privacy protections”, “Legal Reference – The Basics” give you an idea of the range of topics we cover.  People from all over the country and even outside of the U.S. attend these webinars. All the webinars are archived on our YouTube channel allowing anyone to watch, at a time that is convenient to them.

We also offer live trainings at libraries around the state.  A couple of upcoming trainings are “Self-Talk and Emotional Intelligence: Improving your Work Narrative” and “Screen Scene: Best Practices for Using Screen Media with Young Children” . These trainings are offered at no charge to library employees.  simply register, show up and learn.

Every year we work with our teacher librarians to identify their specific needs for training.  Last year WSL trained over 350 teacher librarians in Digital Citizenship offering trainings at dozens of sites around the state.

Professional Development grants are an amazing, and not very well known, resource for Washington library staff. Any individual who works in a Washington library at least 10 hours a week can apply for a grant.  By applying for a PD grant, organizations can help their staff pursue special interest topics by attending conferences, workshops or seminars. In addition organizations may apply to bring a specific training into their library. Most libraries who receive one of the organizational grants open up the training to other local libraries.

We certainly love WebJunction here at the state library. WSLhas supported them from the very beginning and continues to support this incredible growing library of online trainings.  If you’ve ever taken a WebJunction course you know what high quality webinars and trainings they offer.

Skillsoft is a collection of resources specifically designed for continuing education in libraries. Classes are offered in communication, interpersonal skills, leadership, management and a whole suite of technology applications.

In short, if you want to learn it, we probably provide a means to get you there.  Please explore some of these links. We hope you will take advantage of all we have to offer.

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WSL Updates for January 11, 2018

January 10th, 2018 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates Comments Off on WSL Updates for January 11, 2018

Volume 14, January 11, 2018 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SELF-TALK AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

2) SCREEN SCENE FOR CHILDREN

3) FREE BOOKS

4) CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS

5) BIBLIOMETRICS AND MORE

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) SELF-TALK AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Work that is focused on public service can be both rewarding and costly. Being mindful of our own work narrative and understanding how we deal with conflict are two key areas that require our attention. The Washington State Library presents Self-Talk and Emotional Intelligence: Improving your Work Narrative. Participants in this 3-hour workshop will learn how to:

  • Identify and adjust their self-talk;
  • Understand their personal work mission;
  • Develop awareness of cycles of conflict; and
  • Improve clarity and effectiveness of communication.

This free workshop will be presented on several dates and at multiple locations around the state beginning January 30 at Fort Vancouver Regional Library. For more information and to register, visit sos.wa.gov/q/EI.

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2) SCREEN SCENE FOR CHILDREN

Screens are everywhere! Young children are spending more and more time engaged with screen media. Learn what and when children might be learning from screens as well as how we can support children’s media activities. The State Library presents Screen Scene: Best Practices for Using Screen Media with Young Children, a workshop that will explore important cognitive advances children make during the first years of life that impact their ability to learn from screens. The workshop will also discuss the many practical applications and resources for parents and educators, and ways to make the most of ever-present media technology.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize research-based understandings of the impact of digital engagement on early learning;
  • Apply an understanding of joint media engagement to their regular interactions with children in a library setting;
  • Develop appropriate models of digital engagement for very young children.

Register at sos.wa.gov/q/screen. The following sessions are available:

  • Tuesday, February 6 (a.m. session) Fort Vancouver Regional Library Headquarters
  • Monday, February 12 (p.m. session) Burlington Public Library
  • Thursday, February 15 (p.m. session) Bainbridge branch, Kitsap Regional Library
  • Tuesday, February 27 (p.m. session) North Spokane branch, Spokane County Library
  • Wednesday, February 28 (p.m. session) Sunnyvale branch, Yakima Valley Library

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3) FREE BOOKS

Thanks to the generosity of the Seattle Public Library Foundation, the Everett Public Library, the Tacoma Public Library and the Kitsap Regional library, the Washington State Library has the following titles to redistribute to libraries in Washington State:

  • Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
  • Sudden Light by Garth Stein
  • Nickel and Dimed by Garth Stein
  • Clean by David Sheff
  • The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
  • Early Literacy Storytimes by Saroj Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz
  • House of Hope and Fear by Audrey Young
  • Genesis Girl by Jennifer Bardsley

There are some audiobooks and large print titles in this offering. A minimum of five copies per order is required. They can be a mix and match of titles. This is a first come, first serve process. To place your order go to blogs.sos.wa.gov/book-sharing. Questions? Please contact Leanna Hammond: [email protected].

