From Our Corner

Timeless Cowboy Appeal

A recent issue of the Blue Mountain News includes this delightful picture of young library patrons at the Columbia County Rural Library District library in Dayton, WA, along with CCRLD director Janet Lyon, and Will James Society member Don Britain, who presented eleven books written and illustrated by the well-known 20th-century cowboy author Will James to the library.

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State employee furloughs still in the mix

Image Furloughs – or "temporary layoffs" – are still being considered as one way to help close a big state government budget gap. It's still not clear whether the final budget plans will actually lead to agencies shutting for a day a month, as some states have done… Read more

Didyaknow...?

… if you are over 18 with a positive attitude, can spare at least four hours a week, and want to know more about the Washington State Capitol, then you are eligible to work as a volunteer State Capitol Tour Guide or in the Legislative Gift Shop. It's a great opportunity to make… Read more

Washington State has Two New "Movers and Shakers"

Anyone who works in libraries in Washington State knows that there is a whole lot of moving and shaking going on. I can't think of a library staff-person I've met in my work who hasn't been completely dedicated to their jobs and offering 150% to provide their users the best possible service. So when Library Journal takes the time to honor two of these individuals in the ranks of their… Read more

OT in Oly: Searching for a budget solution

Washington lawmakers are back at it. After a three-day pass to go home, the Legislature gathered back at the Capitol at noon Monday to kick off a new special session that can last up to 30 days. Lawmakers' main task is to plug a $2.8 billion budget hole that developed after the 2009 Legislature adjourned last April 26. Last year, they fixed a $9 billion budget gap without needing higher general taxes, but this year, the majority Democrats are planning to… Read more

Gregoire inks ballot design improvements

Governor Gregoire has approved legislation aimed at improving ballot design in Washington, making it less likely a voter will miss important issues. The measure, House Bill 2496, will require counties to clear up visual clutter on their ballots, and make sure that the voter-instruction section is clearly separated from the actual beginning of the… Read more

Y'all come back now, ya hear?

They're gone, but not forgotten. Weary Washington lawmakers are getting a long weekend off, after wrapping up their 60-day regular legislative session Thursday evening. But their toughest, and most politically unpopular, tasks remain undone. They'll be back at noon on… Read more

Clippings, March 5, 2010

Washington State Library News The Office of the Secretary of State said this week’s $84 million federal grant for high technology is a boon to 57 public libraries statewide that have limited broadband connections. The agency, which oversees the Washington State Library and assists libraries around the state, put out a news release saying it will help “bring high-speed broadband to rural libraries in the state.” (The Olympian Online, 3.5.10)… Read more

Here come da judge*

In addition to the U.S. Senate race, Washington's 2010 ballot also will include three other statewide elected positions – three Supreme Court seats. Washington has nine justices, each elected for six-year… Read more

WSL Updates for March 11, 2010

Volume 6, March 11, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) OCLC DOWNLOADABLE AUDIOBOOKS TRAINING

2) 2010 RENEW WASHINGTON GRANT CYCLE NOW OPEN

3) OCLC CLASSES AT NISQUALLY TRIBAL CENTER

4) TRANSFORMING LIFE AFTER 50 – FELLOWSHIP DEADLINE APPROACHES

5) GRANTS FOR ARTS PRESENTATION PROGRAMS IN THE WEST

6) ARE YOU UPNEXT?

7) AROUND THE TWITTER WORLD IN 60 MINUTES

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The midnight hour: Olympia faces overtime session

Time sure flies when you're having fun ... and Washington lawmakers just can't get enough of the Capitol. The 60 days allotted for election-year sessions expire at midnight Thursday evening, and by now the House and Senate leaders are facing up to the prospect of going into overtime.

The two chambers, both with big Democratic majorities, are still at odds over the size and composition of a tax package. The Senate's tax package is over $890 million and includes a sales tax increase of… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker - March 09, 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

Parties still don't like Top 2, part 437

Image A federal judge, in an amusing ruling Tuesday that took note that "many trees have died" in the ongoing court battle over Washington's Top 2 primary system, has… Read more

'Take 10': Census 2010 is upon us

Image Secretary of State Sam Reed is urging all Washington households to do the "Take 10" challenge this month. That involves taking about 10 minutes to answer 10 questions as part of the once-every-10-years U.S. Census. The nose-count is mandated in both the federal… Read more

Didyaknow...?

… that the grand Bluthner piano in the State Reception Room has quite the history? Image Crafted in Leipzig, Germany, around 1890, it was purchased by Dr. Hans Moldenhauer in 1930. Dr. Moldenhauer, of Jewish decent, was born in Germany and emigrated to Washington State in… Read more

WSL hails broadband grant's impact on libraries

News Release

The Washington State Library and the library community are celebrating the approval of an $84 million grant award that will provide high-speed broadband Internet access to 57 public libraries where broadband connections are limited.

“Washingtonians turn to their libraries for information, particularly during hard times,” said Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh. “We are delighted to partner in this grant to bring high-speed broadband to rural libraries in the… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker - March 05, 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

Clippings, February 26, 2010

Library News Newcastle Mayor John Dulcich created two new committees for the city – the Library Development Committee and the Community, Communications and Outreach Committee. The library committee was created to facilitate and ensure groundbreaking of the Newcastle library. The committee will show the importance of building a library to city staff members and King County Library System. The Newcastle News [Issaquah], 2.4.10)… Read more

Income tax? Senate leader eyes referendum

Image In the waning days of the Washington legislative session, with majority Democrats still struggling over a tax plan to plug a $2.8 billion budget hole, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown has re-surfaced her proposal for a public vote on a state income tax on high… Read more

Oscar time: Booth's 'last campaign' film nominated

It's a story well known in Washington state, and now the subject of a short documentary that's up for an Academy Award Sunday evening. It's called "The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner," a reference to the popular former governor's debilitating battle with Parkinson's and his crusade to legalize physician-assisted suicide. This "last campaign" is also recounted in a Legacy Project biography now nearing completion. It's called "Booth… Read more