From Our Corner

Support for Math and Science Education Programs

Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Pacific Time on March 30, 2009.

Announcement taken from GrantStation Insider; provided by GrantStation in partnership with the Washington State Legislature, Governor Gregoire, and the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED)

HP Innovations in Education
The 2009 HP Innovations in Education grant program provides support to… Read more

IMLS Calls for 2009 Native American Library Grant Applications

Application Deadlines:
Basic Grants: March 2, 2009
Enhancement Grants: May 1, 2009

Image Press Release from IMLS December 18, 2008

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is… Read more

IMLS Accepting Applications for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants

Application Deadline: April 1, 2009

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Press Release from IMLS - January 12, 2009

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications to the Native… Read more

Washington Libraries in Hard Times

It's no secret that the State of Washington is experiencing hard times. Washington libraries of all types and sizes, including the Washington State Library, will be affected by shrinking state and local dollars. This post kicks off a series, "Washington Libraries in Hard Times," through which we hope to illustrate how Washington libraries are coping with, adjusting to, and perhaps even thriving during tough economic situations. Along the way, we'd like to have your comments and examples. We… Read more

Clippings, Jan. 16, 2009

Clippings, January 16, 2009

“Beginning Monday, the Kelso Public Library will be closed on Saturdays and will shorten its Wednesday operating hours, the city announced Tuesday. The library’s reduced hours are one of several cost-saving measures the city is taking to balance its 2009-10 budget amid the economic downturn.” (Daily News [Longview], 12-31-08) http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/12/… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker – January 16, 2009

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… Read more

Of program managers and leporidae

Of Program Managers and Leporidae*

It has recently been suggested,

(and although this may sound funny),

our esteemed leader has been likened to...

an iconic little bunny.

So listen now, pay close attention.

Read more

WSL Updates, Jan. 15, 2009

Volume 5: January 15, 2009 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WORKSHOP ON UNDERSTANDING TEENS IN THE LIBRARY

2) WSL EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS

3) MARYANN KOHL CAYAS WORKSHOP REGISTRATIONS

4) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE JUDGES CHOSEN

5) FREE ARCHIVES WORKSHOP

6) COPIES OF NO 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES AVAILABLE

7) FREE PRESERVATION E-NEWSLETTERS AVAILABLE

8) BRIEFLY

Read more

Rastafarian books

One of the difficulties of working in a prison library is the diveristy of the patrons. No matter how much I love to work with all the different cultures, religions, and backgrounds of my patrons, I find providing them with material can be a challenge. As we have such a diverse population I do my best to provide material that will meet everyones needs, including religious material. I think I have done pretty well with the… Read more

Library Support of the Community During Times of Crisis

Image Did your library serve an extraordinary community function during the December snowfall events or the January floods? If so, we need your stories about how the library served the community. We will post this information on this blog and use… Read more

Library Legislation Tracker – January 14, 2009

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… Read more

Storm Wages ON

[caption id="attachment_247" align="alignleft" width="364" caption="Flooded backyard of 1 staff member"] Image [/caption] As the storm continues to pound Western Washington library services are effected. All of us our doing our best to make it into work, braving raging winds on a ferry and slowly making our way across icy roads. However, the weather has managed to defeat our best efforts. Flooding seems to be the biggest foe as roads close,… Read more

Clallam Bay and the snowy storm

It snowed and we thought, isn’t that pretty! And then it snowed again and we thought wow ! And then it snowed some more and we all shouted Enough!! We are pretty remote out here at Clallam Bay Corrections Center and some of us travel over 60 miles to get to work. As you can see by the empty parking lot sometimes it is just too far and the roads are just too bad to make it. I do have to give a plug for the DOT of Clallam Bay, WA. They did make it possible to get up… Read more

A Woman’s eye on Washington Territory

"... and before us was a dark sea-wall of mountains..." With those words, Caroline Leighton ended a journey from the civilized eastern states and began recording her responses to fifteen years on the Pacific coast. Born and educated in New England, she worked in a school for former slaves in Washington DC during the Civil War. There she met her future husband, Rufus Leighton. After the war they married and sailed for the Pacific Northwest where Rufus had an appointment as a customs… Read more

Tune in this Tuesday

Image Evan and Kirsten are the featured speakers on the upcoming First Tuesdays presentation. This free, web-based program begins at 9 a.m. on Jan. 13. We'll discuss our mission and goals for the Washington Rural Heritage project, give you a behind-the… Read more

Western State Hospital, extensive history

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="117" caption="WSH Library"][/caption] Most of the institution libraries have a history, but WSH probably has one of the more interesting ones. Here is an article from the Olympian that gives a really nice overview, including a comment from… Read more

Clippings, Jan. 9, 2009, Part 2

Clippings, January 9, 2009, Part 2

The Ocean Shores Friends of the Library will host the first Nonprofit Leaders Conference for Coastal and Southwest Washington in October of 2009. The Friends are seeking letters of support to accompany their application to the Grays Harbor Foundation for funding to keep the cost of conference attendance as low as possible, hopefully $35. Advice in seeking grants is particularly important in these times. “Most of our non-profits are all-volunteer,… Read more

Senator Carrell’s visit

The Western State Hospital Library was toured by District #28 Senator Mike Carrell January 7. ILS staffers Laura Sherbo, Elizabeth Jahnke and Kathleen Benoun were on hand to greet the senator and tell him about the scope of services available to hospital patients and staff. District #28 includes Lakewood, Steilacoom, University Place, DuPont, Fircrest, Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base.

For his part, the senator shared with library staff his… Read more

Clippings, Jan. 9, 2009, Part 1

Clippings, January 9, 2009, Part 1 “Following a cordial meeting on Dec. 18 that included Othello City Council members, Adams County Rural Library District 1 representatives and the executive director of the Mid-Columbia Regional Library, an attorney from the Mid-Columbia Library board announced the regional library board will be sending an official letter this week to terminate contract services with the City of Othello at the end of 2009.” (Othello Independent, 12-24-08) Buildings: The… Read more

WSL Updates, Jan. 8, 2009

Volume 5: January 8, 2009 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) GATHERING IDEAS FOR LSTA 2010 FUNDING SUSPENDED FOR THIS YEAR

2) FIRST TUESDAYS JAN 13 FEATURES WASHINGTON RURAL HERITAGE

3) TWO TRAININGS ON JAN. 14, INCLUDING LIBRARY 2.0 HOSTED BY WSL

4) 2008 STATEWIDE DATABASE TRIALS END

5) MOVIE LICENSING OFFER FROM MPLC

6) MARYANN KOHL SUMMER READING CREATIVITY WORKSHOPS

7) ALA/YALSA COURSES ON WORKING WITH… Read more

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The Washington Office of the Secretary of State’s blog provides from-the-source information about important state news and public services.

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