Alki - July 1999 - Washington Library Association · the time goes very quickly, as I have al- ... Angelynn King, ... and a lesson in drawing Lyle the Crocodile by Bernard Waber

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FOND FAREWELLS!

BOLD BEGINNINGS!

The Washington Library Association JournalJuly 1999 • Vol 15 No 2

Alki

2.ALKI July 1999

Cindy Cunningham is Head of Catalog/Browse atAmazon.com. You can send her e-mail through theWLA listserv, or at her address:[email protected].

by Cindy Cunningham, WLA President

Greetings from the President!

Pasco was a terrific conference, and a wonderfulway to send Joan Weber off in style. Joan did anoutstanding job for WLA, serving an extra-long termto make up for an interrupted term of several yearsbefore. Thank goodness we’re caught up! When I gotword, on the eve of the conference, that our newlyelected Vice President/President Elect was taking ajob out of state, itconjured up imagesof our repeating thesame scenario all overagain. Luckily wefound two exceptionalnew candidates, andwe are speedingthrough a specialelection so that wecan have the newlyelected VP at ourannual planningretreat on June 3 and4. [Editor’s note: see“WLA Communique”in this issue forresults of thatelection.]

This retreat, thefirst of my presidency,will be the most im-portant one for myterm. I plan to set ourstrategic course andfocus on priorities forthe next two years.Although a two-yearterm may sound long,the time goes veryquickly, as I have al-ready learned. Several members of WLA who are notchairs of committees, but who are new appointeeswill join us. By the time you read this, the retreat willalready have happened. In the next issue of Alki, Ihope to be able to present to you some of the strategicgoals we created there.

I am focusing my presidency on recruiting newmembers, re-attracting former ones, and makingthis association relevant to all librarians in the state.While I support the work of smaller associations thatcan specifically address their members’ needs, such

as OWLS, CLAMS (College Librarians andMedia Specialists), and the state chapter of ACRL (Association ofCollege & Research Libraries), I would like these members to feelthat WLA represents them, too. Obviously the way to do that isthrough relevant conference programming and continuing educa-tion programs, and through representation of these constituencieson the WLA board itself. I am proud to say that our board and

c o m m i t t e em e m b e r s h i prepresents across-section ofcommunity col-lege, four-yearu n i v e r s i t y ,large and smallpublic, and spe-cial libraries, aswell as both newmembers andthe seasoned,e x p e r i e n c e dmembers whohave carriedthis organiza-tion for a longtime. I am com-mitted to seeingan increasingnumber of new

members, as well as across-section of all li-braries represented inthis organization.

If you could not at-tend the retreat at Fed-eral Way and you haveideas about recruiting and retaining members for WLA, please feelfree to e-mail your suggestions to me. And please put “WLA” in thesubject line, so I can find them in my growing mail queue! After theretreat, we will continue to explore reciprocal memberships, inter-est groups, conference planning, and all other aspects of how tomake this association work for all librarians. I would love to hearfrom all of you.

Thanks for being with us!

As banquet speaker Sherman Alexie and new WLA PresidentCindy Cunningham look on, Joan Weber assumes a newrole in the Association. Photos by Tony Wilson.

3. ALKI Volume 15, Number 2

Features

The OCLC/WLN Merger: Farewell to a Washington Library Era................. 5Cameron A. Johnson, Everett Public Library

Bold Beginnings at the SLIS: Director Mike Eisenberg Talks with Alki .... 8Carolynne Myall, Eastern Washington University Libraries

Youth Involvement (Especially with Librarians) Saves Lives .................. 11Evie Wilson-Lingbloom, Edmonds Library

Two CAYAS Workshops .......................................................................... 12Jennifer Merry, Ellensburg Public Library

Hot Potatoes!! The Hiring, Firing, and Evaluating of the Library Director .. 13Kathleen Ardrey, Friends of Seattle Public Library

Certification of Library Support Staff: National and State Level Progress .... 14Sue Anderson, Spokane Falls Community College LibraryKathy Bullene, Eastern Washington University Libraries

The 1975 ARCO Civil Service Test Tutor: Librarian vs. What LibrariansNeed to Know Now ................................................................................ 16

Angelina Benedetti, Redmond Library

Death, Taxes, and Public Speaking ......................................................... 17Karen R. Diller, Washington State University Vancouver Library

Searching for Marketing Tips ................................................................. 18Nicole Campbell, Washington State University Vancouver Library

A Short History of the Stevens County Rural Library District ................ 22Rodger Hauge, Board of Trustees, Stevens County Rural Library District

Mission Statement Kit ........................................................................... 24Angelynn King, Armacost Library, University of Redlands

Columns

Upfront .................................................................................................... 2Greetings from the President!

Cindy Cunningham, Amazon.com

From the Editor ....................................................................................... 4Why a Conference Issue?

Carolynne Myall, Eastern Washington University Libraries

Who’s On First? ..................................................................................... 20Is It Worth Defending? Self-Censorship: Should We Just Accept It?

Tom Reynolds, Edmonds Library

WLA Communiqué .................................................................................. 25Washington Library Association 1999 AwardsWashington Library Friends and Trustees Association 1999 AwardsWashington Library Association 1999 Scholarship WinnerCarol Gill Schuyler Elected Vice President/President Elect

I’d Rather Be Reading ............................................................................ 31My Life as a Novel

Nancy Pearl, Seattle Public Library

Contents

AlkiThe Washington LibraryAssociation Journal4016 First Avenue N.E.Seattle WA 98105-6502email: [email protected] page: http://www.wla.org

Alki Editorial CommitteeSue AndersonKathleen ArdreyKaren DillerNancy HulingCameron JohnsonEva-Maria LuskCarla McLeanNancy Schutz, internV. Louise Saylor, chairCarolynne Myall, editorGinny Rabago, LINK editor

Alki (ISSN: 8756-4173) ispublished three times per year inMarch, July and December, andmailed to over 1,300 WLAmembers and interestedparties. Print subscriptions areavailable at $20 per year, or $7.50per single issue. Contact theWLA Office at the address above.

Alki’s stated purpose is tocommunicate philosophical and substantive analyses of currentand enduring issues for andabout Washington libraries,personnel and advocates and tofacilitate the exchange ofresearch, opinion andinformation.

Direct submission queries to;Carolynne Myall, Alki editorEastern Washington UniversityMS-84, 816 F St.Cheney, WA 99004-2423(509) 359-6967email: [email protected]

Cover by Dawn Holladay.

http://www.wla.org/alki/

4.ALKI July 1999

From the EditorCarolynne Myall

Carolynne Myall is Head of Collection Services,Eastern Washington University Libraries.

Jonathan Betz-Zall administers the oath of non-solemnity at the editor’s favorite WLA event, the annualmeeting of the Society Gaius Julius V. SolinusWashingtonius. Photo by Sydney Chambers.

The editor’s secondfavorite event, awonderful President’sReception, was held atthe new KennewickLibrary. Photo by MardellMoore.

Ever since beginning publication, Alki has fea-tured a conference issue each volume, for the pur-pose of reporting and reflecting on the proceedings ofWLA’s Annual Conference. Why a conference issue?Is the Annual Conference so special? As this year’sconference in Pasco demonstrated, the answer isyes.

Although WLA and its Interest Groups holdmeetings, conferences, workshops, lobbying ses-sions, etc., throughout the year, the Annual Confer-ence is still the biggest event in the calendar of theWashington Library Association. For many WLAmembers, Annual Conference is a big event in theirindividual professional lives as well. Conference isan opportunity to update knowledge, to establishand continue friendships with colleagues around thestate, to participate in the business of the Washing-ton library community. Conference provides a way tobreak the isolation of each of us in our library sub-communities, to connect across the boundaries ofgeography, library type, and library specialty. Andsince WLA members select and, to a large extent,present the programs, Annual Conference is anindicator of the interests, values, and concerns of theWashington library community. It is important forthe Association’s major publication to record andextend the themes of the conference.

The 1999 conference featured a number of au-thor events, including a wonderful banquet speaker,author Sherman Alexie (skillfully introduced by BrianSoneda), and a lesson in drawing Lyle the Crocodileby Bernard Waber. Discussions of the World WideWeb—Web reference tools, Web access and restric-tions, Web governance—were everywhere. Other pro-gram topics ranged from literacy, to ergonomics, toequity for all library staff, to library advocacy, topatents. My favorite program, as always, was the

Why a Conference Issue?annual meeting of the Society Gaius Julius V. SolinusWashingtonius. In this event, library people pledge not to takethemselves or their institutions too seriously—then comment onsome of the most serious library issues of the day in ingenious andoften hilarious presentations.

This Alki reflects the diversity of theconference. It reports, presents back-ground about, and continues the con-versation about topics of concern at the1999 Annual Conference. With his usualpanache, Cameron Johnson considersthe implications of the recent OCLC/WLN merger. Dr. Mike Eisenberg tellsus more about himself and his plans forthe University of Washington School ofLibrary and Information Science. Well-known YA librarian Evie Wilson-Lingbloom carries forward a topic ofCAYAS conference presentations—youth involvement. Other articles dis-cuss a variety of conference programsand presentations. We hope there is atleast one conference-related article toappeal to the interests of each WLAmember.

There are a number of pictures ofthe conference here too. Unfortunatelyfor photography’s sake, the current favored method of presenta-tion—in a semi-dark room, with a glowing, waving screen in thefront—doesn’t always photograph well. But Alki’s official photog-rapher, Tony Wilson of Highline Community College, neverthelesscaptured a number of memorable moments. Mardell Moore ofSeattle Public Library and Sydney Chambers of Foley Center,Gonzaga University, were kind enough to donate their work as well.

Also recommended in this issue are Rodger Hauge’s history ofWashington’s newest library district, and some very funny advicefor the mission-impaired, by Angelynn King.

How does Alki happen?A publication of Alki’s scope, ambition, and relatively limited

resources doesn’t happen without the help of many WLA members.As usual, the contributions of the Alki Committee to this issue aremany and evident.

Others with special knowledge also contribute. Here I wouldlike to recognize Susan Weiss, President of the Washington LibraryMedia Association. She suggested ideas, topics, and possiblewriters for the previous issue on school libraries; and she contin-ues to keep Alki apprised of developments in this field. Thanks,Sue!

Coming IssuesAnd now we need the contributions of the rest of you! Themes

of upcoming issues are as follows:December 1999: The Library as PlaceMarch 2000: Intellectual Freedom Today

Please send articles, photographs, ideas of ways to make theseissues relevant and interesting to the wide range of WLA members.I look forward to hearing from you!


