Library Stuff

“It’s turning into an unofficial hazing ritual for Washington’s secretary of state: Win the election, get sworn in, then go fight to save the State Library from budget cuts suggested by the governor or the Legislature. Just 21/2 months after taking office, Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman is following the footsteps of her predecessor, Sam Reed, in fighting against a proposed fund reduction for the library’s operations.” (via AP)

“Just as this year’s Washington apple crop is shaping up to be the second most productive season on record, a new Washington Rural Heritage collection documents our state’s long history of agricultural abundance in the heart of apple-growing country. The Foodways & Byways of North Central Washington Collection illustrates how the production, acquisition, and distribution of local food has played a central role in the history and development of North Central Washington.”

via Washington State Library

“The Internet Archive has filed a federal challenge to a new Washington State law that intends to make online service providers criminally liable for providing access to third parties offensive materials.The Electronic Frontier Foundation EFF is representing the Internet Archive in order to block the enforcement of SB 6251, a law aimed at combatting advertisements for underage sex workers but with vague and overbroad language that is squarely in conflict with federal law. Procedurally, the Internet Archive lawsuit was filed as an intervention into a similar suit, Backpage.com v. McKenna, filed last week.”

via Electronic Frontier Foundation.

News Tribune – “The Washington State Law Library will close its doors if the state Senate budget for 2011-2013 becomes law. This should concern citizens because the law library is used by many people who are not lawyers but need to research legal issues affecting their lives.”