WA Secretary of State Blogs

WSL Updates for November 16, 2017

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for November 16, 2017


Volume 13, November 16, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Note: WSL Updates will take next week off in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. You will find the following week’s schedule of CE events in this week’s edition.

Topics include:

1) KEEPING IT PRIVATE

2) SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES

3) SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS

4) ECLIPSE PROJECT RESULTS

5) DISCOVER EXOPLANETS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT TWO WEEKS

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1) 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.

First Tuesdays – Keeping It Private: Navigating the Balance of Public Data and Privacy Protections is a workshop sponsored by the Washington State Library and funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Details:

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2) SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES

“Supercharged Storytimes for All” will create a free and openly accessible training program for library trainers, staff, and storytime practitioners. The program, which kicks off this November and runs through April 2019, builds on WebJunction’s successful Supercharged Storytimes pilot project which partnered with the Washington State Library and Thrive Washington, using strategies developed by Project VIEWS2.

This winter, the WebJunction team will update the program’s core curriculum. New expanded materials will cover foundational early literacy concepts and ensure that “Supercharged Storytimes for All” aligns well with other library training that educates parents and caregivers about their role in supporting early literacy, e.g., Every Child Ready to Read. The curriculum designers will also draw on the expertise of project partners such as The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to add training on effective community outreach to children and families from diverse backgrounds to the program. Finally, the course will include instruction on using PLA’s Project Outcome evaluation tools to capture the community impact of programming and services.

Watch for learning opportunities in 2018:

  • Train-the-trainer training – starting in May, 2018
  • Self-paced course for individual practitioners – available October, 2018
  • Library staff facilitator training program – starting in November, 2018

For more information, use this link: sos.wa.gov/q/for-all.

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3) SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS

Now that you are using social media to engage with your community, how do you know if it’s working? If you don’t know where to start when planning your social media metrics, attend this webinar to learn the best methods to measure your library’s social media outcomes. During this event, you will learn how to establish measurable goals, identify key performance indicators (KPIs), and evaluate your social media results.

“Social Media Analytics: What to Measure and Why” is part two in a series hosted in collaboration with TechSoup. Details:

  • Thursday, November 30, 2017; 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PST
  • For more information and to register: sos.wa.gov/q/analytics

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4) ECLIPSE PROJECT RESULTS

The 2017 Eclipse Project, conceived by three astronomers (Andrew Fraknoi, Dennis Schatz, and Douglas Duncan), paved the way to the single largest distribution of free eclipse glasses in the United States. Now dubbed as the “Super Bowl of Eclipses,” public libraries played a key role in the success of the event by helping to distribute nearly 2.1 million pairs of eclipse glasses to their communities in addition to conducting nearly 35,000 science programs before and after the eclipse.

Congratulations to all participating libraries! For the rest of the report, visit sos.wa.gov/q/eclipse.

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5) DISCOVER EXOPLANETS

The National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) at the Space Science Institute (SSI) is seeking eight library and museum partner sites to host the inaugural national tour of the interactive traveling exhibition Discover Exoplanets: the Search for Alien Earths. Public libraries and small museum partners in rural areas and those serving rural populations and underrepresented groups are especially invited to apply.

Discover Exoplanets is made possible through NASA’s Universe of Learning. NASA’s Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University.

Applications must be completed and received by no later than 11:59 p.m. on January 5, 2018. Also, stay tuned for a registration announcement for the pre-application webinar which will be held on December 6, 2017.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT TWO WEEKS

Monday, November 20

Tuesday, November 21

Monday, November 27

Tuesday, November 28

Wednesday, November 29

Thursday, November 30

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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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WSL Updates for September 7, 2017

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017 Posted in Digital Literacy, For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for September 7, 2017


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

Topics include things wanted:

1) WANTED – LIBRARY COUNCIL MEMBERS

2) ECLIPSE GLASSES WANTED

3) HISTORICAL ZINES WANTED

4) AMERICANS TRUST LIBRARIES

5) RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARY GRANTS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) WANTED – LIBRARY COUNCIL MEMBERS

The mission of the Library Council of Washington (LCW) is to help all Washington citizens access library services, information, and resources. The LCW advises the State Librarian and the Office of the Secretary of State on statewide library issues and the expenditure of federal LSTA funding. The fifteen members represent all types of libraries and library users. The Council meets in person three to four times each year.

