WA Secretary of State Blogs

WSL Updates for March 8, 2014

Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, Institutional Library Services, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for March 8, 2014


Volume 14, March 8, 2018 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) DIGITIZATION GRANTS

2) FREE BOOKS

3) TURNING OUTWARD TO LEAD CHANGE

4) RENDEZVOUS WITH LOCKED DOORS

5) NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY GRANTS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) DIGITIZATION GRANTS

A new round of grant funding from the Washington State Library (WSL) is available to support Washington libraries in carrying out a variety of digital initiatives related to archival and special collections. Public, academic (two and four year colleges and universities), and tribal libraries are eligible to submit applications. Institutions may also use this grant opportunity to develop Washington Rural Heritage collections.

Proposals may include or involve:

  • Digitization/reformatting of archival and special collections;
  • Metadata creation, remediation/cleanup, and/or re-cataloging;
  • Development of local standards, practices, and/or policies related to digitization, metadata creation, digital preservation, etc.;
  • Creation of born-digital multimedia content (e.g., oral histories, digital exhibits);
  • Integration of primary sources or archival collections into educational settings by way of lesson plans/curricula, and/or Open Educational Resources (OERs).

Overall funding to support this grant cycle is $80,000 with a limit of $8,000 per award. We anticipate that ten (10) or more applicants may receive awards. Details:

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Evan Robb, Digital Repository Librarian, at 360-704-5228 or [email protected] for questions and to discuss potential projects.

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2) FREE BOOKS

The Washington State Library has the following titles available to redistribute to libraries in Washington State:

  • Forget Sorrow, by Belle Yang – 12 copies
  • Motherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan Lethem – 9 copies
  • Atonement, by Ian McEwan – 10 copies
  • Gemini, by Carol Cassella – 12 copies
  • While the City Slept: A Love Lost to Violence and a Young Man’s Descent into Madness, by Eli Sanders – 34 copies

A minimum of five copies per order is required. They can be a mix and match of titles. This is a first come, first serve process. Place your order at blogs.sos.wa.gov/book-sharing. Questions? Please contact Leanna Hammond: [email protected].

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3) TURNING OUTWARD TO LEAD CHANGE

How can small, rural libraries transform their communities? Find out at this full day, experiential workshop, Community Engagement Training: Turning Outward to Lead Change. Participants will learn how to create community-based libraries by identifying local resources, improving communication with stakeholders and “turning outward,” using tools developed by the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.

Join Amber Williams, from the Spokane County Library District, and Erica Freudenberger, from the Southern Adirondack Library System, to adapt and customize a roadmap to engage your community, build the capacity of your library, and incorporate the tools used by the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative. Libraries are invited to send a team consisting of library staff, trustees, and/or community leaders.

By the end of the workshop, participants will confidently:

  • Use free tools, such as the Ask, Aspirations and Community Conversation, to gather public knowledge;
  • Assess public needs;
  • Use community-based decision-making to inform library services;
  • Utilize the free resources available through ALA.org/LTC.

There are three locations and dates for this important and transformative training experience, which will run from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. each day:

  • April 16, 2018: Pierce County Library Administrative Center, Tacoma;
  • April 18, 2018: Wenatchee Public Library;
  • April 19, 2018: Ritzville Public Library.

Don’t miss out! Register now.

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4) RENDEZVOUS WITH LOCKED DOORS

PNR Rendezvous is a monthly webinar series presented by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Pacific Northwest Region. Each session focuses on various topics such as health, research, resources, librarianship, and technology for attendees to incorporate into their work.

The Washington State Library operates a network of eleven libraries in state hospitals and prisons. The March session of PNR Rendezvous will provide an overview of institutional library services in Washington State, including history, challenges, and information regarding services for hospitalized and incarcerated populations. Presenters are Anna Nash, Institutional Librarian, and Kathleen Benoun, Library Associate, Washington State Library. Mark your calendar now.

