Out of the Frying Pan: Structural and Cultural Change at the Washington State Library

by Granquist, Christine S.

In the past four years, the Washington State Library has fended off two attempts by the governor to close its doors. As a consequence, the State Library was changed from being an independent entity to being under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Secretary of State.

This study looks at the programmatic and structural effects of this change and the strategies implemented by the library to become more visible, useful, and relevant to the needs of patrons, both now and in the future. Introducing measures to increase access and awareness of library resources, especially electronically and through partnerships, have become a significant focus of the remade Washington State Library.