WLAThe OCLC/WLN Merger:Farewell to a Washington Library Era

When Paul McCarthy, President of OCLC/WLN, grasped thepodium at the WLA Conference April 29 in Pasco and gave his“professional and ethical report” on the reasons for WLN’s absorp-tion by OCLC, there was scarcely a murmur from the packedaudience. A regional library icon had died, and only a couple ofdesultory questions marked its passing.

“The people who put the fire in WLN are now a generation awayfrom it,” McCarthy said in an interview after the speech. “Theyounger people in the profession have a more businesslike ap-proach, and do what makes the most immediate sense for theirlibraries. If they can get their bibliographic records from a vendoror elsewhere, they will do it.”

“What changed the equation was the Internet,” McCarthy said.“ILL, fast data transfer, fax, and e-mail mean a company can beanywhere. This changed the electronic geography, put moreeconomic pressure on bibliographic utilities. WLN actually sawlocal systems and book vendors—not OCLC—as our main com-petitors.”

Throughout its history, WLN was widely but not universallyrevered in Washington State. Because of peculiarities in its pricestructure, small- and medium-sized city libraries like Everett,Bellingham, and Tacoma could not afford to be full members; andlarger academic libraries complained of its lower “hit rate” whencompared to OCLC. But library systems and academic librariestolerated its higher prices out of regional loyalty, and because theyfelt WLN offered a superior product to OCLC—which in the 1970sand early 1980s was WLN’s primary competitor. WLN’s databasewas considered by most to be “cleaner,” and WLN’s innovativelinking of authority files to bibliographic records saved time forcatalogers. WLN could always point to a high satisfaction rateamong its clients.

According to Bruce Ziegman, a former director of WLN and nowAssistant Director at Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WLN cameabout because of a fortunate confluence of people and events inWashington State in the late 1960s. “People in the state wantedbetter quality records and authority control,” Ziegman said in arecent interview. “It was a unique combination of smart people,legislators with money, and technical savvy.” From the beginning,the Washington library community was up to its armpits in WLN’screation and operation.

A much-cited 1975 article by Washington State Library’s MaryJane Pobst Reed documented the beginning of WLN. “In 1967 thestate’s library profession accepted in principle the Beck and Hayesreport, A Proposed Library Network for Washington State, anddesignated the State Library as responsible for spearheadingdevelopment of the Washington Library Network” (Reed, p. 175).

A nation-wide survey of existing library networks was con-ducted to determine if any existing systems could be adapted foruse by Washington State, but all were found wanting in one or

by Cameron A. Johnson

(Continued on next page)

Cameron A. Johnson is a reference librarian at Everett PublicLibrary.

Washington LibrariansComment on the OCLC/WLN Merger

Here are some reactions from Washington librar-ians to the OCLC/WLN merger. The details of themerger can be found on OCLC/WLN’s Website atwww.wln.com.

David Zavortink, director of Camas Library for thepast four years:

“Our library got a grant to use LaserCat in 1986,and we have been using it for cataloging ever since. Ithas worked out well for us. The biggest problem is foritems that don’t show up in LaserCat. We’re in aconsortium with Fort Vancouver Regional Library andClark College, so we snag the bib record that way.Using Dynix, we get the FVRL record, then use the WLNRID number to attach our holdings in LaserCat whenwe update. We have a considerable backlog that needsoriginal cataloging.

“They have promised to keep LaserCat going; butif it did go away, we’d probably go with someone likeBiblioFile for cataloging records.

“We’re seeing a lot of letters from OCLC/WLNsaying there is a survey attached. When we call andsay there was no attached survey, we’re told that thesurvey is only for online members. We have to adopt a‘wait and see’ or a ‘wait to be told’ attitude. They saythere is a new product coming out where we can getitems over the network that are not on LaserCat, somekind of limited access to OCLC WorldCat. In some waysmy hopes are higher [with the merger]. If we get accessto OCLC, we might be able to clear up our backlog.”

Sarah Schwartz, Assistant Director for TechnicalServices at Sno-Isle Regional Library System:

“We were delighted about the merger. It wasgetting too expensive to use both OCLC and WLN.OCLC is much larger; it saved us a lot of time in bothILL and cataloging, and also in cost. It wasn’t good forour library system to depend on a smaller databasethan we could get elsewhere. We did hit-rate studies,and found OCLC superior. Being able to find morerecords made it worth losing WLN’s linked authorities.We just had to get used to a different way of working.Once we did that, it was fine.

“We changed to OCLC in 1998 and started goingnational with our ILLs. We will still use WLN for ILL ofaudiovisual materials and for Northwest ILLs only.

“We will still use OCLC/WLN for authorities andcollection assessment. We send the bib records for ournew holdings, and they upgrade the authority recordsand send cross-references.”

Sydney Chambers, Catalog Librarian for ten yearsat Gonzaga University in Spokane:

“Gonzaga has been using cataloging records fromboth OCLC and WLN since 1996. Sno-Isle and Gonzagawere the only CARL libraries that didn’t use OCLC, soCARL had to do special work to make the WLN records

(Continued on page 7)

6.ALKI July 1999

another desired functional area. OCLC was found tolack adequate quality control, and StanfordUniversity’s BALLOTS system and the New YorkPublic Library System were found inadequate forother reasons. It was decided that a computerbibliographic system must be developed from scratch.

In 1972, the Washington State Library con-tracted with Boeing Computer Services to designand develop a pilot system under the direction of theBoeing Technical Library, with the collaboration ofthe State Library’s technical services staff. TheResources Directory Advisory Committee, with rep-resentatives from all types of libraries within thestate, provided input and policy guidance. Withinput from the state’s professional library associa-tions, WLN’s emphasis on quality and authoritycontrol was stressed from the very beginning. In1974, the state legislature began funding the biblio-graphic system. An automated acquisitions modulewas implemented in 1975. The original products ofthe system were catalog cards, spine and book cardlabels, and the resource directory, a union catalog ofmember holdings. Terminals werelocated in member libraries through-out the state with online search andinput capabilities.

All but two of the original tenWLN members were large, geographi-cally distributed library systems.WLN grew steadily; and by the early1980s, its customers totaled about100 libraries, all from the PacificNorthwest region. By the mid-1980s,economic pressures were leading to amid-life crisis for WLN. During the1999 Pasco conference, McCarthyand Don Muccino, Chief OperatingOfficer of OCLC, discussed the twoutilities’ differing development.

“The focus of OCLC was on expansion. WLN’sregional orientation held it to a more limited scope,”McCarthy said. While WLN focused on improving itsproduct in the region, OCLC put its resources intorapid expansion. This regional orientation hurt WLNin the long run, he said.

In 1987, Michael Schuyler wrote in Alki: “WLNhas reached a saturation point when it comes to newparticipants. Any substantial new users must becoaxed away from OCLC. In today’s climate, this ishighly unlikely” (Schuyler, p. 87).

And even in 1987, WLN felt the pressure from theincreasing capabilities of locally mounted librarysystems. “Local acquisitions systems can now berun from microcomputers,” Schuyler wrote. “Eventape runs are less necessary as libraries developonline interface mechanisms allowing them to ‘dump’records from the WLN screen directly into a localcomputer for further manipulation.”

Mark Nesse, Director of Everett Public Library,made a strong argument that some libraries werebetter served by forsaking the bibliographic utilitiesand depending on the growing capabilities of localsystems. Nesse found WLN could supply his library’snew integrated system with cataloging records for$24,000. A San Antonio company, Marcive, could

supply the same records for about $2000. In the bargain Everettlost shared cataloging for regional titles, but Nesse felt the loss wasworth the savings realized. Everett dropped out of WLN in 1985.

Ironically, some of the measures WLN took that would nor-mally have helped cement its client base, actually ended up erodingit. In the mid-1980s, WLN introduced LaserCat, a CD-ROMproduct that included a large part of its database, complete withholdings. LaserCat was a big success, with one dismaying side-effect. “Much network activity can be performed with LaserCat at$1300 per year as opposed to several thousand more dollars toperform the same activity online,” Schuyler wrote. “Libraries thathave made this switch are saving themselves money—at WLN’sexpense. It is as if WLN has sown the seeds of its own demise”(Schuyler, p. 88).

The article quotes State Librarian Nancy Zussy as sayinglibraries tended not to increase their purchases from WLN. “Whenchanges in price structures have been made, users adjust their useof the network so that the overall cost remains about the same orlower. ... Reduced reliance on WLN for services such as productsand local microfiche catalogs means a slow erosion of this base ofsupport as cheaper solutions become more affordable” (Schuyler,p. 87).

This economic calculus led to policydebates in WLA and throughout theregion, and finally resulted in WLN’sleaving the State Library to become anindependent, non-profit corporation. Ina recent interview, Zussy said the movemet the concerns of libraries outside ofWashington, who felt state rules on hir-ing and contracting were economicallydetrimental, and gave those librariesmore of a say in WLN’s governance.WLN had long met its own payrolls andexpenses, but was ultimately governedby the State Library Commission. In aneat maneuver, WLN’s assets were trans-ferred to a non-profit organization whichcontracted with the State Library to run

WLN. According to Zussy, the corporation took ownership of theassets as management fees. “The auditor liked it,” Zussy said withpride. “It was the first time such a sizeable chunk of stategovernment had gone private.”

Though the new structure gave WLN ten more years of life, thechanges were too little, too late. Citing higher hit rates and lowercosts, Washington State University Library dropped WLN as itsprimary cataloging source and joined OCLC. Sharon Walbridge,Assistant Director for Technical Services at WSU, helped overseethe transfer. She said WSU’s leaving WLN was “a particularly bitterblow” since WSU housed and provided technical assistance forWLN’s mainframe computer for many years.

King County Library System, the state’s largest, left WLN forOCLC in late 1996. Another large system, the Sno-Isle RegionalLibrary System, changed over in 1998. McCarthy says these losses“were the flash on the wall for us,” and led directly to the merger,which was announced in October, 1998. “Some of the largerlibraries weren’t satisfied getting an 85% hit rate from us. Theywanted the 90-95% they could get from OCLC. People voted withtheir dollars,” he observed.

In their addresses at WLA in Pasco, both Muccino and McCarthystressed the need to become bigger in order to compete in the“library industry.” They cited recent mergers in the telecommuni-cations and publishing industries that have far-reaching implica-tions for the library field. “We saw significant consolidation comingabout in the industry,” McCarthy said, naming recent consolida-

Paul McCarthy and Don Muccino answerquestions about the OCLC/WLN merger.Photo by Tony Wilson.


tions by MCI/Sprint, Barnes & Noble and Ingram, and Blackwelland Academic Book Center.

Muccino said that the merger is a positive for OCLC. “Weeliminate duplication of services, enhance WorldCat, broadenmembership, and gain expertise in working with smaller libraries,”he said. “We have gained three new products: LaserCat, authoritycontrol services, and collection development assessment. We gaintrained staff in marketing, support, and development.”

