PNLA Quarterly, Vol. 62 No.2 Winter 1998

ALASKA

People

The city of Nome welcomed Susan Metsker, new director of the Kegoayah Kozga Public Library, who will replace Dee McKenna, long-time KKPL director.

Marlene Helm will become the library director at the Homer Public Library on December 1, 1997. She replaces retiring director Karen McRae.

The graduates of the University of Arizona Master's degree program incentive promoted by the Alaska State Library in 1992-1995 continue to fill professional positions throughout the state. Marit Vick and Ann McCann now head the North Pole High School and Tanana Middle School Libraries respectively.

Science Librarian and researcher Betty Galbraith heads south for a new position at Washington State University in Pullman.

Also headed south to Washington is retired Palmer City Librarian Sally Gwin. Her new children's book, Mosquito Girl, has just been published by Royal Fireworks Press. The setting for the novel is the newly settled colony of Palmer, and the protagonist is a teenage girl who wants to become a journalist.

Clara Sitter, Associate Professor of Library Science at the University of Alaska Anchorage Library and AkLA's ALA Representative, is on sabbatical in Colorado for the academic year.

Nina Malyshev of the Alaska State Library's Library Development staff has resigned. After an opportunity for an around-the-globe trip, she will begin work on a Ph.D. in Organizational Theory at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Tracy Swaim of the Alaska State Library in Juneau will be joining ASL staff at the Anchorage office. His new duties will include automation training and consultation as part of the State Library's library development function.

News

People

Rowena Lunn, Marigold Library System, has been elected to the Board of The Alberta Library, representing library systems. Rowena replaces Margaret Law, who recently accepted a position at the University of Alberta.

Following its reorganization and the resignation of its director, Margaret Law, Parkland Regional Library has appointed a management team. Patricia Silver is Chief Librarian and Beverley Schneider is Chief Administrative Officer.

The University of Alberta has announced the appointment of Karen Adams as Director of Library and Information Services, effective January 19, 1998. A graduate of the Universities of Manitoba and Western Ontario, Karen's background includes experience as the Director of Public Library Services in Manitoba and as Provincial Librarian in Saskatchewan. Since 1991, she has served as the Executive Director of the Canadian Library Association, headquartered in Ottawa.

News

The Alberta Library sponsored a highly successful technology conference in Edmonton in October, NetSpeed '97. Keynote speaker was Derrick de Kerckhove, Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology. He is author of The Skin of Culture: Investigating the New Electronic Reality and Connected Intelligence: The Arrival of the Web Society.

The Alberta Library Conference (ALC) will be held in Jasper, April 29-May 2, 1998. The theme is "Libraries: Work in Progress." Kenote speaker is Ben Wicks, a cartoonist and author who is a major force in the literacy movement. ALC is co-sponsored by LAA and the Alberta Library Trustees Association.

Library Association of Alberta (LAA) and its Intellectual Freedom Committee are sponsoring a workshop in Lethbridge in January, "Advocating for Freedom to Read." Workshop leaders are Margaret Law and Karen Labuik. Freedom to Read Week, February 22-March 1, is marked by libraries across Canada. The week is sponsored by the Book & Periodical Council.

LAA, the Canadian Library Association and the Alberta Association of Library Technicians are cosponsoring the workshop, "Copyright Demystified," in Edmonton and Calgary in February. The presenter is Lesley Ellen Harris, author of Canadian Copyright Law and Digital Property: Currency of the 21st Century.

People

Dana MacFarland has been appointed as the new Library Coordinator for Royal Roads University, a university on Vancouver Island. Catherine Quinlan has been appointed University Librarian at UBC. Patricia Lloyd was appointed to the position of Director of Library Services at Malaspina University College in Nanaimo.

Don Meadows resigned his position as Chief Librarian of the Vancouver Island Regional Library System. Betty Harris has announced her retirement as Director of Library Services at the University College of the Fraser Valley. Betty has been a long-standing member of PNLA and has attended many of its conferences.

News

The Council of Post-Secondary Library Directors met in Campbell River in late October. Joint statistics compilation indicates ever-increasing use of the resources, an increasing ratio of expenditures on electronic materials, and a growing reliance on the instruction and research assistance provided by librarians in the sector. The Council is directing its future statistics collection efforts in the direction of defining and measuring "key performance indicators" rather than relying on traditional quantitative data collection and analysis.

The consortium of post-secondary libraries that are purchasing SIRSI automation systems has grown to include 9 post-secondary libraries in the province. The British Columbia Institute of Technology announced its intention to purchase and implement the Innovative Interfaces system.