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4) CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS

Monthly webinars aimed at school counselors hosted by the Office of Superintendent for Public Instruction and the Washington Student Achievement Council continue into the new year. The Jan. 17 session will focus on K-12 Career and College Readiness, but additional topics are available at archived and upcoming webinars. Library staff welcome!

For more information, and to register: sos.wa.gov/q/readiness.

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5) BIBLIOMETRICS AND MORE

Bibliometrics, Altmetrics, & the Question of Research Impact is the title of the next PNR Rendezvous webinar session. On January 17 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Robin Chin Roemer will address the history and evolution of meaningful metrics in higher education. She is the co-author of the book Meaningful Metrics: A 21st Century Librarian’s Guide to Bibliometrics, Altmetrics, and Research Impact.

Starting in 2018 attendees for the PNR Rendezvous are strongly encouraged to register for these free webinar sessions. Learn more about this session and register.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Tuesday, Jan 16

Wednesday, Jan 17

Thursday, Jan 18

Friday, Jan 19

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities. By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

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State Library’s Annual Report Showcases Successes.

January 4th, 2018 Nono Burling Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For Libraries, For the Public, Institutional Library Services, Training and Continuing Education, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library Comments Off on State Library’s Annual Report Showcases Successes.

From the desk of Jeff Martin

Every year, the Washington State Library (WSL) reports on its use of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding to the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). On December 21, 2017, the LSTA State Programs Report for use of the 2016 LSTA award was submitted to IMLS for their review, comment, and approval. The year’s report is 126 pages in length.

Reporting is a team effort by all those who manage and support projects which use LSTA funding. The result is a report on 35 projects and 258 grant awards with total expenditures of $3,262,304. The Washington State Library, and the Washington library community which participated in these projects and grants, matched this amount of federal funding with $2,914,368 in state and local funding.

You may ask how this funding is used to support Washington libraries and the residents of the state…the following are a few examples:

  • Statewide projects such as Statewide Database Licensing and the Ask-WA: The Statewide Virtual Reference Cooperative allow groups of libraries within Washington to work cooperatively to lower costs or provide higher levels of service. In the previous decade it was estimated that Statewide Database Licensing allowed all types of libraries working cooperatively to save $18,000,000 over the cost of individually subscribing to these services. The Ask-WA online virtual reference service provides 24/7 coverage for Washington residents who have questions and need answers. This service is in cooperation with an international cooperative of libraries. During their business hours local libraries answer questions from Washington residents. In addition if a person is awake at 3:00 a.m., has a question and can’t find an answer, they can submit the question to the cooperative. It may be, for example, that a librarian in Australia initially replies. The question is then forwarded to the person’s local library for follow-up if needed during their normal business hours.
  • AskWA logoOther statewide projects such as Washington Rural Heritage, and Washington Digital Newspapers focus on providing access to digitized primary sources documenting the early culture, industry, and community life of Washington State. Washington Rural Heritage contains approximately 30,000 items from 148 different cultural institutions throughout the state. This collection represents 49 libraries and their partners including numerous historical societies and museums. Washington Digital Newspapers consists of online access to roughly 45 different newspapers published between 1875 and 1922. Digital access to some of these newspapers includes only a small number of issues and for others hundreds or thousands of issues.
  • Youth Programs logoStill other projects such as Youth Services, Early Learning, and Summer Reading primarily support younger library users. The Washington State Library is a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), a national cooperative of state and local libraries that work together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children, teens, and even adults. The Washington State Library also distributes STEM/STEAM kits to public and tribal libraries to ensure that children and teens throughout the state are provided with hands-on experiences with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) that engage their interest, and provide exploration of possible career paths in a fun and rewarding way. The eight STEM kits were rotated among libraries over 308 times during the year with a total attendance of over 3,300.

First Tuesdays logoAnother focus the Washington State Library throughout the year is providing training to library staff using Professional Development Grants, Online Training Resources, and face-to-face training experiences. Training and professional development grants allow local library staff to enhance knowledge and skills and in turn better serve their patrons. First Tuesdays is one example of a monthly hour-long webinar produced by the Washington State Library. This webinar focuses on issues of interest to the Washington library community. Many other opportunities are available to library staff throughout the year. During the last federal fiscal year over 1,100 training seats were filled by library staff from all types of libraries.

