Washington State Library

Washington State Library will use funds under the American Rescue Plan Act to help communities respond directly and immediately to the pandemic, as well as to related economic and community needs through equitable approaches in digital inclusion and library services. They will continue to support the goals of their Five-Year Plan for FY 2018-2022. The Washington State Library will 1) contribute to the state’s economic prosperity and cultural richness by supporting relevant and high-quality education, literacy and reading, and lifelong learning; 2) connect Washingtonians to their history, employing digital initiatives, and other preservation strategies to tell the stories of local communities and to celebrate our common heritage; 3) expand the reach and effectiveness of the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library with innovative outreach initiatives to increase overall user population, establish and strengthen borrower relationships, and promote high quality, accessible library and information resources; 4) expand and enhance the provision of direct library and information services to incarcerated and hospitalized populations in support of education, literacy, recovery, recreation, and re-entry; and 5) elevate the quality of library service and caliber of library staff through statewide projects, facilitation, consulting, grants, training, and modeling best practices to build capacity in libraries statewide.