Courtesy of Josh, Caricature The Beatles Cartoon Wallpaper Free desktop background wallpaper at wallarthd.com.

The Government Printing Office (GPO) in partnership with the Library of Congress just announce the release of the digital (online) availability of the Bound Congressional Record, 1961 – 1970 on govinfo.gov.  This means you can now search the Bound Congressional Record from 1961 to the present!

If you remember that era there is probably some iconic event that stays fresh in your mind such as the invasion of the Beatles and other British rock groups, the Assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. Did you watch the 1969 U.S. landing on the moon on television? What about these (thanks to GPO for the list)?

• The Administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and the first two years of the Administration of President Richard M. Nixon
• The Civil Rights Era
• The Vietnam War
• Legislation of the Great Society and the War on Poverty, including:
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965
  • Fair Housing Act of 1968
  • Medicare and Medicaid
  • Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
  • Immigration Act of 1965
  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
  • Endangered Species Act of 1966
  • Public Broadcasting Act of 1967

Courtesy of the Government Publish Office

“This latest digital release of the Congressional Record now gives the public easy access to the historic debates of Congress from the 1960s via smartphones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers.” (GPO Director Davita Vance-Cooks.)

Courtesy Library of Congress

Need more information or assistance in finding congressional information? We love to help! You can reach us by clicking here.

From the desk of Rand Simmons

The meagre lighthouse all in white, haunting the seaboard, as if it were the ghost of an edifice that had once had colour and rotundity, dripped melancholy tears after its late buffeting by the waves. ~Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit

A lighthouse is … Although we often think of a tower with a bright light at the top, located on an important or dangerous waterway, lighthouses are quite varied in architecture. They had, and still have, two main purposes — to serve as navigational aids and to warn ships of dangerous areas.

Historical record tell us that one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Pharos located in Alexandria, Egypt, was the first lighthouse recorded in history, built around 280 BC and as tall as a 45-story building. An open fire at the top of the tower was the source of light.

(“Lighthouses: FAQ.” Fact Monster from Information Please, Sandbox Networks, Inc., Publishing as Fact Monster, www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0800631.html. Accessed 24 Mar. 2017.)

Following Independence from England, the newly formed U.S. Congress created the Lighthouse Establishment as an administrative unit of the federal government on 7 August 1789.

Benjamin Franklin, a United States founding father, is sometimes attributed with having said, “Lighthouses are more useful than churches.”

What Franklin actually wrote to his wife after narrowly escaping a shipwreck was, “The bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude, returned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had received: were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint, but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a light-house.”

(“A Quote from Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin.” Goodreads, Inc. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017.)

Not all safety/navigational lights are in lighthouses. There are signals, buoys, daymarks and light ships as well.

My own fascination with lighthouses began when as a child our family took short trips to the middle and southern Oregon coasts. We visited lighthouses on the Coquille River in Bandon; Umpqua River in Reedsport; and later, as an adult I explored the Yaquina Bay lighthouse in Newport.

So, recently when grubbing about among the State Library’s shelves of historic federal publications and coming across Light List Pacific Coast, United States, 1933 I naturally began leafing through the Oregon and Washington sections to see how many lighthouses I recognized.

(Light list including lights, fog signals, buoys, and daymarks. Pacific coast, United States, Canada, Hawaiian, and Samoan Islands / U.S. Department of Commerce, Lighthouse Service. Washington : U.S. G.P.O., 1933. Print: C 9.19:1933)

A short history

“The Aids to Navigation mission of the U. S. Coast Guard has a history dating back to the building and illumination of the first American lighthouse on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor in 1716. At first, because of the indifference of England, local or colonial governments had to shoulder the responsibility of making the waters safe for mariners.” Hence, the founding of the Lighthouse Establishment created by the U.S. Congress of the United States in 1789. Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, was its first administrator.

(Strobridge, Truman R. “Chronology of Aids to Navigation.” Historic Light Stations, United State Coast Guard, 21 Dec. 2016, www.uscg.mil/history/articles/h_USLHSchron.asp. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.)

The first federal agency formally charged with responsibility for lighthouses was the Treasury Department.

• In 1852 Congress established the Lighthouse Board. The Lighthouse Board was responsible for issuing the List of lights and fog signals of the United States and the Dominion of Canada on the Pacific coast of North America, and of the United States on the Hawaiian, Midway, Guam, and Samoan Islands (titles vary) …
• In 1903 the Lighthouse Board was transferred to the newly created Department of Commerce and Labor where in June 1910 the Lighthouse Board was succeeded by the Bureau of Lighthouses.
• In 1939 the Bureau’s functions were transferred to the Coast Guard, a part of the Treasury Department, and now part of Homeland Security.

