From Our Corner

Olympics of the Mind and Body - August 2016

Taking an in-state vacation this month? Need ideas of things to do? Well Shirley has done it again! August is the last month in the series but she tells us she's barely scratched the surface of interesting things happening around our beautiful state.… Read more

WSL Updates for July 28, 2016

Volume 12, July 28, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) NEW WASHINGTON DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS WEBSITE 2) Accepting Applications for Microsoft Imagine Academy 2016-2017 Grants 3) DISASTER RESPONSE & RECOVERY: PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS 4) WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEE TRAINING WORKSHOPS 5) THE UNCONFERENCE RETURNS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK… Read more

Paddle to Nisqually

Image Have you been following the Paddle to Nisqually ? The Tribal Canoe Journeys happen every summer on the waters of the Pacific Northwest… Read more

Special Edition! Washington Digital Newspapers website is ready for the oldest & newest news!

From the desk of Shawn Schollmeyer Image The latest “news” on the newspaper collections is the merging of two existing collections into a new one called “Washington Digital Newspapers,” (WDN) which will give the public easier, full-text search access to… Read more

WA minimum wage initiative certified to ballot

Image Initiative 1433, a proposal to increase the state minimum wage, will appear on the fall statewide ballot in Washington, says Secretary of State Kim Wyman. The state Elections Division on Friday completed a random sample of the 345,907 signatures submitted by the initiative backers and determined that the measure easily exceeded the bare minimum of 246,372 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. Wyman said a random sample of over… Read more

WSL Updates for July 21, 2016

Volume 12, July 21, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEE TRAINING WORKSHOPS 2) ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MICROSOFT IMAGINE ACADEMY 2016-2017 GRANTS 3) DISASTER RESPONSE & RECOVERY: PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS 4) WLMA 2016 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN 5) MRSC OFFERS FREE WEBINAR SERIES 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK… Read more

WA Election crews begin checking initiatives

Image State election crews have begun checking on voter signatures submitted for four citizen initiatives. First up: Initiative 1433, a plan to boost the state minimum wage to $13.50 in stages and require employers to provide paid sick leave. The minimum wage currently is $9.47 and rises annually with the CPI under terms of an earlier voter-approved initiative. Secretary of State Kim Wyman said Monday the I… Read more

WA Primary election now under way

Image Washington’s presidential election year Primary is now under way! Counties have been sending ballots to more than 4 million registered Washington voters this week. The ballot is loaded with dozens of wide-open races as voters narrow the field for each office to two top… Read more

Nominate a WA company for Corporations for Communities Award!

Image Do you know of a corporation or business that helps its community in some way, such as by donating money or supplies, or providing volunteer help? Help give that company some much-deserved recognition by nominating it for Washington’s highest civics award. The Office of Secretary of… Read more

WSL UPDATES SPECIAL EDITION FOR FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016

WSL UPDATES SPECIAL EDITION FOR FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016 Note: The next regular edition of WSL Updates will appear on Thursday, July 21, 2016. WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEE TRAINING WORKSHOPS All Washington public library trustees and library directors are invited to trustee training workshops sponsored by the Washington State Library. These workshops will delve into the roles of trustees and the board’s relationship with the library director. Attendees will be more informed and… Read more

From the Archives: 1964 Republican Convention photos

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(Photos courtesy of Washington State Archives)

With the 2016 National Republican Convention happening next week in Cleveland, our State Archives got into the mood by sending us a few… Read more

Washington State Library Digital Collections - Historical Maps

From the desk of Jeff Martin The State Archives and the State Library hold extensive map collections dealing with the Washington State and the surrounding region. This new blog post shows two more examples. The first map shows military stations occupied and abandoned as of January 1881; railroads existing and projected; wagon roads, and lighthouses. The map has been reduced in size for presentation… Read more

State Library’s digital newspaper webpage revamped

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A collection of bookmarks for Washington Digital Newspapers. (Images courtesy of Shawn Schollmeyer)

Many history and newspaper buffs and students are fans of the State Library’s digital newspaper collections… Read more

WSL Updates for July 14, 2016

Volume 12, July 14, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MICROSOFT IMAGINE ACADEMY 2016-2017 GRANTS 2) PUBLIC LIBRARY POLICIES WEBPAGE UPDATED 3) SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES – FREE RESOURCES 4) SUSAN HILDRETH TO JOIN ISCHOOL FACULTY 5) MRSC OFFERS FREE WEBINAR SERIES 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR… Read more

Inmate artwork brightens library at Coyote Ridge

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Inmates at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center stand in front of artwork they created for the facility's library. (Photo courtesy Department of Corrections)

At the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center (CRCC) in… Read more

Digital Archives reaches 180 million records!

Image The Washington State Digital Archives has been a source of pride for our office since opening in 2004. It’s the nation’s first archives dedicated specifically to preserving electronic records from state and local government agencies that have… Read more

Historic Fire Lookouts in Washington

Image As we enter, what will no doubt be, another intense fire season in Washington State, it is comforting to know that technology and modern methods are in place to spot and stop wildfires quickly. But it also brings to mind a reflection on how fires were managed in the early 20th century. One answer was a chain of fire lookout stations, many built by the CCC in the 1930's. “Back in the 1930s… Read more

I-1501, I-1464 sponsors turn in signatures

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I-1464 supporters bring boxes of signatures into the Elections Division office.

Two initiative campaigns delivered signatures to the state Elections… Read more

Sponsors turn in signatures for firearms initiative

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I-1491 supporters deliver boxes of signatures to the Elections Division Thursday.

About 304,000 signatures for Initiative 1491 were submitted to the state… Read more

WSL Updates for July 7, 2016

Volume 12, July 7, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) MINECRAFT® PROGRAM FOR KIDS WEBINAR 2) WSL EMAIL LISTS – FREE, FAST, FUN 3) WALE 2016 CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE 4) THE UNCONFERENCE RETURNS 5) PNLA REGISTRATION OPEN 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) MINECRAFT® PROGRAM FOR KIDS WEBINAR How to set up a Minecraft® Program for Kids will… Read more