October 21, 2020
The New Virtual Open Scholarship Commons

Research in the 21st century is based on interdisciplinary connections and relies on technology to create and share for the public good. We know that it can be challenging for students and faculty to connect across disciplines, access technology, learn relevant skills, and share research openly. We are excited to bring together a suite of…
October 20, 2020
Improving Accessibility During the Pandemic
When UW Libraries buildings were closed at the start of the pandemic, our teams needed to respond quickly to adapt work for many employees whose jobs do not easily lend themselves to telework by identifying projects that could be completed remotely. At the start of the pandemic, we had multiple accessibility projects underway, but given…
October 19, 2020
International Open Access Week 2020
International Open Access Week (October 19-25) is a coordinated annual effort by scholarly communities across the world to celebrate both our achievements and aspirations in making “openness” the default for research and ensuring that equity is at the center of this work. This year’s theme, Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and…
October 16, 2020
Labor Archives of Washington Spotlight: Creating Bilingual Access to Collections Documenting the Latinx Experience
This summer, the Labor Archives of Washington (LAW) within the UW Libraries Special Collections, was lucky enough to have Diana Rocha, MLIS student from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, complete their final semester practicum with us. Working remotely, Diana enhanced access to several important collections documenting the histories of the Latinx community in Washington….
October 9, 2020
UW Libraries Response to New WA State Guidance for Libraries
The UW Libraries Cabinet has reviewed our current plan for phased re-opening, and have decided to maintain our approach at this time. Based on the protocols outlined within University of Washington COVID-19 Safe Start Phases, Libraries spaces will remain closed to the public during Phase 2. Per our current plan, limited study spaces will be…
October 7, 2020
UW Libraries Launches No Contact Pick-Up Service

UW Libraries is pleased to announce the launch of no-contact pick-up service– now available on all three campuses– Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma! The health and safety of our UW community has been our number one priority in planning for this new service. Anyone with an active UW Libraries borrowers card or current UW student, staff…
October 2, 2020
How WordPress Templates Can Transform Your Online Teaching This Fall!
Calling all instructors! Are you looking for opportunities to teach digital and public scholarship skills in your classroom? Are you looking for alternatives to the traditional research paper? We’ve got you covered with WordPress site templates! WordPress templates are simple to set up and can be as easy to use as filling out a simple…
September 24, 2020
Welcome, Huskies: A Message from the Dean
Hello Huskies! On behalf of UW Libraries–16 libraries across 3 campuses—a warm welcome to all new and returning students, faculty and staff. The start of the fall quarter always feels like a jumping off point – a time to learn new things, make new connections and refocus. The current remote learning circumstances are creating more…
Reflections: 2020 Graduate Student Research Institute
On Friday, September 4, the UW Libraries capped off its final session of the 2020 Graduate Student Research Institute (GSRI), a free and asynchronous five-day online workshop aimed at helping UW graduate students learn the tools and strategies they need to research “smarter, not harder.” First developed by the Libraries’ Instructional Design & Outreach Services…
UW Libraries Curbside Pick-Up Update
The first group of UW Libraries employees entered the Libraries for the first time just over a month ago. They have been working diligently to assess and build systems to allow for expanded services. Earlier this month, book drops were opened. We understand our users are eager to access physical materials, and the next service we plan to launch is curbside pick-up. Our team is currently working on testing and final logistics to…

