Asbhy, Jennifer

Jennifer Ashby received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Whitman College in 1983 and a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Arizona in 1994. She has worked in the Lewis-Clark Valley for the last twenty-five years. Her time at  Lewis-Clark State College culminated with serving as Associate Professor, Instruction/Outreach Librarian. She has been Director of Asotin County Library since 2001. She serves on the Boards of VALNet (Valley Automated Library Network), WIN (Washington Idaho Network), Asotin County Library Foundation, and Everybody Reads.  In her spare time, you can find her with family, enjoying school activities, scuba diving, camping, Spanish language, swimming. She is married with 2 children.

Brostrom, David

DeWalt, Mary

Mary DeWalt is director of the Ada Community Library in Boise, Idaho, and has been with ACL for 7 years.  She received her undergraduate in Education and MLIS at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and worked in various positions with Milwaukee Public Library for 10 years before moving west -- she is a rock climber and the mountains were calling.  Mary strives to create a culture of learning and leadership and is committed to outreach initiatives and community connections.  Mary is a past president of PNLA and currently serves as leadership institute coordinator.  In addition to climbing, she enjoys backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and traveling – often to do the aforementioned.  Mary lives in Boise with her husband Scott and their two cats.

Engelfried, Steven

Steven Engelfried has been a youth librarian for 22 years.  He currently works in the Early Childhood Outreach Department of Multnomah County Library, where he coordinates the “Raising A Reader” program.  He reviews books for School Library Journal, occasionally teaches a children’s literature course for Oregon State University, and will be serving on the 2010 Newbery Committee.  He enjoys using puppets in storytelling for all ages, and performs at other libraries in northern Oregon as “The Pink Pig Puppet Theatre.”  He lives in Hillsboro, Oregon with a wife, two kids, six cats, and too many puppets to count. 

Fortier, Laurie

Laurie Fortier is the State Publications Associate at the Washington State Library.  Her interest in libraries began during her senior year of high school, working as a page in her school library.  After graduation, she attended Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC), where she enrolled in their new Library Technician program, her interest in libraries becoming a passion.  After working in several library departments at SFCC, she spent her last quarter at Washington State University’s Holland Library as WSU’s first student intern.  After receiving her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Library Science from SFCC, she was hired for a full-time position in the technical services department of Holland Library.  In 1983 she moved to Olympia to process federal publications and to provide reference service at the Washington State Library.  She has worked with the Washington state publications collection at the State Library since 1985.  Many in the state publications depository community and at Washington state agencies have appreciated her help in answering questions about the state publications depository collection and depository program.  She has been with the Preservation and Access Services program area at the Washington State Library since 2006, preserving state publications and employing her expertise on commercial binding to serve as our liaison with the HFGroup bindery, located in Walla Walla. 

Foster, Paula

Paula Foster is a Project Manager for the Washington-Idaho Network of Libraries, located at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA.  She has worked in libraries for 15 years, and has also worked in the fitness industry for the last 8 years.  In libraries, she specializes in Systems and Technical Services functions, and in fitness, she teaches Yoga, Pilates and BODYFLOW™ (a combination workout that includes Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi).  She received her undergraduate degree from Gonzaga, and has recently been reaccepted back at GU, this time for a degree in Exercise Science.  Paula is a self-professed ‘foodie’ and would like to go to cooking school someday.  Other interests include ballroom dancing, knitting, book club reading, and riding her scooter around town.

Gullett, Matt

Gainor, Rhiannon

After working in Phoenix in Human Resources for an international manufacturing company, in Victoria BC as a research analyst for BC Ferries, and in Anchorage Alaska as the manager of the aviation museum, Rhiannon Gainor went to the University of Alberta where this summer she jointly completed an M.A. in Humanities Computing and her MLIS. While doing these two degrees, she undertook several research contracts for the Rick Hansen Foundation and had a three year appointment as a workshop instructor at the University of Alberta, teaching faculty and graduate students how to use technology. Her academic research interests include interface design, information behaviours of hobbyists, and information flow in corporate and government settings. Her favourite reading is crime fiction of the 1920s – 1940s and cookbooks, and her favourite exercise is digging in the garden.

Hines, Samantha

Horst, Marcea

Marcea Horst is the Conservation Lead at the Washington State Library.  She is a graduate of the University of Washington, where she received her bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Art, Media, and Culture.  When she began to work at the Washington State Library she was responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the library’s massive federal publications depository collection, consisting of well over one million items, many of which were published in the first half of the nineteenth century.  She learned document repair and basic bookbinding with Gudrun Aurand, formerly conservator for Washington State University and a Professional Associate of the AIC (American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works).  Marcea has also studied the art of bookbinding at the Seattle Center for Book Arts and is now on track, through courses offered by the American Academy of Bookbinding, to be certified as a book conservator.  She has been fortunate to have Don Etherington, a world-renowned conservator and President of Etherington Conservation Services, as her instructor in this endeavor.  Marcea is our in-house expert on residue removal, tissue repair, hinge repair, spine, end sheet and crash replacement, and hand bookbinding.