With each organizational shift the Light List continued to be published.

Currently, the Light List is published in 7 volumes each reflecting one of seven regions. The Pacific and Pacific Islands volume includes the eleventh (California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona), thirteenth (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana), fourteenth (Hawaii), and seventeenth (Alaska) districts. It contains a lists of lights, sound signals, buoys, day beacons, and other aids to navigation. As it has been from the beginning of The Light List, it is published by the Government Publishing Office, the official publisher of the federal government. Learn more.

Light List is available online: Pacific Coast and Pacific Islands. Contemporary issues may be available either in print or microfiche and since 2002 they have been distributed to federal depository libraries (like us) only in microfiche. Check with the State Library’s public services staff if you need assistance.

Washington Lighthouses

“Cape” Disappointment

There are eighteen active lighthouses in the state, one of which serves as a museum. In addition, three are standing but inactive (one of these is now a museum), three were supplanted by automated towers, and two have been completely demolished. The Cape Disappointment Light was the first lighthouse in the state (lit in 1856) and is still active. It sits where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean following its 1,243 mile journey.

(“List of Lighthouses in Washington.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lighthouses_in_Washington. Accessed 23 Mar. 2017.)

(The Lighthouses, Lighthouse Friends, Inc., lighthousefriends.com/pull-lights.asp. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. Arranged by state.)

A list of Washington State lighthouses can also be found at “Historic Light Station Information & Photography.” on the U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office web site.

The history includes both active and deactivated lighthouses. Some entries point to photographs.

Washington Rural Heritage

The Washington State Library’s Washington Rural Heritage is a collaborative project that facilitates sharing of local history materials from libraries, museums, and private collections of citizens across Washington State. To date one hundred twenty-nine cultural institutions have participated in the project.

The Orcas Island Heritage Collection was a collaboration of the Orcas Island Public Library  Orcas Island Historical Museum. One of the interesting stories in the collection is about the Pole Pass Light. Search the collection and you will find 19 entries.

Pole Pass Light

Courtesy LighthouseFriends.com

“Pole Pass, is a narrow rocky pass in Deer Harbor between Orcas and Crane islands. In the late 1800s and early 1900s steamboats hired someone to hold a light if they had to go through at night. Finally about 1940 a permanent light was constructed.”

(Geoghegan, James T. “Pole Pass Light.” Orcas Island Heritage, Washington State Library, 11 June 1914, http://bit.ly/2nGKT2C. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017. )

(“History Corner [Newspaper Column].” Orcas Islander, bit.ly/2mR5Rb9 Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.)

Pole Pass (Washington) 1909. Photograph by J. A. McCormick [Public domain], via Wikimedia Common

Pole Pass Light. Geoghegan, James T., 1869-1953, Orcas Island Heritage — James T. Geoghegan Collection

Pole Pass Light. Used by permission, Cherie Christensen, Saltwater People Historical Society.

“Watching the blinkers on a dark night brings back many memories to the old settlers still living near Pole pass. They recall shipwrecks in the old days and have a warm place in their hearts at the thoughtfulness of the lightkeepers through the years. They are glad, too, for the progress that brings new lights as they are needed.”

(McLachlan, Edith. “1883 ❖ POLE PASS LIGHT ❖.” Saltwater People Log, Saltwater People Historical Society, http://bit.ly/2o13aEf. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017. Original source: They Named it Deer Harbor, McLachlan, Edith. 1970.)

Irene Barfoot O’Neill, daughter of the light keeper on Obstruction Island provides insight into life in a lighthouse:

“All of these lights were fueled by kerosene (coal oil). If the flame was not carefully adjusted, the chimney would be smoked and the light not seen clearly, thus endangering the lives of those traveling on the boats which depended upon the light being visible for the required distance.

The lamp itself was much the same as an ordinary household lamp and chimney, but the outer glass protection globe was thick because of the magnification in the manufacturing process. As I remember, the round globes were about 10″ high by 8″ in diameter. The oil tank held enough to last seven days, requiring a trip once a week to refill the tank and clean the lamps. If a storm seemed imminent, father wouldn’t wait, especially in winter.