Did you know that the Washington State Library provides library services in nine of the Department of Correction prisons and also Eastern State Hospital and Western State Hospital?

The prison libraries are supported with federal library funding. These libraries provide the residents of these institutions support for education, literacy, recovery, recreation, and re-entry. It is a goal of this program that these libraries support a reduction in inmate recidivism leading to healthier and safer communities over time. Over 574,000 items were circulated by these 11 libraries to those incarcerated or institutionalized.

WTBBL logoThe Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) is a program of the Washington State Library. WTBBL provides equal access to information and reading materials for Washington residents unable to read standard print. A portion of the funding for this service comes from federal LSTA funding. WTBBL has over 7,300 patrons, serves 224 Washington state schools and 261 other Washington state organizations. Roughly 320,000 audiobooks and other materials were circulated during the reporting year along with approximately 74,000 books and magazines being downloaded. On May 19, 2017, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), part of the Library of Congress, named the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library of Seattle as the Network Library of the Year for 2016.

The mission of the Washington State Library is “Connecting Washington through the power of libraries.” WSL is proud to be able to provide a range of services to academic libraries, public libraries, school libraries, non-profit special libraries, and tribal libraries who in turn are better able to support the residents of their local community. WSL services take the form of one-on-one consulting, grant awards to support the development of new and enhanced library services, training to enhance the knowledge and skills of local library staff, cooperative projects which leverage the power of individual libraries, and statewide projects which focus on topical areas of opportunity and needs.

Read the full State Programs Report at 2016 LSTA State Programs Report.

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WSL Updates for January 4, 2018

January 3rd, 2018 Will Stuivenga Posted in Federal and State Publications, For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates, Washington Center for the Book Comments Off on WSL Updates for January 4, 2018

Volume 14, January 4, 2018 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE

2) ADVOCACY, ETHICS, AND THE LAW

3) 2018 WASHINGTON BOOK AWARDS

4) HISTORICAL US CODE ONLINE

5) EZRA JACK KEATS MINI-GRANTS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE

Storytime is the perfect place to model an open and welcoming environment for the whole community. No one should feel left out or erased from a larger narrative by never being able to see themselves reflected in storytime.

How can librarians practice talking about race and model inclusion for their communities? How can we help our storytime colleagues not be afraid of delving deeper in creating an affirming and inclusive storytime environment? How do you gain institutional support for including social justice advocacy in storytimes?

During January’s free First Tuesdays webinar, the conversation is intended to model storytime inclusion in ways that lead to tangible practice. Tuesday, January 9, 2018 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. For more information or to register, visit sos.wa.gov/q/ftst.

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2) ADVOCACY, ETHICS, AND THE LAW

The Washington State Library presents “Advocacy, Ethics, and the Law for Librarians” on Tuesday, January 16, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. This free webinar is an introduction to public advocacy and lobbying for librarians within the context of Washington law. As professionals, how can we make sure our voices are heard on issues of freedom, equity, truth, and justice? What is ethically required of us? Where are the legal (and political) danger zones? Register: sos.wa.gov/q/Mead.

Presented by Rob Mead, the State Law Librarian for Washington, who manages the law library at the Temple of Justice in Olympia and is a member of the Washington Bar. Previously, he was the Deputy Chief Public Defender for New Mexico, the NM State Law Librarian, and an academic law librarian at the University of Kansas and the University of New Mexico.

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3) 2018 WASHINGTON BOOK AWARDS

Do you know a Washington author who had a book published in 2017? The Washington Center for the Book is actively seeking 2017 titles by Washington authors for the 2018 Washington State Book Awards. The Washington State Book Awards are given for outstanding books published by Washington authors the previous year. Info, criteria, and the online submission form are available online. The entry deadline is February 1, 2018.

The Washington Center for the Book, a partnership of the Washington State Library and The Seattle Public Library, administers the annual Washington State Book Awards which are designed to bring attention to the quality of writing being produced in Washington. Books are judged on literary merit, lasting importance and overall quality of the publication.

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4) HISTORICAL US CODE ONLINE

More than 60 years of U.S. laws are now published online and accessible for free for the first time after being acquired by the Library of Congress. The Library has made available the main editions and supplements of the United States Code from 1925 through the 1988 edition.

The U.S. Code is a compilation of federal laws arranged by subject by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives. The Library’s U.S. Code Collection is fully searchable. Filters allow users to narrow their searches by date, title and/or subject. PDF versions of each chapter can be viewed and downloaded.