Hutchins, Diane

Diane Hutchins is the Program Manager for Preservation and Access Services at the Washington State Library.  She received her master’s degree in Library Science from Florida State University, where she studied preservation and basic book repair techniques with Dr. John N. DePew, the author of A Library, Media, and Archival Preservation Handbook.  While at Florida State, she was the recipient of a College Teaching Fellowship, a University Fellowship, the Louis Shores Scholarship, and the Beta Phi Mu Scholarship for Academic Excellence.  She was the first intern from Florida State to work in the University of Florida’s Preservation Department, where she was mentored by the University’s book conservator, John Freund.  Before joining the staff at the Washington State Library, she was Director of the Nevin C. Meinhardt Memorial Library at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and had served as Chair of the Associate Members’ Committee of SEFLIN (Southeast Florida Library Information Network), Director of the Florida and Caribbean Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, and was on the Florida Library Network Council.  Her biography appears in the Marquis publications, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who of American Women, and Who’s Who in the World

Conservation Kitchen (PDF)

Jenks, Kelly and Theresa Kappus

After getting her MLS from San Jose State, Kelly worked as a school librarian in both Montana and Washington. She started at Gonzaga nine years ago in a staff position working in periodicals, but her true love is teaching and two years ago she was hired as the Instruction Librarian. Most of the time, you’ll find her in front of a class of freshmen actually getting them to listen!

Theresa started her unexpected library career as a student at the University of Oregon and then on staff at Portland Community College before getting her MLS from the University of Denver.  Thirteen years in North Dakota followed, culminating in eight wonderful years at Minot Public Library.  Theresa has been at Gonzaga for 10 years, the last five as the ILL & Distance Services Librarian. For both Kelly and Theresa, adult students are a favorite user population. Their motivation and endurance are amazing; their sincere appreciation of our help is most encouraging.

Kamilos, Charlie

I am a second career librarian.  I started as a children’s librarian in the Douglas County (OR) Library System.  After doing that for about 4½ years, I became the catalog librarian and a reference librarian.  Another 4½ years passed and I arrived on the George Fox University (Newberg) campus to work as the Head of Technical Services.  I did that for about 5 years and then applied to become the Portland Center Librarian for the university.  I’ve been doing this now for 5 years.  The Portland Center houses most of the graduate degree programs as well as the non-traditional degree completion programs for the university.  My colleague and I are vitally interested in finding ways to provide excellent library service to adult, commuting and distance students. I really enjoy canoeing and camping.  My son and I spent a week on the Upper Missouri River in Montana this summer.  (Maybe the Yukon River next summer!) Although I am rotten at it, most folks refer to me as an amateur birder.  I’m a member of the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society.  I’m probably one of the handful of progressive liberals on either campus.

Information Commons (Powerpoint)

Information Commons Paper (Word)

IT Task Force Strategic Planning Proposal (Word)

Kouame, Gail

Gail Kouame is the Consumer Health Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region (NN/LM PNR). Her office, located at the University of Washington in Seattle, represents the National Library of Medicine to five states: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington. Gail’s niche is working with other information professionals who are interested in serving the general public, especially surrounding issues of access to quality health information.

She received her MLIS degree from the University of Washington in 1999. Prior to becoming a librarian, she worked as a social worker in long-term care (nursing homes). In addition to my work for NN/LM, Gail occasionally worked as a substitute reference librarian for the Pierce County Library System in Washington state.

When not working with health information intermediaries, she enjoy spending time with her family and friends, participating in church activities, running, working out at the local gym, singing, and taking part in a book club.

Miller, Ielleen

Ielleen Miller is the Coordinator of Instruction at Eastern Washington University. She has been at EWU since April 2006. Prior to coming to Eastern, she was the Reference Librarian/Government Documents Coordinator at University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) and Reference Librarian at Delta State University in Mississippi. She earned her MLS from Rutgers University and a BA in German Area Studies from the University of Washington. She has taught credit courses on library research as well as an interdisciplinary first-year course entitled "How Do You Know" at UIS, and she will be teaching a first-year seminar for EWU in Fall 2008. Last fall, she co-presented at ACRL WA/OR Conference on service-learning and libraries, and she has given several presentations in Illinois on teaching online courses and government information. Originally from Yakima, she is very happy to be back in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying the Great Outdoors with camera in hand.