Copyright continues to be a concern. With recent passing of phase II federal legislation, we are now preparing for upcoming discussions on copyright in the digital arena.

The Electronic Library Network (ELN) Advisory Committee held a meeting and strategic planning session in early November. This consortium of all post-secondary libraries in BC and the Yukon provides a wide range of shared databases and services and facilitates resource sharing among all types of libraries. Plans for the future include licensing of additional full-text databases, implementation of web-based services and resource sharing mechanisms, and hosting an educational issues conference.

The ELN has recently launched its own web site and provided web access to UnCover. A new license was negotiated for ABI/Inform Global databases under ProQuest Direct. Statistical compilation for resource sharing has been streamlined and the "Fileserver" project, which facilitates resource sharing among public and academic libraries, has been evaluated with a recommendation to continue and strengthen the project.

News

Plans for the ILA/PNLA joint conference are well under way. Arrangements are progressing for the Sun Valley Conference and information should be available soon to ILA and PNLA members.

Meridian Public Library offered an amnesty day to help clean up their patron and material database as they migrate to the Dynix system. Patrons could bring delinquent books back and have fines excused if they brought a can of food in for the homeless shelter. Meridian became a member of the open access agreement with Boise Public, Ada Community, Nampa Public, Caldwell Public, and Garden City Public in October. The open access agreement provides borrowing privileges for any patron from any library district participating in the agreement. The agreement is the largest cooperative agreement in Idaho and presents a new direction in library service for residents of Ada and Canyon counties.

In October, author Gary Paulsen visited Twin Falls Public Library and school children. Paulsen was the guest author for the Idaho Council of the International Reading Association and provided programs for the library's youth services division as a part of his visit to Twin Falls. Paulsen also spoke at a banquet during the conference where raffle tickets were sold for a sled dog ride. The raffle ticket sales benefited the Twin Falls Public Library Foundation.

Idaho Legislative Day is January 21st, 1998. One major library issue in the legislature this year is funding of PC's and Internet access in rural libraries. The Idaho State Library is asking for funding to link rural libraries in Idaho together (electronically) and to provide access to online databases and the Internet. ILA is hosting a breakfast for Idaho legislators in the statehouse rotunda to meet legislators and answer questions about library issues.

People

Lisa Mecklenberg was recently hired at the State Law Library in Helena as Electronic Services Librarian. A Minnesota native, Lisa received her J.D. from the University of North Dakota and a Masters in Law Librarianship from the University of Washington.

Kris Larson recently accepted the position of Metadata Coordinator in the Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) at the Montana State Library. She studied Geography at the University of Montana with a cartography emphasis. She has worked at NRIS as a technician and programmer until she accepted the Metadata Coordinator position on October 24, 1997.

News

A local obscenity law was voted on in ten Montana communities in the November elections. Current state law exempts public schools, libraries and museums from prosecution; the local laws would remove that protection. Six communities rejected the law and four passed it. It is expected that more communities will have it on their ballots in the spring elections. Dallas Erickson, president of the Citizens for Decency Through Law, had his "Harmful to Minors" House Bill 435 defeated in the state legislature during the last session, so is building support for obscenity laws by getting small communities to pass it.

The Bozeman Public Library Foundation completed its 6th "Night of 100 Dinners" in November, during which hosts throughout the community planned dinners, parties and brunches to raise over $4000 for the Library. Guests could choose from A Taste of the Library, Mardi Gras, Brewing Up Books, Green Eggs & Ham and many more events during the week. Several local restaurants also donated a portion of their proceeds from one night to the Foundation. The money will be used to purchase high-demand audio cassette books.

The grand opening of the new Preston Hot Springs Town-Country Library was held November 5, 1997. Area citizens were welcomed with a festive celebration of food, songs and stories. Director Jean Patton reflected on the hard work in this small community to raise funds to match an LSCA grant. Bake sales, yard sales and donations made up the bulk of the fund raising efforts. A long time library board member commented that the money was raised "one cinnamon roll at a time." The single largest donation of $27,000 was given by the Preston family, area ranchers, and the library board renamed the library in their honor.

In April 1997 the MLA Board passed a resolution recognizing the lack of state representation for school library media centers and specialists both at Office of Public Instruction (OPI) and at the Montana State Library. Common concerns included the lack of enforcement of OPI standards as pertains to school library media centers, lack of centralized information source for e-rate information, the inability of OPI to answer library specific questions, the general perception that school library media centers are not the center of technological advancement in schools, the abandonment of support for rural school libraries and cooperative projects.

