From Our Corner

ILS to Host British Recipient of “Travelling Librarian Award”

"An award jointly sponsored by the English Speaking Union and The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) is granted each year to a professionally qualified librarian working in British libraries or information centres. The programme is designed to encourage US/UK contacts in the library world and the visit is for two weeks and normally takes place in the autumn." We are very excited to be hosting this year's recipient who works in a privately managed women's… Read more

Diversity in Washington State Library – ILS

• Staffing consists of 16 women, 3 men, and 4 members of the staff have an MLS, and 2 vacancies.
• Institutions in Washington State with library services provided by ILS include 1 prison that houses women, 9 prisons that house men, 2 state hospitals, and 11 camps that receive ILL service from staff of ILS.
• Age range of staff 31-65
• 355 years of combined library experience

The above are just basic facts, which are important, but they don’t really… Read more

Diversity in Washington State Library – Institutional Library Services

• Staffing consists of 16 women, 3 men, and 4 members of the staff have an MLS, and 2 vacancies.
• Institutions in Washington State with library services provided by ILS include 1 prison that houses women, 9 prisons that house men, 2 state hospitals, and 11 camps that receive ILL service from staff of ILS.
• Age range of staff 31-65
• 355 years of combined library experience

The above are just basic facts, which are important, but they… Read more

Men of the ILS

Although they're few in number, They go boldly in their questto provide the gift of the spoken wordThey are the Men of the ILS The undeserved, the underdogs,and those who society rejects,These are the ones who should give thanks,to the Men of the ILS There's Doug who serves ‘the cherubs'And Earl, he loves his bike,And Bob, he keeps things running smooth.These are the Men of the ILS And now we all pay tributeAs life's milestones they passYou're not just getting older guys...you're getting better… Read more

Washington State Penitentiary-East Complex Branch Library

The Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) was built in 1889 in the rich agricultural country of Walla Walla. The East Complex Branch Library has been part of the WSL family since 1966 and provides services to 982 offenders. 15,000 items are housed in aproximatley 1650 sq. ft. creating a welcoming environment for the offenders to meet their educational, informational, and recreational needs. In this charming area next to the… Read more

Clippings, September 30, 2008

Clippings, September 30, 2008

The four public libraries in Clallam County on Friday will abandon a number of its rules to increase convenience. The changes will be made at all branches in the North Olympic Library System, which includes the Port Angeles Library, Sequim Library, Forks Library, and the Clallam Bay Library, Also on Friday, the libraries will begin a program that permits overdue books to be returned only with a donated item for United Way agencies. (Peninsula Daily News… Read more

2008/2009 Grants Awarded

From the desk of Evan Robb Congratulations to the latest group of Washington libraries who will be awarded LSTA grants through the Washington Rural Heritage initiative:

• Ellensburg Public Library will be rounding out its existing… Read more

A typical day for me.

Since I started working in correctional libraries I have not had a chance to be bored and that is the way I like it. From the moment I leave my car to the movement I get back into it to go home, there is something for me to do. Just an example of what my day can be like: Arrive at the institution about 11:45 am.

• Get the library keys out of the electronic keeper.
• Walk the 10 minutes to the library door, going through 4 doors or gates controlled by a correctional… Read more

Fictional Accounts

I have always know that movies about prison life been out there, hey I was one of those glued to the TV watching OZ and Prison Break, but until I started researching this topic I had no idea how extensive the draw of prison life was for people. A blog, using wordpress.com http://www.prisonflicks.com/ reviews prison movies, many of them from the 70s and 80s, and the earliest one I found Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) starring William Holden. This… Read more

“Aren’t you scared?”