The collection is online at loc.gov/collections/united-states-code. This provides access to editions of the U.S. Code that previously were not available to the public online for free. For the full press release, visit sos.wa.gov/q/UScode.

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5) EZRA JACK KEATS MINI-GRANTS

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, which fosters children’s love of reading and creative expression in our diverse culture, celebrates the 30th year of its Mini-Grant program with a call for proposals. Approximately 60 grants of up to $500 each will be awarded to qualifying teachers and librarians in public schools and libraries across the country.

Since 1987, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation has provided nearly $1 million in support of Mini-Grant programs spanning the 50 states and U.S commonwealths. To learn more about Mini-Grants, including this year’s criteria, visit Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grants. The application deadline is March 31, 2018.

Founded by the late Caldecott award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation fosters children’s love of reading and creative expression by supporting arts and literacy programs in public schools and libraries; cultivating new writers and illustrators of exceptional picture books that reflect the experience of childhood in our diverse culture; and protecting and promoting the work of Keats, whose book The Snowy Day broke the color barrier in children’s publishing. To learn more about the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, visit www.ezra-jack-keats.org.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Tuesday, January 9

Wednesday, January 10

Thursday, January 11

Friday, January 12

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities. By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at:

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WSL Updates for December 21, 2017

December 20th, 2017 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates Comments Off on WSL Updates for December 21, 2017

Volume 13, December 21, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

WSL Updates will take next week off and will resume publication in January. On behalf of the Washington State Library and its staff, holiday greetings and best wishes for the New Year to all WSL Updates readers!

Topics include:

1) STATE OF STATE LIBRARIES

2) LIS ONLINE PROGRAM

3) HONDA STEM GRANTS

4) REVISITING THE FOUNDING ERA

5) LISA LIBRARIES

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES WEEK AFTER NEXT

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1) STATE OF STATE LIBRARIES

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has released the latest report (PDF, 16MB) on the State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAA) Survey. The biennial survey, conducted in FY 2016, assesses the condition of SLAAs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The IMLS report found that SLAAs experienced significant decreases in revenues and staffing during the economic recession from 2007 to 2009, with no sustained gains afterward.

The survey found that over the past 12 years, SLAA revenues declined by over a fifth, while expenditures fell in parallel by 22 percent. However, despite decreased revenue, 31 SLAAs reported providing statewide reading programs, an increase from 61 to 86 percent over two years.

Additional services offered by SLAAs remained relatively unchanged. Forty-nine of the 51 SLAAs provided consulting services, most commonly for library management/organizational development, continuing education, and youth services. Thirty-nine SLAAs provided some form of literacy support.

For more of the report summary, visit sos.wa.gov/q/statelibs.

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2) LIS ONLINE PROGRAM

The LiS Certificate and AAS online degree program targets library staff and paraprofessionals. All Library Science classes and electives are now offered online. Students are not required to attend any on-campus orientations, advising or testing—these services are offered online. Students are also required to complete library internships at their local library. Alternative tuition discounts are available for qualified library staff and/or volunteers.

Spokane Falls Community College will offer the following classes starting winter quarter (January 3, 2018):

  • LMLIB 125 School Library Media Services. 5 credits. Online. No textbook required.
  • LMLIB 116 Introduction to Circulation Systems and Services. 5 credits. Online. No textbook required. Meets ALA LSSC competency access services.
  • LMLIB 220 Technical Services II: Introduction to Cataloging. 5 credits. Online. No textbook required. Meets ALA LSSC competency cataloging and classification.
  • LMLIB 126 Library Technology and Services for Educational Support. 3 credits. Online. No textbook required. Meets ALA LSSC competency.

For more information, visit sos.wa.gov/q/LiS or contact Paula Swan, [email protected].

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3) HONDA STEM GRANTS

The American Honda Foundation supports youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment. More than $37 million have been awarded to organizations serving over 117 million people in every state in the U.S.

Nonprofit charitable organizations classified as a 501(c) (3) public charity by the Internal Revenue Service, or a public school district, private/public elementary and secondary schools as listed by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) are eligible for funding.

Organizations may only submit one request in a 12-month period. This includes colleges and universities with several departments/outreach programs.

  • The grant range is from $20,000 to $75,000 over a one-year period.
  • Proposals must be submitted online. No paper or faxed applications will be accepted.
  • Apply by February 1 of any year.