The only weather forecasting was done by reading the sky and cloud formations. Of course, the wind and tides were a consideration, as the only power was by oars or perhaps a sail …

The pay for this work wasn’t generous, but many times the $13.00 per month pay was our only cash income.

One of the highlights of our year was the semiannual visit of the lighthouse tender “Heather”, which brought oil, towels, extra chimneys, and other supplies which were stored on an 8′ by 8′ white-painted “oil house” near the beach. Oil came in wooden cases, with two five-gallon tins in each. When empty, these sturdy boxes and tins served many uses around the farm. With the top cut off and the sharp edges neatly hammered down, two of these tins sat of the back of our wood stove as a supply of hot water for dishes or whatever.”

(O’Neill, Irene Barfoot. 125 Years Olga: Memories and Potlucks: Orcas Island Heritage, Washington State Library, 10 June 2008, Washington Rural Heritage Orcas Collection. Accessed 24 Mar. 2017.)

Washington State Parks

Some lighthouses have become the property of and are managed by Washington State Parks:

• Cape Disappointment State Park (there are two lighthouses) Cape Disappointment Light and North Head Light
• Westport Light State Park (Westport Lighthouse or sometimes referred to as Grays Harbor Lighthouse)
• Lime Kiln Point State Park 
• Burrows Island Marine State Park see #9
• Point Wilson Light – Fort Worden Historical State Park
• Admiralty Head Lighthouse – Fort Casey Historical State Park
• Leadbetter Point State Park

Exploring Coastal Guardians at State Parks

In honor of National Lighthouse Day, August 7, 2016, Washington State Parks posted an article to their blog:

Exploring Coastal Guardians at State Parks | Adventure Awaits, WA, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, http://www.adventureawaits.com/201/Exploring-Coastal-Guardians-8-5-16. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.

Interior Lobby, North Head Lighthouse, Ilwaco, Washington

From our state agency documents collection

The Washington State Library is the depository of state agency publications published in many different formats. Publications from 1889 onward provide current and historical information about State government.  They are a resource for research into Washington’s past and they are a cornerstone for Washington’s future. The State Library also maintains a system of depository libraries geographically spread across the state.

McCroskey, Lauren. Washington State Parks Historic Properties Condition Assessment Phase Ii: Eastern Region. Olympia, Wash.: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2000. Print: WA 719.3 P231was s23 2000.

Conconully State Park; Dalles Mountain Ranch, Horsethief Lake State Park;  Northrup Canyon, Steamboat Rock State Park; Ohme Gardens State Park; Olmstead Place Park; Fort Simcoe State Park; Riverside State Park.

McCroskey, Lauren. Washington State Parks Historic Properties Condition Assessment Phase Ii: Northwest Region. Olympia, Wash.: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2000. Print: WA 719.3 P231was s22 2000.

Burrows Island lighthouse; Fort Casey State Park; Cowan Ranch, Hoko River State Park; Fort Flagler State Park; Lime Kiln Point State Park; Old Fort Townsend State Park; Patos Island lighthouse; Point Wilson lighthouse, Fort Worden State Park; O’Brien-Riggs property, Rockport State Park; Rothschild house. Burrows Island lighthouse; Fort Casey State Park; Cowan Ranch, Hoko River State Park; Fort Flagler State Park; Lime Kiln Point State Park; Old Fort Townsend State Park; Patos Island lighthouse; Point Wilson lighthouse, Fort Worden State Park; O’Brien-Riggs property, Rockport State Park; Rothschild house.

McCroskey, Lauren. Washington State Parks Historic Properties Condition Assessment Phase Ii: Southwest Region. Olympia, Wash.: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2000. Print: WA 719.3 P231was s28 2000.

Battleground Lake State Park; Fort Canby State Park; Fort Columbia State Park; Grays Harbor State Park; Pe Ell Section House; Siminiski House; Rainbow Falls State Park.

McCroskey, Lauren. Washington State Parks Historic Properties Condition Assessment Phase Ii: Technical Specifications & Technical Drawings. Olympia, Wash.: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2000. Print: WA 719.3 P231was s24 2000.

North Head Lighthouse: Established 1898. Olympia, WA: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 2000. Print: WA 719.3 P231nor h 2012.

Mukilteo Lighthouse by “Jon Zander(Digon3)” courtesy Wikimedia Commons

From our Northwest collection – a sampling of publications on lighthouses

The State Library preserves and provides access to a comprehensive collection of information on the geographic area we now know as Washington State and the other identified regions of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon, Idaho, and Western Montana. The collection also contains works on Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory to reflect our shared histories.