OCLC, like WLN, is a library company, developed and sup-ported by librarians. Over the years it has improved its searchinterface for its catalog. It has added WLN’s staff and assets andhas moved up the economic food chain. The merger appears to beamiable, with many of WLN’s products being retained and its staffmembers staying in place for at least five years. McCarthy saidOCLC may even link bibliographic and authority records withinfive years. It remains to be seen whether these things will beenough to stave off competition from vendors selling cheap biblio-graphic records to locally mounted library systems, however.

The Sno-Isle Regional Library system was the last large librarysystem to defect from WLN to OCLC before the merger. But Sno-Isle hopes to cut its costs further. Sarah Schwartz, AssistantDirector for Technical Services at Sno-Isle, said in a recentinterview that by the end of the year, Sno-Isle is hoping to have anacquisition system that will allow them to download records fromvendors like B&T and Ingram directly into their CARL system.

“The records I saw were pretty good,” Schwartz said. “Theywere LC records for most stuff; and if the vendor provides them forfree, we will use them. That will mean fewer transactions withOCLC, and will help keep our costs down.”

McCarthy believes cataloging records from vendors will proveto be inferior to those produced by the utilities. And were theutilities to fail, there will be even less incentive for vendors tosupply records that meet national library quality standards.McCarthy fears that if the utilities continue to lose business, thatresource sharing will be endangered. With no utilities, wherewould the holdings records go?

Such economic Darwinism may be inevitable; and we all see itseffects, as when Wal-Mart brings its economy of scale and bottom-line mentality to a community. The costs of such losses—ofautonomy, dignity, sensitivity, responsiveness, a sense of civicresponsibility, and the stripping away of the non-essentials thatadd up to quality—are usually recognized only much later. Andoften lamented. And all of us contribute to this process.

For now, OCLC has some breathing room. Compared to WLN,it is huge, with a large customer base, a good R & D budget, anda savvy game plan. But all that may not guarantee survival on theshifting competitive ground of the information market.

ReferencesAuthor’s interviews with Paul McCarthy occurred on 4/29/1999 and 5/21/1999. Interview with Don Muccino occurred on 4/29/1999; withBruce Ziegman on 4/6/1999; with Sharon Walbridge on 4/15/1999; withNancy Zussy on 5/17/1999; with Sarah Schwartz on 5/11/1999.

Reed, M.J.P. “The Washington Library Network’s Computerized Biblio-graphic System.” Journal of Library Automation 8 (3) (Sept. 1975): 174-199.

Schuyler, Michael. “WLN Struggling for Direction.” Alki: The WashingtonLibrary Association Journal 3 (3) (December 1987): 86-89.

Nesse, Mark. “A WLN Dilemma.” Resource Sharing and InformationNetworks 3 (2) (1986): 57-70.

Saffady, William. “Western Library Network.” Library Technology Reports34 (3) (May-June 1998): 367-378.

Special thanks to Joyce Peter and Steve Ooton of Everett Public Library,who helped orient me to the unfamiliar world of library technical services.

work.“One thing missing in OCLC is WLN’s authority

control over the database. If we get a new OCLCrecord, we will be more suspicious about the accesspoints, and do a separate check in the authority file.We always had WLN send replacement records for ourlocal system when records changed. Of the records weget from WLN, 3/4 of them are replacement recordsthat have changed for some reason, many of thesebecause of headings changes. We don’t know yet howmuch time we will spend on authority control workafter the merger, since our consortium has no author-ity control in our local system. We’ll have to send outfor authority control or use CARL’s authority controlmodule.

“Another difference is in the concept of a masterrecord in OCLC. WLN allows members to changerecords, subject to certain rules and procedures. Anymember library can change records, adding contentfields, for instance. That way you see continual im-provement in the records. In OCLC there is a masterrecord that, for the most part, a library can’t change.I can get a record and make any changes I want for usein my system; but if I then want to change the recordagain, I have to get the old, unchanged OCLC masterrecord again, re-edit it exactly as I did the first time,and then make whatever additional changes I wanted.In WLN I could change a record for all of WLN’s users.Now we must change our thinking to changing ourlocal files only.”

Bruce Ziegman, Assistant Director of FortVancouver Regional Library and a former director ofWLN, sorted out potential winners and losers in themerger:

“OCLC members will win. They get all the North-west libraries, most of whom are now in WLN, in asingle union catalog. Those WLN members not inOCLC now gain a terrific union catalog and will benefitfrom OCLC’s development of new products and ser-vices.

“WLN members will lose if some features they areused to go away—for example, LaserCat. If catalogershave to spend a lot of time on quality control, they willlose. Can people who use LaserCat for ILL and cata-loging afford online membership in OCLC? How wellwill smaller libraries cope? If LaserCat dies, what isthe plan for libraries that depend on it? The fate ofauthority control also is a concern. Will you be ableto make a subset of Northwest holdings and spendless that way? Tell us what WLN libraries can expectto get out of this. Lower prices?”

Sharon Walbridge, Assistant Director for Techni-cal Services, Washington State University:

“It is a good deal for both institutions. The twothings WLN does really well are authority control anddealing with smaller libraries. OCLC is savvy and willapply those traits nationally.”

“I think there will be some political rivalry be-tween OCLC/WLN and OCLC Pacific in RanchoCucamonga, California. The Rancho Cucamonga of-fice has six members on the OCLC Users Council.WLN will be much smaller sized, with maybe one ortwo delegates. But Lacey will bring authority controland small library experience. That should give it cloutand money. It should be interesting.”

Interview with Bruce Ziegman, 4/6/99; withSharon Walbridge, 4/15/99; with Sydney Chambers4/21/99; with David Zavortink, 4/26/99; with SarahSchwartz, 5/11/99.

8.ALKI July 1999

At the 1999 Annual Conference in Pasco, Dr.Michael B. Eisenberg, Director of the University ofWashington School of Library and Information Sci-ence since August 15, 1998, presented an excitingkeynote address. Alki followed up with a phoneinterview on May 13, 1999.

CM: I think everyone was energized by yourpresentation at the WLA Annual Conference, espe-cially when you stood on a chair and declared thatinformation service wasn’t rocket science: not only isinformation service really important; in some ways,it’s harder than rocket science. How did you arriveat that unusual perspective?

ME: My wife is a pediatric nurse-practitioner, soI have had contact with people in the medical field.Medical professionals are often perceived as being atthe apex of our society; the work they do is regardedas very meaningful, and of course it really is. But atparties, medical people would say to me, “You’re aschool librarian? Why would anyone want to dothat?” And rather than being defensive, I wouldreply, “My job is to ensure that your kids are success-ful in this world, that they are effective users of ideasand information. I do that by providing services andteaching them essential skills. All you people do ispatch them up—we do great things with their minds!”Now I said that tongue-in-cheek, of course—since Ibelieve that we all do meaningful work. But I do thinklibrarians tend to downplay our role. In our field, wehave tended to define ourselves as support people, asbeing in support roles. That doesn’t mean, though,that we are ancillary. We support all human beingsin fulfilling themselves, which is pretty importantstuff. And the difficulty of this work! When you lookat public librarians, at the range of human beingsthey deal with, the extent of their success is amazing.I was in Bellevue recently, and visited the publiclibrary to hear a youth concert. Every nook of thatlibrary was being used for important and excitingthinking, interaction, and learning. I can’t imaginebeing part of a more important field. In fact, if themoney were equal across the professions, we’d prob-ably have everybody flocking to library and informa-tion services. We get to work in cathedrals of learn-ing, and what we do is wonderful.

CM: Your professional beginnings were in schoollibrarianship. Did working as a school librarianaffect your perspective on librarianship generally?

ME: Yes, in three ways. First, school librarianshave had to define and defend what they were doing

Bold Beginnings at the SLIS: DirectorMike Eisenberg Talks with Alki

by Carolynne Myall

within their broader institutions,perhaps more than other librarianshave had to do. In times of tightbudgets, there’s often a question ofcutting the school library. That situ-ation made me become activist.School librarianship helped me fo-cus on the importance of articulat-ing what we do, in order to show thatwe make a difference. Second, schoollibrarians have focused on andstruggled with issues of informationliteracy for a long time. They got themessage early that promoting infor-mation literacy is not just teachingpeople to locate and access informa-tion, but includes a full range ofinformation-related activities—and “putting it all together.” I’mworking with an ACRL (Association of College and ResearchLibraries) group now on similar issues. A third result of comingfrom a school library background is awareness of the importanceof working with all types of libraries, of focusing on the connectionsamong libraries and librarians. As a school librarian, I alwaysworked closely with academic librarians, to prepare students forthe transition from high school to college. We also worked closelywith public librarians, by developing curriculum maps and shar-ing them with public libraries, in order to provide unified services.And I feel that the role of the school librarian is very much like thatof a special librarian, in terms of serving a defined clientele in anactivist manner. School librarianship was good training for me inthese three areas.

At the same time, there continue to be questions concerningthe level of education for school librarianship. I believe we need togo further in this state in terms of professional preparation ofschool librarians. Currently, someone can work in Washington asa school librarian with only 24 quarter credits for an endorsement.I don’t discount the fact that a lot of people with that level ofcertification are very talented and do terrific jobs. But I think thereis more to librarianship than that, and the American LibraryAssociation and the field in general have decided that an entry-level degree for the library field is the master’s. So I am workinghere on campus and will be working throughout the state andregion to promote the idea that school librarians achieve master’slevel status.

CM: What was your toughest job—at least before you got here?

ME: Besides digging a sewage ditch, the toughest job I havehad was pumping gas. I had a teaching degree and had taught fora year in California. But when we returned to Albany, New York,for family reasons, I didn’t get a teaching job, so there I was,pumping gas. That’s when I went down the list of degree programsat SUNY-Albany. When I hit library science, the bells went off—Iknew that I had found what I was looking for.


In terms of professional jobs, I would say that my work as amiddle school library media specialist was probably the mostchallenging, prior to coming here. It’s difficult to develop aneffective program, to help teachers and work with kids. Also, thatwas my first library job, so I was learning as I went along.

There is no question, though, that the job I am in now, asDirector of the SLIS, taps every ounce of talent that I might have.This is an incredible challenge—and I mean that in a positive way.There is a lot to do here, and there’s a lot at stake. This is animportant school, at an important university, at an importantplace and time in our society. No question about it, this job is thetoughest!

CM: What is the big-gest change in the SLIS,post-Eisenberg?