Integrating Information Literacy Within the Disciplines (Powerpoint)

Mogen, Pamela

Pamela Mogen (aka Pamela Aidan) grew up just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in small towns scattered over Montgomery County, graduating from high school with the desire to be a history teacher. She changed her major after her freshman year in college to Library Science and went on to earn a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since then, she has worked as a librarian in a wide variety of settings for over thirty years, most recently as the director of a new library founded in the fast-growing town of Liberty Lake in eastern Washington near her home in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She and her husband have six children, 4.5 grandchildren, six chickens, and a dog and cat, and a small press publishing company as well as their regular jobs: life continues to be full of things to write about.

Nipp, Susan

A native of Spokane, Washington, Susan received her music degree from Whitworth College in 1966.  She taught high school English and elementary music. In 1977, Susan and collaborator Pam Beall created Wee Sing, a line of children’s music books, tapes, CDs, videos, and toys.  Over 80 titles have been produced with sales reaching 50 million items worldwide.  Wee Sing is used not only in the United States by educators and parents to teach traditional and original music but in Europe, Asia, and Africa to teach English through music. The authors continue to create and produce new book titles, write screenplays, oversee audio and video production, and compose music.  They have traveled extensively, nationally and internationally, speaking at conferences, giving music workshops for teachers and parents, and entertaining children. Susan’s current community project is the creation of Mudgy & Millie, a whimsical book about a moose and mouse playing hide-and-seek in Coeur d’Alene.  Five bronze statues will be placed in town to correspond to the story.  All proceeds from the project will go to the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation.

O'English, Mark

Mark O'English seems to be all over the library map. He's currently a full-time reference librarian at the Owen Science and Engineering Library at Washington State University in Pullman, WA, but at the same time he's also working at Pullman's Neill Public Library, helping out at WSU's Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, and researching
professionally for Marvel Publishing. Dealing with different populations in his different positions, Mark's become focused on issues of accessibility: who and what your customer
base is and what they want/need from you, and just as importantly, how they look for those things. As a former distance student he's had first hand long-term experience at trying to access and understand library resources in the absence of personal help, and as a librarian serving engineering and computer science students and faculty, he struggles with the issues involved in providing services to people accustomed to focusing on a digital world. Though the target keeps moving, he's hoping we can learn to keep readjusting our aim.

Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/oenglish/taking-the-reins-website-redesign-by-the-librarians-for-the-users

Oldham, Barbara

Ravas, Tammy

Roberts, Brent

Raised on wild asparagus and bacon, Brent Roberts was born on a small farm just outside Moses Lake, Washington, where he communed with the land and sky and frequently had long conversations with himself.  Incredibly, after years of living in Japan he stumbled into library science and has been gainfully employed (more or less) since 1999.  Currently he works as Associate Director of Library Services at Montana State University Billings, and serves as PNLA Secretarius Maximus.  He teaches courses in Japanese and information literacy, and still finds time to ride bikes with his children and watch them (the children) play soccer. 

Conflict Communication (Powerpoint)

Samson, Sue

Schmidt, Aaron

Sjoblom, Liisa

Liisa Sjoblom has been a library professional for over 23 years working in both academic and public libraries.  She began her career at Reed College as a circulation assistant and circulation supervisor before heading to the University of Texas at Austin where she earned her MLIS in 1992.  She worked at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse from 1993 to 1999 as the Circulation Librarian and Electronic Resources Librarian.  Her public library career began in 1999 at the Deschutes Public Library in Bend, Oregon where she currently works today.  Responsibilities include reference, adult programming, classroom instruction, and staff training.  Hobbies include gardening, beading, and needlework and she is currently reading The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs and The Levity Effect by Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher.  She is eagerly awaiting her turn to read Stephanie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn.

Shippert, Linda

Linda Shippert is a sciences and health sciences librarian interested in social technologies and virtual participation in librarianship.  She has been working in libraries since 1991 and as a librarian since 2000, including experience in special, public, and academic libraries.   Linda is an active member of the American Library Association.  She is a 2008 ALA Emerging Leader, an ALA Councilor-at-large, on the board of the ALA New Members Round Table, and co-chairs the ACRL Science & Technology Section Continuing Education Committee.  She also belongs to the Medical Library Association, the United States Agricultural Information Network, and the Western Association of Map Libraries. Linda is Health Sciences Librarian at Washington State University in Pullman, where she lives with her husband (a veterinary student), three cats, and two pugs. She has spoken about web 2.0 at other regional conferences and invites you to “friend” her on Facebook.

Simmons, Rand

Rand Simmons manages the Library Development program for the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Rand has worked in college, public, and state libraries in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Illinois. He is currently Co-Coordinator of Federal Relations for the Washington Library Association and chairs the SAM (Supervisors, Administrators and Managers) Interest Group.