Details:

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5) NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY GRANTS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting applications for projects that support libraries and archives serving Native Americans and Native Alaskans. Applications for Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants are due May 1, 2018.

Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants augment existing library services or implement new library services for eligible Native American libraries. Successful grant projects will align with one of three project categories:

  • Preservation and Revitalization;
  • Educational Programming;
  • Digital Services.

To learn more, interested applicants may participate in a series of webinars. Next up: Enhancement Grant Accountability Paperwork (Budgets and Performance Measures), Tuesday, March 13, 11:00 a.m. PDT.

Read the entire press release for additional information.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, March 12

Tuesday, March 13

Wednesday, March 14

Thursday, March 15

Friday, March 16

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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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Announcing the winners of our 3rd Annual Zine contest!

Thursday, March 1st, 2018 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For Libraries, For the Public | Comments Off on Announcing the winners of our 3rd Annual Zine contest!


Picture of two Zines stacked on top of eachother.How many of us remember sitting through dry history classes in school?  And yet history done right is a fascinating and important subject.  Here at the Washington State Library we take history seriously.  One of our strategic goals is to “Preserve and share Washington’s stories.” We have several paths to achieving this goal. There are our historic digital newspapers, the digitized “Classics in Washington History” collection, our collection of Historic maps, and the  Washington Rural Heritage Collection.  But making the resources available is only one part of the process.  We also want them to be found and used.  Our historic digital resources are an opportunity to wake up and engage those history classes.

Three years ago Judy Pitchford had an inspiration, and along with other partners began what is now our 3rd Annual Zine contest.  Do you know what a zine is? “Zines (pronounced “zeen”, like “bean”) are self-published – often via a photocopier – magazines with limited print runs. They can be on any topic or many, are usually written by one person or a few individuals, and typically provide an individualistic or alternative point of view.” (adapted from “Stolen Sharpie Revolution” by Alex Wrekk).  The zine contest requires the use of historical materials from the collections of the Washington State Library, the Washington State Archives or the Timberland Regional Libraries. Unpacking the entries as they arrive is a delight as we get to see people engage with primary resources and make their slice of history relevant to their life.

Today we are happy to announce the winners of the 2017’s Historical Zone Contest.  The winner in the Youth category is Mia Widrow, Grade 5. Mia titled her zine   Hanford : The complex legacy left behind. The adult winner is Lisa Oberg,  who entered, Answering Columbia’s Call : Seattle’s War Relief Bazaar of 1917. Click on the links to the zines themselves and you’ll see not only a great example of a zine but a cross-discipline art/history project that makes history come alive.

Both Mia and Lisa received a $75 prize and their zines will be added to the Washington State Library Manuscript collection.

Growing up in Washington’s Finest Dairyland

Tuesday, August 29th, 2017 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, For the Public | Comments Off on Growing up in Washington’s Finest Dairyland


From the desk of Evan Robb

Former state senator (1969-1980) Gary M. Odegaard stopped in at the Washington State Library last week to share a wealth of unique photographs from his family collection, as well as hours of great stories about growing up in the border town of Sumas, Washington. Deborah Morgan from the Sumas Library met with Odegaard while staff from our Washington Rural Heritage program worked to digitize his photos.

It was a fascinating day of learning about life in Whatcom County in the 1950s, from daily farm life in “Washington’s Finest Dairyland,” to living through major flood events, to the history of the Sumas Valley Grange.

Odegaard’s collection will soon appear alongside other material from the Sumas area digitized through a Washington Rural Heritage grant completed this year by the Sumas branch of Whatcom County Library System. View that collection here: http://sos.wa.gov/q/SumasHeritage

The State Library’s Washington Rural Heritage program is a collaborative digitization project partnering with almost 150 of our state’s libraries and museums. The project also provides access to the otherwise hidden or inaccessible family collections of almost 500 Washingtonians.