ME: There are a lot ofchanges, but I would saythat the biggest change ischange itself. We are trulyembracing the idea of abroad, inclusive libraryand information school—aschool that remains true to its library traditions, that reaches outto its alumni and to people in the library community, and at thesame time recognizes that there is tremendous opportunity for aschool like ours to grow into a great information school as well. Oneof the biggest things I’ve done is to share that vision, with peoplein the field, with people on campus, with our own students andfaculty. By the way, including myself, for the fall we will have sevennew faculty members. And we have gotten top people, people whoare being sought by many other schools. In fact, other schools havebeen surprised at our recent success in recruiting top faculty,since our SLIS has been known for quality students but has nothad a major national reputation.

CM: Perhaps because of its strongly regional focus?

ME: Yes, it’s been regional; and the School has always hadgood quality, with some excellent faculty members. But in thepast, the School hasn’t met the full needs of the region. Therehaven’t been enough slots for students, and the School hasn’t hadthe chance to reach out to other states in the Pacific Northwest. Inmany ways, what we’re trying to do is the Star Wars thing—we arefulfilling our destiny! And our destiny is to meet the needs ofprofessionals in the library and information field in the PacificNorthwest, to become a leader and take advantage of the fact thatWashington and the Seattle area are capitals of the informationage. This university, this state and region deserve a cutting-edgeschool of library and information science.

The Futures Report commissioned by the University of Wash-ington Provost in 1995 laid out a rough blueprint of this. TheEisenberg difference is to say, “The blueprint is okay, but let’s beefit up, let’s turbocharge it—and let’s do as much at once as we can.”We are, at this moment, in the midst of major curriculum revisionof the MLIS program; we are beginning undergraduate servicecourses in information and technology literacy; we are planning foran undergraduate program in information management and tech-nology; and we are planning for a doctoral program in informationscience, as well as starting to lay the groundwork for a continuing-education distance program for people in the field, and for peopleat a distance to get the MLIS. We’ve moved the SLIS to temporaryspace in the Old Electrical Engineering Building. Our new perma-

nent space will be in Mary Gates Hall. It’s high-visibility space, high-technology space.

CM: And you’re keeping your big signs?

ME: I hope that five years from now, we won’tneed signs, because everyone—every undergradu-ate, secretary, medical researcher on campus—willknow where the School of Library and InformationScience of the University of Washington is located.

CM: You men-tioned in your key-note address thatthe MLIS curricu-lum was beingtransformed, andthat it would not bea smorgasbord.Does that meanthere will be astrong core curricu-lum?

ME: Yes. If you go to medical school or lawschool, you don’t find an optional curriculum, inwhich a student selects one course from Column A,one from Column B, and so on. Following this line ofthought, the faculty and I believe that anyone in thefield needs certain knowledge and skills. We believethat anyone in the field needs a strong foundation ininformation and library users and their behavior, ininformation services and resources, in systems andtechnology, and information policy, in managementof libraries and information organizations, as well asmanagement of library and information functionswithin organizations. And understanding the orga-nization of knowledge is of major importance in alltypes of library and information settings.

What we have done is to identify eight funda-mental areas in which we believe that all our stu-dents need instruction. We are in the process oftranslating these areas into courses and credits. Ianticipate that half of our two-year MLIS will be arequired, directed program. But we are not settingup the first full year as required, with the second yearas electives: Some of our required courses are sec-ond-year courses that require background. Forexample, we are planning a course in the instructionand training function, in teaching information lit-eracy in all types of library and information environ-ments. But we think people need a fundamentalbackground in the field, in management, systems,and user behavior before they take this course.

CM: You mean that user education will be cov-ered in the curriculum?

ME: User education will be required. We willmake sure that all students in our program take atleast one course in the user education area, thatcovers what to teach and how to go about teaching it.Special librarians, corporate information specialists,


The Eisenberg difference is to say,“The blueprint is okay, but let's beefit up, let's turbocharge it—and let'sdo as much at once as we can."

10.ALKI July 1999

Washington Profile

SLIS ad -strip in film here


school and academic librarians, public librarians—all types of librarians are doing training these days.We don’t want to throw people out there without theproper background.

CM: Can people in the field participate in discus-sions about the curriculum?

ME: Yes, we regularly meet with an advisorycommittee that provides input. We have meetingswith the Alumni Association and with State Librarypeople. We’ve had open meetings with students, anda number of general meetings.

CM: How can people on the east side of the stateparticipate in the development of the SLIS?

ME: We recognize our responsibility to the wholestate, and we will fulfill it. I think maybe we need aschool van trip to the east side this coming year,where we send faculty out to conduct discussions, dosome in-service, and work with people in the field.We’re also going to do a lot more through technology.By taking advantage of developing technology, webelieve we can be a school of the whole state.

Here’s another thing I have been pushing: I thinkwe need to bring together the various library organi-zations in the state, to help create a more unitedlibrary community. It’s very confusing to newcomersand to students. We have done a good job of dividing

ourselves up; now we need to find ways to bring us together. I hopethat WLA, ACRL, the Washington Library Media Association, theSpecial Libraries Association, and so on, can start to figure outways to bring library people together. I’d like to see a singlemembership for all our students, so they would get membership inevery library professional organization in the state for a singlesmall fee. This would be a short-term investment with a long-termpayoff.

CM: The possibility of a distance-education MLIS is of greatinterest in many areas of the state.

ME: What we are looking at is the model used by Illinois andSyracuse, which would include short residences at the Universityof three to five days each. There would be a kick-off in the summerto give students a chance to meet the faculty, to establish thecohort bond, and also to lay out the technological basis for thedelivery of the rest of the program. Following the kick-off, studentswould take a series of courses primarily through the Web. Probablyonce a quarter, perhaps for an extended week-end, they wouldcome to campus to touch base and kick off the next set of courses.We think this approach will satisfy the needs of people in thelargest number of communities. We hope to minimize the face-to-face contact, but maximize the impact, and then develop a programthat people can do from their desktops. Students would makeabout three trips to Seattle per year.

CM: When will this program be ready?


Washington Profile ?

Kids killing kids. Many, many kids entering high schoolalready viewing themselves as losers. Our jobs are not just runninglibraries; we’re part of a community. The alienation of youth, fromus and from their peers, is our problem, too. More than mostadults, librarians are one-up on solutions!

Why Librarians?1) Kids come to us for help. They already think librarians know

everything because we always know where to go to find whatthey need.

2) Libraries often provide a safe, non-threatening haven for kids:from gangs, from parents, from other authority figures.

Some SuggestionsA major factor in the destructive behavior of adolescents these

days is pitifully low self-esteem. Some of the “acting-out” behaviorwe’re most familiar with may seem like a show of anger when it isactually a cry for help. Adults are so busy. Non-exploitative,meaningful jobs for kids with the very necessary reward of praiseare so scarce. Sad to realize how grateful young people are thesedays to even have their opinion asked about anything! Here aresome proven ways that librarians working with youth have madea difference:• Accept youthful offenders needing to do community service.

Put them to work critiquing your YA collection. They’ll want toget a library card to check out your YA books!

• Create a position for a youth representative on your libraryboard, or start a Youth Advisory Group.

• Form a group of local young people to redecorate your J or YAareas.

• Hold youth art shows, poster contests, poetry contests.• Give young people a forum for their stories, especially for

teenage folklore, which belongs to them. They are naturalstorytellers!

• Make a special point to compliment the creative clothing of ourGothic patrons.

Success Stories1) Barbara Kingsolver told a convention of librarians that her

high school librarian saved her from becoming a motorcyclemoll! (See her book, High Tide in Tucson.)

2) The public librarian in his tiny Idaho town put Michael Dorrison the road to writing by giving him the books he requested,regardless of whether they were shelved in the children’s oradult section.

Get involved with youth. Trust me, you will never be sorry. Andfinally, for simple, gutsy inspiration, read Educating Esme, byEsme Codell!

Youth Involvement (Especially withLibrarians) Saves Lives

by Evie Wilson-Lingbloom

Evie Wilson-Lingbloom is Managing Librarian at the EdmondsLibrary.

1999 CAYAS Award for VisionaryLibrary Service to Youth

Presented toEvie Wilson-Lingbloom

Evie Wilson-Lingbloom,1999 winner of theCAYAS Visionary Award.

The CAYASAward for VisionaryLibrary Service toYouth recognizes in-dividuals who,through their prac-tice and example,provide inspirationand leadership forothers who servechildren and youngadults in libraries.At the CAYAS AuthorBreakfast duringWLA’s Annual Con-ference in Pasco,CAYAS presentedthe 1999 Visionary Award to Evie Wilson-Lingbloom.

Evie Wilson-Lingbloom is an author, re-viewer, mentor, spokesperson, and public ser-vice librarian. Her book, Hangin’ Out at RockyCreek (Scarecrow Press, 1994), is regarded bymany librarians as the ultimate text on youngadult services in public libraries. Evie hasserved as member of the Council and ExecutiveBoard of the American Library Association, aspresident of Young Adult Library Services Asso-ciation, and as a member of many nationallibrary committees, including ALA’s “Best Booksfor Young Adults” Committee. She has also beenactive in WLA, and has led workshops for CAYASand other organizations. At quarterly meetingsof WASHYARG (Washington Young Adult Re-viewing Group), she inspires other young adultlibrarians with her booktalks of favorite adultbooks for young adults. Currently, Evie man-ages the Edmonds branch of the Sno-Isle Re-gional Library System.

A natural leader, Evie Wilson-Lingbloomhas served libraries for more than twenty years.Through her leadership locally and nationally,she inspires excellence in all who come intocontact with her. CAYAS is honored to havebestowed this recognition on Evie at the 1999Annual Conference.

12.ALKI July 1999

Two CAYAS Workshops


by Jennifer Merry

Jennifer Merry is Children’s Services Librarian atEllensburg Public Library and a board member ofCAYAS.

Wendy Aman, Mike Eisenberg, and Kay Evey discuss school libraries.Photo by Tony Wilson.

The Inside Scoop: What You Need to Knowabout Schools and School Libraries: WLAAnnual Conference 1999

At this year’s Annual Conference, CAYAS wasproud to sponsor a workshop about school libraries.Entitled “The Inside Scoop: What You Need to Knowabout Schools and School Libraries,” the workshopwas divided into two sessions. The first sessionpresented information on research and curriculum;the second was a question-and-answer exchangebetween a three-person panel and the audience.

The presenters represented various viewpointson school libraries. Dr. Mike Eisenberg, Director ofthe University of Washington School of Library andInformation Science, supplied the academic per-spective; Kay Evey, Tukwila Elementary School, pro-vided the school librarian’s view; and Wendy Aman,of Aman & Associates, presented the vendor’s role inthe discussions. Among the topics covered were the“Big 6,” AR (Accelerated Reading) programs, state-mandated testing, site-based management, and otherchallenges facing schools and school libraries. Dur-ing the second session, audience members had manyopportunities to share their viewpoints as well as toask questions. In addition, there was a call for actionfor partnerships between public and school libraries.

