From Our Corner

Why Do We Need a State Library?

Image To quote a prominent library administrator: “Every library is designed to serve a specific community:

• Public libraries serve the people of a specific city or county.
• Academic libraries serve the faculty, staff, and students of a specific college or university.
• School libraries serve the students and teachers of a specific school.
• Medical libraries… Read more

Wyman & Inslee certify 2014 election

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Secretary Wyman and Governor Inslee share a laugh before certifying election results in his office.

It's one for the history books: Secretary Wyman and Governor Inslee have certified the 2014 elections. The governor and the state's chief elections… Read more

Holiday Kids’ Tree is here, lighting event Friday

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Wearing his black overcoat, Gov. Inslee helps DES employees haul the Holiday Kids' Tree into the Legislative Building. (Photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald)

If you can’t tell by seeing it, you can by the evergreen scent: The state… Read more

Clippings - November 28, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library Clippings for the week of November 28, 2014 Library News Architectural photographer to speak at library about Snohomish Seattle architectural photographer, Otto Greule, will talk about his photographs of ten surviving structures built by J.… Read more

Davenport Public Library - Providing Broadband Access to their community

Image Over in Lincoln County the Davenport Public Library is doing business, but not quite as usual. In 2013 they were the beneficiaries of a Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) grant as well as a LSTA grant both administered by the Washington… Read more

WA counties certify 2014 election results

Image Washington's 39 counties have certified their 2014 election returns, in an election dominated by legislative and congressional races, state and local ballot propositions, and local races. Turnout here, as in the rest of the country, was… Read more

WSL Updates for November 27, 2014

Volume 10, November 27, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) EXPLORING THE PERPLEXING OTHER 2) WASHINGTON STATE LIBRARY CLOSED NOVEMBER 27 & 28 3) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) EXPLORING THE PERPLEXING OTHER First Tuesdays presents Exploring the Perplexing Other: When Introverts and Extraverts Collide by Leslie Boyter for Essential Explorations.… Read more

Clippings - November 21, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News PA council eyes bridge measures (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, 10/19/14).… Read more

Thurs. December 11th Book Talk - JOHN TORNOW

Image Courtesy of the Author Washington State Library will host author Bill Lindstrom at a book talk featuring his recently published novel John Tornow: Villain or Victim? The untold story of the “Wildman of the Wynooche”. "The book is about John… Read more

Watch TVW’s coverage of WA 1889 exhibit launch

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Secretary Wyman helps launch our office's new exhibit on 1889 Washington. Seated from left are former Sen. Stuart Halsan, Shanna Stevenson and Russell Holter.

If you missed attending the recent grand opening of our office’s latest historical exhibit… Read more

UNUSUAL BIRD IS MADE A PRISONER

[caption id="attachment_14022" align="alignright" width="217"] Image The jumblies and other nonsense verses" (1910)
http://bit.ly/1pNxtrZ[/caption] From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: Edward Lear's classic nonsense poem The Owl and Pussycat has such a charming conclusion:

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,

They… Read more

WSL Updates for November 20, 2014

Volume 10, November 20, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) 2015 TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE 2) JOHN TORNOW: VILLAIN OR VICTIM? EVENT 3) COMMUNITY FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROJECT 4) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) 2015 TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE The Washington State Library and the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) has launched the 2015 Teen Video… Read more

Add a message to the state’s Time Capsule!

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Centennial Time Capsule, located at the south end of the Capitol, will receive more items soon.

Have you ever wanted to send a message to the future? Now’s your chance. The Capsule Keepers are asking Washingtonians to write messages to future… Read more

From WA Rural Heritage: Celebrating 1889 inauguration

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(Photo courtesy North Olympic Heritage/Washington Rural Heritage)

Since Washington’s 125th birthday celebration has come and gone, you’d think we’d be done with looking back at the year we reached… Read more

Library Clippings November 14, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News Olympia Library a hot spot for crime calls to police (The Olympian, Olympia, 09/28/14). Book bonanza: Chinook Pass Lending Library takes delivery of $12,000 in donated volumes (Yakima Herald-Republic, Yakima, 10/01/14).… Read more

WSL Updates for November 13, 2014

Volume 10, November 13, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) “THIRD GRADE READING BILL” WEBINAR 2) EXPERIENCE ART 2014 3) EARLY LEARNING STEM INSTITUTE 4) ALA STRATEGIC PLANNING 5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) “THIRD GRADE READING BILL” WEBINAR Washington State Library will host a free webinar on Monday, November 17 at 4 p.m. to discuss… Read more

Words of Wisdom from a future Washington voter.

Image Amelie, a third-grader at Lincoln Elementary School in Olympia, Washington, is learning to write persuasive essays. For this assignment her essay prompt was how can we improve our school? Amelie did not hesitate, she knew exactly what she and her… Read more

Wyman honors companies that give back

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Secretary Wyman (middle) stands with representatives of companies recognized at the Corporations for Communities Award ceremony in her office.

Four companies – three from Western Washington and one from Eastern Washington – have been honored for their… Read more

Historic issues of Seattle P-I now available on Chronicling America

Image Before its print demise in 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was one of the state’s oldest, most-read and influential newspapers. Fans of the legendary newspaper, as well as history buffs… Read more

Truth Like the Sun By Jim Lynch

Image Truth Like the Sun. By Jim Lynch. (New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.)… Read more