The Washington State Library will be working with more than one dozen organizations through the end of 2018 to bring more of our common heritage online. Read more about our recent grant awards here: https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/library/libraries/grants/2017_WRH_Awards.pdf

This funding is made possible by a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act. To learn more about participating in Washington Rural Heritage, please contact Evan Robb, Digital Repository Librarian, at (360) 704-5228, or [email protected].

 

WSL Updates for August 17, 2017

Wednesday, August 16th, 2017 Posted in Digital Collections, For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Training and Continuing Education, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for August 17, 2017


Volume 13, August 17, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) SEEKING LIBRARY COUNCIL MEMBERS

2) RURAL HERITAGE GRANT AWARDS

3) WIKIPEDIA + LIBRARIES: BETTER TOGETHER

4) ACADEMIC LIBRARIES TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES

5) STATEWIDE PURCHASING & CONTRACTING WORKSHOP

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) SEEKING 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) RURAL HERITAGE GRANT AWARDS

Congratulations to the latest group of public libraries and heritage organizations recently awarded digitization grants through the Washington Rural Heritage program! Over the next year Washington State Library staff will be working with these organizations to digitize unique, historically significant materials held in their collections. Awardees will be trained in all aspects of digitization and their collections will be publicly hosted and digitally preserved through the Washington Rural Heritage website and digital repository.

Below are this year’s grant recipients. Read about the details of each project.

  • $6,157 – Fort Vancouver Regional Library District: the La Center, Ridgefield, and Woodland community libraries will partner with the La Center Historical Museum, Woodland Historical Museum Society, and Charlotte Clevidence of Ridgefield.
  • $6,300 – Spokane County Library District, Moran Prairie branch, in partnership with the Moran Prairie Washington Grange #161.
  • $6,981 – Richland Public Library.
  • $4,689 – Whitman County Library in partnership with the Tekoa Museum and J.C. Barron Mill (Oakesdale, Washington).
  • $4,500 – Asotin County Library.
  • $7,000 – Whatcom County Library System, (Lummi) Island Library.
  • $6,958 – Kalama Public Library in partnership with the Kalama History House, the City of Kalama, and the Port of Kalama.
  • $5,669 – Orcas Island Public Library in partnership with the Orcas Island Historical Society.

To learn more about participating in Washington Rural Heritage, contact Evan Robb, Digital Repository Librarian at [email protected]. Washington Rural Heritage is supported with Library Services and Technology Act funding provided by the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services.

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3) WIKIPEDIA + LIBRARIES: BETTER TOGETHER

This fall, WebJunction will offer a free online training program for up to 500 US public library staff to learn to confidently engage with Wikipedia. The course, Wikipedia + Libraries: Better Together, will provide a collaborative learning environment for public library peers to build their Wikipedia skills, implement Wikipedia programming, and amplify the role of libraries as information literacy leaders in their communities.

The 9-week course will run from September 13 through November 15, and will consist of 6 live online sessions, online discussion forums, reading, plus skill and knowledge-building activities. As a result of participating, public library staff will be able to use Wikipedia to:

  • Engage and empower their community members to build information literacy skills and to access and create knowledge;
  • Raise the visibility of their libraries and their unique, local collections;
  • Build on their own digital, critical thinking, and community engagement skills—and encourage their colleagues to do the same.

Learn more about the program and enroll today.

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4) ACADEMIC LIBRARIES TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES

Learn how to foster conversation and lead change on campus and beyond with Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Models for Change, a free learning series on dialogue and deliberation from ALA, ACRL, and the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation. Through three free webinars in fall 2017, participants will learn to convene critical conversations with people with differing viewpoints; connect more meaningfully with library users and better meet their needs; and translate conversation into action.

Academic library professionals who view all three webinars, live or recorded, are invited to attend a free one-day pre-conference workshop on Feb. 9, 2018, at the 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Denver.