For more information or to apply, visit www.honda.com/community/applying-for-a-grant

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4) REVISITING THE FOUNDING ERA

Public libraries are invited to apply for Revisiting the Founding Era, a nationwide project that will use historical documents to spark public conversations about the Founding Era’s enduring ideas and themes and how they continue to influence our lives today.

Up to 100 U.S. public libraries will be selected to host programs related to the American Revolution and the early years of the nation. Participating libraries will receive:

  • 10 copies of a 100-page reader containing selected documents from the lauded Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in U.S. history;
  • $1,000 to help implement discussion groups and other public programs;
  • Training, resources, and support.

Libraries, working in collaboration with scholars, local experts, and others, will be asked to implement at least three public programs for adult and teen audiences. Topics may include the rights of citizens versus the rights of government; who is “we the people?”; and decision-making and taking action.

The application deadline is January 31, 2018. Visit sos.wa.gov/q/era for more information or to apply.

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5) LISA LIBRARIES

Lisa Libraries donates new children’s books and small book collections to organizations that work with kids in poor and under-served areas. They have a strong interest in supporting small, grass-roots organizations. Recipients of these free books will need to cover the shipping costs. Must have a tax exempt 501(c)(3) status.

For information on how to apply, visit lisalibraries.org/need.php.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES WEEK AFTER NEXT

Note: No CE opportunities were found for next week (Dec. 26-30) but there are a few for the following week (Jan. 2-5).

Wednesday, January 3

Thursday, January 4

Friday, January 5

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

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WSL Updates for December 14, 2017

December 13th, 2017 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education, Updates Comments Off on WSL Updates for December 14, 2017

Volume 13, December 14, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE

2) GOING DEEPER WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

3) MLA TECH CAMP

4) PRECISION MEDICINE FOR ALL OF US

5) MUSEUMS EMPOWERED

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE

Budding teenage videographers across Washington are invited to participate in the 2018 Teen Video Challenge, a Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) sponsored competition, hosted by the Washington State Library. Teenagers ages 13 through 18 can create a 30 to 90-second video with their unique interpretation of the 2018 CSLP Teen Video Challenge slogan, “Libraries Rock!” in combination with reading and libraries. Visit the Teen Video Challenge website for details. Submissions must be received by Feb. 10, 2018, to be eligible.

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2) GOING DEEPER WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Learn how to take the next steps toward amplifying your library’s social media program. This webinar will discuss best practices in growing your library’s social media program and managing user engagement. You’ll learn tips on assessing your library’s audience based on their preferred platforms and ideas for converting your in-person library community into an online community.

Details:

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3) MLA TECH CAMP

Do you need to manage born digital content in your collection? Maybe a refresher on fair use of your digital collections? Or guide patrons through creating data visualizations. Come to #mlatechcamp! (MLA tech camp). The Emerging Technologies and Services Committee of the Music Library Association (MLA) is hosting a one day pre-conference workshop on January 31st, 2018, before the MLA annual meeting in Portland, OR (Jan. 31 – Feb. 4th, 2018) to enhance skill sets of librarians, humanists, and technologists who work or want to work with digital objects and data.

This workshop will offer something for seasoned practitioners as well as novices to learn and build together in a collaborative, interactive, informal, spontaneous, and productive environment. All are welcome, whether you are working with music materials or not. Registration for the pre-conference is separate from MLA’s annual meeting. We actively encourage anyone interested in digital aspects of librarianship to take part.

For more information and registration details, visit bit.ly/mlatechcamp2018.

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4) PRECISION MEDICINE FOR ALL OF US

Creating the right health approaches and care for the right person is called precision medicine. Getting the right information to make that happen is the goal of the All of Us Research Program. To get there, the goal is to create the largest health data resource ever. By understanding people’s health, neighborhood, family, and lifestyle, researchers will have information to better understand health and disease. This information is essential to create a healthier future for generations to come.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) are partnering to raise awareness about the NIH’s All of Us Research Program. Through this collaboration, NNLM will focus on improving consumer access to high quality health information in communities throughout the U.S., specifically through public libraries. The NNLM Pacific Northwest Region will work with libraries in Washington State to provide the information they need for their communities regarding the All of Us Research Program. More information is available at nnlm.gov/all-of-us and at allofus.nih.gov.