Developed by Mike Eisenberg and RobertBerowitz, the “Big 6” is a process for teaching infor-mation problem-solving skills. These skills enablestudents to be effective users of ideas and informa-tion. There are six levels in the “Big 6 Skills Model”:1. Task definition: define the problem, and identify

the information needed;2. Information seeking strategies: determine all

possible resources, and select the best source;3. Location and access: locate sources, and find

information within the sources;4. Use of information: engage (e.g. read, hear, view),

and extract relevant information;5. Synthesis: organize information from multiple

sources, and present it; and6. Evaluation: judge the result, and judge the

process.

During the workshop, technology and technol-ogy skills were also discussed in the “Big 6” context.E-mail, the World Wide Web, spreadsheets, andgrammar checks may all be parts in the “Big 6”approach to teaching information literacy.

Challenges facing schools today are many andvaried. Often, school librarians are caught in thecross-fire, as schools struggle to deal with transi-tions, changes, and new state mandates. Much of

the workshop centered on these issues.AR, the acronym for “Accelerated Reading,” is a hot topic in

many schools. Essentially, AR is an incentive reading program forchildren that awards points to readers based on a rating of the bookread. A lively debate ensued over whether AR is a positive ornegative program for kids, with panel and audience memberssharing their varying opinions on this issue. Wendy Aman de-scribed how publishers determine AR ratings, and Kay Evey andMike Eisenberg discussed the impact of AR in schools.

Are state-mandated tests the answer to today’s educationalchallenges? This subject garnered much debate as well as infor-mation-seeking by workshop attenders. How schools deal withstate-mandated testing sparked a lively discussion. Participants

considered whether some kids lose out in the process of adaptingcurricula following adoption of state-mandated tests.

Site-based management is another issue in today’s schoollibraries. Increasingly, school librarians are becoming an “endan-gered species,” as site-managed schools decide to eliminate theposition of school library media specialist. Many participants wereupset over this trend. With site-based management, will the long-range educational impact of cutting professional school librarystaffing be fully understood or considered? Can a parent-volunteeror a library assistant manage the school library and provide theappropriate support for students? These questions were hotlydebated.

A call for cooperative action between public librarians andschool librarians was a focus in seeking solutions to the manychallenges discussed. Jeanne Crisp of Washington State Libraryidentified the UMI database-sharing project as one way in whichschool and public librarians can come together. Jerene Battisti ofRenton Public Library encouraged all public and school librarians


Hiring? Firing? Evaluating? These three little words becomereally hot potatoes when uttered in any workplace. Horror storiesabound; rumors and wry remarks roam the lunchrooms andhallways. Beneath all of this unease lies the real problem: manylibrary boards are ill-prepared, have no paper trail, and often don’thave some professional tools necessary to succeed in this part oftheir job.

“Fond Farewells, Bold Beginnings” became more than thegeneral conference theme at Washington Library Association Con-ference 1999. It also mirrored the presentation topics of Jack Cole,author of Selecting a Library Director. Cole, a recipient of theAmerican Library Trustee Association’s 1998 ALA Trustee Citationfor distinguished service to library development, is trustee andpresident of Hennepin County Library Board (Minnesota). JoiningMr. Cole for his second workshop were Victoria Parker, Director,Orcas Island Library District, and Ned M. Barnes, attorney at lawand a trustee of the Spokane Public Library.

The search and hiring process results in a “Bold Beginning” fora community when the library board plans and follows a legal, fair,and timely schedule. A suggested time-line from resignation toreplacement was 90 to 120 days. Composition of the selectioncommittee is the board’s decision. Some call upon a group ofcitizens from outside the board; others also hope to include peoplewith some not-for-profit or personnel experience. One commentfrom Cole: “Never have your current director on the search commit-tee!!” This raised a few good-natured eyebrows among attendees.

The board and search group need to be clear on the scope ofthe geographic search area. This will have a budget effect, in termsof travel, telephone, and time expenses. State laws vary on man-dates for director qualifications. Legal obligations on referencedisclosures must be understood and followed. The board’s searchcommittee needs the confidence and trust of the library staff, theboard, and the public.

A “Bold Beginning” sounds daunting to library boards prepar-ing to hire a library director. Depending on how “hot” the resigna-tion/firing scene, there may be good reason to hire an outsideconsultant (“head-hunter”) to help in a timely hiring. What’s thesalary these days? What does this job require of us and the newdirector? How can we, the members of the board, repair damageand move onto future library projects? Dilemmas like these can behandled by outside help. Library boards with current job descrip-tions, search procedures, and their homework done are able topursue their hiring tasks themselves.

Panelists discussing the varieties of interview proceduresmentioned an activity called “Assessment Center.” Upon queryfrom the audience, panelist Parker went on to describe the scene

Hot Potatoes !!The Hiring, Firing, and Evaluating ofthe Library Director

by Kathleen Ardrey

in which the job candidates were given various task-solving challenges, usually with a set time. Example:each candidate is given the same set of “In-Basket”items and ten minutes to prioritize them! Anotherexample is ranking in order of importance the threeto five most significant short- and long-term chal-lenges the library faces.

The board has now accomplished the first of itsfunctions: hiring a director. But with the new librarydirector hired, how does the community maintainthe momentum of the exciting new and bold begin-ning? The board contributes to this process bycarrying out its second function: evaluating thedirector who manages the system and carries outboard policies.

The thought of evaluating anyone’s job perfor-mance dredges up memories of musical recitals,grammar-school report cards, unfair bosses, andfirst-job jitters. Cole stressed that an appraisal pro-cess is not a report card on the past, but rather anassessment on how the library is moving towards itsfuture. A regular evaluation maintains the momen-tum that began with the visions of the new director.

Library boards have numerous resources avail-able to assist them in preparing their appraisalsystems. Cole highlighted some key points:• Never evaluate on criteria that have not been

created in writing by the board ahead of time.• Set compensation discussions apart from

appraisal time.• Evaluate the first year on the job at the six-

month mark, as well as the one-year mark.• Have a paper trail! This not only maintains a

sense of legal protection for both board anddirector, but also keeps a fair and openenvironment.

Cole also suggested that the director sign receipt ofthe evaluation.

Evaluations should create competency, not con-sternation. This is the opportunity for the board anddirector to identify what was done, what wasn’t doneand why, and what will be done in the future.

Firing a library director? How did a “Fond Fare-well” turn into “Fiery Farewell”? Numbers of direc-tors receive few or no regular evaluations of their jobperformances. This lack of formal feedback can leadto terminations unnecessarily painful for both direc-tor and board. This situation places the communityright back to the initial problem: library services and

Kathleen Ardrey served as President, Friends of Seattle PublicLibrary; Chair, Washington Library Friends & TrusteesAssociation; and is currently on the Alki Committee. (Continued on page 16)

14.ALKI July 1999

The Master of Library Science degree serves asthe national benchmark for entry into the ranks ofprofessional librarians. No such benchmark cur-rently exists for support staff. Job classifications,descriptions, and titles vary from organization toorganization, state to state, and across the country.Support staff moving from place to place must trans-late their education and experience to fit local re-quirements each time they seek employment in anew locale. On both the national and state levelsthere are movements to make this process easierthrough a certification process.

The National LevelThe Support Staff Interests Round Table (SSIRT)

of the American Library Association (ALA) conducteda survey between January and June of 1997 todetermine the top issues of concern to support staff.While the survey listed the lack of a professionalcertification program as an issue, it did not finish inthe top three. (Survey results may be found throughthe Library Support Staff Resource Center at http://www.lib.rochester.edu/ssp/survey1.htm). In re-sponse to the survey results, SSIRT is concentratingits attention on career ladders, compensation, andaccess to continuing education. Certification may ormay not play a role in addressing these top staffconcerns.

The national leader on the certification issue isthe Council on Library/Media Technicians (COLT).The organization attempted to raise the issue in themid-1980s, but met with strong resistance from thelibrary community, due to perceptions that the cer-tification would simply be a watered-down MLS. Asadvances in technology brought about immensechange in the roles of support staff within libraries,interest in certification revived. COLT responded byissuing a position paper in June of 1997 (see http://library.ucr.edu/COLT). They recognize that librarysystems have their own position descriptions, butseek to develop uniform standards applicable acrosslocal, state, and national boundaries. To aid this

Certification of Library Support Staff:National and State Level Progress

by Sue Anderson and Kathy Bullene

process, the position paper states that COLT is committed todeveloping and administering a national standards examination.COLT proposes to help meet the increasing demand for skilledlibrary workers by establishing a portable credential for employeeswho choose not to pursue the MLS.

COLT has continued to explore the certification issue. InJanuary 1998, the organization sponsored a program at ALA Mid-Winter conference entitled “Certification for Library/Media Sup-port Staff: Impact on Libraries.” Summarized in the March 1998issue of the electronic journal Associates, the program expandedon COLT’s basic position. COLT sees certification as voluntary,rather than mandatory. Passing a nationally recognized test wouldshow that the certificate holder possessed specific skill levels andknowledge. Members discussed the possibilities of publicizing themeaning and benefits of certification through electronic networks.

According to Margaret Barron, COLT Education CommitteeChairperson, certification remains a hot topic. Response to aprogram she presented at the COLT annual conference held inDetroit April 7-10, 1999, revealed that approaches to certificationvary widely throughout the library community. Some groups arediscussing a national certificate obtained through examination,others are advocating a voluntary certificate of achievement, andstill others are just now considering the concept. COLT is movingtoward developing study guides, and then an actual examinationfor the national approach. Ultimately, the goal is to allow theindividual with a combination of formal education, work experi-ence, and continuing education units to be able to obtain aportable credential.

The State LevelThe purpose of state certification is to assure that libraries

have qualified library personnel to provide excellent library serviceto patrons. This goal may best be achieved by setting performancemeasures aimed at encouraging the development of quality libraryservice; having certified staff is one such measure.

Several state libraries in conjunction with their state libraryassociations have developed certification processes. Althoughmany are in place for public librarians, all library personnel,including support staff, may apply—are even encouraged to do so.Each of these states has a certification board to oversee theprocess, and each program contains several certification levels.The most basic level requires a high school diploma or GED. Someprovide a level for an associate degree in a two-year librarytechnician curriculum. Several states also maintain a level for abachelor’s degree in a subject other than library science. Thehighest level provides for a master’s degree in library science.

All these certification programs add other components. Col-lege-level classes in library science as well as work experience,either paid or voluntary, are two such elements. Attendance atworkshops, program presentations and teaching, publication,participation in library associations, and continuing educationprogram opportunities are considered.