The three webinars are scheduled as follows:

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5) STATEWIDE PURCHASING & CONTRACTING WORKSHOP

Registration is now open for a two day Purchasing and Contracting Workshop in Lynnwood on August 22 and 23. The first day of this workshop will be on purchasing and the second day on public works contracting. Registration is open to all local agencies and private consultants statewide. Presented by the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) and the Contract Administration Education Committee (CAEC) of the American Public Works Association (APWA).

Details:

  • August 22, 23, 2017 at the Sno-Isle Regional Library, Lynnwood
  • Workshop fees are $70 for one day or $90 for both days, per person. Attendees can attend either both days or only one day, depending on their interests.
  • More information and registration: sos.wa.gov/q/MRSLwkshp.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, August 21

Tuesday, August 22

Wednesday, August 23

Thursday, August 24

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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 »

Orcas Island – Researching Our History Workshop

Tuesday, May 16th, 2017 Posted in Digital Collections | Comments Off on Orcas Island – Researching Our History Workshop


On May 13, 2017, staff from the Orcas Island Historical Museum and the Orcas Island Public Library co-presented a session on conducting, and writing about, one’s historical and genealogical research using the various resources held by both organizations. Edrie Vinson from the Orcas Island Historical Museum plugged the Washington Rural Heritage program, by discussing the James T. Geoghegan Collection as a way one might illustrate family history in an online environment. 16 people were in attendance.

WSL Updates for April 20, 2017

Thursday, April 20th, 2017 Posted in For Libraries, Grants and Funding, News, Updates | Comments Off on WSL Updates for April 20, 2017


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

Topics include:

1) ARSL CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

2) WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE GRANTS

3) CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS

4) GOVERNOR’S SUMMIT

5) UNITED STATES OF ANCHORS

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) ARSL CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

The information and application form for the 2017 Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Conference Scholarships are now available at the ARSL website at sos.wa.gov/q/ARSLships. These scholarships are for first time attendees so anyone who has not attended an ARSL conference is invited to apply. Three scholarships are awarded. Check out the website for more details on eligiblity and how to apply. Applications must be received by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, June 30, 2017.

If you have any questions about the process or have any trouble with the application form, please contact Shirley Vonderhaar, ARSL Scholarship Subcommittee Chairperson, at [email protected]. For more information about the conference, visit arsl.info/2017-conference.

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2) WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE GRANTS

Would your library like to digitize its historical materials and special collections? Create an online community archive of unique materials from local family collections? Partner with nearby historical societies and other organizations to collaboratively digitize local history resources?

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, go to sos.wa.gov/q/grants.

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) CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Medical Library Association (MLA) annual conference will be in Seattle from May 26 – 31, 2017. Registration is open. Not sure you want to attend? A variety of volunteer opportunities are available whether you had planned to attend or not. Come on down and help our city put its best foot forward! For those who are not members, volunteer 4 hours and you can attend one day for free. Here is more information about the conference and how to volunteer.

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4) GOVERNOR’S SUMMIT

There will be 740,000 job openings over the next five years in Washington. Washington’s young people deserve an education that prepares them to take part in our economy, and real world, hands-on career connected learning is a key part of this preparation. Such preparation also equips employers with a workforce ready for 21st century challenges and innovation.

You are invited to join Governor Inslee’s Summit on Career Connected Learning. You’ll be part of a group of industry, policy, and education leaders working together to share best practices and policies to increase and strengthen career-related opportunities in high demand jobs for Washington’s youth. The Governor’s Summit is the culmination of an 18-month, multi-state Policy Academy, co-chaired by the Governor’s office and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.

The Governor’s Summit will be simultaneously hosted onsite in Redmond, WA, and at 27 regional sites around the state on May 31, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Regional sites will focus on what leaders can do locally to make positive impacts for students and business and will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. For more information and to register, visit sos.wa.gov/q/summit and/or #WAcareersummit.