Aliberti, Ray. Lighthouses Northwest: The Designs of Carl Leick. Coupeville, Wa. (P.O. Box 827, Coupeville 98239-0827): Aliberti, 2000. Print: NW 387.155 ALIBERT 2000; Historic Research and Rare Collection copies available for in-library use only.

Bache, Hartman. Early West Coast Lighthouses: Eight Drawings and Paintings. San Francisco: Book Club of California, 1964. Print: Historic Research and Rare Collection copies for in library use only.

Ehlers, Chad, and Jim Gibbs. Sentinels of Solitude: West Coast Lighthouses. San Luis Obispo, CA: EZ Nature Books, 1989. Print: R 387.155 EHLERS 1981, in-library use only.

Groth, Karen N. Westport’s Masterpiece: Building the Grays Harbor Lighthouse, 1897-98. Portland, Or: Nicholson Press, 2010. Print: NW 387.155 GROTH 2010; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Hanable, William S. Lighthouses and Lifesaving on Washington’s Outer Coast: 15 Historic Postcards. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub, 2009. Print: NW 387.155 HANABLE 2009; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Leffingwell, Randy, and Pamela Welty. Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast: Your Guide to the Lighthouses of California, Oregon, and Washington. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press, 2010. Print: NW 387.155 LEFFING 2000; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Lighthouses of the Northwest. Howes Cave, N.Y: Hartnett House Map Publishers, 2005. Print: NW 387.155 HARTNET 2000; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Lucero, Donella J, and Nancy L. Hobbs. Guardian of the Columbia River: Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, 1856-2006. Long Beach, Wash.?: Willapa Communications, 2006. Print: NW 387.155 LUCERO 2006; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Lucero, Donella J, and Nancy L. Hobbs. North Head Lighthouse. Long Beach, Wash.?: Willapa Communications, 2006. Print: NW 387.155 LUCERO 2006; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

McCurdy, James G. Cape Flattery and Its Light: Life on Tatoosh Island. Seattle: Shorey Book Store, 1966. Print: R OVERSIZ 387.155 MCCURDY 1966 in-library use only.

McDaniel, Nancy L. A Sound Defense: Military Sites, Lighthouses, and Memorials of Puget Sound. Chimacum, Wash: Nancy L. McDaniel, 2013. Print: NW 917.9704 MCDANIE 2013; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Nelson, Sharlene P. Umbrella Guide to Washington Lighthouses. Friday Harbor, WA (PO Box 1460, Friday Harbor 98250-1460): Umbrella Books, 1990. Print: NW 387.155 NELSON 1990; Historic Research copy available for in-library use only.

Roberts, Bruce, and Ray Jones. Lighthouses of Washington: A Guidebook and Keepsake. Guilford, Conn: Insiders’ Guide, 2006. Print: NW 387.155 ROBERTS 2006

Roberts, Bruce, and Ray Jones. Pacific Northwest Lighthouses: Oregon to the Aleutians. Old Saybrook, Conn: Globe Pequot Press, 1997. Print: NW 387.155 ROBERTS 1997; In-library use only copy also available.

Survey Correspondence, Washington Territory: Records of the Bureau of Land Management. Washington? D.C.: The Bureau?, 1980. Microfilm: NW MICRO 333.16 SURVEY 188-?, 2 reels, for in-library use only.

Washington Lighthouses: Photographic Essay. Tacoma, WA: Smith-Western Co, 2000. Print: R 387.155 WASHING 200-?, in-library use only.

“Washington Secretary of State – Legacy Washington – Washington History: Historical Maps Detail.” Washington Secretary of State – Legacy Washington – Washington History: Historical Maps Detail, U.S. Corp of Engineers, 1881, www.sos.wa.gov/legacy/maps/maps_detail.aspx?m=22. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

In print: Symons, T. W. (Thomas William), 1849-1920. [Washington, D.C. : Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army], 1881. In library use only. Request ahead of time.

Symons, T. W. (Thomas William), 1849-1920. [Washington, D.C.] : Office of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1885. In library use only. Request ahead of time.

Other Resources

Society, Saltwater People Historical. “Saltwater People Log, Saltwater People Historical Society, 6 Nov. 2013, http://bit.ly/2n4v1UE. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

Strobridge, Truman R. “CHRONOLOGY OF AIDS TO NAVIGATION.” Historic Light Stations, United State Coast Guard, 21 Dec. 2016, www.uscg.mil/history/articles/h_USLHSchron.asp. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017. Excellent chronology and list of resources.

