From Our Corner

Archives treasure #3: Railroad maps, 1880s-1980s

Image There was a time, before highways were so commonplace, when railroads dominated U.S. transportation. In fact, the American rail network… Read more

Book Drive to Benefit Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

[caption id="attachment_9565" align="alignright" width="150"] Image Gayle Shonkwiler and Jerry McGuire[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9578" align="alignleft" width="150"]… Read more

Archives treasure #2: Pearl Harbor telegrams

Image Dec. 7 marked the 71st anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. Navy fleet stationed in Pearl Harbor and other American military installations nearby. A day after the attack in Hawaii, the… Read more

Too Good to be True-- The Hubbard Coil

[caption id="attachment_9529" align="alignleft" width="320"] Image Alfred M. Hubbard[/caption] From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: The Hubbard Coil sounded too good to be true. As it turned out there was a little secret component the… Read more

WSL Updates for December 20, 2012

Volume 8, December 20, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) ENERGIZE YOURSELF WITH FIRST TUESDAYS 2) FREE COMMON CORE TOOLS WORKSHOP 3) DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR DIGITAL AGE SURVEY 4) STORYCORPS @ YOUR LIBRARY GRANTS 5) FREE ONLINE COLLECTIONS CARE COURSES 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITY NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) ENERGIZE YOURSELF WITH FIRST TUESDAYS Life in the library has… Read more

December Archives treasure #1: First Territorial Supreme Court case

Image Going back, back, back to our territorial days, Washington’s Supreme Court has heard hundreds of cases. So what was the first case ever heard by the Washington territorial high court? It was George Palmer v. United States, filed Dec. 14, 1854. The case… Read more

6th and largest Library Reads Program at Airway Heights Corrections Center

Image Airway Heights Correction Center Library is starting its 6th Library Reads Program. We started this program one year ago with John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row”. After that we read “Sky Fisherman” by Craig Lesley, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “Little… Read more

Gregoire unveils $34b budget & tax plan

Image Gov. Chris Gregoire, in one of her last major acts as governor, has unveiled a $34 billion, two-year budget for state government, along with a tax package devoted largely to upgrading the K-12 budget. The Democratic governor, leaving… Read more

1893 phone book tops Library jewels poll

Image December’s Library jewels online poll showed that… Read more

Free WSL Webinars in January

Image 2013 is nearly here! WSL is pleased to offer the following FREE webinars in January. Happy Holidays! Registration is available here.… Read more

WA Electoral College: All 12 votes for Obama

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Reflecting the winner-take-all nature of the Electoral College system, Washington's electors on Monday awarded all 12 of the state's electoral votes to the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

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Clippings for the week of December 7, 2012

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] Image [/caption] Library News The Port Townsend Public Library is once again on the Library Journal’s list of top libraries in the U.S. The Journal gave the library three out of five stars in the category of $499,999-$1 million in expenditures. (The Leader, [… Read more

Spotlight on Staff: Shirley Lewis

Few Washington State Library employees have had to adapt and grow as much as Shirley A. Lewis (a.k.a. SAL) in the course of the past three years. But the series of events that led her into the unexpected positions of Head of Acquisitions and then Head of Technical Services has given WSL an opportunity to benefit from… Read more

WSL Updates for December 13, 2012

Volume 8, December 13, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) RAND SIMMONS NAMED WASHINGTON STATE LIBRARIAN 2) DON’T MISS THE DEADLINE FOR WLA SCHOLARSHIPS 3) ONLINE NW – IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR THE EARLY BIRD 4) CALL FOR SPEAKERS – BIG TALK FROM SMALL LIBRARIES 5) FREE CLASS – CARING FOR THE MIND 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) RAND SIMMONS NAMED… Read more

Intrigue and Adventure in the Cave of Secrets

Image Cave of Secrets. By Hal Burton. Lilliwaup, Washington: Hal Burton Publishing, 2002. 224 p. Recommendation submitted by: Will Stuivenga,… Read more

Voting time: December Library jewels

If your thoughts are focused on shopping, candy canes, vacation or something else related to the holiday season, here is a fun, quick diversion for you: the online poll for our December Library jewels. As we do monthly, we’re featuring three rare, cool or interesting collections or items found in our State Library. This month’s contestants are: 1)… Read more

Library jewel #3: '93 phone book -- 1893, that is!

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(Image courtesy of Washington State Library)

Nowadays, many people dislike receiving their own hard copy of the telephone directory. But even the anti-phone book crowd might be intrigued by our third and final Library… Read more

The Library as a Makerspace

Image Libraries are no longer simply a holding area for books, they are community hubs. People gather at the library to share ideas and enrich their lives. Computers and internet are now standard in libraries and are often in demand. Unemployed… Read more

The Mystery of Buckskin Joe

Image From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: The irony of hermits is that the more they desire to be alone, the more attention they garner. The hermit becomes an object of curiosity.… Read more

Library jewel #2: 1909 A-Y-P Expo Commission collection

Image Washington has enjoyed its share of world fairs over the years. Simply viewing the iconic Space Needle is a reminder that Seattle hosted the 1962 World’s… 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.

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