From Our Corner

Seattle Public Library, Down But Not Out

Image From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: This week's random article comes from the Jan. 5, 1901 issue of The Ballard News, published… Read more

WSL Updates for January 24, 2013

Volume 9, January 24, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) CORRECTION TO JANUARY 17, 2013 WSL UPDATES 2) OCLC LAUNCHES NEW ILL SERVICE 3) ALA AWARDS DEADLINES EXTENDED 4) $10,000 AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LIBRARY PR 5) LOOKING FOR A LIBRARY JOB? 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) CORRECTION TO JANUARY 17, 2013 WSL UPDATES The dates listed for the Free… Read more

I-517 signature check completed

Image The first of two initiatives to the Legislature has cleared a key hurdle after a signature check showed it has a sufficient number of signatures to advance to the Legislature for consideration. The Secretary of State’s Election Division finished the review of Tim Eyman’s latest initiative,… Read more

Now at Digital Archives: historical trademark records

Image The Digital Archives’ latest cool collection is nearly 100,000 historical trademark images and records going back to 1891. The fascinating series is titled “trademark” under the detailed search feature on the Digital Archives… Read more

Dear Dewey from WSH February 2013

Image Latest isssue now available, check it out here. Dear Dewey February 2013

2013 Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 01/18/2013

Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association Library Related Legislation. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted to the WLA web site and we will also post it weekly on this blog. For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above.

Bill Title Sponsor Status… Read more

Happy Birthday to the Temple of Justice!

Image From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian Today marks Centennial Celebration of the Washington State Temple of Justice building, home to the State… Read more

Heritage Center, election bills top Wyman’s wishlist

Image Resuming the Washington State Heritage Center project and enacting election improvements are the centerpieces of new Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s legislative package. Wyman unveiled her 2013 legislative agenda in her office Friday morning during a gathering with… Read more

Clippings for the week of January 11, 2013

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News As the world readies for the coming days of increased light, the Lopez Island Library is making preparations for moving forward, as well. We are making the switch to a new and improved library catalog interface, KOHA ByWater Solutions. (… Read more

Amor de Cosmos Juggles a Sour Grass Steak in Kalama

[caption id="attachment_9736" align="alignleft" width="200"] Image Amor de Cosmos[/caption] From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Now here's a sentence I bet no one has constructed before: This is a tale of a crazed Canadian… Read more

WSL Updates for January 17, 2013

Volume 9, January 17, 2013 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) FIRST TUESDAYS – BUILD SUPPORT WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY 2) FREE ONLINE TRUSTEE TRAINING 3) 2013 WLA AWARD NOMINATIONS 4) ASCLA AWARD NOMINATIONS EXTENDED 5) CITIZENS-SAVE-LIBRARIES GRANTS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) FIRST TUESDAYS – BUILD SUPPORT WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY… Read more

Kim Wyman sworn in as 15th WA Secretary of State

Image Kim Wyman has been inaugurated as Washington's 15th Secretary of State, following a line of Republicans stretching back a half-century. Wyman is the only woman and only Republican elected to statewide executive office in the last election, only the second woman Secretary… Read more

After 45 years in public life, Sam Reed bids farewell

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(Photo courtesy of Legislative Support Services Photography)

Secretary of State Sam Reed bade a fond farewell to the people of Washington Tuesday after 45 years in public life, including 35 years as a state and county elected official. Addressing a joint… Read more

Signature check underway for Eyman's I-517

Image An Elections Division worker counts I-517 signatures in advance of Tuesday's start of its signature check. Signature checking begins soon for the two initiatives to the Legislature that were submitted to the state Elections Division by the Jan. 4 deadline. Signature checking for… Read more

The Public Library as an Institution

Image "The library, like other institutions, is not an isolated and independent structure. It is organically related to the rest of society and, therefore, it is influenced by many social forces, including the distribution of the population, wealth,… Read more

WA lawmakers off to dramatic start

Image Washington's 63rd Legislature is off to a dramatic start, with a coalition of minority Republicans banding with two dissident Democrats to take over control of the state Senate. The debate was fairly low-key. Despite having an elected majority in the upper… Read more

Clippings for the week of January 4, 2013

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News The Seattle Public Library will offer free assistance to students filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, January 13 at the Central Library. The session is free and open to the public… Read more

100 years of women in WA Legislature

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(Images courtesy of Washington State… Read more

Secretary Reed `roasted & toasted'

Image About 500 of Secretary of State Sam Reed's friends, family and colleagues gathered Thursday evening for a fun gala to "roast & toast" Sam on the occasion of his retirement after 12 years as Secretary and 45 years in public life. Guests came from far and wide and from different eras… Read more

WA lawmakers & new gov gird for grueling session

Image Washington lawmakers and incoming Gov. Jay Inslee are arriving in Olympia for a grueling budget-year legislative session that begins at high noon on Monday. The 63rd Legislature and the newly elected governor face a big budget shortfall -- perhaps $2 billion, counting… Read more

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The Washington Office of the Secretary of State’s blog provides from-the-source information about important state news and public services.

This space acts as a bridge between the public and Secretary Steve Hobbs and his staff, and we invite you to contribute often to the conversation here.

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