From Our Corner

Lombardi Trophy guests at CFD's 30th birthday event

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Vince Lombardi Trophy. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Horn)

When the Office of Secretary of State hosts a 30th birthday event for the Washington State Combined Fund Drive Thursday at the State Capitol in… Read more

Spokane – Wide Open Town?

From the desk of Marlys Rudeen. While looking through issues of the Newport Miner for 1907, I came across the following quote - “Poor old Spokane has had to bow to the inevitable, and beginning next Sunday the lid will be jammed… Read more

WSL Updates for July 17, 2014

Volume 10, July 17, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Note: WSL Updates will be on hiatus next week. Topics include: 1) NEEDS ASSESSMENT RFP 2) WHEN FINDING PICTURE BOOKS REALLY CAN BE CHILD’S PLAY 3) AASL SEEKS PROGRAM PROPOSALS FOR 2015 ALA ANNUAL CONFERENCE 4) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) NEEDS ASSESSMENT RFP The Library Development Program of the Washington… Read more

State Database Licencing Needs Assessment RFP Re-issued

The Library Development Program of the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS), announces the re-release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Needs Assessment of its Statewide Database Licensing (SDL) Project. The assessment activities to be completed include surveys, interviews, comparative usage data analysis, and so forth. Ideally, the work will be completed by December 12, 2014. We encourage proposals from consultants, graduate students (… Read more

2014 WA Primary: Your vote, your voice

Image Ten years after Washington voters adopted the Top 2 Primary system by initiative, it's time for the 2014 edition. Check your mail over the next few days for your Primary ballot. Although it's a mid-term election, there are races and… Read more

William Gohl – Not a Nice Man

From the desk of Marlys Rudeen One of the most notorious citizens of Aberdeen in the early 20th century was William Gohl. While he might have listed his occupation as agent for the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, his real job included such duties as graft, theft, extortion, arson, and murder. The local paper, the Aberdeen Herald, documents some of Gohl’s history through his trial and conviction for two murders in 1910.… Read more

Clippings July 11, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News Upper Skagit Library is primed and ready for their Summer Reading program. They also have a Library Board vacancy to fill. Trustees serve a five year term and are allowed to serve two consecutive terms. There is a new library associate,… Read more

From Your Corner of Washington: Mount Rainier & other peaks

Image Summer temperatures in Western Washington usually are warm and comfortable. When temps around here become too hot for comfort, many people do one of two things: They either find saltwater or head up to the… Read more

Clippings for July 4, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News The Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education reform Program awarded Sno-Isle libraries a grant in recognition of its efforts to promote science education. The money will go to the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation to… Read more

WSL Updates for July 10, 2014

Volume 10, July 10, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) DON’T MISS THE ARSL EARLY BIRD! 2) UNI 2014 SUMMER TOUR 3) THERE’S STILL TIME FOR STARTING STRONG 4) LEAD THE CHANGE 5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) DON’T MISS THE ARSL EARLY BIRD! Register by Tuesday, August 5, to take advantage of early bird rates for the Association for Rural and Small… Read more

Yakima Herald – During the year of Statehood

From the desk of Marlys Rudeen The year is 1889 and Washington Territory is on its way to becoming Washington State. There’s a great deal of enthusiasm for the process, and a great deal of regional competition as a constitutional convention is held along with fierce debate about which city should be the capital of the new state. While all this is going on the residents of Yakima are also devouring news from back East, local comings and goings and, judging from the ads, a lively commercial… Read more

2014 Primary: online registration deadline July 7

Image Hey, voters and would-be voters! This year’s Primary is just a few weeks away. In fact, it ends on August 5. If you haven’t registered to vote and want to take part in this year’s Primary, you need to register soon. Monday, July 7, is the deadline for… Read more

WSL Updates for July 3, 2014

Volume 10, July 3, 2014 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) BUILD INITIATIVE/IMLS WEBINAR SERIES 2) FREE BOOKS AVAILABLE – SUMMER SPECIAL! 3) WLA GRADUATE STUDY SCHOLARSHIPS 4) SUMMERTEEN VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) BUILD INITIATIVE/IMLS WEBINAR SERIES Children are most significantly shaped by family and community and, as… Read more

Class-size initiative sponsors turn in 330K signatures

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Initiative 1351 sponsor Mary Howes leads a group of kids delivering signatures for the ballot measure to the State Elections Division in Olympia.

About 30 children were among supporters that delivered nearly 330,000 signatures for an initiative to reduce… Read more

From Digital Archives: 1889 WA constitutional convention begins

The mere mention of July 4 automatically conjures up thoughts of barbecues, parades and fireworks, but most importantly America’s Independence Day. Unbeknownst to many, it also marks a key date in the Washington history, 125 years ago. It was on July 4, 1889, when 75 elected delegates assembled in the Territorial Capitol Building in Olympia to draft a state constitution that would form the basis for… Read more

Clippings for the week of June 27, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Washington State Library News The Washington State Library is more than a building full of old, dusty books. The Library is responsible for the distribution of grant money to local libraries, scanning and digitizing historical items, and supporting… Read more

Clippings for the week of June 20, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Library News Spokane County Library District will welcome the Digital Bookmobile National Tour. The Digital Bookmobile is equipped with internet connected PC, high definition monitors, sound systems and portable media players, and everything that anyone… Read more

Clippings for the week of June 13, 2014

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227"] Image Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection[/caption] Washington State Library News Washington State Library is reducing it hours for the public almost in half as part of an effort to meet a $1 million shortfall in funding. The Library will be open to the public from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The… Read more

The West Shore – Enticing settlers to the late 19th century Pacific Northwest

From the desk of Marlys Rudeen, Deputy State Librarian A recent addition to the State Library’s digital collections is the lavishly illustrated West Shore. This literary and general interest magazine was published from Aug. 1875-Mar. 1891. The Washington State Library owns some of the issues from 1880-1890, and has digitized the issues and made them available online. (Warning – some of… Read more

Word from AG: Two Advisory Votes on 2014 ballot

Image Secretary of State Wyman and our Elections Division recently received notice from the Attorney General’s Office that two Advisory Votes will appear on the 2014 General Election ballot this fall. Advisory Votes are nonbinding measures… 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.

This space acts as a bridge between the public and Secretary Steve Hobbs and his staff, and we invite you to contribute often to the conversation here.

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