Section and Roundtable News

ALA President Mitch Freedman to Speak in Salina

Library salaries are the new hot topic in Kansas. Make plans now to hear ALA president Maurice (Mitch) Freedman discuss how bad salaries are and what’s happening nationally.

It all happens at the fast-paced 3rd annual Trustees-Friends Day on April 9, 2003 in Salina.

  • Joint FoKL-KLTA kickoff session. “Mission impossible: Tough economic times don’t have to mean gloom.” Vikki Stewart, State Library, speaker plus an expert panel.
  • Joint FoKL-KLTA Box luncheon, including awards and practical table talks.
  • “Getting money from your city.” A city manager, mayor, library director, trustee and Friend advise how to persuade your mayor/council. Pat Gaunce, KCK, moderator.
  • “Friends and Trustees: Citizen advocates who get results.” Sandy Rollison, FoKL board member, Independence, speaker. Also meet new KLA lobbyist and Executive Director Rosanne Goble. Create “My own action plan” for use back home.
  • “Getting the salaries our librarians need! ALA’s Salary Equity Study.”

    Speaker is Mitch Freedman, ALA president. A panel will comment on his speech; audience questions are strongly encouraged.
    KLTA Wine/cheese Annual meeting. Wine/cheese reception along with annual meeting (election of officers and annual report). All are invited, whether members or just interested.

    Who should attend?
    Don't get left out!
    Board/Friends presidents, board members, volunteers, new board members, veteran members needing an update, library directors and administrators -- this day's for you.

    Save money!

    (1) Trustees, never attended a Tri-Conference before? Does your system serve 3,000 or under population? If you answer “Yes” to both, you could win your regional system’s $150 KLTA grant. You don’t have to belong to KLTA. Contact your regional system ASAP!

    (2) KLTA members, get a 40% discount when you pre-register for Tri-Conference.

    Added attraction: During Trustees-Friends Day, browse the latest Kansas trustee/Friends publications that should be on your personal bookshelf! -- Ellen Miller, Lenexa

    College and University Libraries Section News

    The annual Fall CULS Conference was held on October 10 and 11 in Salina. There were 95 attendees, which is a large gathering for the conference. Jerry Neibaum, Planning Coord- inator of the KAN-ED project, was the keynote speaker. KAN-ED is the Kansas Information Highway for Education, Research and Health Care (www.kan-ed.org). Paul Hawkins of the South Central Kansas Library System was the luncheon speaker. He provided an entertaining and informative talk on the "Wizard of Oz."

    Sixteen concurrent break-out sessions were held through out the conference on topics such as digital preservation, how to create a disaster recovery plan, the new Virtual Reference Service, KanAnswer, servant leadership, assessment, distance education, trends in the use of technology, and more. The sessions helped to update librarians through out the state on new and emerging practices in the academic library community.

    Awards were given: A free luncheon and conference registration were given to three members of KLOA (Kansas Library Operations Associates): Jody Crocker, Adaptive Cataloger, Kansas State University Libraries; Shirley Twombly, Library Assistant, Highland Community College; Judy Stockstill, Director, Central Christian College library. Congratulations to these current and potential members of CULS!

    Service awards given: Rita Sevart received the Contribution Award. Past CULS President, Gail Stucky, introduced Rita saying, The CULS Contribution Award is to be given to an individual or organization exhibiting distinguished contributions to a CULS library or the larger CULS community. Joe Forte, Rita’s boss at the Newman library, sums up the nomination by writing, ‘More than anyone I know, Rita Sevart deserves the Contribution Award for 2002’.”

    Betty Batten, Edmund Stanley Library at Friends University, received the Support Staff Award. This award is given to a CULS Member for his or her record of notable contributions to their institution, or to support staff development in the larger CULS community, or notable contributions to the library profession. Betty has been active not only in the work of Friends Library, but also with WALA (Wichita Area Library Association.)

    In addition to the conference presentations, Thursday, we had two wonderful social events. In the morning a tour of downtown Salina architecture was available. The film Lovely and Amazing was shown and the Art Center Cinema. Thursday evening started with hors d’oeuvres at the Salina Art Center. Einar and James de la Torre were in the process of installing their exhibit of bicultural art, which juxtaposes cultural icons from both Mexico and America to create a starling and provocative effect. Both men were available to discuss their art with CULS attendees.

    Thanks again to the terrific local arrangements committee, the executive committee, and all who presented and attended the conference. The date of the 2003 conference has not been set, but it will be held in Wichita. —Janet Anderson-Story, Flint Hills Technical College, Emporia

    Intellectual Freedom Roundtable Invites Prominent Speaker for Tri-Conference

    The Intellectual Freedom Roundtable program for the 2003 Kansas Tri-Conference will be entitled “Soulmates” and will feature a presentation by Dick Kurtenbach, Director of the Kansas-Missouri Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. The American Civil Liberties Union has joined the American Library Association in battling both the Communications Decency Act and the Children’s Internet Protection Act to protect free speech and free access to information. Mr. Kurtenbach is a great fan of libraries and he will discuss the principles we share in today’s environment. Mr. Kurtenbach is generously donating his appearance at the conference.--Melanie Miller, Hays Public Library

    Back to KLA NewsOnline