From Our Corner

Clippings for the week of July 22, 2011

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] Image [/caption] Library News What appeared to be a homemade bomb comprised of fireworks was detonated by a bomb squad at 2:12 p.m. Wednesday outside the downtown Renton library on Mill Avenue. Renton police had evacuated the downtown library about 1 p.m.… Read more

History Makers makes its debut

Image There is a new feature on the Secretary of State's website. History Makers is a biographical database of Washington elected officials and activists from territorial times to present. Each individual's entry includes a photograph, links, and basic biographical information, for example, occupations, offices, affiliations, birth and death dates, and marriage information. To… Read more

Another Costco booze measure back on ballot

Image A Costco-backed liquor privatization initiative will be on the statewide ballot for the second year in a row.… Read more

WSL Updates for July 28, 2011

Volume 7, July 28, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) IMLS NEEDS YOUR INPUT 2) THE BOTTOM LINE ON VOLUNTEERS 3) MORA AWARD APPLICATIONS DUE AUGUST 15 4) BUILD-A-BEAR GRANTS 5) HOW TO SECURE FUNDING FROM FOUNDATIONS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) IMLS NEEDS YOUR INPUT The Institute of Museum and Library Services is currently seeking input on… Read more

Matt Hasselbeck as governor?

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Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives

For Seahawks fans in Secretary Reed’s office and elsewhere, news spread quickly that longtime quarterback Matt Hasselbeck… Read more

When Asotin made national news

Image Asotin is both the name of a small, lightly populated county in the southeastern corner of our state and its county seat. You don’t hear too much about Asotin these days. But that was not the case 80 years ago when a 12-year-old boy named… Read more

Cultivating beauty in The Garden That You Are

Image The Garden That You Are. By Kate Gordon. Winlaw, B.C. : Sono Nis Press, c2007. 192 p. Recommendation by: Rand Simmons, Acting Washington State Librarian, Tumwater, WA. This is a… Read more

From Your Corner Of Washington: Grays County Courthouse

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Photo courtesy of Jim Nielend

Grays Harbor County is named after the shallow bay created by the five rivers that pour into it from Southwest Washington. Its forests full of spruce,… Read more

WSL Updates Special Edition for July 26, 2011

GRANT CYCLE OPENS – TLA50 INITIATIVE The Transforming Life After 50 (TLA50) initiative is designed to help libraries better serve and engage midlife adults by positioning libraries as catalysts, resources, meeting places, and partners in creating opportunities for midlife adults to learn, teach, lead, build skills, prepare for new careers, and become civically-engaged. Academic, public, and tribal libraries that serve adults over the age of 50 are eligible to apply. A minimum of five… Read more

It’s official: I-1125 will be on ballot

Image What was considered to be a foregone conclusion became official Monday afternoon when… Read more

Clippings for the week of July 15, 2011

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] Image [/caption] WA State Library News This school year teachers and students at Oroville Elementary School greatly enjoyed the experience of teaming up with the Okanogan Borderlands Historical Society for several great experiences. The historical society,… Read more

Spotlight on Staff: David Junius

Image David Junius, Volunteer Coordinator at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), is featured in the first Spirit of Service column in the Library of Congress National Library Service Update (January-June 2011). David has been with the… Read more

Elections: Complying with minority languages

Image If you ever wonder why our state or a certain county provides ballots or elections material in some language besides English, it’s because we’re complying with a federal mandate resulting from the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The minority language provisions of… Read more

WSL Updates for July 21, 2011

Volume 7, July 21, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) LAST CHANCE FOR EBOOK READER PILOT QUESTIONS 2) LAST CALL – LCW SPECIAL LIBRARIES REPRESENTATIVE 3) RECRUITING, USING, AND RETAINING VOLUNTEERS 4) FREE ADVOCACY TRAINING – REGISTRATION CLOSES JULY 27 5) FREE ONLINE CONFERENCE – TRENDS IN LIBRARY TRAINING 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) LAST… Read more

Secretary Reed tapped for open-government honor

Image Secretary of State Sam Reed, who has made government transparency and access to public records a signature issue during his three terms, has been ann0unced as the 2011 winner of the James Madison Award of the Washington… Read more

A hero visits the Capitol

Image Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry, who received the Medal of Honor from President Obama during a White House ceremony last week, visited our State Capitol Wednesday morning. The Olympian has this… Read more

State election crews begin initiative checks

Image It's that season again. State election crews are hard at work, hunched over computer screens and stacks of initiative petitions, checking signatures to make sure they are valid, registered… Read more

Aspiring memoirist seeks success in Miss Harper Can Do It

Image Miss Harper Can Do It. By Jane Berentson. New York : Viking, 2009. 324 p. Recommendation by: Carolyn Petersen,… Read more

From Your Corner Of Washington: Dick & Jane's Spot

Image … Read more

A new library opens in Vancouver

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Photo courtesy of Jeff Martin, Washington State Library

The new five-story Vancouver Community Library in downtown Vancouver officially opened Sunday, attracting 5,000 people despite heavy rain. The Columbian has more about… Read more