“We want to reach participants where they are. For many people in the country, including those with limited internet access, one of those places is the local library,” said Eric Dishman, director of the All of Us Research Program. “We’re excited to work with the National Library of Medicine to make more people aware of All of Us and the opportunity to take part.” For the entire press release, use this link: sos.wa.gov/q/AllofUs.

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5) MUSEUMS EMPOWERED

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is offering professional development grants designed to help museums respond to the evolving needs of the museum profession and changes in their communities. The program, now in its second year, is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program, with the goal of strengthening the ability of an individual museum to serve its public through professional development activities that cross-cut various departments to generate systemic change within the museum.

Eligible entities for Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff are U.S. museums of all sizes and disciplines. Award amounts will either be $5,000 – $25,000 with no cost share permitted or $25,001 – $250,000 with at least 1:1 cost share. The application deadline is March 1, 2018. See the application guidelines (PDF, 415KB) on the IMLS website for details. A live webinar will provide applicants more information about this opportunity: FY18 Museums Empowered, Tuesday, January 9, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, December 18, 2017

Tuesday, December 19

Wednesday, December 20

  • Navigating WebEx (National Network of Libraries of Medicine) 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PST

Thursday, December 21

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at:

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WSL Updates for December 7, 2017

December 6th, 2017 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, Letters About Literature, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates Comments Off on WSL Updates for December 7, 2017

Volume 13, December 7, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2018

2) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WORKSHOPS

3) ZINES CONTEST DEADLINE NEAR

4) EVALUATE HEALTH APPS

5) IMLS GRANT OPPORTUNITY

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2018

The Letters About Literature contest encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world or themselves. Students can write about works of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Entries in Spanish are accepted and will be translated for the Washington State judges.

Letter writers compete at three levels: Level 1: grades 4-6; Level 2: grades 7-8; Level 3: grades 9-12. State judges select the top letter writer in each level and the three winning letters advance to the national competition. The three state champions will each receive a $125 cash prize and the champions, runners up, and honorable mentions will be honored at an awards ceremony. State semifinalists will receive an award certificate in the mail. National winners receive a $1,000 cash prize and national honor winners receive a $200 cash prize.

Entries may be submitted through a school or library, or individually. Individual entries must be signed by a parent or guardian. The entry deadline for this year’s contest is January 12, 2018 for all levels. For more information and entry forms: sos.wa.gov/q/LAL2018.

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2) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WORKSHOPS

Work that is focused on public service can be both rewarding and costly. Being mindful of our own work narrative and understanding how we deal with conflict are two key areas that require our attention. Participants in this 3-hour workshop will learn how to: identify and adjust their self-talk; understand their personal work mission; develop awareness of cycles of conflict; and improve clarity and effectiveness of communication.

Registration is now open for “Self-Talk and Emotional Intelligence: Improving your Work Narrative.” Workshops are offered January through March 2018 in Vancouver, Tacoma, Marysville, Seattle and Richland. For more information and to register, visit sos.wa.gov/q/EI.

This workshop is sponsored by the Washington State Library and is funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

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3) ZINES CONTEST DEADLINE NEAR

The deadline for the Washington Historical Zine contest is fast approaching but it’s still not too late to create your Historical Zine! All entries must be postmarked by December 15th. For more information and the entry form, go to sos.wa.gov/q/Zine.

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4) EVALUATE HEALTH APPS

Today mobile applications connect more people to health, wellness, and fitness information than ever before. How can librarians help consumers and patients navigate the growing field of wellness applications? Across all mobile platforms, fitness and health applications are some of the most popular and most frequently downloaded. By better understanding how to evaluate applications, librarians can help patients and patrons make informed decisions about the apps that they choose to download.

“There’s an App for That! Consumer Apps for Health & Fitness” is the next session of the PNR Rendezvous monthly webinar from NNLM PNR. No registration is required.

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5) IMLS GRANT OPPORTUNITY

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting applications for the second cycle of the FY 2018 National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG-L) and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21). This is the final opportunity to apply for the FY 2018 NLG-L and LB21 grant programs.

The NLG-L program invests in projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and generate results such as new tools, research findings, or models that can be widely used. The LB21 program supports professional development and training projects for libraries and archives.

