From Our Corner

History lovers take note: Washington State Library Electronic State Publications

Image The latest state document discovery from Jeff Martin

The Fourteenth Session: A brief history of the men who represented the million and a half people of the state of Washington in the legislature of 1915

Prepared by Alfred T.… Read more

WSL Updates for March 31, 2016

Volume 12, March 31, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) FREE FOOD FOR THOUGHT WEBINAR 2) A THIRD GAINING STEAM WORKSHOP ADDED 3) HIGHLINE COLLEGE ONLINE LIBRARY COURSES 4) WALE CONFERENCE PROPOSALS WANTED 5) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) FREE FOOD FOR THOUGHT WEBINAR Food for Thought: building a better community through food, a free First Tuesdays webinar presented by… Read more

Happy 100th Birthday Beverly Cleary

From the desk of Diane Hutchins What do Project VIEWS, Leave It to Beaver, Yamhill, and the University of Washington iSchool have in common? Would you believe – Beverly Cleary! Image… Read more

Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 03/29/2016

Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted weekly on this blog.

For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above.

Bill Title Sponsor Status Date Hearing
Date Companion Bills ESHB 2148… Read more

Classic WA photos: View from Mt. Constitution

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(Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

The San Juan Islands’ most breathtaking (literally if you ride your bike or hike to get there) vantage point is atop Mount Constitution on Orcas Island. Once you reach its summit after entering… Read more

Wyman names Tsering Cornell as Corporations Director

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman has appointed Assistant Attorney General Tsering Cornell as director of the Washington State Division of Corporations & Charities. Cornell succeeds Pam Floyd, a 15-year veteran of the Office of… Read more

Classic WA photos: Seattle’s Smith Tower

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(Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

Built in 1914, this iconic structure might be seen as just an older landmark in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, the one with the unique conical roof. But did you know that Smith Tower was the tallest… Read more

Women's History: Selected Resources at the Washington State Library

Women's History: a sampling of resources at the Washington State Library [caption id="attachment_16293" align="alignright" width="238"] Image A Century of Women's Health, 1900-2000[/caption] Federal Publications : National Scope Alfonso, K. L. M., & Air University (U.S.). (2009). Femme fatale: An examination of the role of women in combat and… Read more

Carolyn Long is 1st Reed Distinguished Prof

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From left: Foley Institute Director Cornell Clayton, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, former WSU President Sam Smith, WSU-Vancouver Professor Carolyn Long, former Secretary of State Sam Reed and former Secretary of State Ralph Munro.

Three WA secretaries of state, current Secretary Kim… Read more

WSL Updates for March 24, 2016

Volume 12, March 24, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) GAINING STEAM WORKSHOPS ADDED 2) SUPERCHARGED STORYTIMES – THE VIEWS2 WAY 3) COOL CREATIONS COMEBACK 4) SERVING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ONLINE COURSE 5) WALE CONFERENCE PROPOSALS WANTED 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) GAINING STEAM WORKSHOPS ADDED Washington State Library announces additional… Read more

WA Elections project nets 27k new voters

Image The Pew Charitable Trusts is drawing attention to a low-tech special outreach project in Washington – postcards sent out by snail mail – that resulted in 27,000 new voter registrations. The… Read more

Classic WA photos: 1920s loggers in Mason County

Image One of the industries that made Washington famous nationally and beyond was logging. Back in the 1920s, logging was a top job producer in our state. This 1920s photo shows… Read more

Wyman announces final PrezPrimary list

Image Secretary of State Kim Wyman has released the final candidate list for Washington’s 2016 Presidential Primary, including four Republicans and two Democrats. Friday, March 18, was the deadline for the Secretary to make the declaration,… Read more

How WA Legislature looked a century ago

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Members of the 1915 House of Representatives. (Image courtesy State Digital Archives)

Political junkies and Olympia-watchers know plenty about today’s Washington Legislature, its key players, accomplishments and points of disagreement. What was our state Legislature… Read more

Protecting the treasures of Washington State, or a peek into the vault.

The Washington State Library has a collection of very special books we keep in our “vault”. This includes the Territorial Library Collection, as well as many other beautiful and rare books. These books are old and fragile and special considerations need to be used to view them. If you make an appointment and travel to Olympia during the library's open hours, we would love to help you view these rare books. However thanks to the wonders of modern digitization many of these titles are… Read more

WSL Updates for March 17, 2016

Volume 12, March 17, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE 2) ASK A LIBRARIAN SERVICE AT WSL 3) CIVICS EDUCATION RESOURCES 4) CONFERENCE PROPOSALS WANTED 5) ARSL 2016 CONFERENCE SEEKS PRESENTATION PROPOSALS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE The Washington State Library and the Collaborative Summer Library… Read more

From the Archives: 1853 map of WA & OR territories

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(Image courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

Most of us are familiar with the geographical shape of our great state of Washington, and some even know how Oregon looks. But do you know how Washington and Oregon appeared when both were young territories? The… Read more

Classic WA photos: Makah basket weaver

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(Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

If you’re seeking cool or classic black-and-white photos of Washington’s people and places, look no further than our State Digital Archives, which has thousands of shots just a… Read more

President Obama's 2017 Budget available

Image The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released President Barack Obama's Budget of the U.S. Government, FY 2017, on February 9, 2016. It is available through the Washington State Library's Federal Documents collection, PREX 2.8:2017, PREX 2.8/5:2017 and PREX 2.8:2017/APP. If you decide to read it in print be sure to eat your Wheaties. It is a hefty lift. The Budget is a collection of documents… Read more

Proposed Legislation Affecting Libraries 03/10/2016

Courtesy of the Legislative Planning Committee, Washington Library Association. The Washington Library Association (WLA) tracks state legislative activity that will potentially affect Washington Libraries. Their tracker is posted weekly on this blog.

For information on the legislative process or becoming involved, see the WLA site referenced above.

Bill Title Sponsor Status Date Hearing
Date… Read more