In collaboration with Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, and the Washington Environmental Council (WEC), the King County Library System (KCLS) is proud to announce the launch of the “We Are Puget Sound” Poster Contest for King County residents of all ages. Create a poster to share what you love about the Puget Sound, and enter your art for the chance to win at www.kcls.org/we-are-puget-sound.
“We Are Puget Sound” is an award-winning book and advocacy campaign created by Braided River and WEC in partnership with dozens of regional tribes, organizations, businesses and individuals. Launched in October 2019, the campaign uses photography, live events and storytelling to engage the public with meaningful actions to protect endangered orca and salmon, and clean the Salish Sea.
“We are pleased to participate in this important partnership to help preserve the Puget Sound and our communities,” states KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. “We encourage King County residents to get creative, and look forward to seeing their artwork.”
Contest submissions are due on June 12. Winners will be announced in three age categories on June 26:
- Ages 5-12
- Ages 13-18
- Ages 19 and older
Posters will be judged by a team of staff from KCLS, Mountaineers Books and WEC. Each winner will receive a copy of the “We Are Puget Sound” book in the mail, and winning posters will be published on the contest partners’ websites and shared on social media.
“We cherish the opportunity to collaborate with KCLS and WEC to inspire people of all ages to celebrate and protect these beautiful Salish Sea waters for the people and animals who call them home,” states Braided River Executive Director Helen Cherullo.
"We love this collaborative way to express art through peoples' experiences and connections with places they love," adds Mindy Roberts, WEC Puget Sound Program Director and contributing author of "We Are Puget Sound.” “Getting folks to explore and enjoy the Puget Sound through their own eyes and hearts is a perfect way to get them engaged."
ABOUT KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM
Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Serving the communities of King County (outside the City of Seattle), KCLS currently has 50 libraries and more than 700,000 cardholders. In 2019, residents checked out more than 5.6 million digital eBooks and audiobooks through Rakuten OverDrive, making KCLS the No. 3 digital circulating library in the world. In 2011, KCLS was named Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal.
King County Library System Contact: Sarah Thomas, sjthomas@kcls.org
ABOUT “WE ARE PUGET SOUND: DISCOVERING AND RECOVERING THE SALISH SEA”
“We Are Puget Sound” is an award-winning multimedia book and advocacy campaign created by Braided River and Washington Environmental Council—in partnership with dozens of regional tribes and grassroots individuals. This campaign is being supported in part by grants from the Suquamish Foundation, The Nisqually Indian Tribe and the KETA Legacy Foundation. The book is winner of a 2020 Nautilus Award and an IPPY award.
ABOUT BRAIDED RIVER AND MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS
Braided River
Braided River is the conservation imprint from Mountaineers Books, which highlights the wildest places in western North America through powerful images and storytelling. Braided River brings exceptional nature photography together with thought-provoking essays to create books, immersive events and museum exhibits, and partners with conservation organizations to preserve wilderness.
Mountaineers Books
An independent, nonprofit publisher based in Seattle, WA, Mountaineers Books has crafted award-winning books on outdoor recreation, travel, conservation and adventure since 1960 starting with the publication of “Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills,” now in its 9th edition. Including imprints Skipstone and Braided River there are over 650 books in print. New titles out this season include: “Turn Around Time” by David Guterson, and more.
Braided River/Mountaineers Books Contact: Erika Lundahl, erikal@mountaineersbooks.org
ABOUT WASHINGTON ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL
Washington Environmental Council (WEC) is a nonprofit, statewide advocacy organization that has been driving positive change to solve Washington’s most critical environmental challenges since 1967. Their mission is to protect, restore and sustain Washington’s environment for all.
Washington Environmental Council Contact: Mindy Roberts, mindy@wecprotects.org
