Washington State Library closure
Due to loss of funding, the Washington State Library in Tumwater is closed to the public starting July 1, 2025. We will respond to phone and email messages within one week. Learn more about affected services.
Resources & Training for Public Library Staff
Access the Washington State Library Training Calendar Here
Collection Management Policies
Creating and maintaining a robust collection development plan and collection management policy are key components of any library program. Whether you are revamping an old policy, or creating a new one from scratch, here are some resources to get started.
- Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries, American Library Association
Selection
- “Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books” by Louise Derman-Sparks, Teaching For Change
- ALA's Rainbow Book List is an annual curated bibliography highlighting books with significant LGBTQIA+ content aimed at youth ages birth-18.
- “Criteria for the Selection of Young Adult Queer Literature” by Stephanie R. Logan, Terri A. Lasswell, Yolanda Hood, and Dwight C. Watson, English Journal
Weeding
- “Weeding the Library Collection” from LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems, accessed through WebJunction
- CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries
Evaluating Library Collections
- “Diversity auditing 101: How to evaluate your collection” by Karen Jensen, School Library Journal
- “Diversity Considerations in YA: Doing a Diversity Audit” by Karen Jensen. Outline and sources from the Teen Librarian Toolbox series on diversity audits.
- “The Problem with Picture-Book Monkeys: Racist imagery associating simians with Black people has a long history” by Edith Campbell, School Library Journal
- Criteria from How to Tell the Difference: A Guide for Evaluating Children's Books for Anti-Indian Bias by Doris Seale, Beverly Slapin and Rosemary Gonzales
Webinars & Self-Paced Courses
Check out the Washington State Library Training page for more information on upcoming workshops, webinars and the full collection of online training resources including WebJunction and Niche Academy.
- “Weeding the Library Collection” from LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems, accessed through WebJunction
- Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth a free online professional development curriculum developed by the University of North Carolina, Wake County Public School System and North Carolina Central University with funding from IMLS
Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).