WA Secretary of State Blogs

WSL Updates for October 5, 2017

Thursday, October 5th, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Technology and Resources, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for October 5, 2017


Volume 13, October 5, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) DISASTER RECOVERY RESOURCES

2) MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING VIDEOS

3) STAND UP FOR HEALTH

4) IMLS MUSEUM GRANT PROGRAMS

5) THE ARTS STRONG CONNECTION

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) DISASTER RECOVERY RESOURCES

You may wish to save this information for a rainy day, a water leak, or even a flood. These resources were prepared by federal agencies and private non-profit organizations with experience in disaster planning and response to help with the recovery process. This is not an exclusive list, but rather reflects some of the many resources available to assist cultural institutions.

IMLS (the Institute of Museum and Library Services) participates in the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 42 national service organizations and federal agencies created to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies. The Response and Recovery Resources Page, maintained by FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, provides an excellent place to find support for recovery efforts.

For more information and links, use this shortcut to the IMLS blog: sos.wa.gov/q/recover.

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2) MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING VIDEOS

The California State Library’s (CSL) Mental Health Initiative provides training opportunities for library staff around California, and through CSL’s generosity, the rest of the nation as well. Included within the major training components is an 8-part video series, produced by CSL in partnership with Los Angeles Public Library and Los Angeles County Library. Six of the videos are now available on the California Library Service YouTube channel. The final two episodes will be released soon. These videos can be used independently by staff or as part of your staff development programming. Thank you to the California State Library and its partners, and to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for its funding support.

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3) STAND UP FOR HEALTH

Thinking of attending the 2018 PLA conference? Stand Up for Health: Health and Wellness Services for Your Community is a preconference session that the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) is presenting on Tuesday, March 20 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This preconference will review core competencies of providing health and wellness services, coach you through understanding your community’s needs, and explore how to create fun and informative health-related programming for different age groups and special populations.

A limited number of stipends will be available for this preconference. Applications will be available no later than October 16, 2017. Attendees who register before October 16 will be sent information about how to apply. Learn more using this link: sos.wa.gov/q/StandUp.

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4) IMLS MUSEUM GRANT PROGRAMS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is now accepting grant applications for the Museums for America and the National Leadership Grants for Museums programs. The application deadline for each program is December 1, 2017.

Potential grant applicants are invited to view two pre-recorded webinars, which can help provide information on how to choose the appropriate funding opportunity and navigate the required IMLS forms. IMLS also invites potential applicants to view a live webinar offered for each grant program. Pre-recorded and upcoming webinars are listed at www.imls.gov/news-events/events.

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5) THE ARTS STRONG CONNECTION

October is National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM), and PM (Public Management) Magazine joins this annual celebration of creating a local, state, and national focus on the arts and humanities with its article “The Arts Strong Connection: Economic Impact Study Underscores the Importance of Arts and Culture,” by Robert Lynch, president of Americans for the Arts, Washington, D.C.

Lynch writes: “From coast to coast and from our smallest rural towns to our largest urban counties, America’s 100,000 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations make their communities more desirable places to live and work every day of the year. The arts provide inspiration and joy to residents, beautify public spaces, and strengthen the social fabric of our communities.” Read the entire article at icma.org/articles/arts-strong-connection.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, October 9

Tuesday, October 10

Wednesday, October 11

Thursday, October 12

Friday, October 13

Saturday, October 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!

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WSL Updates for September 28, 2017

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for September 28, 2017


Volume 13, September 28, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SENSORY STORY TIMES

2) REGISTER FOR THINK, DO, SHOW

3) PAVE THE WAY

4) MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

5) IMLS RELEASES PUBLIC LIBRARY DATA

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) SENSORY STORY TIMES

While libraries strive to be welcoming places for all, children with special needs may not always thrive in traditional story times where crowds, bright lights, and sudden noises can overstimulate and overwhelm. Parents of children with special needs can often feel conspicuous and unwelcome in a library setting.

October’s First Tuesdays program will address these issues. One small town library welcomed these families by establishing a story time structured around special needs. The program became so successful that a second session of it was necessary and the library saw an increase in library use by patrons with special needs, adults and children alike.

First Tuesdays is designed by the Washington State Library as a continuing-education opportunity for staff of libraries in Washington State. The special-subject presentations, lasting about 60 minutes, are recorded so that others may listen at their own convenience.

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2) REGISTER FOR THINK, DO, SHOW

Registration is now open for the “Think, Do, Show – Telling the Library Story with Data” workshops, brought to you by the Washington State Library. To register, visit the WSL online training calendar, and advance to November. The workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

  • November 13, Timberland Regional Library Service Center, 415 Tumwater Blvd SW, Tumwater
  • November 15, Whitman County Rural Library System, 102 S. Main Street, Colfax
  • November 17, King County Library System Service Center, 960 Newport Way NW, Issaquah

In this free, all-day workshop, you will learn practical, strategic methods for evaluating your library’s programs and services. Through a series of interactive exercises, you will discover how to collect and analyze your data, use your results to inform your strategic planning, management, and communication with stakeholders, and visually present your statistics in infographics and other formats to demonstrate your library’s impact.

