OLA Employee of the Year 2015

A big congratulations to our own Margaret Harmon-Myers for being named OLA's Library Employee of the Year for 2015!

According to the article, Margaret was recognized for her many contributions at Eugene Public Library, especially her computer/technology classes and her skills in genealogy research (and we all know well these are both major benefits for a public library!)The award was presented at the OLA conference in Eugene.

The full list of previous award winners for this award and the others OLA gives out is available here.

OLA Quarterly focuses on Support Staff!

The latest version of the OLA Quarterly focuses on Support Staff this time.  With a wonderful introduction by our very own Margaret Harmon-Myers, it dives right into the Oregon Support Staff world.


Library Support Staff Today and How it Has Changed by Suzanne L. Sager
Where are support staff  used in libraries versus librarians?  Librarians can sometimes become support staff when jobs are scarce, and that can be a very good thing.

In We Are Rich in One Another: The OLA Support Staff Division's First Twenty Years, Susan R. Gilmont acquaints us with the very beginnings of SSD, and how it involved... New Jersey?

Working With, Not For: Confronting the Us vs Them mindset between Information Services and Access Services in a Major Urban Library System by Angela Weyrens
You may recognize your library's hierarchical structure in this article, and if you are looking to shift over to a more collaborative environment, don't miss Angela's sage and sensible conclusions.

Community Relations Profile: "Team CR" Tina Davis and Liz Goodrich by Nate Pedersen and Liisa Sjoblom
The initial picture in this article is worth the price of admission alone! But definitely read it for their own (and better) version of public relations.

Teamwork: It Starts With Hello by Jay Hadley
Not sure what to say to your coworkers? Read this article and wish you could work with Jay, too.

More OLA 2014 Conference Wrap-ups

From "The Second Floor Librarians" blog of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, here are some brief  thoughts about the conference as well as a link to a page containing some substantial book art.  Wet books, structures, Buddhas - there's a bit of everything.

Here's a conference wrap-up from OLA itself. There are links to the survey as well as the resources at NW Central.  There's also a list of award winners, both books and bingo. Sounds like fun!

You can read back through the twitter feed of the conference.

And finally, our State Librarian has a few quick thoughts on the conference over at her blog.

Did we leave anything out?

OLA 2014 Conference review and the future of SSD

Susan Gilmont, a Library Technician III at the Guin Library Hatfield Marine Science Center, writes about her experiences and inspirations at the recent OLA conference the SSD took part in:

I was fortunate to be able to attend the first day of the 2014 Oregon Library Association conference, "The Inside Out Library." It was a great experience, and really recharged me. The OLA Support Staff Division had 6 sessions at the conference, 4 of which were made on Thursday. As the SSD Continuing Education Committee chair, my job was to find presenters, propose sessions, keep presenters informed, help them with conference minutiae, and introduce them when necessary.

The keynote address was made by two New Jersey librarians, Norma Blake and Kathy Schak-Greene, and was called "The Innies and Outies of Libraries." "Outies" advocated for libraries and reached out to local officials and organizations. "Innies" worked to advance their libraries on the inside through marketing, merchandising and partnerships. Perhaps the most intriguing concept of the talk was the idea of public library design "SWAT" teams that offer expertise to help libraries become more welcoming spaces through redesign and reorganization. Often a simple coat of paint and de-cluttering made a huge difference. "Weed aggressively. Clarify purpose and create zones." This was all very interesting in light of the Guin Library's recent remodel.

I wouldn't have dreamed of missing "Oral History and Libraries: a Perfect Fit." Three librarians from Lake Oswego Public Library led off with a description of their current oral history project, "In Their Own Words II." This project picks up at the point where a Bicentennial project in 1976 left off. They gave "how-tos," including hardware and software recommendations and pointers to good resources. They noted the importance of volunteer training and the need to get it right the first time, since many older people interviewed may not be around for a second take. The presentation was topped off by Mike Dicianna, a PSU student worker in SCARC, who talked about OSU's sesquicentennial oral history project and played a passionate and moving clip from the president of the OSU student body in the 1941-1942 school year. It was a knock-out clip, and really showed the importance of hearing people in their own voices.  This was an inspiring session. For more information, see NW Central. SSD sponsored this session.