From the preliminary proposals received by the February 1 deadline, IMLS will select applicants and invite them to submit full proposals by June 8, 2018. Informational webinars will be held Tuesday, December 12 at 11:00 p.m. PST and (repeated) on Thursday, December 14, 12:00 p.m. PST with program staff to answer questions from potential applicants. Recordings of the webinars will also be made available on the IMLS website. For information about how to participate in the webinars or to access the webinar recordings, visit the IMLS webinar webpage, which includes information about system compatibility.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, December 11

Tuesday, December 12

Wednesday, December 13

Thursday, December 14

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at:

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WSL Updates for November 30, 2017

November 29th, 2017 Will Stuivenga Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates Comments Off on WSL Updates for November 30, 2017

Volume 13, November 30, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) FIRST TUESDAYS – KEEPING IT PRIVATE

2) PTSD RESOURCE ADDED TO PROQUEST

3) CAREER BRIDGE – VALUABLE RESOURCE

4) CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS

5) IMLS RELEASES FY2017 REPORT

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) FIRST TUESDAYS – KEEPING IT PRIVATE

Washington State is very open with the way it shares data within the public trust. Our state has one of the most advanced public records laws in the nation, and most public meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act. At the same time, citizens have a right to privacy under the state’s Constitution. On the private side, hackers are stalking personal data and data brokers are collecting and selling it. You may be putting your privacy at risk simply by leaving your phone unlocked or by sharing personal information with an organization that then makes it publicly available.

Will Saunders & Alex Alben from the Office of Privacy & Data Protection will present December’s First Tuesdays program: Keeping It Private: Navigating the Balance of Public Data and Privacy Protections.

First Tuesdays is designed as a continuing-education opportunity for staff of libraries in Washington State. This free web presentation allows attendees to share their skills and successes and learn about new topics. The special-subject presentations are recorded so that others may listen at their own convenience. An archive is available at: sos.wa.gov/q/Broadcasts.

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2) PTSD RESOURCE ADDED TO PROQUEST

As of last week, the PILOTS database has been added to all Washington library ProQuest accounts.

The Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress (PILOTS) Database is an electronic index to the worldwide literature on PTSD and other mental health consequences of exposure to traumatic events. Unlike other databases, the PILOTS Database does not restrict its coverage to articles appearing in selected journals. It attempts to include all publications relevant to PTSD and other forms of traumatic stress, whatever their origin without disciplinary, linguistic, or geographic limitations.

The PILOTS Database is produced by the National Center for PTSD, and is electronically available to the public. There is no charge for using the database. Although it is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the PILOTS Database is not limited to literature on PTSD among Veterans. For more information, visit www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pilots-database.

Questions or comments? Contact Will Stuivenga at [email protected] or 360.704.5217.

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3) CAREER BRIDGE – VALUABLE RESOURCE

Find Washington job and career information at Career Bridge, overseen by the State’s Workforce Board, which includes over 6,500 education programs in one place, with employment and earnings results for many of them. The site is used every day by Washington middle and high school students to chart their career and education pathways, and includes resources for financial aid, jobs in demand and decline by region, apprenticeships, military and veterans and people with disabilities (not just for students!).

Find Career Bridget at www.CareerBridge.wa.gov and consider adding it to your library’s web resources under career exploration or resources for job searchers.

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4) CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS

Applications for the 2018 Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program are now being accepted through February 1, 2018. CAP is administered by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) under a three-year cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The CAP program is open to small and medium-sized museums, zoos, aquariums, arboreta, and botanical gardens in the United States. Participating institutions receive support for a general conservation assessment from a qualified collections assessor and a building assessor. The two assessors work collaboratively to provide institutions with recommendations for improved collections care. Assessments consist of preparatory work, a two-day site visit, a written report, and a one-year follow-up consultation.

For more information or to apply, visit sos.wa.gov/q/CAP.

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5) IMLS RELEASES FY2017 REPORT

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to release the agency’s annual Performance and Accountability Report (PAR), showcasing key accomplishments for FY 2017. As required by the Office of Management and Budget, the report includes an independent financial audit and describes the agency activities and achievements from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017, including a focus on helping museums and libraries deepen their engagement with their communities.

For more information about IMLS’s accomplishments in FY 2017, the full report is available on the IMLS website.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, December 4

Tuesday, December 5

Wednesday, December 6

Thursday, December 7

Friday, December 8

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DISCLAIMER: The State Library regularly highlights third-party events and online resources as a way to alert the library community to training and resource opportunities.  By doing so, we are not endorsing the content of the event, nor promoting any specific product, but merely providing this information as an FYI to librarians who must then decide what is right for them.

Subscribe to WSL presents: News from Washington Libraries!

The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at:

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