On October 14, 1997, members of MLA, including the state librarian, met with OPI representatives. Nancy Keenan, Superintendent of OPI, felt strongly that a library media specialist staff person would not be reinstated due to budget cuts. Keenan suggested that MLA members and school librarians talk to the governor and continue their presence in the legislature concerning increased school funding.. Although a dialog was opened, the meeting proved somewhat disappointing to MLA members in attendence. There was some dismay in the fact that we had just been asked to "go the extra mile" for a state institution which has abandoned us. MLA will send two representatives to a "summit meeting" to discuss state school standards, staffing at OPI and school funding.

Montana Library Association (MLA)

The Montana Library Paraprofessionals is the official name chosen for the new organization. The group will present a workshop at the next MLA conference in Missoula, which will be a panel of paraprofessionals and MLS-degreed librarians to discuss different aspects of career development. One petition requesting Montana Library Association Interest Group status and another petition requesting Library Journal to begin awarding a "Paraprofessional of the Year" award were presented for signatures.

People

Thomas W. Leonhardt was recently named director of the Oregon Institute of Technology Library. He was formerly involved with library technical services and collection development for University of Oklahoma Libraries and served in similar positions at University of Oregon and University of the Pacific.

Stephen Charles Skidmore began work October 6 as director of the Siuslaw Library District in Florence, replacing Michael Gaston who left in June to become director of the

Deschutes County Library System. Skidmore comes from the West Chicago Public Library District where he was administrative librarian.

Ruth Kratochvil, Tualatin Public Library, and Anne Van Sickle, McMinnville Public Library, were chosen as co-conveners of the Public Library Directors group, which held its annual retreat in Portland September 11-12. About 40 directors discussed PNLA's future, shared information about funding around the state and participated in a seminar on "Managing Change."

Deborah Jacobs, director of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library since 1988, leaves Oregon in mid-November to assume the position of director of the Seattle Public Library.

Eva Calcagno has been appointed Cooperative Services Manager for Washington County effective September 24 following the retirement of Peggy Forcier. Eva has served as the Cooperative's Automation Program Specialist for the past seven years.

News

Lynn Chmelir, Chair of the Orbis Council, has announced that the University of Puget Sound has become the 13th member of Orbis, a consortium of baccalaureate-granting public and private institutions of higher education in Oregon and Washington. The Orbis consortium provides a union catalog of the collective holdings of the participating institutions and a patron-initiated delivery system with 48-hour delivery time.

A three-year plan to achieve statewide electronic resource sharing among Oregon's libraries has resulted in an agreement with Information Access Company (IAC) to provide 28 public and academic libraries with access to InfoTrac Searchbank. At the end of the three-year contract, it is hoped that every library will be participating.

ORULS-Web, the Web version of the Oregon Regional Union List of Serials, was recently announced. The first phase of the database consists of 83,000 ORULS/OCLC records with serial holding statements for 160 Oregon and Washington libraries.

The architectural firm of Thomas Hacker and Associates has been selected to provide systems planning and coordinate improvements to 13 library locations in the Multnomah County Library system, continuing implementation of a $29 million bond measure approved by voters in May, 1996.

The University of Oregon Library has a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to catalog and inventory the library's bank of Oregon newspapers on microfilm. The library has been filming since the 1950's. The library will be searching for any unfilmed Oregon newspapers in library and private collections to include in the project.

"Soaring to Excellence," a teleconference series for library support staff at several Oregon sites, began November 21 with "How may I help you?" on customer service. Other sessions will be January 16, 1998, on "The Internet: Sites for Your Workday, Sites for you," and March 27 on "It Takes a Vision."

The University of Oregon is seeking graduate students and professionals with skills in planning, public affairs, anthropology, environmental studies, geography, historic preservation, business, landscape architecture, computers, journalism, biology, education, library science, architecture and more, to apply for expense-paid International Internship Opportunities in Micronesia and the South Pacific. Informational meetings about the program will be held January 12 at two different times at the University.

The eighth annual Multicultural Storytelling Festival and Concert will be held April 15-18, 1998, in Eugene, featuring three nationally-known storytellers. The festival is meant to be a positive way to bring cultural awareness and appreciation of other peoples to our communities. Information is available from Robert Rubinstein, (541) 344-8176.

Three statewide initiatives have been filed for signature gathering that might affect libraries: 1) "The Family Act" circulated by the OCA that appears to threaten protection for libraries under the Oregon Constitution and calls for application of "local community standards established through the library review process for books, literature and materials;" 2) "Spending Limit Act of 1998" that would limit revenues and expenditures of state and local governments to an amount that is not greater than the rate of inflation plus the percentage increase in state or local population; and 3) "The Efficiency in Government Act" to facilitate privatization of government services by requiring that any private sector entity be allowed to submit a bid to provide a state or local government service if the bid is at least 20% below the current cost of the government service.