Although I'm not a librarian, I do care about libraries, and "Building an Effective Library Advocacy Network" was another great session. Although some of it reiterated the themes of the keynote address, Peter Leonard from Cedar Mill Library, Vailley Oelhke from Multnomah County Libraries and Buzzy Nielsen from Mount Hood County Library District drew on their own experiences to forge and sustain vital networks of library supporters. It was wonderful to sit back and see all the earnest note-taking going on and listen to the excellent questions. I know we did some good there. SSD and PLD sponsored this session.

The last session I attended was "The Inside-Out Organization," a look at OLA itself, hosted by past chairs. The goal there was to get potential OLA volunteers. I had a different goal -- I was looking for clues for revitalizing SSD. We weren't able to have a conference this year because nobody volunteered to chair the Conference Committee. Last year, the SSD Board put on the conference, again because of a lack of volunteers. SSD needs new energy, a new generation of involved members, and a new generation of supportive library directors. There is no doubt that the Great Recession has hurt all volunteer organizations, and things may improve as the economy slowly rebounds. But what shape will SSD be in by then? All I can say is what I have learned: service is its own reward.

My spirits were improved by the SSD business meeting, when three of us executive committee members met with four members. One of them came forward and said she was interested in getting involved. Another was one of our scholarship recipients, who was able to attend the conference because of support provided by SSD. It made me feel better. I don’t know if it is the networking with old friends, or a general charge from the good energy in the air, but I really do feel more optimistic about the future.

All in all, this was an excellent experience.

The OLA 2014 conference and SSD

I had a great time at the 2014 OLA conference last week, attending informative and thought-provoking sessions, and chatting with colleagues I hadn't seen recently.  SSD sponsored a number of sessions, in addition to a pre-conference.  I was impressed with the two SSD sessions I attended.

The first, "Oral History and Libraries: a Perfect Fit", highlighted Lake Oswego Public Library's "In Their Own Words II" project.  I was impressed at how much they had accomplished, and it really got me to thinking about the importance of capturing oral history.  (Alas, since I was on the conference committee, I had to leave that session early).

The second, "Our First Digital Collection: Starting From Scratch with Nothing", reviewed Multnomah County Library's first digital collection: Central Library: Historic Photographs.  Mostly using tools they already had, great organization, and some in-house crowdsourcing, they were able to get the collection ready for the Central Library's anniversary.  The presenter gave excellent advice about planning and project management.

Major kudos to SSD for providing such great programming!  

Slides for all the OLA session are (or will be soon) available on Northwest Central.

The sessions SSD is sponsoring at the 2014 OLA Conference

Preconference, Wed 16 April 2014:

Basic Book Repair for Libraries 
Description: 
This session will cover the selection of books for in-house mending, an introduction to book structure and archival repair materials, and hands-on instruction of several basic book repair procedures. Attendees will receiv e handouts with illustrated instructions for the repairs, as well as materials (worth $30.00) and contacts lists and a bibliography with further information. The hands-on workshop will include mending loose andtorn hinges, tipping in pages, recasing text blocks, and spine repairs. Endsheet repairs will be demonstrated if time permits. We will also discuss collection maintenance and how to prevent human and environmental damage to books.  
Presenter: Carolee Harrison, Portland State University

Conference, Thurs 17 April 2014:

Oral Histories and Libraries: A Perfect Fit
Description:
Part of what we mean when we say that the library is the heart of a community is that the library is the keeper of a community’s heritage. In addition to valuable resources for scholars, good oral history projects engage the community and promote the library services. This session will address the role of the library as local memory bank by focusing on two current oral history projects. Librarians from Lake Oswego Public Library will talk about “In Their Own Words II,” an oral history project they manage in Lake Oswego. Chris Petersen of OSU’s Special Collections and Archives will discuss the OSU Sesquicentennial Oral History Project.
Presenters: Alicia Yokoyama, Lake Oswego Public Library; Carissa Barrett, Lake Oswego Public Library; Chris Petersen, Oregon State University Libraries

Library Brand Advocacy  
Description:
The rapid transformation of information access has created a more competitive landscape for libraries, and has made it more challenging to position their services to show their value to the community. Librarians can meet these challenges by systematically shaping and delivering superior customer experiences through library brand advocacy. Gain new insights on how to transform your library’s image from a mere community fixture to a sought-after community hub through systematic brand management.  
Presenter: Rajesh Singh, Emporia School of Library and Information Management