Oklahoma has a certification process in place. A “Support

Kathy Bullene is Library Specialist Supervisor, JFKLibrary, Eastern Washington University. As lastyear’s winner of the WLA Scholarship for GraduateStudy, she was an intern on the Alki Committee.Sue Anderson is Coordinator of Support Services,Spokane Falls Community College Library, and amember of the Alki Committee. Both Sue and Kathyare recent MLS graduates from the School ofInformation Resources and Library Science at theUniversity of Arizona.


Staff Certificate” is issued upon completion of the core curriculumplus requirements specific to support staff. Certificates must berenewed every three years or the certificate expires. Course workmust be completed within three years after applying for certification.

In Iowa, certification begins with a first level that may beobtained by support staff who have at least a high school diplomaor GED and who complete two public library management classes.Additional work experience or college credit, or a bachelor’s degreeand additional college work, may be completed to obtain higherlevels of certification.

Unless a person has graduated from a university, Texasrequires either paid or voluntary work experience in a librarywithin the past five years when applying for a certificate. Inaddition, a basic level certificate requires graduation from highschool or a GED; higher levels require completion of college-levelclasses.

In Michigan, certification is based on education and experi-ence. The basic level requires a high school diploma or GED;another level recognizes the associate degree in a two-year librarytechnician program. Other levels require a bachelor’s degree withadditional college credit in a subject other than library science.

Support staff in New York chose another route for certification.

In 1992, the New York State Library AssistantsAssociation (NYSLAA) developed a statewide “Certifi-cate of Achievement” for library support staff. By1995, a two-year test program was started, with thefirst eight certificates awarded that year. This pro-gram evaluates accomplishments in the library fieldand identifies various levels of achievement.

While acknowledging that each library employeemust be measured on his or her specific abilities,some states are committed to supporting qualitypreparation for their library personnel. Many haveadded components for support staff in their certifica-tion programs for public librarians. Support staffcan enhance their skills and knowledge through thecertification process and extend their achievementsthrough continuing education. Certification for sup-port staff upgrades the library profession, enrichessupport staff, and promotes quality library service tothe community.

wale ad - pick- up film

16.ALKI July 1999

visions lose their momentum, the search process hasto be cranked up, and negative energy gets wastedthrowing around the “hot potato.”

Hiring a library director creates the “Bold Begin-ning” for a community. Evaluating the director in aprepared, professional, and timely manner main-tains a healthy momentum. With these two proce-dures in place, a library board may never have toconsider the firing of a library director.

Hot Potatoes!! (Continued from page 13)

No. 1:1975: The electric pencil or stylus is used chiefly for:

a) charging booksb) lettering on backs of booksc) making stencilsd) erasing pencil marks

vs.1999: Please illustrate the most effective way toremove a golf pencil from the A drive.

No. 2:1975: Of the following fictional characters, the oneNOT properly grouped with the others as the creationof the same author is:

a) Bottomb) Benvolioc) Quasimodod) Petrucchio

vs.1999: Of the following actresses in movies somehowassociated with the above-referred author, whichhas not appeared on the cover of People Magazine inthe past year?

a) Calista Flockhartb) Cait Blanchettc) Gwyneth Paltrow

The 1975 ARCO Civil ServiceTest Tutor: Librarianvs.What Librarians Need to Know Now

by Angelina Benedetti

“Then” questions are from: Librarian: the Complete StudyGuide for Scoring High. 4th ed. New York: Arco, 1975 (Part of theseries, Arco Civil Service Test Tutors). “Now” questions are byAngelina Benedetti, Young Adult Services Librarian, RedmondLibrary, and were part of her presentation at Society Gaius JuliusV. Solinus Washingtonius.


Angelina Benedetti tests her colleagues at Solinus.Photo by Tony Wilson.

ReferencesCole, Jack. Selecting a Library Director: A Workbook for Members of aSelection Committee. St. Paul, MN: Friends of the Library Development andServices Library, 1996.

Corbus, Larry. “Taking Charge of Micromanagers.” American Libraries 30(Feb. 1999): 26-28.

Curran, Charles and Robert C. Davidson. “Sometimes the Roof Doesn’tJust Leak, It Caves In!” American Libraries 30 (Feb. 1999): 29-31.


For many of us, public speaking inspires as much fear andloathing as death and taxes. As librarians, though, we need torealize and prepare for the fact that public speaking is also just asinescapable as death and taxes. As much as we complain aboutthe stereotype of librarians as seen in the popular press, wesometimes like to delude ourselves into thinking that we really dohave quiet jobs that do not require us to be great orators. Ourlibrary schools all too often ignore the need of our profession totrain new librarians as public speak-ers, and even our high schools andundergraduate institutions are under-funding or phasing out opportunitiesto learn public speaking techniques.But as Twila Meaker and Liz Hawkins1

illustrated through personal stories andgreat anecdotes, library people need tobe prepared to inform, persuade, andcall to action our patrons, lawmakers,and community members. We will bemore effective educators, librarians,and library lobbyists if we stop beingostriches about recognizing the neces-sity for public speaking, and take thetime to learn the basics.

As presented by Twila and Liz,learning the basics of public speakingcan be easy and enjoyable. Their livelypresentation at the WLA Annual Con-ference was enthusiastically receivedby a room full of people attending theirsession. These two members of Toast-masters brought their message to the audience through an easy-to-remember acronym, BOOKS. Through BOOKS, they empha-sized the need to• pay attention to your Body,• Organize your thoughts,• Organize your presentation,• Know your material, and• Smile.

What I found refreshing about this presentation was thepresenters’ firm conviction that being more self-assured as speak-ers was a necessity for librarians and their emphasis on techniquesof good public speaking that have been glossed over in most of thepresentations and articles that I have seen in our literature.Instead of spending all of their time telling us how to organize ourspeeches and how to perfect our introductions, Twila and Liz spentmost of their time inspiring us through anecdotes and instructionabout what I will call the physical aspects of giving a presenta-tion.

During your education, how many times did you have topresent your case orally in front of an audience? Not nearly so

Death, Taxes, and Public Speakingby Karen R. Diller


often, I suspect, as you had to write it. Yet in yourcareer, how many times have you had to write yourresponse to the city council, write your argument formore collection development money, or present yourbibliographic instruction session in writing? All toooften, a novice speaker will prepare for a presenta-tion in the same way she prepares for a writtenarticle. After all, isn’t that what our educational

training has prepared us to do?We prepare for a task in the

ways with which we are mostfamiliar or comfortable. Usingcomfortable article-writingmethods is not sufficient, how-ever, when it comes to prepar-ing an oral presentation. A nov-ice speaker needs to rememberthat the physical preparation ofa speech—the way he uses hisbody and his voice, the way sheprepares and uses visual aids,and the way he prepares theroom—will be extremely impor-tant to the reception of thatspeech. Time should be delib-erately allocated to preparingand practicing these aspects ofthe presentation, just as timeneeds to be allocated for theorganization of thoughts andwords. Through their words,

their demonstrated examples, and a memorable skit,Twila and Liz gave their audience plenty of instruc-tion on how to use gestures, facial expressions, voice,and movement to enhance rather than distract fromtheir presentations. They also discussed and pro-vided a handout about preparing visual aids. Visualaids often become visual distractions because theyare too complicated, visually busy, or unreadable.Following Liz and Twila’s advice, though, one canprepare visual aids that will help to illustrate impor-tant points in the speech, and enhance the overalleffect of the message.

Not only were Twila and Liz entertaining andinformative during their prepared presentation, butthey were able also to pass on helpful, but little-talked-about, tips in their answers to audience ques-tions. They both provided input to a question abouthow to handle responses to impromptu questions.Here again, they emphasized appearance and tech-nique as much as content. A respondent should giveherself organization time by standing up, taking adeep breath, and repeating the question. When shehas thought of the point she would like to make, sheshould be succinct, use an example, summarize, and

Karen R. Diller is Assistant Campus Librarian, Washington StateUniversity Vancouver.

18.ALKI July 1999

Washington Profile

In the last few months, a fellow librarian and Ihave been evaluating our library’s Web site. We areplanning a detailed redesign of the site and hope tounveil it soon. One aspect of this endeavor is deter-mining how to make our users aware of the changesto the Web site. With this challenge in mind and withabsolutely no knowledge of advertising, I have beensearching for tips on how to market the library’s Webservices. At WLA’s Annual Conference, Neel Parikhand Cindy Cunningham1 provided some handy andinteresting ideas for marketing a library’s physicaland virtual space.

One of the first pieces of information provided byNeel was a complete definition of the concept ofmarketing. Many of us, including myself, often equatemarketing with public relations or advertising. Mar-keting, however, involves a whole cycle of develop-ment: defining the cus-tomer, finding out theneeds of the customer,designing a product orservice to meet thatneed and, finally, ad-vertising the product. Ina way, as Neel men-tioned, most of what li-braries do can bethought of as marketing. We are constantly trying toidentify our users and their information needs, andthen we develop services to meet these needs.

We should remember, however, to market to ourentire community of users. It is relatively easy todesign and advertise services for active library usersbecause they are already using the library. There isa great need, though, to connect with non-users anddetermine why they are not using the library andwhat kind of services the library could provide forthem. This is especially true for culturally and/oreconomically diverse communities. Neel offered sometips on how to develop marketing strategies for thesepopulations of non-users. The biggest step is to getout there, see what the communities are like, andtalk with the leaders. Get involved with communityactivities, such as parades or fairs. Try to make thelibrary comfortable to various groups in the commu-nity. Empower the library staff as representatives ofthe library and as community members themselves.Finally, I would also add that we need to rememberto market ourselves: a library’s staff is essential tothe quality and type of service a library provides. Weoften forget to inform our users of this.

Many of the concepts mentioned above work ina library’s online space as well as its physical space.With the ever-developing and expanding online envi-

Searching for Marketing Tipsby Nicole Campbell

ronment, libraries now have a population of users that may nevercome into the library building. We need to market to these virtualusers as well. Though it can be difficult to determine who theseusers are, there are ways, as Cindy mentioned, to develop andmarket services that will be useful to them. For one, it is importantto create a frictionless experience for all users, especially virtualusers. Eliminate as many stops or turning points as possible so theuser is not ping-ponged around the site. Also, be aware of the lookand feel of virtual space by making sure it is comfortable andappealing to various groups and by creating categorizations andwording that work for these diverse groups.

Another idea is to think of library Web pages as portals,gateways or starting points to the rest of the Internet. The basicpremise is that you want users to know that even if your Web sitedoes not include something, it will tell the user where to look for it.Yahoo is an example of this. In a sense, libraries are portals. Wedo not have everything in our grasp, but we at least move people

in the right direction to fulfillingtheir need. Libraries are oftenpeople’s starting points to find-ing information. The next step isto make library Web sites intoportals for our virtual users.Cindy talked about several meth-ods for doing this. First, thinkabout what people are lookingfor on the Web and where they

look for it; then add links to this on your library’s Web site. Second,try to link to community pages, local schools, and local informationsites because these are useful items for the library community.Finally, make sure people know the library Web site exists byadvertising the URL. Put the URL everywhere!

