Volume 7, March 31, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) RESOURCE SHARING GRANT Q&A SESSION

2) FIRST TUESDAYS – SEARCH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

3) FUNDING FOR LIBRARY SUPPORT STAFF CERTIFICATION

4) NEW YORK TIMES AVAILABLE THROUGH LIBRARIES

5) MAKING SENSE OF THE CIVIL WAR

6) CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK (SOME FREE, SOME NOT)

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Volume 7, March 17, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) CONNECTING GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN

2) ASSIST IN SELECTING DATABASE PRODUCTS FOR WA LIBRARIES

3) SEQUIM GAZETTE MICROFILM AVAILABLE

4) APRIL IS THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD

5) COMMUNITY CONNECT GRANTS WEBINAR

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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The Statewide Database Licensing (SDL) project requests your assistance in reviewing database products  to help determine which products will be available to Washington libraries for the next several years. Reviews will need to be completed between March 14 and March 31, 2011. Scoring from these reviews is crucial to the selection process, and will contribute significantly to the overall scores assigned to each vendor’s proposal(s).

Vendors can propose products in one or more of three categories:

• General periodical collections providing full text in a wide array of topics (4 or 5 vendor proposals anticipated);
• Full-text newspaper collections featuring both Washington and national papers (3 proposals anticipated);
• Resources for children and students, with a focus on products aimed at the younger researcher (8 proposals anticipated).

Vendors will provide one-hour online demonstrations of the products they propose. These presentations will be scheduled the week of March 14-18, but we hope to offer them in an archived format for reviewers unable to attend the scheduled presentations.

It is not necessary to review all of the proposed products. Reviewers should review all products in one category, or in the case of resources for children, review at least four of the proposed products. Volunteers are also needed to join the evaluation teams that will score the proposals, which is a separate process from reviewing the products.

To volunteer, or to ask a question, please send e-mail to Will Stuivenga at [email protected]. Please indicate which category or categories you are interested in reviewing. For more information on this procurement process, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/SDL.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Volume 7, March 3, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE GRANT CYCLE OPENS

2) NEW SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS GRANT CYCLE OPENING

3) HELP REVIEW DATABASE PRODUCTS FOR WA LIBRARIES

4) CELEBRATE NATIONAL BOOKMOBILE DAY

5) MONEY SMART WEEK IN WASHINGTON

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Volume 7, February 10, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SDL RFP RELEASED

2) WASHINGTON NEWSPAPERS ON MICROFILM

3) SUMMER READING EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM

4) FREE MICROSOFT OFFICE COURSES

5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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That little soupçon of alphabet soup is supposed to indicate the following:

The Washington State Library (WSL), a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, announces the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Statewide Database Licensing (SDL) project. The RFP seeks vendors to provide databases in one of three categories:

1. A database package of primarily full text magazine and journal articles covering a wide variety of subject areas and topics providing a minimum of 2500 unique full text titles, with content that will be of interest to all types of nonprofit libraries and their patrons;
2. A full text newspaper database of primarily Washington State daily papers with at least four WA papers, and at least two newspapers of national stature (such as the New York Times);
3. One or more databases with content appropriate to children and students (K-6 and/or K-12) that include a search interface designed for the younger researcher, and with database content appropriate for elementary reading levels.

The RFP is available via the state’s online procurement system, WEBS, and also from the Secretary of State’s procurement web page. Proposals are due by March 7, 2011, and “Letters of Intent to Propose” are due by February 15. Any questions about the RFP and the procurement process should be directed to Will Stuivenga, the RFP Coordinator at [email protected] or 360.704.5217.

In approaching a new contract for statewide database licensing in Washington State, the Washington State Library decided to create two surveys, one for staff at libraries of all types throughout Washington, and another for the users of public libraries in Washington. Today we are publishing a report that provides a summary of that second survey for public library users.

The survey was administered by providing a link and image for public libraries to put on their websites. In the interest of user anonymity, we did not collect any information about which users came from which libraries, which means that we cannot parse out data based on library size. This summary aggregates responses and comments from all users that started the survey. 1,209 library users started the survey, with 90.1% (1,089 library users) completing it.

Interested parties may download the report (pdf) and complete results (xls) below:

• Electronic Resources for Library Users – Survey Report and Analysis
• Electronic Resources for Library Users – Complete Survey Results with Comments

A report and analysis of the survey for library staff will also be published and made available once it is completed.

Volume 6, December 23, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NAVIGATING THE RIVER OF CHANGE WITH PNLA

2) GRANTS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES

3) EARLY LEARNING GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIPS

4) CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS – ARCHIVED WEBINAR SERIES

5) PROQUEST PLATFORM MIGRATION MATERIALS

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Volume 6, October 21, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SDL NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEYS

2) GO TO THE WEB AND SAY AHH

3) WSL STAFF REMEMBERED

4) BULLYING SURVEY CLOSES THURSDAY AT 11:00 P.M.

5) FREE PRESERVATION WEBINAR SERIES

6) GRANTSTATION SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS

7) PUBLIC LIBRARY INTERNET USE STUDY DEADLINE

8) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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Volume 6, September 30, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SDL NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEYS

2) WSL CONTRIBUTES 115,000 PAGES TO CHRONICLING AMERICA

3) FIRST TUESDAYS PRESENTS SUMMER READING PREVIEW

4) FREE PRESERVATION WORKSHOPS

5) LAURA BUSH 21ST CENTURY LIBRARIAN GRANTS

6) STRETCH DONATIONS FOR NOLO BOOKS

7) TRAVEL GRANTS TO ATTEND ALA MIDWINTER

8) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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