Questions? Contact Mary Campbell at [email protected] or 360-570-5571.

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3) PAVE THE WAY

Is your library working to help advance student achievement? Registration is open for the 2017 Pave the Way conference set for October 19 at Central Washington University in Ellensburg. Registration is $110 and includes continental breakfast and lunch on the day of the event.

The annual conference organized by the Washington Student Achievement Council focuses on strategies to advance equity, increase college readiness, and broaden access to higher education in Washington. Pave the Way aims to ensure students receive the support they need to succeed, regardless of income, race, or other potential barriers.

The conference brings together educators, policymakers, and community partners from across the education system, from preschool through college. It features interactive group sessions and offers workshops focused on policy and practice in college and career readiness, culturally responsive teaching and learning, student transitions, collective impact, and more.

For more information and to register, visit www.wsac.wa.gov/pavetheway.

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4) MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

How can we use data to inform good governance? What is the art that accompanies the science of data, especially when we apply it to policy decisions that affect constituents? This webinar, “Using Data Visualization to Make Better Decisions,” will look at decision-making that is informed by data as well as the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to advising leaders on how best to use—and to avoid the perils of misusing—your data.

Educational objectives; in this webinar, attendees will learn how to:

  • Interpret and distill data;
  • Depict complex findings using visuals, interactive visuals, and other tools;
  • Communicate results to decision-makers in a compelling and informative way.

Event details:

  • Sponsor: MRSC (Municipal Research & Services Center)
  • Date & Time: October 19, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT
  • Cost: $35/person
  • Register

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5) IMLS RELEASES PUBLIC LIBRARY DATA

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently released two key information products: the latest data from its annual Public Libraries Survey and a new report on the previous year’s data. The Public Libraries Survey examines key indicators of public library use, financial health, staffing, and resources. Explore the FY 2015 data and the FY 2014 report via this shortcut: sos.wa.gov/q/IMLS-data.

The FY 2014 report provides a national overview of trends and a snapshot of a variety of indicators for the year. In particular, it demonstrates how public libraries are faring financially since the last recession (December 2007 to June 2009) and how public library services and resources have evolved over the decade.

Other key findings include:

  • Indicators for financial health and staffing of public libraries increased slightly from 2013 to 2014, but remain below 2009 levels.
  • Public libraries’ collections are adapting; the majority of the total collections (66%) were still print materials, but e-books (18%), audio (10%), and video (6%) made up the remainder of our nation’s library collections. The number of e-books per 1,000 people also increased 2,140% between 2005 and 2014.
  • Although there is a decline in the use of traditional library services, attendance at public programs is increasing.
  • In response to the interest, public libraries offered 4.5 million programs, a 1-year increase of 5% and a 10-year increase of 68%.
  • Over the past 10 years, public-access internet computers increased 55%.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, October 2

Tuesday, October 3

Wednesday, October 4

Thursday, October 5

Friday, October 6

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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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An archive of past updates is available at http://list.statelib.wa.gov/read/?forum=wslupdates

WSL Updates for July 27, 2017

Wednesday, July 26th, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates, Washington Center for the Book | Comments Off on WSL Updates for July 27, 2017


Volume 13, July 27, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) STEM PROGRAMS – FIRST TUESDAYS

2) WASHINGTON READS – ONE STATE/ONE BOOK

3) WELCOME TO SKILLPORT

4) LIBRARIES READY TO CODE

5) IMLS GRANTS WEBINAR

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) STEM PROGRAMS – FIRST TUESDAYS

There is a wealth of information available regarding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) but how does one decide what type of STEM program(s) to implement into the classroom, library, grade level, school or district? This free webinar explores possible ways to implement STEM ranging from simple to complex depending on the amount of time and energy you feel that you can allocate to STEM.

“Implementing STEM Programs: to fit your time constraints and comfort levels,” will be presented by Jane Rizika, Teacher Librarian, East Olympia Elementary School, August 1, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time. sos.wa.gov/q/FirstTuesdays.

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, lasting about 60 minutes, are recorded so that others may listen at their own convenience. Past sessions are archived here: sos.wa.gov/q/Broadcasts.

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2) WASHINGTON READS – ONE STATE/ONE BOOK

By now we hope you’ve heard about the new partnership between the Seattle Public Library and the Washington State Library – the Washington Center for the Book. A major goal for this partnership is to bring all of Washington State and all types of libraries together through literature. We are in the early stages of planning a statewide Washington Reads program and your library’s information and input would be very helpful to us as we move forward. If they haven’t already done so, please ask your community reads coordinator to help us with our planning by filling out a short survey or fill it out yourself, if you’re that person. Here’s the link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/N6QMJ7D. Thank you!

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3) WELCOME TO SKILLPORT

Staff of all types of libraries in Washington now have free access to Skillsoft (via Skillport), a learning management system with access to online self-paced courses and instructional videos. There are hundreds of available topics ranging from using Microsoft Office and Windows, to leadership essentials, to creating budgets. It’s easy to set up a series of classes on a specific topic, too. Register for free and select Washington as your state – you qualify through the Washington State Library’s partnership with OCLC WebJunction.

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4) LIBRARIES READY TO CODE

Applications are being accepted through August for Libraries Ready to Code grants from ALA and Google. The goal is to fund a cohort of school and public libraries to develop resources to help get U.S. libraries “Ready to Code.” The $500,000 pilot program is part of Phase III of Libraries Ready to Code, an ongoing collaboration between ALA and Google to ensure expert library professionals are prepared to develop and deliver programming that promotes computer science and computational thinking among youth, two skills that will be required for challenges and jobs of the future.

25 to 50 participating libraries will receive funding from ALA, along with consulting expertise and operational support from Google. Individual libraries may use funding for devices, staffing, marketing and other costs associated with piloting an educational toolkit developed in partnership, by libraries, for libraries.

The toolkit, set to release in conjunction with National Library Week in April 2018, will consist of computer science resources that libraries find most useful for designing and implementing youth computer science programming. This cohort of libraries will also initiate a community of practice to sustain momentum and build expertise across thousands of school and public U.S. libraries.

To apply for Libraries Ready to Code grants, visit www.ala.org/tools/readytocode.

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5) IMLS GRANTS WEBINAR

Learn more about the National Leadership and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grants programs from IMLS (the Institute of Museum and Library Services) during the third informational webinar to be held on Monday, July 31, 12:00 p.m. PDT. Use this shortcut link to join the webinar: sos.wa.gov/q/GrantsWebinar.

National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG-L) support projects that address significant challenges and opportunities facing the library and archives fields and that have the potential to advance theory and practice. Successful proposals will generate results such as new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or alliances that will be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment.

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21) supports developing a diverse workforce of librarians to better meet the changing learning and information needs of the American public by: enhancing the training and professional development of librarians, developing faculty and library leaders, and recruiting and educating the next generation of librarians.

For more information on IMLS grants, visit www.imls.gov/grants.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, July 31

Tuesday, August 1

Wednesday, August 2

Thursday, August 3

Friday, August 4

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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:

 

WSL Updates for July 20, 2017

Wednesday, July 19th, 2017 Posted in Digital Collections, For the Public, Grants and Funding, News, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for July 20, 2017


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

Topics include:

1) IMLS BUDGET VICTORY

2) TWO NEW RURAL HERITAGE COLLECTIONS

3) CENTER FOR THE BOOK

4) MEASURES THAT MATTER PART 3

5) GRANTS – RECORDINGS AT RISK

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Read the rest of this entry »

WSL Updates for April 6, 2017

Wednesday, April 5th, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for April 6, 2017


Volume 13, April 6, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SCHOOL LIBRARY GRANTS

2) GRANTS FOR DIGITIZATION

3) NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS

4) CIVILITY GOES VIRAL

5) IMLS GRANTS TO STATES

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) SCHOOL LIBRARY GRANTS

The Washington State Library (WSL) is accepting applications for RSL-2: a new cycle of “Refreshing School Libraries” grants. The purpose of the grant is to help bolster schools’ nonfiction collections. We hope to help support Common Core Standards and student enjoyment.

We anticipate making 100 awards of $2,000 in reimbursable funding. Libraries in public and non-profit K-12 schools are eligible. The deadline for both the online application and the signature sheet (postmark) is May 1, 2017. Awards will be announced on May 30, 2017. For more information, including the guidelines and application documents, visit sos.wa.gov/q/grants.

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2) GRANTS FOR DIGITIZATION

Washington Rural Heritage (WRH), the Washington State Library’s statewide digitization initiative for public and tribal libraries, is currently accepting grant applications for 2017-2018 digitization projects:

  • This grant cycle is open to all public and tribal libraries currently lacking a functioning digital repository. Current WRH partners are not excluded.
  • Libraries from communities of any size may apply at either the system or individual branch level.
  • The application deadline is Wednesday, May 31, 2017.
  • To review eligibility requirements, grant guidelines, and to download grant applications, visit sos.wa.gov/q/grants.

Collections digitized with these grants will be publicly accessible at www.washingtonruralheritage.org. Learn more about the project and see a full list of contributors by visiting www.washingtonruralheritage.org/cdm/about. For questions and to discuss potential projects, applicants are encouraged to contact Evan Robb, WRH Project Manager, at 360-704-5228 or [email protected].

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3) NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provides Preservation Assistance Grants (PAG) to help small and mid-sized institutions such as libraries improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. These grants can help institutions purchase supplies, attend classes or workshops, or hire a consultant for collections care. The program encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant. The application deadline is May 2, 2017.

LYRASIS can provide training and consulting services to suit your analog or digital preservation needs. Their free webinar recording on applying for a PAG is available via this shortcut: sos.wa.gov/q/LYRASIS-NEH. Contact [email protected] with questions.

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4) CIVILITY GOES VIRAL

To “choose civility” means to celebrate diversity and choose respect, compassion, empathy, and inclusiveness when interacting with others. Civility is the healing power we need to counteract the divisive, fragmented forces that seem to be undermining our social fabric.

Since 2006, Howard County Library System (MD) has been leading the way toward community connectedness with their Choose Civility initiative. They, along with three library systems across the country, invite you to join the movement to nurture civility in your own community. Learn how kindness creates communities, how to challenge stereotypes effectively, and cultivate random acts of civility. Find opportunities to implement Choose Civility to enhance internal and external customer service, develop partnerships and community support, and create a more connected community of people who will #choose2Bkind. Let’s see civility go viral in 2017.

This free webinar, “Civility Goes Viral: A New Approach for a New Era,” is sponsored by WebJunction.

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5) IMLS GRANTS TO STATES

The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) website, IMLS.gov, offers information about grants made by the agency to libraries and museums across the nation. The Grants to States program is the largest source of federal funding for library services in the U.S. Using a population-based formula, more than $150 million is distributed every year to State Library Administrative Agencies (such as state libraries) located in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the territories and the Freely Associated States.

For a guide on how to access the most frequently requested data regarding the Grants to States program and more, visit sos.wa.gov/q/FindingIMLS.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, April 10

Tuesday, April 11

Wednesday, April 12

Thursday, April 13

Friday, April 14

Saturday, April 15

For more information and to register (unless otherwise linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at sos.wa.gov/q/training.

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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.

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

The impact of IMLS on Washington: A story told in maps

Friday, March 24th, 2017 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Grants and Funding | Comments Off on The impact of IMLS on Washington: A story told in maps


Here at the State Library we love maps.  We have a large number of maps in our collection, some which have been digitized and many, many more in our stacks. In recent years we’ve fallen in love with something called Storymaps, which is a web platform that allows you to create maps to tell a story.  As our service area includes the entire state we’ve found it to be a fun and different way to tell the State Library’s story.  Many of the maps we have shared are about projects we’ve sponsored using funds from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

This year IMLS is celebrating its 20th Anniversary.  IMLS is the branch of the federal government which supports libraries and museums around the country “to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.” (1).  The IMLS funds that the State Library receives are transformed into grants and programs which support libraries all over Washington.  For IMLS’s 20th anniversary we thought we’d re-share some of the maps we’ve made.

Click on each image to be taken to the corresponding Storymap. The first is really the mother-lode featuring eleven different programs.  Public, Academic, Special and Tribal libraries all show up in these maps.  Make sure that you click on the icons as they provide more information about each library.

The next map represents the outcome of a grant that we gave to 230 school libraries, sending each library an age appropriate treasure box of books related to the STEM subjects.

And finally we come to our traveling STEM kits.  The kids (and adults) think they are playing but in addition, we are helping Washington youth gain a comfort with everything from coding to engineering. This kits and more are still circulating around the state.

 

 

Washington State Library a leader in Early Learning

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 Posted in Articles, For Libraries, For the Public, Library 21 Initiative, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Washington State Library a leader in Early Learning


Growing Young Minds IMLSFrom the desk of Rand Simmons

Washington State is listed as one of 10 success stories by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in their 2013 report on early learning, Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners.

“By proactively responding to new initiatives and policy actions, libraries across Washington have secured their position as key players in statewide early learning efforts,” the report states. It cites several activities in which the Washington State Library has been instrumental: the Washington Early Learning Initiative (2000-2003), the establishment of the Early Learning Public Library Partnership (ELPLP), and a partnership between the University of Washington Information School, the ELPLP, the Foundation for Early Learning and the State Library focusing on research-based evidence of the effectiveness of public library programming on early learning and early literacy.

The report is available online in PDF format.

Limited print copies of the report and the executive summary are available from Leanna Hammond, Washington State Library, [email protected], 360-704-7133.

To learn more about the State Library’s involvement in early learning contact Martha Shinners, [email protected], 360-570-5567.