One final idea came from an audience member. She hadrecently conducted a focus group with some of her users anddiscovered that they really thought their library Web page neededa shopping cart similar to those found on the Amazon and Barnes& Noble Web sites. The idea is that users could then place itemsthey find interesting in their carts as they do research or search thelibrary catalog; they could also create their own compilations ofinformation. This could be another part of making a library’s Website into a portal. What if users could somehow save the informa-tion they find while wandering the Web and the library into theirown library shopping cart? Their library’s Web site would becomethe ultimate Web portal. Of course, who knows if this is possible?

I came away from the discussion with a better understandingof marketing and some very good ideas to apply to my library’s Website. Before you start marketing your library, it is vital to rememberto look at the entire community, and to try and develop strategiesfor all the various groups in the community. Be aware of what isgoing on in the community, both in a physical sense and in thevirtual world, and make sure that people know about the libraryand what it does for them. As for me, I am going to explore creatinga library portal and maybe developing that shopping cart as well.

1Cindy Cunningham of Amazon.com and Neel Parikh, Library Director ofPierce County Library System, led a session entitled “Marketing LibraryServices” at the Annual Conference of the Washington Library Association,April 29, 1999.

Nicole Campbell is Reference Librarian, WashingtonState University Vancouver.

We need to remember to marketourselves: a library’s staff isessential to the quality and typeof service a library provides.


sit down. During this question and answer period, Twila and Lizalso gave an illustrative demonstration of proper podium etiquette,something that is rarely, if ever, addressed in the library literatureon public speaking.

I hope that we will see more emphasis on the techniques ofpublic speaking in our library schools, our literature, and ourconferences. “Public Speaking 101” by Twila and Liz was just thekind of introduction to good public speaking that we need. Now wemust follow it up with hands-on workshops for those who areinterested in increasing the impact of their presentations. We haveopportunities every day to affect the behavior and actions ofchildren, young adults, students, library administrators, commu-

Death, Taxes and Public Speaking(continued from page 17)

Interest Groups are the heart of WLA. They involve members in planning for conference programs and continuing education.At left, WALE meets at the 1999 WLA Annual Conference to plan its upcoming events; at right, SRRT considers programs tosponsor at the 2000 Conference. Photos by Tony Wilson.

nity activists, and lawmakers. These opportunitiesmay be brief, but they can be extremely effective if wehave the right tools at hand. What we need to realizeis that facts, figures, and passion do not completeour personal toolboxes. To be effective, we must addthe tools of poise, confidence, and good speakinghabits. And we need to convince our educators thattraining new librarians in these skills is essential tothe success of the profession.

1“Putting Your Best Foot Forward Instead of In Your Mouth:Public Speaking 101,” was presented at the 1999 AnnualWLA Conference by Liz Hawkins, Branch Manager of theEvergreen Branch Library, and Twila Meaker, Everett busi-ness owner.

More Conference Views

Another outstandingSolinus presentation, thisone by Lorraine Jackson.Photo by Tony Wilson.

20.ALKI July 1999

IG UpdateReaching Out

by Tom Reynolds

Let’s all remember that the Dr. Laura situationis NOT about Go Ask Alice! or about TeenHoopla. It’s merely another battle in the warover minors’ access to information. We shouldrespond to these challenges just like we alwayshave: with an absolute defense [of] kids’ FirstAmendment rights.—Charles Harmon, Director of Publishing, Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. (Harmon).

The issue of self-censorship in the professionhas been on my mind for a while, but I could neverfind the right catalyst for a discussion of this issuein “Who’s on First?.” Then,while attending the springmeeting of a group of YoungAdult Services librarians, agroup that meets quarterly toreview books for youngadults, I heard an animateddiscussion about a contro-versial young adult novel. Theconversation evolved into adiscussion of the restric-tions—real and perceived—that librarians face in pur-chasing such titles for theircollections.

The book in question wasBeauty Queen, a novel by Linda Glovach about ayoung woman with a heroin habit who becomes anexotic dancer. The initial review of the book wasnegative, and subsequent comments showed thatthe group was divided over the book’s quality. Butas the talk continued, the participants began toreflect on the difficulties they face in justifying thepurchases of such titles in their respective librarysettings. Without getting into the specifics of thisparticular discussion, I want to examine some of theissues that were raised.

When it comes to purchasing controversial ma-terials, many librarians find themselves asking thequestion, “Is it worth defending?” This is particu-larly the case in school libraries, where budgets aretight and supporting the curriculum rather than

Is It Worth Defending?Self-Censorship: Should We Just Accept It?

providing information to the general public is the library’s primarygoal. But public libraries are not immune to this concern, and thequestion that librarians have to ask is whether certain materialsare not being purchased primarily because of fear that theirpurchase will be challenged. If so, self-censorship is at work.

It goes without saying that all libraries should have writtenpolicies on materials selection that will guide their collectiondevelopment and guard against arbitrary actions. Still, selectionpolicies depend on individual librarians for implementation; andthis is where attitudes, fears, and perceptions play a key role inwhat gets purchased and what doesn’t.

One key variable generally used when assessing materials forpurchase is quality. Reviews are checked, and the reputation of

the author and sometimes thepublisher is considered. Thisevaluation is valid up to a point—but watch out! Quality argumentscan be used to reject the selec-tion of controversial titles thatwould otherwise be purchasedbecause of their popularity. Manyof the controversial selection de-cisions made in Washington overthe last eight years have involvedrejection of materials because oftheir quality. You know the argu-ment: If I can’t justify buying it onthe basis of reviews, then I won’tbuy it, even if I think it would be

popular with its target audience. When such a decision is based onbudgetary considerations, it may be justifiable. When it is based onthe fear of being challenged, it isn’t.

So the answer to the question, “Do librarians practice self-censorship?” is yes. Many librarians do practice self-censorship,and many who do so also agonize over doing it. A more fundamen-tal question is this: “As a profession, should we accept and justifyself-censorship?” I think the answer to that question is clearly no.

Every materials selection decision is and should be based ona number of factors: selection policy, quality, popularity, and cost.Each factor is, in a sense, unique. But most good materialsselection policies do not identify “controversial” materials as itemsfor special review or justification.

Self-censorship to some degree will always be with us. But Ialso think that if libraries follow a few simple rules, self-censorshipwill be kept to a minimum:• Apply your materials selection policy uniformly. Don’t set

up special hurdles for so-called “controversial” materials.• Balance popularity and quality in your selection decisions,

Tom Reynolds is a librarian at the EdmondsLibrary.

If the question, “Is it worthdefending?” becomes theparamount concern whenselecting certain types ofmaterial, then the censorshave put you on thedefensive.


IG Update

Tom Reynolds

and be sure you are applying these criteria uniformly inselecting for all age groups.

• Don’t overreact to the most recent materials challenge,organized protest, or talk show comment critical of amaterial in the library.

If the question, “Is it worth defending?” becomes the para-mount concern when selecting certain types of material, then thecensors have put you on the defensive. You are practicing self-censorship if you reject material simply because such materialmight be challenged.

WLA Revisits Policies on Intellectual FreedomOn April 28, at the Annual Conference of the Washington

Library Association in Pasco, WLA Vice President/President ElectCindy Cunningham chaired a meeting to brainstorm ideas forchanging and/or updating WLA’s two most important intellectualfreedom documents: the “Freedom to Read” statement originallypassed in 1959, and the “Intellectual Freedom in Libraries” docu-ment passed in 1971. As the discussion progressed, it becameclear to those attending that because of the outdated language inthese two statements, there needed to be “a new documentexpressing the Association’s position/vision on IF/freedom ofexpression” as these apply to Washington libraries (Ravagni).

The group charged the Intellectual Freedom Committee chairedby Char Ravagni to begin working on a one-page “affirmativestatement addressing all formats, types of libraries, types ofcommunities and patrons” to be written in jargon-free language(Ravagni). The draft statement will be ready for initial review atWLA’s June board retreat, and Cindy says that it will be presentedto the membership via e-mail for comment over the summer(Cunningham).

Certainly it is time for WLA to update these two essentialstatements and to recommit itself to maintaining intellectualfreedom and access to information for all in Washington libraries.Apparently the core group that met at Pasco identified about thirtyelements they felt should be addressed in any revision of thesestatements. WLA members may have other suggestions.

For me, one issue that must be addressed in any revision of the“Intellectual Freedom in Libraries” document is the appropriate-ness of Internet filtering for libraries, particularly academic andpublic libraries. According to the American Library Association’sOffice of Intellectual Freedom, as of April, eighteen state libraryassociations had adopted Internet filtering statements (Wood).(Some of these statements can be viewed from links provided on theOffice of Intellectual Freedom Web site, at http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/intr_inf.html#iupifs.) Most either mirror ALA’s policystatements in this area, or place the state association in generalopposition to Internet filtering in libraries. It is time for WLA tomake a strong statement about this issue. Regardless of whatindividual library systems are doing, as our state association, WLAshould unequivocally maintain that providing access to onlineinformation for all age groups is a core value of libraries inWashington.

Will ALA Revise Guidance on Filtering?WLA’s revision of its intellectual freedom documents comes at

a very opportune time. A strong stand by Washington will helpsupport ALA at a time when many voices are asking the nationalassociation to rethink its policy on filtering.

After ALA’s first-ever meeting with representatives of Internetfiltering companies, President Anne Symons told Library Journalthat it might be time to send ALA’s 1997 resolution on filtering backto the Intellectual Freedom Committee for review. This comment

“raised a firestorm of re-sponse on [various]listservs, with several[ALA] Council membersaffirming the resolution”;and Symons clarified herstatement by saying thatshe “absolutely did meanthat the resolution shouldstand. I do not anticipateany changes in policy”(Oder). But in the samebreath, she made it clearthat she expected the In-tellectual Freedom Com-mittee to take a look atthe resolution and at ALA’s interpretation of it.

Two issues seemed to have arisen at the Marchmeeting. One is whether unrestricted children’s ac-cess to electronic information should be a goal of ALApolicy, and by extension, of American libraries ingeneral. The other issue is more subtle, but poten-tially just as important. In the post-summit rhetoricof ALA officials, I’m hearing a lot about somethingcalled “Web management.” This appears to be aneffort to move discussion away from the polarizationof the pro-filter/anti-filter debate, and toward aneffort to promote some of ALA’s other goals, such aspatron-activated filters and librarian involvement inthe modification of filtering software to cut down onblocking. All this seems reasonable, but there is ahidden danger in this new rhetoric.