Building an Effective Library Advocacy Network  
Description:
Times are hard, money is tight, and across America libraries are closing their doors. These days, libraries need to use all their resources, including Friends, board members, volunteers, and foundations as proponents of library services. Join three library directors as they discuss how they forge and sustain networks of supporters to successfully advocate for libraries in their communities.
Presenters: Vailey Oehlke, Multnomah County Library; Peter Leonard, Cedar Mill Library; Buzzy Nielsen, Hood River County Library District

Is Your Library Ready for Change? -- Facilitating Change Using a CAT (Contingency Analysis Tool)  
Description:
Changes to library services generally involve changes to unit creativity or efficiency. The Contingency Analysis Tool (CAT) provides managers with a customized roadmap for optimally fitting a unit’s structures to a change in service. At one level, the CAT is a simple checklist for ensuring that key structures are not overlooked. At another level, the CAT is basic rule of thumb for helping managers make the structural changes necessary to deliver a new or changed service. Widely accepted within the library community, the CAT is valid and reliable means for planning, communicating, and gaining insight into facilitating successful library change.
Presenter: Cameron Tuai, Emporia School of Library and Information Management

 Conference, Fri 18 April 2014:

A Social Worker in the Library? 
Description:
Each day, librarians and front-line library staff find themselves in the position of serving as de facto social workers, referring library patrons to needed services, helping them navigate forms on the computer, and sometimes just listening. In response to user needs, some libraries in California and Arizona have embedded social workers in their libraries. If having a real social worker in the library is one response to the needs of the people we serve, what are other responses? How are staff members being trained? Are innovative alliances with community service organizations taking place? In this session, we will look at how some Oregon libraries are helping their patrons navigate social services.  
Presenters: Dave Ratliff, Multnomah County Library; Abigail Elder, Beaverton Public Library; Clare Cady, Oregon State University

Our First Digital Collection: Starting From Scratch with Nothing  
Description:
Recently Multnomah County Library created its first digital collection, Central Library: Historic Photographs. It was created while Multnomah County Library had a slashed budget and an uncertain future. The two who developed the metadata application profile, wrote the metadata manual, and took responsibility for much of the project were both paraprofessionals engaged in MLIS studies. There were few dedicated staff hours and a tiny budget. We will tell the story of how we used crowdsourcing, volunteers, and pluck to make a collection that honored our library while setting a stage for the success of future projects.
Presenters: Rachael Short, Multnomah County Library; Kate Schwab, Multnomah County Library

Volunteers needed for 2014 OLA Conference

From Suzanne Sager:

I'd like to give a big thank you to those who have already volunteered to help with the 2014 OLA conference and pre-conference held at the Salem Convention Center (April 16th - 18th).  We still have a number of volunteer needs though, and hope that some more folks can help us out.

Of particular need are people to help at the registration on both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons (3:30-5pm) and evenings (5:30-7pm).  We also could use a few on-call technology volunteers to troubleshoot if need arise throughout the conference, and lunch time room monitors to make sure nothing is stolen.  

If you're interested, please contact John Repplinger to volunteer (jrepplin@willamette.edu). Many thanks for your consideration! 

Deadline for 2014 OLA Conference early registration March 16th

Early registration for the 2014 OLA Conference which will be held at the Salem Conference Center (200 Commercial Street SE, Salem, OR) ends on March 16th.  You can register online with a credit card or by check.  Once you have completed your registration form and have chosen a payment option, you will receive a confirmation page.  If paying by check, please include a copy of the confirmation page with your check and mail it to the address noted on the page.

Register early to get the best rates.  The link to the registration form is:  https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_148528 

The link to the meals-only form is:  https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_148530 

Preconference and program information can be found at: http://www.olaweb.org/ola-conference-2014

Reservations can also be made at the Phoenix Grand Hotel either online at  http://booking.ihotelier.com/istay/istay.jsp?groupID=1112448&hotelID=13141 or by calling 1-877-540-7800. Rates are $119 for a room with a king size bed or $129 for a room with two queen size beds (plus 10% tax and fees).  Be sure to supply the attendee code of OLA2014.

Other hotel options include:

Phoenix Inn in South Salem, regular rate rooms from $89 for a king to $99 for a double queen (less with AAA or senior discount, 55+)

 http://www.phoenixinn.com/salem-south/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_content=Hotel&utm_campaign=Salem&gclid=COWRvIX88bwCFdJbfgodfwsAnA 

La Quinta (behind Costco), around $70, or less with discounts

http://www.lq.com/lq//properties/propertyProfile.do?ident=LQ6486&propId=6486 

Comfort Inn Airport (also near Costco), $95 for a king or $110 for a double queen

http://www.comfortsuites.com/hotel-salem-oregon-OR055

Key Dates

Pre-conferences: Wednesday, April 16, 2014  

Conference: Thursday-Friday, April 17-18, 2014

Early registration ends Sunday, March 16, 2014

Online registration ends Friday, April 4, 2014

Onsite registration will be available, checks & credit card payments only (no cash)

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

No Gateways Conference this year, however, we have options!

Regretfully, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Support Staff Division’s annual Gateways Conference will not be held this year.

 

The SSD Board however is pleased to offer SSD members a $40 scholarship to offset the cost of attending the 2014 OLA Conference, held April 16 – 18 in Salem, where Support Staff Division is sponsoring several sessions.  The scholarship may be applied to a pre-conference, to one day's attendance, or to the whole conference. 

 

To receive your scholarship, send your receipt of payment for registration for the 2014 OLA conference to: Rea Andrew, SSD Treasurer, Newberg Public Library, 503 E. Hancock St., Newberg, OR 97132.

 

SSD will host a gathering for all library support staff at the OLA conference on Thursday April 17th at 5:30 PM.  Please join us and hear more about how you can connect with SSD.

 

We hope to see you at the OLA conference in Salem!

Attention all gov't docs people - want to go to the OLA conference?

Here’s information about a scholarship to OLA for those interested in government documents.

There is now an announcement introducing the 2014 OLA conference scholarship form on the DIGOR webpage https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152

The scholarship covers the cost of registration for the 2014 OLA conference.  Eligible applicants are librarians or library staff working with government information in an Oregon library, or library school students with an interest in government information who are enrolled in an ALA-accredited library program and living in Oregon.

Works Well With Others

Today we have a message from Susan Gilmont. It sounds like a great opportunity!

I don’t know how you folks are evaluated these days, but here’s a criterion that goes into my annual evaluation:

“Cooperative effort to achieve common goals; ability to work well with others”

Here’s a suggestion for a way to meet this goal:  join the SSD Continuing Education Committee.

If you’d like to meet and work with top-tier library employees from all over the state, this is the place.  If you’re looking for a growth experience, or to enhance your resume by showing how you can “work well with others,” then this is a good opportunity.  If you have a boss who is pushing you to expand your horizons, this could be the answer.  If you are just looking for a place to make a contribution, boy do we have a spot for you.

The Continuing Education Committee finds presenters for OLA and sponsors sessions there.  There are two flurries of activity around this – one in September, when we propose sessions, and one just before OLA.  Most meeting and planning is done by e-mail, calls or Skyping.  Easier than ever.

What it does for you:  I’ve been on this committee for a lot of years. It’s very energizing.  You find yourself looking at educational offerings in a whole new light:  would this speaker be good for OLA?  What sessions have I always wanted to see?  What do we all think about but nobody talks about (like money)? It turns you outward, makes you look around in a new way.  Very good for a person.  You have a reason to go to that workshop that made you curious.  It’s also justification for you to attend OLA, if you need something like OLA involvement to back up your attendance.

So, please consider joining us.  We’ll have a good time, and we’ll make a contribution.  If you are interested, please contact me at:  susan.gilmont@oregonstate.edu  .

A Single Voice Can Make a Difference

In many areas of the world today, citizens are taking serious risks to speak out against their government. People have been imprisoned, even killed, for daring to speak up. Despite the danger, the protests continue.

In the United States, it can be easy to take our right to freedom of speech for granted. The US constitution guarantees our rights. Oregon's sometimes controversial constitution is even more liberal when it comes to freedom of expression.

It's safe and legal to express yourself in public in Oregon, but that doesn't mean it's easy. And it's not just the big political arena where this is true. It's also true within our professional organization, the Oregon Library Association.

At the annual OLA conference a couple of weeks ago, the membership voted on a number of changes to the by-laws.