Members may include library employees, volunteers, trustees, foundation board members, advocates, consultants, or educators. We seek new members that are active and knowledgeable, have great communication skills, and can advocate for all libraries while representing a specific interest group’s views as well. There are currently four open positions on the LCW, representing:

  • Special libraries,
  • Technology,
  • Underserved populations,
  • Schools (western Washington).

If you want to help shape our libraries, have at least three years’ experience working with libraries in Washington State, and are interested in applying, please send a copy of the application form and your resume. Application information is available at sos.wa.gov/q/vacancy. Applications must be postmarked by September 22, 2017.

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2) ECLIPSE GLASSES WANTED

If you’re wondering what to do with those eclipse glasses you acquired for the big event, don’t throw them away: the State Library wants them! Drop your eclipse glasses off in the lobby, and they will be donated to Astronomers Without Borders. Or check for a collection center near you. The plan is to send them to schools and other institutions in countries where they are needed but not available. The next two solar eclipses across populated areas are in 2019, in South America (total) and southeastern Asia (partial).

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3) HISTORICAL ZINES WANTED

Announcing the 3rd Annual Historical Zine Contest – Make Washington History Come Alive! The Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, is sponsoring the 3rd Annual Historical Zine Contest. Participants are asked to create a Zine about some aspect of Washington History using primary resources.

Entries will be accepted from four age groups:

  • Grades 4-6
  • Grades 7-9
  • Grades 10-12
  • Adults of all ages

Entries will be accepted from September 1 – December 15, 2017. See the Zine webpage for more information and a video about how to make a zine. Questions? Contact Judy Pitchford at [email protected]

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4) AMERICANS TRUST LIBRARIES

Americans struggle to determine what news and information sources they should trust and how to discern reliable information online. They worry that fake news is sowing confusion about current events. And many express a desire to get help.

About six-in-ten adults (61%) say they would be helped at least somewhat in making decisions if they got training on how to find trustworthy information online, according to a new analysis of Pew Research Center survey data from 2016. What’s more, a majority of Americans say public libraries are helpful as people try to meet their information needs.

About eight-in-ten adults (78%) feel that public libraries help them find information that is trustworthy and reliable and 76% say libraries help them learn new things. Also, 56% believe libraries help them get information that aids with decisions they have to make. While the library is seen as one useful resource, the survey also found that 55% of adults say that training to gain confidence in using computers, smartphones and the internet would help in making decisions.

This analysis represents an opportunity for libraries to offer training on media literacy, evaluating information sources, and similar topics. The New York Times provides interesting “lesson plans” on the subject. An Internet search for “evaluating information” turns up numerous related resources, many from academic libraries. This topic is hardly new for libraries, but perhaps the current attention to “fake news” provides a more ready audience.

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5) RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARY GRANTS

The Pilcrow Foundation, a national non-profit public charity, provides a 2-to-1 match to rural public libraries that receive a grant through its Children’s Book Project and contribute $200-$400 through local sponsors for the purchase of up to $1200 worth (at retail value) of new, quality, hardcover children’s books.

Grant recipients can select from a list of over 500 quality hardcover children’s books best suited for their community, including award-winning and star-reviewed titles from educational and literary organizations. The Pilcrow Foundation accepts applications from independent rural public libraries and Native American Tribal libraries as well as libraries that are part of a county, regional, or cooperative system. Details:

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, September 11

Tuesday, September 12

Wednesday, September 13

Thursday, September 14

Friday, September 15

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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: