Joyce retires today after a long tenure with the Washington State Library. She is our branch manager at the Airway Heights Corrections Center, one of our largest institutional library branches.

Joyce was one of the first branch managers to establish a Read Together program. The community reading program became very popular and inmates who regularly attended the programs frequently asked what the next book would be.

Last year Joyce fought, and beat, cancer! While undergoing treatment she kept the Airway Heights Corrections Center open, an indication of her dedication toward library service to prisoners.

Her manager Laura Sherbo summarized Joyce’s leadership role as “leading by example.”

Bob Fendler will step in on an interim appointment to manage the Airway Heights branch.

Congratulations, Joyce. Enjoy your retirement.

Glenn Parson’s tenure with the Washington State Library nearly predates any other employee. Glenn was presented with his 35 years of service certificate and pin in 2012.

Glenn’s supervisor, Shirley Lewis notes, “Often working under tight deadlines, Glenn keeps materials coming into WSL Central Library and branch collections efficiently and quickly. His knowledge of fiscal procedures and his willingness to try new technology make him an invaluable resource for WSL.”  He also shares his expertise with staff in other Washington libraries and in other states.

In 2011, WSL’s staff spotlight noted that Glenn was “particularly talented at adapting to a wide variety of databases and computer applications, and has been especially helpful in assisting his co-workers in troubleshooting and navigating through difficult technical problems.”

“A true gentleman, he has a gift for making suggestions without coming across as negative or personally critical. During these times of budget woes, Glenn has made suggestions resulting in savings of thousands of dollars.”

His program manager, Steve Willis, says, “Glenn is one of those quiet and hardworking heroes who helps keep the WSL wheels rolling … His long history here and institutional memory of WSL has been invaluable to Technical Services as [they] strive to learn from the past while planning for the future. Also, his enjoyment of sharing general historical trivia is fun.”

Thanks, Glenn, for your steady, competent service to the people of Washington and congratulations on your recognition as the Washington State Library’s 2013 Employee of the Year.

Yesterday, Mike Thompson, Custodian at the Washington State Library, received the Employee of the Year award from the Administrative Services Division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Mike was nominated by several staff members from the library, and here are excerpts from their comments about Mike:

Mike exhibits outstanding work ethics and attention to detail. He keeps all the buildings he’s responsible for in top form.

Regardless of his heavy workload, he is always pleasant and makes time to say hello. He can be counted on to help out with events or wherever else is needed at the drop of a hat. Mike’s an all around great asset to the agency by making many of our work lives better.

Did we say, “He even DUSTS!”

The building has never looked better since Mike came on board. He goes above and beyond, with a cheerful and professional attitude. Thanks, Mike, for everything you do!

In the picture, Dan Speigle, Deputy Secretary of State (left), comments on Mike’s service while Sam Reed, Secretary of State (right), applauds; Mike is the guy in the middle holding the plaque.

Congratulations, Mike, on this well-deserved award! We salute you!

Theresa Connolly, Audio Production Supervisor for the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) is the Washington State Library (WSL) Employee of the Year.

The transition to digital talking books in both physical form (cartridge) and downloadable form on the internet has increased access and equity for the blind. Whereas many libraries similar to WTBBL are only recently switching to digital production of local books, thanks to Theresa’s leadership, WTBBL is far ahead of the game.

Theresa worked at WTBBL for 15 years and put the digital system in place. Then she left, returning in 2008 when WTBBL became a direct service of WSL to “finish what she started.”

“Theresa exemplifies the best characteristics of WSL staff,” notes Acting State Librarian Rand Simmons. “Theresa is easily one of the most fair, just, and thoughtful people I know,” adds WTBBL Manager Danielle Miller, “and her return wasn’t simply to see digitization through, but to improve information access for people often marginalized and with scant resources.”

In the last year, Theresa made WTBBL the only library in the nation to offer locally produced books for download; she was the first to try and master the Nation Library Service encryption program; the first to test and master the Book Wizard Producer program for marking up digital books; and she presented and spent hours and hours helping her peers to help their own programs meet standard set by WTBBL and Theresa’s Audio Production Department.

“During the last year, Theresa also juggled training new volunteers, preparing books, editing, building, and uploading books with a complete change in audio recording and production software and hardware,” Miller notes. “Throughout all the changes and hiccups, Theresa kept her department going and in fact produced more books than ever before and began a project to make older titles available in digital format.”

Theresa would say she is not a technology person, and while that may be true to her, from Miller’s perspective she is the best kind of technology person: one who takes time to play and try and fail, and discover the best way to explain to another person. She also is aware there will be exceptions and work-arounds and she deals with these with humor and grace.

“I chose Theresa as the State Library’s Employee of the Year because she exemplifies an ideal employee of the Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington State Library,” Simmons remarked. Miller adds, “She is smart, committed, capable, creative, unrelenting, and a joy to her colleagues and the patrons she serves, both internal and external.”

Lyla Brekke awards Anna Nash with Employee of the Year 2010

The youngest and most energetic member of ILS was awarded with Employee of the year for 2010.  Anna has grown up in the library with a family that loves libraries and books.  Anna continues to look towards her future with her entrance to library school at the University of Washington this fall.  In the last year Anna spear-headed the ILS Library Snapshot Day (the first in Washington), inspiring her coworkers to join her in her advocacy of libraries.  She has brought a breath of fresh air to her co-workers, giving them a chance to see new perspectives on a job they all love.