From Our Corner

What day is it today?

Image Flag Day! It doesn’t receive as much attention as Independence Day, but it’s a holiday prompting many Americans and government buildings to display their U.S. flags. The photo above shows a flag flying high next to a competitor at the Morton Loggers Jubilee a few years ago. The photo below… Read more

Wyman names Cindy Aden as new WA State Librarian

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman has named Cindy Altick Aden as director of the Washington State Library. Aden will take the helm next month of one of the state’s oldest cultural institutions, dating back more than 160 years when it was created by the state’s first territorial governor, Isaac Stevens. Aden has an extensive background in public libraries and the private sector, including stints at Amazon, Corbis, and community newspapers. She is a… Read more

Wyman certifies WA PrezPrimary returns, offers reforms

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman has certified the 2016 Presidential Primary election, congratulating the record 1.42 million voters who took part. The participation rate was 35 percent, not counting those who had late postmarks, declined to designate a party choice, or voted for a favorite in both party primaries. Wyman, the state’s chief elections officer, called it an excellent turnout, particularly… Read more

A day in the life of a chat librarian

Image Aubri Keleman of Whatcom County Public Library was born to be a chat librarian. Well honestly she was born to be ANY sort of librarian, but today I want to tell you about one of her evening shifts covering the Ask WA queue for… Read more

WSL Updates for June 9, 2016

Volume 12, June 9, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) METADATA ENHANCEMENT & REMEDIATION GRANTS DEADLINE JUNE 10 2) ARSL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE JULY 1 3) PNR HOSTS TWO FREE WEBINARS 4) FREE GPO WEBINARS 5) WHO’LL COUNT THE RAIN? 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) METADATA ENHANCEMENT & REMEDIATION GRANTS DEADLINE JUNE 10 The… Read more

New additions to Washington Rural Heritage!

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A family packs peaches near Clarkston around 1910. The photo is part of Asotin County Heritage's recently digitized collection of Asahel Curtis photos of the area. (Photo courtesy of Asotin County Heritage)

Since its creation in 2007, the… Read more

Listen Up! Stories from the Northwest Corner

Image From the desk of Evan Robb The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016. In honor of that centennial celebration, the Port Angeles Public Library—located right on the footsteps of Olympic National Park—recently interviewed a number of its patrons about their experiences visiting, living in, and… Read more

1888 map shows a much different WA

Image If you really want to get a sense of how Washington has changed since statehood, just look at an old map. This… Read more

WSL Updates for June 2, 2016

Volume 12, June 2, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE RESOURCES WEBINAR 2) APPLY FOR AN ARSL SCHOLARSHIP 3) WASHINGTON MEDICAL LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING 4) ACRL JOINT FALL CONFERENCE 2016 5) CONFERENCES COMING SOON 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE RESOURCES WEBINAR Resources… Read more

The day the Sonics won the NBA title

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Sonics guard Gus Williams (Photos courtesy of King County Archives)

The recently concluded seven-game battle between the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Western Conference finals gave many long-suffering fans of the former… Read more

Olympics of the Mind & Body - Summer of 2016

From the desk of Shirley Lewis Image This year’s summer reading theme is “Get in the Game – Read”. Why should the kids have all the fun? Washington State Library presents suggested activities to help adults get fit,… Read more

On the Battle ground: Rosalia Wash. - Washington State Library Electronic Publications

Image From the desk of Jeff Martin Do your ancestors come from this area? While not always politically correct by 21st century standards, this publication is full of pictures and information about the early days of Rosalia. Author: Charles… Read more

Classic WA photos: Kettle Falls

Image Go to any of Washington’s four corners and you’ll see stunning beauty. In the northeastern part of the state, many of those gorgeous views are dominated by the mighty Columbia River. The Columbia’s appearance has changed over the years. This… Read more

When the Akimotos Went to War

From the desk of Rand Simmons May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and before time slips away here is a post about a Japanese-American family’s experience during World War II. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and author Matthew Elms retell the saga of three brothers who nobly fought alongside one another in World War II. (Thanks to the Government Publishing Office for the text of this post: Government Book Talk, Family, Patriotism & Sacrifice, Trudy… Read more

WSL Updates for May 26, 2016

Volume 12, May 26, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) PREVIEW THE 2017 COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM 2) NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE RESOURCES WEBINAR 3) APPLY FOR AN ARSL SCHOLARSHIP 4) METADATA ENHANCEMENT & REMEDIATION PROJECT GRANTS 5) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE ENTRIES 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) PREVIEW THE 2017 COLLABORATIVE… Read more

Trump & Clinton winning WA PrezPrimaries

Image Washington voters turned out in droves for the first running of the state Presidential Primary in eight years. Election Night results included 1.2 million votes for Democratic and Republican candidates for the White House, more than 28… Read more

Secretary Wyman's comments on WA PrezPrimary

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman calls the robust turnout for the Washington Presidential Primary a "big win for the voters." Here is her statement: "We are delighted with the robust turnout for the Washington Presidential Primary. It is a big win for the voters, who continue to… Read more

Supercharged Storytimes: Let's put this show on the road!

[caption id="attachment_16462" align="alignleft" width="391"] Image Saroj Ghoting, Diane Hutchins, Kendra Jones, and Greta Bergquist[/caption] Washington State Library’s Diane Hutchins has has returned from the highly successful… Read more

Filing Week launches campaigns for hundreds

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Minutes after Filing Week ends May 20, State Elections Director Lori Augino (left) and Elections Division staff do a lot draw to determine the order candidates will appear on the ballot. (Photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald)

Washington's 2016 election cycle is… Read more

Letter-writing champions, in their own words

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Letters About Literature state champions (from left) Emily Maxfield, Joe Jacobsen and Grace Rivkis with Deputy Secretary of State Greg Lane after receiving their certificates during the awards ceremony at the Capitol.

Three Washington students showed how inspiration can be passed… Read more