Four library measures on the November 4 ballot were successful based on final unofficial results. 1. Multnomah County Library's 5-year levy of $18 million for longer library hours and more services, stabilizing the library's funding future after Measure 47/50 budget cuts. 2. Warrenton Public Library's 5-year levy at $.06 per $1,000 of assessed value to raise $58,105 over the five years. 3. Crook County Library's $2.7 million bond measure to build a 14,000-square-foot building. 4) A City of Coos Bay advisory vote regarding use of urban renewal funds for a $10,000 square-foot building expansion onto the present 16,000 square-foot building.

Oregon Library Association (OLA)

Colleen Bell and Juanita Benedicto, both reference librarians at University of Oregon, have been appointed to share responsibility for editing both the Oregon Library Association Website and Hotline newsletter. The Hotline is being delivered via e-mail as of December 1, will continue to be available on OLA's Web site and will be sent in print form to those who have no e-mail address.

OLA Trustees and Friends Division and Western Oregon University are cooperating partners on an LSCA/LSTA grant to conduct three board member training sessions broadcast over the state's Ed-Net satellite interactive network. The first session was held October 25 at seven sites and was on grass roots library advocacy. Future sessions will be April 4 and May 16, 1998.

The Oregon Young Adult Network (OYAN) met October 24, and the OLA Children's Division met October 25, both in Portland. Topics for discussion at OYAN included YRCA nominees and the future of PNLA. The Children's Division theme was "Celebrate Reading" with a book discussion group panel, Newbery Award discussion and special guest Eloise Jarvis McGraw. The Children's Division also sponsored the third annual "Stories by the Sea" storytelling festival at Newport on September 27.

A revitalized OLA Outreach Roundtable has surveyed Oregon libraries and produced a chart of outreach services offered throughout the state.

The OLA Reference Roundtable met September 12 in Lincoln City with "Science Resources for Reference" as their topic.

The OLA International Relations Roundtable met in Lincoln City October 24, discussing establishment of a sister-association relationship with a provincial library association in mainland China.

Appointments in the state include a new director at Seattle Public Library, Deborah Jacobs. Jacobs has worked in Oregon and California and was most currently head of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Jacobs was named Librarian of the Year by Library Journal in 1994.

The Whatcom County Rural Library District has named Andy Waters, currently director of Auburn Public Library as its new director. Waters replaces John Halliday who is now director at Jefferson-Madison County Library in Virginia and will begin at Whatcom County January 1998.

Jacquelyn Axness former PNLA representative from Idaho is now the Children's Services. Axness came to Vancouver from her position as Youth Services Supervisor at the Nampa Public Library.

Clover Park Technical College has appointed a new Library Computer Lab Technician, Cheryl Barnett. Barnett will work working with the new 18 station computer lab.adjacent to the library. John Sheller is the new manager of the Black Diamond Branch of the King County Library System.

Awards have been given to the following Washington State librarians: Kate Carter, Kitsap Regional Library, Bremerton, WA was recipient of the 1997 ALCS/Putnam and Grosset Group Award, Kate Gann, Pierce County Youth Librarian was recipient of the CAYAS award for visionary library service to youth. Also the King County Library System, Burien Branch and Vashon Island School District, winners of the YALSA Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults Competition.

Connie Manson, the senior librarian at the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Earth Resources, has been elected an officer of the Geoscience Information Society (GIS). GIS is the primary professional society for geology librarians and other geoscience professionals in North America.

News

The Spokane County Library District has a new DRA library automation system with over 150 PC's available in nine facilities. The Community Colleges of Spokane, who contract with the SCLD for automation services, have another 75 on their network. The Library District also opened a new Airway Heights Branch in October. The 4,000 square foot building replaces a 700 square foot facility. Design work has also begun on a new 7,000 square foot building for the Deer Park Library. The new site was donated by the Dominican Network, a non-profit corporation that operates the adjacent Deer Park Hospital and Health Center and other hospitals in Northeastern Washington. All the above projects are being funded from an $8 million capital improvement program approved by County voters in February 1996.

In November election news the Kitsap Regional Library's proposal for establishment of a Capital Facility Area and its funding were both approved by area voters by a wide margin. Also the city of Lynden voted to annex to Whatcom County Rural Library District, this means the city will build a new 17,500 square foot library replacing the present 4,000-foot structure. The new building will open in 1999. Other good election news the city of Entiat voted to annex into the North Central Regional Library.