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5) UNITED STATES OF ANCHORS

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition will hold its Seventh Annual Conference, May 31 – June 2, 2017, just outside Washington, DC. The SHLB Annual Conferences is the premier conference on anchor institution broadband. It unites industry leaders across diverse sectors, such as education, health, government, and broadband providers.

The theme this year is “United States of Anchors.” We are at a pivotal moment of change in our country, and schools, libraries, health providers, and other community anchor institutions (CAIs) have the power to unite and move us forward. This conference will explore five tracks:

  • Broadband Policy in the Trump Administration,
  • Building Telehealth Networks to Rural Communities,
  • The Future of the E-rate Program,
  • Financing Broadband Networks, and
  • Anchor Institutions and Home Access.

For more information and to register, visit 2017conference.shlb.org/ and/or #USofAnchors.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Tuesday, April 25

Wednesday, April 26

Thursday, April 27

Friday, April 28

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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:

Lights, Signals, Buoys, and Daymarks — Our Rich Heritage

Monday, April 10th, 2017 Posted in Articles, Digital Collections, Federal and State Publications, For Libraries, For the Public | Comments Off on Lights, Signals, Buoys, and Daymarks — Our Rich Heritage


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

Man in cape with a disappointed look on his face

“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.)

Click on a Washington lighthouse name for information about it

Admiralty Head Alki Point Browns Point
Burrows Island Bush Point Cape Disappointment
Cape Flattery Cattle Point Destruction Island
Dofflemeyer Point Ediz Hook Gig Harbor
Grays Harbor (Westport) Lightship Swiftsure LV 83/WAL 513 Lime Kiln
Marrowstone Point Mukilteo New Dungeness
North Head Patos Island Point No Point
Point Robinson Point Wilson Skunk Bay
Slip Point Turn Point West Point
(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

Map showing location of Pole Pass, Washington

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. )
 “In 1883  the captain of the mail boat S.S. LIBBY asked William Cadwell, a Pole Pass homesteader, to suspend a lantern at the pass to guide the steamer during its evening runs. In exchange for this service, the vessel provided William’s family with free transportation and shipment of produce grown on the Cadwell farm. In 1887 the federal government placed a larger lantern containing a red globe at the site. William manually lit this lantern every night which was fueled by kerosene to ensure the flame wouldn’t be extinguished during bad weather. After Cadwell’s death around 1890, son-in-law Robert McLachlan took over the role of light keeper. Then McLachlan’s son. Kirk, continued the lamp-lighting tradition by supervising the beacon from 1907 to 1949. At that point the U.S, Coast Guard replaced Orcas Island’s only navigational light with a blinker- which continues to operate today.”
(“History Corner [Newspaper Column].” Orcas Islander, bit.ly/2mR5Rb9 Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.)
Steamboat passing through Pole Pass between Orcas and Crane Islands, Washington.

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

 

Pole Pass Light

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

Pole Pass light show in vintage postcards

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:

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.
Photo of lobby, North Head Lighthouse in Ilwaco, Washington

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.

Photo of the Mukilteo Lighthouse

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.

 “Lighthouses: FAQ.” Fact Monster from Information Please, Sandbox Networks, Inc., Publishing as Fact Monster., www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0800631.html. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

“List of Lighthouses in Washington.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Mar. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lighthouses_in_Washington. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

“Historic Light Station Information & Photography.” Coast Guard Lighthouses, U.S. Coast Guard, www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHWA.asp. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

Thiesen, William H. “Coast Guard Lighthouses and the History of the ‘Flying Santa.” The Retiree Newsletter, pp. 9–10, www.uscg.mil/hr/psc/retnews/2017/January17newsletter.pdf. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.

 “U. S. Coast Guard Monuments & Memorials .” Coast Guard Monuments & Memorials, US Coast Guard, www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/uscgmemorials.asp. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.

 “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.

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.

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.

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