From Our Corner

Libraries on the Radio

Libraries vs eBooks? Check out this great radio show from Baltimore Public Radio's Midday with Dan Rodricks. With entire books just a download away, the old fashioned library needs to work to keep up with the times. We'll talk about how libraries can adapt--and thrive--in the age of the iPad with Carla Hayden, Chief Executive Officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library; Gina Millsap of the American Library… Read more

Clippings, March 19, 2010

Washington State Library News Shanna Stevenson, coordinator of the Washington Women's History Consortium, will offer a one-hour talk about the landmark anniversary of women's suffrage, drawing from collections of the Washington State Archives and Washington State Library. Stevenson will discuss her book, "Women's Votes, Women's Voices: The Campaign for Equal Rights in Washington." (Nisqually Valley News, [Yelm] 3.12.10) Library News eAudiobooks are now available at the La Conner Regional… Read more

Clippings, March 12, 2010

Washington State Library News Lawmakers in Olympia have a rare opportunity this session to give a green light to the Washington State Heritage Center. The Heritage Center would serve the entire state of Washington. It bring together the state Archives, State Library, educational experiences, public gathering spaces and history displays under one roof, and also makes it all accessible online to a statewide and global audience. (Northern Kittitas County Tribune [Cle Elum], 3.4.10) Senate… Read more

R-71 petition case drawing national attention

A Washington state public-records case involving initiative and referendum petitions is one of two big cases headed to the U.S. Supreme Court from the West in April. Both are drawing national attention because they involve tricky First Amendment issues, political participation, and the right of government to lay down rules for non-discrimination and for open and transparent government.… Read more

Simpler, cheaper to run for local office

Image Precinct committee officers (PCOs), the basic building block for the political parties, will be elected as part of the statewide primary on Aug. 17. Thanks to a… Read more

Health bill challenge heats up

With Washington's Legislature still marking time for a budget-and-tax agreement to emerge, the spotlight this week has been on legislation passed and signed in the Other Washington. Attorney General Rob McKenna signed onto a multistate constitutional challenge, touching off a barrage of criticism from Gov. Chris Gregoire, Democratic legislators and… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker – March 26, 2010

Courtesy Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association State Bills of Interest. 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. Click below to view the tracker… Read more

Didyaknow...?

...that you might be able to find a copy of your parent's marriage certificate or discover a grandparent's birth certificate online? That's right, geneologists and just curious citizens use the Digital Archives everyday to research their family history and access millions of free documents online.

Image… Read more

R-71 petitions: Attorneys press case to high court

In the run-up to the U.S. Supreme Court's April 28 hearing on public release of initiative and referendum petitions, the state is underscoring that the voter-approved Public Records Act requires release. The public's demand for transparency and accountability of the government is "compelling and substantial," attorneys for the Secretary of State said in a brief submitted to the high… Read more

Digital Updates - Volume 5, #1 - March 2010

Historical Newspapers in Washington From the desk of Judy Pitchford The Washington State Library has added an early Snohomish newspaper to its online offerings. The Northern Star, from 1876-1879, is the library’s latest addition to the Historical Newspapers Online Project. Classics in Washington History Under Exploration and Early Travel, Military History, and Natural History… Read more

Something's burning at the Capitol ...

Image ... or at least the fire alarm went off and emptied the whole building, including the Senate, which was in session at the time. Biggest excitement of the day–heck, of the entire special session! So Governor Gregoire, exiting the campus for a meeting,… Read more

From Your Corner of Washington

Image - San Juan Islands

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WSL Updates for March 25, 2010

Volume 6, March 25, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK APRIL 11-17 2) CHANGE THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AND YOU CHANGE EVERYTHING 3) SHARE YOUR DÍA CELEBRATION 4) 2010 ADULT SUMMER READING LOGO AVAILABLE ONLINE 5) OCLC TRAINING AT THE NISQUALLY TRIBAL CENTER 6) SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES – GRANTS AVAILABLE 7) FUNDING FOR HIV/AIDS COMMUNITY INFORMATION OUTREACH PROJECTS 8) PICTURING AMERICA DEADLINE EXTENDED… Read more

McKenna, Gregoire clash over health care law

Image Washington's governor, Chris Gregoire, and state Attorney General Rob McKenna, who is widely viewed as a gubernatorial contender in 2012, are clashing over the newly passed federal health care legislation. McKenna plans to join a… Read more

Get well soon, Sam

Image We're glad to report that Secretary Reed's surgery for kidney cancer went well this morning - and he's on track to be back to his busy self soon. The staff here will miss our boss while he's out of the office ... he will be in the hospital for a few days and… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker - March 19, 2010

Courtesy Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association State Bills of Interest. 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… Read more

Library Data Table in Statistical Abstracts

Image There is a new library data table in the Statistical Abstract of the US, which just came out this week. The new table is in Section 24, the Information and Communication section. It lists the number of library service outlets and library services by state. A PDF copy of the table can be found at:

… Read more

Welcome, Combined Fund Drive!

It’s official: The Combined Fund Drive will be transferred from the Department of Personnel to the Office of Secretary of State! The Governor just signed bill 6540, authorizing the move. The Office of Secretary of State welcomes three new employees and the workplace giving program that has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for charities since its creation in 1984.

WSL Updates for March 18, 2010

Volume 6, March 18, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WASHINGTON WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL PROGRAM

2) SIZZLING SUMMER READING – PROGRAMMING TIPS AND TITLES

3) ALL EXPENSES PAID – TRANSFORMING LIFE AFTER 50 FELLOWSHIPS

4) THIS IS FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK

5) WASHINGTON HISTORY DAY NEEDS YOU

6) SAVING AMERICA’S TREASURES

7) TARGET GRANTS SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD READING

8) WMLA 2010 ANNUAL MEETING

… Read more

All Your NetLibrary Are Belong to EBSCO

Evidently neither OCLC nor EBSCO have any problems with secrets leaking out from their companies, because this comes as a huge shock (and us just getting our big statewide NetLibrary thing going)! Basically it looks as though OCLC is moving away from owning/reselling content, and instead focusing more on providing access to other people's content (a good move… Read more