Just for Fun

How to purchase a lighthouse: “Coast Guard History.” USCG: Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Coast Guard, Historian’s Office, www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/Lighthouse_Keepers.asp. Accessed 22 Mar. 2017.

How to become a lighthouse keeper: “Coast Guard History.” USCG: Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Coast Guard, Historian’s Office, www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/Lighthouse_Keepers.asp. Accessed 22 Mar. 2017.

“Stay at a Washington Lighthouse.” Stay at a Washington Lighthouse, United States Lighthouse Society, www.stayatawashingtonlighthouse.org/. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

Need assistance finding state or federal publications? Contact our Ask a Librarian service.

The following State Library staff contributed to this article: Sean Lanksbury, Pacific Northwest and Special Collections Librarian, Evan Robb, Digital Repository Librarian; Nikki Chiampa, Digital Projects Librarian.

From the desk of Rand Simmons

Each year December 1 is designated World AIDS Day. Beginning in 1988 World AIDS Day has raised awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. AIDS.gov reports there are 36.7 million individuals worldwide living with HIV/AIDS. 1.8 million are children who were infected by their HIV mothers during pregnancy, child birth or breast feeding.  By far the majority of individuals who have HIV/AIDS live in low- to middle-income countries.

In addition to AIDS.gov, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, nine other units of federal government address HIV/AIDS. The
President’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) identifies six lead agencies charged to implement the strategy. Watch President Obama: Updated National HIV AIDS Strategy.

Federal funding for HIV/AIDS in FY 2016 was $27,465,300 based on a report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Learn more about HIV/AIDS. You can find federal resources at https://www.aids.gov/federal-resources/. Or ask you Federal Depository Library staff, like us. We serve as the Regional
Federal Depository Library for the states of Washington and Alaska. We want to help you so please contact us.

Locate your nearest Federal Depository Library.

Find graphics and resources.

A selected list of resources received at the Washington State Library through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The State Library is the Regional Depository Library for the states of Washington and Alaska and has a comprehensive collection of FDLP publications.

Did you know? Each year thousands of federal electronic publications are added to the Washington State Library’s comprehensive federal publications collection? During the first 3 months of 2016 2,136 electronic publications were listed in our online catalog and are available to you anytime you want them and anywhere you happen to be. Need to know more? Call our Ask a Librarian line, 1-360-704-5221 or set your browser to http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/ask.aspx. We are here to help.

Around the World in 80 Documents, A Journey Through the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 2015. (2015). Available at WSL! GP 1.2:D 65/2

Army History: The professional Bulletin of Army History

Center of Military History. (1989). Army history: The professional bulletin of Army history. Washington, D.C: U.S. Army Center of Military History. Available at WSL! D 114.20:98; online http://www.history.army.mil/armyhistory/AH98(W).pdf.

Christianson, J., Marston, C. H., Barker, J., Bennett, L., Conwill, J. D., Duwadi, S. R., Gasparini, D. A., … Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center,. (2015). Covered bridges and the birth of American engineering. Available at WSL!  I 29.2:B 76/5; Online at
http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo64533/CoveredBridges2015.pdf.

List of lights, radio aids, and fog signals. Western Pacific and Indian Oceans including the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. (2015). Available at WSL! D5.317/2:112/ 2015

Nasa’s journey to Mars: Pioneering next steps in space exploration, NP-2015-08-2018-HQ, October 2015. Available at WSL!  NAS 1.83:2015-08-2018-HQ

The People’s Liberation Army and Contingency Planning in China, 2015. (2015). Available at WSL! D5.402:C 44/6

Pacific Northwest Research Station (Portland, Or.). (1998). Science findings. Portland, Or.

Issue 179, Predicting Douglas-Fir’s Response to a Warming Climate.  Available at WSL! A 13.66/19:179; online http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi179.pdf.

Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program : curriculum for 4th and 5th grade students. [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, 2015. Available at WSL! HS 5.102:ST 9/2015/PACK  includes disc; Online at
http://1.usa.gov/1UzPvkk (link shortened)

Treasured landscapes : National Park Service art collections tell America’s stories. Washington, D.C. : National Park Service Museum Management Program, 2016. Available at WSL! I 29.2:AR 7/5

United States., & Harpers Ferry Center (U.S.),. (2014). Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Washington. 

