From Our Corner

Time to vote on July “Library jewels”

July may have passed, but we’ve launched the online poll featuring July’s “Library jewels.” These are three cool, interesting or rare items found in the State Library.

July jewel #1 is a… Read more

Washington partners with Microsoft & Facebook on MyVote app

Image Now there's a Facebook app for reaching Washington's online voter registration tool and “MyVote” service. The app was officially launched on Monday after already drawing considerable advance national attention as a fresh application of social media to draw attention to voter registration and information. The state Elections Division worked with Facebook and Microsoft over the past year to create the new app, which will provide many… Read more

Clippings for the week of July 27, 2012

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] [/caption] Library News The Friends of the Key Center Library, a part of the Pierce County Library System, elected a new board at their annual meeting. Maureen Riley, president, Barb Trotter, vice president, Karen Lovett, secretary, Connie Renz, treasurer, Neal Van Der… Read more

WA voters can get quick election results on iPhone and Android

Image Want to check out election results on the go? This year you will be able to view them wherever you are with our office’s free Elections Results apps for iPhone and Android phones. These apps provide current vote totals for state, federal, legislative, and judicial offices, giving users a convenient way to stay up to date on their favorite races. County elections departments begin tabulating ballots that have been received and processed… Read more

Klepto Cows

Random News from the Newspapers on Microfilm Collection: Kleptomaniac Cows in Everett From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Ah, the growing pains of urbanization as found in the Feb. 20, 1901 issue of the… Read more

Reed urges strong Top 2 Primary turnout

Image Secretary of State Sam Reed is urging a great turnout for Washington’s Top 2 Primary, which offers voters a chance to pick finalists for Governor, U.S. Congress, Legislature, and many state and local offices. Tuesday is your deadline for mail ballots to be postmarked or placed in county election dropbox. Reed says the election offers ballot draws for just about everyone: “This is one of those… Read more

WSL Updates for August 2, 2012

Volume 8, August 2, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) FIRST TUESDAYS – HELPING WITH IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS 2) EDUCATION IN THE NEXT 50 3) CHECK OUT THE VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB 4) HANDHELD LIBRARIAN 7 5) RURAL AND SMALL LIBRARIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) FIRST TUESDAYS – HELPING WITH IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS Ken Bawden, a customs… Read more

Check out our new "I Voted" e-sticker!

Image Have you voted yet? If your answer is yes, you should check out our Elections Division conception. They have created a cool “I voted” e-sticker for you to use on Facebook! The sticker is a simple green circle that tells people “I voted,” with those words prominently displayed in the picture. You can use the e-sticker as your profile pic or post it to your wall to show your friends your democratic participation and support for civic… Read more

Cultural Icons of Puget Sound TV Childrens Shows

[caption id="attachment_8180" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="JP Patches Statue 7/31/12"] [/caption] The recent death of local cultural icon J. P. Patches has reminded me of other children's TV shows I watched devotedly in the 1960s. Shari Lewis, Stan… Read more

"Library Jewel" # 3: Political business cards

Washington State's Primary Election is nearly upon us, occuring next Tuesday, August 7. In honor of the upcoming Primary, we are featuring two rare political business cards as our third "Library Jewel" for July, located within the Rare Publicans section of the Washington State Library. These political business cards, featured below in the picture, belonged to candidates who were running for separate elections in 1908. The card on the left belonged to Republican Party candidate Theodore… Read more

WA voters will face two first-ever tax advisory measures

Image Washington voters will get a first-ever chance to give their non-binding opinion on a pair of revenue bills passed by the Legislature this year and signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire in May. According to Solicitor General Maureen Hart, voter-approved Initiative 960 triggers advisory votes on provisions of House Bill 2590, extending the petroleum tax that pays for… Read more

WSL August Training News

August 2012 Washington State Library Training News

Discover free and inexpensive trainings available online and around the state; compiled by Jennifer Fenton, CE/Training Coordinator, Washington State Library

Featured Free Trainings:

• Librarians are Wikipedians Too: WebJunction Webinar
• Managing Difficult Volunteer Transitions: Volunteer Match
• Introducing Grassroots Library Advocacy: ALA Editions
• Census Data Immersion: From Novice to… Read more

Who Let the Boss Out?

From the desk of Rand Simmons Every so often I get to travel to libraries around the state. Last week was such a week when I got to travel for business which was very pleasurable. Image For the past three years the Washington State Library (WSL) has partnered with the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) to bring broadband connectivity to Washington public and tribal libraries. A broadband celebration was held at the Mid-Columbia Libraries… Read more

Clippings for the week of July 20, 2012

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] [/caption] Library News The King County Library System subscribes to an online database called Universal Class, which is dedicated to helping you learn something new or make a change for the better. Courses vary from bartending/mixology to behavioral sciences and algebra… Read more

Historical Records Project volunteers honored

Image Volunteers rock! Over 500 volunteers work with the State Library, Legacy Project, State Archives and Historic Records Project to fulfill the Secretary of State’s mission of historical records preservation and public access.… Read more

"Library Jewel" #2: Slide presentation of the 1914 Sedro-Woolley bank robbery

Image Compiled by a Washingtonian with a flair for the dramatic, this collection of glass lantern slides, along with a typewritten narrative script, tells the story of the infamous Sedro-Woolley bank robbery of 1914.… Read more

Sunday Canoe landing, "Paddle to Squaxin 2012"

Image This Sunday marks the 24th annual Canoe Journey, a colorful event that has helped strengthen the cultural ties of Pacific Northwest coastal tribes. Every summer a different tribe hosts the canoe landing. This year, hundreds… Read more

A Newspaper Lost to History?

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: The editor of the Clarkston Republic appears to be able to barely contain his gloating while reporting on the demise on a rival newspaper. I found this on page one… Read more

WSL Updates for July 26, 2012

Volume 8, July 26, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) SEEKING INPUT ON EARLY LEARNING COMMUNITY RESEARCH 2) CALL FOR PROPOSALS – ONLINE NORTHWEST 3) GRASSROOTS LIBRARY ADVOCACY 4) KEEP YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE 5) THE FUTURE OF THE INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM? 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) SEEKING INPUT ON EARLY LEARNING COMMUNITY RESEARCH The… Read more

Charter-school I-1240 qualifies for statewide ballot

Image And then there were six. Secretary of State Sam Reed has certified charter-school Initiative 1240 to the November statewide ballot. It will be the fourth time Washington voters have dealt with the issue in the past 16… Read more