This is the question everyone always asks, when you tell them you work in a prison library. The next being, have you ever seen Shawshank Redemption? The question is asked with all innocence and with no real aspect of what it is like to work in a prison. So you have to laugh and tell them what it is really like. Here is my answer when people ask me: Sometimes. The daily basis of my job is just like anyone else who works in a library, except I may have to go through a few more doors… Read more

Clippings, September 19, 2008

Clippings, September 19, 2008

When Tomasi Boselawa was looking for information for his newfound interest in floral arrangements, his first stop was the magazine section of Tacoma’s downtown library branch. Now, several years later, Boselawa takes immense pride and pleasure in his floral designs. Last month, Boselawa began bringing in one of his arrangements every week to put on displace at the main entrance, and he plans to continue bringing in his work for a long time. (with color… Read more

Prison pride and the library

I had been on the job for 6 months and felt that I was finally getting the hang of working in a prison, but then things are not always as they seem. I was called up to the counter to help an inmate and after a few basic routine questions went back to my desk. Soon I realized my pen was missing, damn where did I put that thing? The pen was one of my favorites from home and I loved the way it wrote so smoothly. I decided to check up at the counter, maybe I had taken it up there, but no pen. I… Read more

Clippings, September 17, 2008

Clippings, September 17, 2008

Students in the Larson base area no longer need to drive to the library – the library will drive to them. The North Central Regional Library System’s brand new Bookmobile stopped at Larson Heights Elementary School Tuesday during the schools’ open house. Bookmobile Librarian Lucy Ford said students can obtain a library card application from their teachers. When the Bookmobile returns, the students will receive their library card. (with color… Read more

New Map on the Home Page

You may have noticed that browsing the collections of Washington Rural Heritage has gotten easier, and a lot more fun! We recently unveiled a map on our home page that allows users to browse items according to geographic location. San Juan, Ritzville, and Columbia County have all added coordinates to many of their items. Now… Read more

Getting together all the library soloists…

Modern technology assures that no library staff is really alone, separated by miles, walls and fences perhaps but everyone is only a fax, phone call or email away. It is required that we check our email twice a day and respond. We share reference questions and circulation problems, coordinate efforts in coverage of absent library staff, illness or rare vacations and all through electronic transmissions. Still, it would be best if we would get together and share our experiences, training,… Read more

Clippings, September 10, 2008

Clippings, September 10, 2008

Second Story Gallery in Camas is seeking artists interested in displaying their work during monthly shows being scheduled for 2009. The non-profit gallery, located upstairs in the Camas Public Library, is known for introducing local artists who are relatively undiscovered. (Camas-Washougal Post Record, 8-26-08)

The Timberland Regional Library System has added downloadable videos and music to its popular catalog of audiobooks that people can… Read more

“Watch Em Buck” — The Ellensburg Rodeo Collection

[caption id="attachment_50" align="alignleft" width="224"] Image Harley May makes a sudden exit off Quick Silver, 1964[/caption] From the desk of Evan Robb The… Read more

Clippings, September 5, 2008

Clippings, September 5, 2008

Kennewick High School students have been banned from using the library across the street from their school while classes are in session. Mid-Columbia Library System officials say they aren’t trying to keep kids out of the library. They want to make sure kids aren’t skipping school. (The Olympian, 9-1-08)

Elections:

In the City of Port Townsend, a proposed permanent lid lift of the general fund in support of library operations got a green… Read more

Clippings, September 2, 2008

Clippings, September 2, 2008

In everything from book checkout to Internet usage, libraries in Spokane (Spokane Public Library), Spokane County (Spokane County Library District) and Coeur d’Alene say they’re seeing significant increases. In particular, participation in youth summer reading programs has boomed – rising by 32 percent in Spokane, for example, and exploding by more than fourfold in Coeur d’Alene. (with color photo) (Spokesman Review [Spokane], 8-12-08)

Librarians… Read more

A new adventure

[caption id="attachment_30" align="alignleft" width="216" caption="Laura digitizing from a ladder at the Kettle Falls library."] Image [/caption] I'm writing to bid farewell to all I've worked with in the process of setting up the Washington Rural Heritage… Read more