One of a series of Braille transcriptions of visitor information brochures published by the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center. Available at WSL!  I 29.155:W 59

This document was compiled by Rand Simmons with the assistance of Staci Phillips.

For assistance finding these publications or publications on any other topic please contact our Ask a Librarian service. Real people answering your questions!

Steens Mountain, Oregon. Stueby’s Outdoor Journal: http://stuebysoutdoorjournal.blogspot.com/

From the desk of Rand Simmons

The conflict between the Bureau of Land Management and protesters and ranchers has received widespread attention from the media. The site of the protest is the Malheur Nation Wildlife Reserve located in rural Oregon near the small town of Burns.

What do you know about this beautiful but remote area of Oregon? Want to know more? That’s where a library comes in handy. The Washington State Library is a great place to begin.

Because we are a Regional Library for the Federal Depository Library program we have a comprehensive collection of publications issued by government agencies and distributed by the Government Publishing Office. We also have the responsibility to collect and maintain publications of Washington state agencies. With the exception of older publications ours are listed in our catalog and many lead to digital copies online.

Many maps and other federal publication are published electronically. The State Library catalog points to the online version as well as a print version if one exists.

Federal Publications

Entrance to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon.

Burnside, C. D., & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2008). Malheur’s legacy: Celebrating a century of conservation, 1908-2008 : Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Southeast Oregon. Princeton, Or.: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Available at WSL! WSL Federal Documents I 49.2:M 29/3

Many Federal Documents are available online:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (1995). Birds, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon.
Available at WSL! Call No. I 49.44/2:M 29/2/995-2. This publication can also be found online where it can be downloaded as a .pdf file.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2008). Malheur National Wildlife Refuge: Blitzen Valley auto tour. Online and in print at WSL: I 49.44/2:M 29/11

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (Agency : U.S.). (2012). Refuge waters in peril. Available online and in print at WSL: Sudoc No. I 49.44/2:W 31

Fish and Wildlife Service. (2008). Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Available online and in print at WSL: Map Sudoc No. I 49.44/2:M 29/8

Northwest Collection

Word Cloud describing key words for Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.

From the State Library’s Northwest Collection, two commercially published titles:

Langston, N. (2003). Where land & water meet: A Western landscape transformed. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Available at WSL!: NW 333.918 LANGSTO 2003.

Littlefield, C. D. (1990). Birds of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. Corvallis, Or: Oregon State University Press. Available at WSL!: NW 598.2979 LITTLEF 1990.

Search the State Library’s online catalog and you will find online resources on hunting, wildlife, hiking, biking, and fishing. Set search to subject and key in: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Need help locating information? Try our Ask a Librarian service. You can chat live with an information specialist.

Vol 2 No 1

This publication was prepared by Rand Simmons, Federal Collection Executive Manager, with the assistance of Staci Phillips. For more information contact Rand, [email protected].

What are you Reading in 2016?

Consider adding federal publications to your reading pallet. According to GPO Book Talk here are the  most popular topics of people seeking to purchase GPO publications.

May we help you find a state or federal publication?

Contact Us by phone, email, chat or visit us. Details at http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/ask.aspx 
Washington State Library/Washington Secretary of State

Washington State Library — Your Source for State and Federal Publications

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

― John Muir

James Ellenwood and his co-authors have created a magnificent book, The National individual tree species atlas (Fort Collins, CO: United States Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, [2015])

This reference volume covers each tree species in the United States and precisely where each species is likely to grow and not grow.

According to the GPO Bookstore “this illustrated work will benefit silviculturists, foresters, geneticists, researchers, botanists, wildlife habitat biologists, landscape ecologists—essentially anyone involved in natural resources management, monitoring impacts of climate change or visiting America’s forests and landscapes.” (Description from GPO Bookstore.)

But what about people who simply love the beauty of trees or being out and among them? You will be rewarded with wonderful photographs and fascinating maps.

Would you like to look at this book? You are in luck! It is available at the Washington State Library (did I mention it is a rather large book?). Its call number is OVERSIZ A 13.110/18:15-01. You need to call ahead before coming to the library (360-704-5200). It’s at our storage facility.

Can’t get to Tumwater? Ask your local public library to borrow it from us.

You can also view it online at http://1.usa.gov/1LrmQ7H. This is a large file so have patience while it downloads.

If you must have your own copy, the GPO Bookstore will be happy to sell it to you:  .

Federal publications. They are for everyday living!

Rand Simmons is the Federal Collection Executive Manager at the Washington State Library, Office of the Secretary of State.