Libraries are learning hubs that connect families to free resources, activities, and services to cultivate children's learning about topics that excite them. Despite recent technological developments which have revolutionized how we read and access information, libraries continue to evolve in order to serve their communities, especially families…

"Chemistry in the Public Library" is an outreach event that has fostered a continuing, long-standing partnership between The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington (a public, liberal arts college), the Olympia Timberland Regional Library (the local public library), and the community. It started as a National Chemistry Week event…

In this policy brief, the authors examine and provide examples of the ways that public libraries have become invaluable partners in supporting family STEM learning. Although emerging research points to the strong influence of families on children's growth and development, a focus on joint parent and child STEM learning is still nascent. This brief…

In 1998, Nancy Pearl and Chris Higashi, librarians working in the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library (SPL), had a brainstorm. Challenged with a grant to develop new audiences for literature, they were intrigued with the power of books to unite diverse audiences. With that in mind, they expanded the book club concept to…

The state of Washington studied ways to deliver library materials by mail, with patrons ordering from a Sears-type catalog of materials. Investigation techniques included a literature search, on-site observations, personal interviews, statistical analyses, mathematical modeling, and computer simulation. It was concluded that mail order book…

This survey of current library resources and services in Washington is based on questionnaires; visits to public, university, college and community college libraries in the state; and statistics from state and national governmental sources. The inventories of public and academic libraries include discussions of standards applicable to the…

Describes the Pacific Northwest Conspectus Database, a regional resource assessment tool which includes information about library collections in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Use of the database by academic, public, and special librarians to better manage their collections and to coordinate planning and purchasing with other…

This study was limited to juvenile library collections and was focused on the policies and practices which determined or affected the quality and balance of these collections. Statistical data reflected policies rather than measurements in meeting library standards. Recommendations for the collections included: a written policy should govern…

The purpose of the survey was to discover how to offer the best library service to all residents in the county with the most efficient use of funds. The survey involved the following aspects: (1) legal structure, (2) fiscal structure, (3) administration, (4) standards of public library service, (5) standards of physical facilities, (6)…

In 1965 Idaho, Oregon, and Washington enacted the Interstate Library Compact, based on the Interstate Compact Law approved by the United States Congress for uniform application to all the states. The Compact authorizes the establishment of interstate library districts which include the territory of the one or more states signatory to the contract.…

As institutional roles change in response to contemporary pressures on them, new opportunities arise for combining forces to achieve common objectives. With today's technological revolution in handling information, the role of the public library is both challenged and reaffirmed. Resources may be allocated from state and national levels of…

Fully 57 percent of youth online watch videos, according to a Pew Internet & American Life study. And more and more are creating and sharing clips of their own making. With online engagement such an integral part of their world, Washington state's King County Library System (KCLS) decided to meet kids on their own turf by launching…

This study of public library services and needs in the city and county of Spokane and the surrounding area was conducted to present and evaluate available alternatives for providing effective library service for all the residents of Spokane County and the surrounding counties which comprise Spokane's natural trade area. Information for the study…

The role of the public library within intertype library networks was studied using published reports and information provided by selected state and regional libraries. Intertype networks cross jurisdictional, and often governmental, boundaries to join academic, special, and public libraries. The history, objectives, methods, and fiscal and…

This report presents statistics concerning the library needs in the state of Washington as of 1975. The resources of public and academic libraries are examined in the following areas: professional and support staff; collections of print and nonprint materials; acquisition of materials; hours of service; and operating expenditures. Data are derived…