About the Western Council of State Libraries

State Librarians in the western states first met as a group in Juneau, Alaska in November of 1973 when the Western States Library Agencies Conference was convened. The group was officially incorporated as the Western Council of State Libraries in 1977 and has met continuously since that date.

Western Council Projects:

• Library Practitioner Certificate Program (Discontinued)
• Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums Conference

The purposes of the Western Council are:

• actively promote and improve library services and access to information for people in states west of the Mississippi River
• articulate member perspectives, positions, and principles related to library and information management policy and practice nationwide
• provide a forum for encouraging interstate collaboration
• provide opportunities for continuing education for staffs of members
• invest in innovative projects that encourage the application of best practices and the sharing of expertise.

Twenty-two state libraries west of the Mississippi River are members of Western Council: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.