Many Idaho PNLA attendees will remember Rand from his "Idaho days" when we he was Networking Consultant for the Idaho State Library, a former President of the Idaho Library Association and active in its ILA Intellectual Freedom Committee. Rand holds a PhD in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a member of the ALA/Western Council of State Libraries Steering Committee on certification of library support staff.

Twitchell, Beth

Beth Twitchell is a native of Idaho; in fact, she has never lived anywhere else. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in history. Beth practically grew up in a library - her mom worked at one and used to drag Beth along. Of course, it helped that Beth liked to read. She got her first "real" job at Twin Falls (Idaho) Public Library, where she works as a know-it-all Reference Librarian and a Literary Empowerment Coach (a.k.a. Reader's Advisor). In her spare time, Beth likes to read (of course!); ogle cowboys in Wranglers; sleep; root for the Seattle Mariners; and play with her puppy Jovi (named after the greatest band in the world: Bon Jovi). Her favorite book is I Should Have Stayed in Bed! by Joan Lexau and illustrated by Syd Hoff.

Vecchione, Amy

I’ve worked in libraries since I was 13 years old and have seen a lot of changes in these 17 years. Since graduating with my MLIS I’ve been learning to embrace new web technologies and to apply them constructively to give our customers greater access at the Idaho State Historical Society Public Archives and Research Library. Lately we’ve been using 2.0 resources for customer access, implementing ContentDM at the historical society: http://idahohistory.cdmhost.com and heading up a statewide collaborative for digital resources. I am very passionate about providing primary source material to customers, and making history fun and wild for everybody! Some of my free time passions are sarcastic humor, biking, hiking, travel and eating. I’m heading up to a neat island in British Columbia this summer – ask me about it!

Using Wikipedia as Outreach (Powerpoint)

Web 2.0 for Small or Unique Libraries (Powerpoint)

Kay Vyhnanek is the Scholarly Communication Librarian at Washington State University trying to help research faculty and graduate students and her librarian colleagues learn about changes in scholarly communication and how the library is affected by those changes.  Included in her responsibilities is recruiting content for the WSU Research Exchange, an electronic storehouse for research materials created at WSU.  In the recent past Kay was honored to serve PNLA by holding two different positions:  the Washington Library Association representative to PNLA and then Treasurer.  Additionally, she helped develop the Leadership Institute which she recommends to any interested library staff member.  She thinks PNLA is a great group of people and highly recommends service on the Board or by helping out with conferences.  While Kay is new to the scholarly communication scene she is headed into her 30th year WSU having been Head of Interlibrary Loan as well as having dabbled in a few other services over the years.

Wamsley, Lori

Lori Wamsley is a part-time reference librarian at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington and the assistant director for Emporia State University’s School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) Oregon distance education program. She is also an adjunct faculty member for SLIM, teaching courses in project management and technology skills.

She holds both a Master of Library Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology from Emporia State University.  Lori enjoys living in the Pacific Northwest and watching baseball in her free time.

Wilson, Jennifer

Jennifer Wilson is a new graduate from the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. During her two-year program she volunteered as the vice-president and president of the student association, attending the CLA conference in 2007 as the student representative. She also gained introductory library experience as a library assistant at St. Joseph's College and the Edmonton Public Library. Her academic background includes a Master's in History from Carleton University, Ottawa and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and History from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. When she cannot be found with her nose in book, she can be found enjoying outdoor recreation in beautiful British Columbia.

Witteveen, April

I’m a Michigan transplant coming up on my three year anniversary as a Teen Services Librarian with the Deschutes Public Library.  I love the opportunities this job brings me: great outreach, creative programming, design and upkeep of teen spaces, and of course reading piles of teen books!  In addition, I serve on the library’s E-Services Committee and I’m an active member of the Oregon Library Association.  Outside the library, I’m part of the Lava City Roller Dolls, Central Oregon’s roller derby league (my skater number is 796.21...that’s Dewey for “roller sports”!)  I also enjoy cooking, traveling, and being crafty.

Zahua, Jan

Jan Zauha is Reference Librarian and Associate Professor at Montana State University Libraries in Bozeman.  She holds an MA in English Literature, as well as an MA in Library and Information Science. One of her current professional passions is book groups and reading promotion. Jan has been involved in leading book discussions with community groups since 2000 and she is currently involved in 3 groups while serving as a Traveling Scholar for Humanities Montana. She is a past member of the Montana Book Award Committee.  Jan is also a past president of PNLA and served as a mentor for PNLA Leads in 2004 and 2006. As a graduate of the Snowbird Leadership Institute, another of her professional passions is following the longer term effects of leadership training efforts. She has published and presented on this topic at state, regional, and international conferences. Jan is committed to helping create library leaders at all levels who know both how to lead and how to support the leadership efforts of others.