From Our Corner

Vote for your favorite April Archives treasure!

Over the past several days, we’ve shown off the three Archives treasures featured in our April online contest. The three contenders this month are 1) the cross-sound bridge plans, 2) the… Read more

Archives treasure #3: Nuclear attack proclamation

This is one proclamation that everyone should be glad wasn’t issued. In 1956, during the peak of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, there was an unsigned and undated proclamation that was to be used by Gov. Arthur B. Langlie in case of a nuclear attack. Washington included several key potential targets for nuclear bombings – Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord), the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, the nuclear… Read more

SNAPSHOT: A Day in the Life of the Washington State Library

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="334" caption="WTBBL book recording supervisor Theresa shares a laugh with volunteer narrator Rick."][/caption] On Monday, April 9, the Washington State Library participated in Washington Library Snapshot Day--a statewide effort to promote the important work libraries do every day. We collected usage statistics, customer comments, and photographs depicting everyday activities at the Washington State Library,… Read more

When Olympian reported Titanic tragedy

Imagine yourself living in Olympia 100 years ago. You subscribed to what was then called the “Morning Olympian.” Radio and TV were still years away, so the newspaper was about the only media source around. You open up the April 16 edition of The Olympian 100 years ago and see this shocking, tragic headline at the top of the page. Thanks to the State Archives for finding this historic newspaper headline.… Read more

WSL Updates Special Edition for Monday, April 16, 2012

WSL UPDATES SPECIAL EDITION FOR MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012 Note: The next edition of WSL Updates will appear on Thursday, April 26, 2012. 1) GRANT CYCLE OPENS – BROADBAND 2) GRANT CYCLE OPENS – TLA50 INITIATIVE 3) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) GRANT CYCLE OPENS – BROADBAND The purpose of this grant cycle is to provide grant funds to public and tribal libraries associated… Read more

The Sea Serpent That Got Away

Image From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: After reading this description of a sea serpent as described on page 7 of the June 30, 1899 issue of… Read more

Clippings for the week of April 6, 2012

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] Image [/caption] WA State Library News A recent grant awarded to the Camas Public Library will help it serve its patrons ages 50 and older. According to Assistant Library Director Sandy Glover, the $1,153 Washington State Library Transforming Life After 50… Read more

April Archives treasure #2: First territorial law

Since our state’s Legislature finally passed an operating budget and finished its special session earlier in the week, it’s fitting that the second Archives treasure for April is a legislative “first.” In fact, it’s the first page of the very first law passed by the Washington Territorial Assembly, in… Read more

College civics tour, Day 4: mustaches in Tacoma

Image During his morning visit to Tacoma Community College, Secretary Reed and others donned fake mustaches to fit in with students there who wore Western clothing and mustache buttons saying "Voting Looks Good on You… Read more

WSL Updates for April 12, 2012

Volume 8, April 12, 2012 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) SHARING THE JOY OF POETRY 2) WANTED – SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 ISSUE OF REDMOND REPORTER 3) SOCIAL MEDIA DEMYSTIFIED 4) TARGET EARLY CHILDHOOD READING GRANTS 5) CELEBRATE PRESERVATION WEEK WITH FREE WEBINARS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) SHARING THE JOY OF POETRY Did you know that Washington… Read more

Village Voice

Image A newsletter at Washington Corrections Center for Women covers several topics including community, health, and historical figures. The February 2012 issue of the… Read more

April Archives treasure #1: Cross-sound bridge plans

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(Map courtesy of Washington State Archives)

Whether you’re a commuter or tourist, taking a ferry across Puget Sound is one of those fun experiences unique to our state. It’s… Read more

Odessa Heritage Collection presents....

The Odessa Public Library and the Odessa Historisches Museum have continued their partnership this year with a Washington Rural Heritage sub-grant to digitize a wealth of cultural heritage materials, including some cool multimedia. This… Read more

2012 Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 04/11/2012 Sine Die

Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association Library Related Legislation. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted to the WLA web site and we will also post it weekly on this blog. For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above. This posting reflects the… Read more

College civics tour, Day 2: Shoreline CC

Image Secretary Reed is spending the second day of his annual college civics tour in King County, visiting North Seattle Community College, Shoreline CC, Edmonds CC, University of Washington Bothell/Cascadia CC and Bellevue College… Read more

College civics tour, Day 1: WSU Vancouver

Image As we blogged earlier, Secretary Reed has begun his annual college civics tour, during which he'll visit a whopping 45 campuses this spring to talk about the importance of voting and giving back to the community. Here, he and Clark County… Read more

Reed goes back to school

Image He might be over 70 and nearing retirement, but Secretary Reed is young at heart. In fact, he loves going back to college every spring – lots of them. Reed has kicked off his annual… Read more

"An odd sight"-- Snowballs Put Out a Housefire

Image From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: This entertaining bit of creative thinking was covered by the Leavenworth Echo, March 25, 1904, page 3: WEDNESDAY'S FIRE SECOND THIS YEAR G.S.… Read more

Clippings for the week of March 30, 2012

[caption id="attachment_4996" align="alignright" width="227" caption="Image courtesy North Pend Oreille Heritage collection"] Image [/caption] Library News The Sno-Isle Libraries Board of Trustees voted to continue operation of the Camano Island Library Project, accepting a $5,000 per year pledge of community support from the Camano Island Library Friends. This decision extends… Read more

State Library's Sherbo receives national honor

Image Laura Sherbo of the Washington State Library is the 2012 recipient of a prestigious national award for her exemplary leadership of the branch libraries that serve Washington prison inmates and state mental hospital patients. The award is… Read more