From Our Corner

New Legacy WA profile highlights young winemakers

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Amy Alvarez-Wampfler and Victor Palencia. (Photo courtesy of Greg Lehman)

Our Legacy Washington program has just released its latest profile in its special series, “Who Are We?.” The profile tells the… Read more

Corporations Division: Beware of business compliance postcard

Image The Office of Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities Division is receiving calls and e-mails from customers regarding a postcard received in the mail from the following company: Business Compliance Division,… Read more

Wyman helps honor naval award winner

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(Left to right: Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent, Lt. Commander Medlin, Willis A. Lent and Secretary Wyman) (Photo courtesy of Laura Mott)

Secretary Wyman was honored to be part of a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda to honor an officer on the USS Maine, a submarine stationed at Naval Base Kitsap,… Read more

Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist, by Sunil Yapa.

Image Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist. By Sunil Yapa. (New York, NY: Lee Boudreaux Books/Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group, 2016. 312 pp.) Recommendation submitted by: Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager, Washington State Library, Tumwater, WA. This is not a nice book… Read more

WA PrezPrimary Voters' Pamphlet coming soon

Image Washington's Presidential Primary Voters' Pamphlet will begin hitting mailboxes this Saturday. The slim publication will be going out to nearly 3.3 million households. The pamphlet includes a concise explanation of how the PrezPrimary works, including… Read more

Leaves of Knowledge - Classics in Washington History

Image Here is Jeff's latest spy; a fascinating record of travels in Washington and Oregon at the turn of the 20th Century. From the desk of Jeff Martin Written by Elma MacGibbon Shaw & Borden Co., Printers and Publishers, Spokane,… Read more

WSL Updates for April 21, 2016

Volume 12, April 21, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) RELEASE THE ROBOTS 2) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2016 3) SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES – THE VIEWS2 WAY 4) SEE YOU AT WLA 5) US DOE ACCEPTING GRANT PROPOSALS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) RELEASE THE ROBOTS The Washington State Library is now ready to accept sign-ups for the Lego® Mindstorm®… Read more

Special election ends April 26

Image While many in Washington are looking forward to the state’s first Presidential Primary in eight years, about a quarter of the state’s registered voters have a chance to vote in an earlier election -- the April Special Election. Ballots have been sent to 981,687 voters (24 percent of the… Read more

WA voters: 4 million strong!

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson headlined an event to celebrate a milestone: Washington has surpassed 4 million registered voters for the first time in state history. During the ceremony at… Read more

Springtime is grant time at WSL!

From the desk of Maura Walsh, WSL's Grant Manager Image Washington State Library has the task of helping distribute funds. We’re accepting applications for four different grants right now. We’d love to help your library share in this funding. Look at the… Read more

WSL Updates for April 14, 2016

Volume 12, April 14, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Enjoy this GRANTZILLA issue of WSL Updates! Topics include: 1) REFRESHING SCHOOL LIBRARIES GRANT CYCLE OPENS 2) WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE DIGITIZATION GRANTS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS 3) DIGITAL LITERACY 2016 GRANT CYCLE OPEN 4) METADATA ENHANCEMENT & REMEDIATION PROJECT GRANTS 5) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK… Read more

New Additions in Pacific Northwest Non-Fiction

Image From the desk of Sean… Read more

Portlandtown by Robb De Borde

Image Portlandtown: A Tale of the Oregon Wyldes. By Robb De Borde. (New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2012. 375 pp.) Recommendation by Carolyn Petersen, Assistant Program Manager, Library Development What does a reader get when a writer combines gunfights, zombies, circus freaks, and a Portland pioneer family named the… Read more

WA Capitol demonstrations, then and now

Image Over the decades, Washington’s Capitol has seen its share of protests and demonstrations. Several times each year, groups gather on the steps of the Legislative Building to exercise their rights and let others know how they feel. The two photos here capture how times have… Read more

When Edgar Martinez came to Olympia

Image With baseball season under way, we’re remembering the day when one of the most beloved Seattle Mariners of all time visited the Capitol. Just months after he retired from an 18-year MLB career, all with Seattle, Edgar Martinez… Read more

WSL UPDATES SPECIAL EDITION for April 11, 2016

WSL UPDATES SPECIAL EDITION FOR MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 Please note: The next regular edition of WSL Updates will appear on Thursday, April 14, 2016. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REFRESHING SCHOOL LIBRARIES GRANT CYCLE OPENS Because recent data shows the average copyright date of many school library collections is over 20 years old, Washington State Library (WSL) wants to help school libraries update… Read more

Legislation Affecting Libraries 04/08/2016

Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted weekly on this blog.

For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above.

Bill Title Sponsor Status Date Companion… Read more

State Elections Division launches MyVote upgrade

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman announces launch of a major upgrade to the state Elections Division’s popular MyVote online service, with an emphasis on accessibility. The new version of MyVote was developed in collaboration with the Statewide Disability Advisory Committee, which includes voters who are blind or have sight impairment; the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library; election experts in… Read more

WSL Updates for April 7, 2016

Volume 12, April 7, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) NEW WSL PILOT PROJECT 2) DIGITAL LITERACY 2016 GRANT CYCLE OPENS 3) WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE DIGITIZATION GRANTS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS 4) FREE SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES WORKSHOPS WITH SAROJ GHOTING 5) 2016 NORTHWEST ELEARN CONFERENCE 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) NEW WSL PILOT PROJECT… Read more

Presidential Primary voting season under way

Image Washington counties are sending about 65,000 Presidential Primary ballots to military and overseas voters this week. This signals the start of voting on favorites for the Republican and Democratic nominations. The rest of the state’s 4 million voters will get their ballots early next month. The 18-day voting period begins May 6, and ballots must be returned or postmarked by May 24. Military and… Read more