The moral strength of ALA’s position has beenand will remain its willingness to call filtering by itsreal name—censorship. This is the reason ALA hascome under such vicious attack even from some inthe library community. The one thing the censorsfear most is being called censors.

Why do only 15% of public libraries use filters?—Because they know that filtering means restrictingaccess to information. And who tells them this con-sistently throughout its policies and rhetoric?—ALA.A weakening of ALA’s rhetoric on this important issuemay prove expedient in getting better “Web manage-ment,” but it will also likely lead to more filtering andrestrictions on access in public libraries throughoutthe U.S.

I will revisit this subject, particularly with regardto the important question of minors’ access, in myDecember column.

ReferencesCunningham, Cindy. Internet e-mail communication to theauthor. May 17. 1999.Glovach, Linda. Beauty Queen. New York: HarperCollins,1998.

Harmon, Charles. “Go Ask Alice!”, YALSA listserv message.May 4, 1999.

Ravagni, Char. Internet e-mail communication to theauthor. May 20, 1999.Oder, Norman. “ALA’s Symons Says IFC Should ReviseGuidance on Filters.” Library Journal 124 (7) (Apr. 15,1999): 14-15.

Wood, D. Internet e-mail communication to the author.April 20, 1999.

22.ALKI July 1999

Reaching Out

The development of the Stevens County RuralLibrary District (SCRLD) represents a modern chap-ter in the evolution of Washington public libraries.Stevens County is the third largest in geographicarea in the state, but also has one of the smallestpopulations, with 27,000 of its 36,000 residentsliving in rural areas. These conditions pose chal-lenges for library development and service; but dur-ing its first year of operation, SCRLD has madeimpressive progress.

Stevens County Rural Library Distract is thefirst new district formed in the state since 1981. Itis the first library sys-tem to embrace a heavytechnology focus fromits inception, and it wasamong the first in thestate to have a Web page(www.stevcolib.org).Significantly, SCRLD isalso the first Washing-ton State library districtformed without finan-cial support from thefederal government forconstruction of facilitiesand establishment ofcollections. In its firstyear of operation, theDistrict has opened sixbranches and has es-tablished contracts withStevens County’s threecity libraries. Currentlyevery citizen of Stevens County has access to freecounty library service.

Efforts to establish a county library district inStevens County started over fifteen years ago as aninitiative of the Washington State Library (WSL).Various WSL staff members beat the drum of librarysupport and development over the years—and in1996 a local “grass roots” organization called Friendsof the County Library (FOCL) succeeded in placingthe measure on the county ballot. The measurepassed by a healthy majority (64.8%) in all but twoprecincts of the county.

At the time of voter approval for the establish-ment of Stevens County Rural Library District, there

A Short History of the Stevens CountyRural Library District

by Rodger Hauge

were already a number of libraries within the county. The three citylibraries, Kettle Falls, Colville, and Chewelah, all served the ruralresidents in their regions. Kettle Falls and Colville each chargedan annual fee for that service; Chewelah offered service to countyresidents without use fees. There were also two club libraries. Onewas located in Loon Lake and had its beginnings in an old storefront, while the other was located in the Greenwood Park Grangein Hunters. Both the Library of the Lakes in Loon Lake and theHunters Community Library were operated by loyal groups ofvolunteers who continue to make valuable contributions to thesupport of their community libraries and the District. The libraryin Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation is run by the

Salish-Kootenai College and isopen to the public. This libraryhad its beginnings in a smallroom in the Spokane Tribe ad-ministrative building.

The SCRLD Board of Trust-ees was appointed in late Janu-ary 1997 by the Stevens CountyCommissioners. The Boardspent a little over a year plan-ning library service to the ruralcounty. They were assisted inthis process by a $65,500 “Upand Running” grant from WSL,by the efforts of the WSL staff,and by a number of consultantshired by the Board to assist withpublic information gathering,developing a technology plan,and drafting the library serviceplan. In addition, the Boardused grant funds to hire a part-

time secretary (who is now our library director’s administrativeassistant) to assist with organization and information processingas the District system took shape.

In the spring of 1997, the Board conducted thirteen publicmeetings in differing communities around the county to determinelibrary needs and desires. The public input at these meetingsdetermined the service goals adopted by the District. These goalswere, in order:• life-long learning;• materials for research and information; and• a browsing library.

In the fall of 1997, the Board revisited the rural regions of thecounty to share the newly developed plan and to gather commentsbefore the service plan was finalized.

A major challenge faced by the District in the planning processwas disseminating the new library services quickly to as manypeople as possible over a large geographic area. The Board wantedto avoid funneling their limited resources into one geographicallycentered facility. Instead, the focus became a system of user-

Rodger Hauge is Chair of the Board ofTrustees, Stevens County Rural LibraryDistrict.

Stevens County Rural Library District Board, left to right: RodgerHauge, Lethene Parks, Walt Kloefkorn, David King, and TomWallace.


friendly, small community libraries and even smaller librarystations. The plan (now realized) was that these small librarieswould be supported by as much modern technology as possible.The Board also found it advisable to contract with the existing citylibraries of the area, so that they too could contribute to enhancinglibrary service to rural county residents.

In May 1998, when the first tax dollars became available, theBoard hired its first district library director, Regan Robinson, toimplement and bring to reality its service plan. At the urging oflibrary supporters in Loon Lake, on July 7, 1998, the Board

purchased the old post office building to serve as the Loon LakeCommunity Library. To help make this happen, the Library of theLakes donated its collection, furnishings, and a considerableamount of money, some from a grant given by Foundation North-west. This library became the headquarters of SCRLD. Next, fivecommunity librarians were hired. These individuals divide theirtime among the various library facilities of the county system, andprovide customer service, computer training, reference help, pre-school story times, and other library service to the public. Inaddition, SCRLD established a toll free reference phone line for

county patrons.The city libraries of Kettle Falls and Colville

(since July 1, 1998) and of Chewelah (since January1, 1999) now have contracts with SCRLD that allowthem to waive non-resident fees for county residentsliving outside the municipalities. A number of newfacilities have also been established to provide con-venient access to library service. On August 13,1998, the District opened a library station in OnionCreek in the Onion Creek General Store. The Hunt-ers Community Library was opened in revitalizedquarters in the Greenwood Park Grange on October3, 1998. The Orient Library Station opened in De-cember 1998, in a trailer next to the Orient School.(Orient, though in Ferry County, serves a largenumber of Stevens County residents. The Districthas a cooperative agreement with the North CentralLibrary District to provide this service.) In January1999, SCRLD opened Lakeside Library in the southcounty community of Suncrest. And in May 1999, acommunity library opened in the old city hall ofNorthport, in cooperation with the Northport Histori-cal Society, which operates a museum in half of thebuilding.

The Board’s technology goals were given a boostfrom two sources. WSL provided hardware for apublic access computer station at each of the District’slibraries under the state “Off the Shelf” grant pro-cess. These computers allow public access to theInternet at all Stevens County Rural Library loca-tions. A contract with Spokane County Library Dis-trict, our friendly library neighbor to the southeast,provided access to their online catalog and a tie-in totheir modern computer technology. Through its ru-ral libraries, Stevens County residents are now ableto request books and other library materials from theSpokane County Library catalog, either from theirhomes, their workplaces, or a Stevens County rurallibrary facility.

Stevens County Rural Library District is becom-ing a leader in providing modern public libraryservices to patrons in a rural area. The District ishelping rural residents of the county open communi-cation links to a larger world. Yes, we are still verysmall, and yes, we still have a long way to go—but ithas been and continues to be a journey to remember.

David Remington, SRLD Consultant, and Andrea Gillaspy,Community Librarian.

“Spectra” plays at the Library of the Lakes openingcelebration, July 7, 1998.

Debbie Wakeley, Community Librarian.

24.ALKI July 1999

White collar feeling a little tight? Administrationpressuring you to develop a vision? Get your headout of that Togic binder and pay attention. Youneedn’t lose any sleep—or rather, deep cataloging—over an essentially ceremonial act that has beenperformed by millions of others before you. Justfollow the simple instructions in this handy kit, andbefore you know it, you’ll be back in the stacks whereyou belong!

Mission Statement Kitby Angelynn King

A B C

collaborate dynamic complexityevaluate critical diversitysupport informed learninglink multicultural excellencecommunicate effective cooperationestablish interrelated enrichmentaccess welcoming communityteach global resourcesshare evolving innovationfoster information synthesisimplement responsive literacyintegrate interactive expertisefacilitate remote servicenurture confidential freedomenhance intellectual cooperationseek professional partnershipsevaluate timely formatscatalyze team-based structuresutilize scholarly outcomesprovide comprehensive knowledgeexploit reciprocal inquiryenable cost-effective mediamonitor appropriate technologycoordinate educational environmentretrieve relevant relationshipspreserve viable mechanismsdevelop performance objectivesanticipate prompt liaisonsdeliver active assessmentadvance strategic ideaspromote electronic contributionsstimulate state-of-the-art principlesdisseminate strong outreachrespect excellent sharingproduce proactive competenceembrace open-ended opportunitiesorganize responsive flexibilitypreserve creative developmentnurture enriched modelsnetwork expanded toolsexchange increased risk-takingmonitor cutting-edge synergiesTom Moak, 1999 Conference Committee Coordinator,

opens the festivities at the President’s Reception,Kennewick Library. Photo by Mardell Moore.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose a verb from column A,an adjective from column B, and a noun from columnC. Insert any necessary articles or prepositions (notincluded). When all pieces have been used, yourmission statement is finished. What’s more, the lawsof probability dictate that it will be absolutely unique.Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?

COMING SOON: Job Description Kit, ConferenceProgram Proposal Kit, and Deluxe Board of DirectorsPlacation Kit. Collect them all! (While supplies last.Your mileage may vary.)

Angelynn King is Assistant Librarian, Universityof Redlands, Redlands, California. She writes, “I amnot a Washington librarian—although I would cer-tainly not preclude becoming one at some time in thefuture—but my research indicates that yours is one ofthe few [library] publications that actually indulgesitself in the humor format.” Thanks, Angelynn! We’llhope to see you at a future gathering of Society GaiusJulius V. Solinus Washingtonius.


WLA

WALE OutstandingEmployee of theYear

Ruth Poynter, Sec-tion Supervisor of thePreservation Unit of theKing County Library Sys-tem, was presented theWALE (Washington As-sociation of Library Em-ployees) OutstandingEmployee of the YearAward for constructiveaccomplishment in im-proving or enhancing thestatus and work of sup-port staff within the library community of Washington. RuthPoynter was Chair of WALE from 1991-1992, and initiated thegroup’s first conference. Her leadership has strengthened the 25-year old organization for many years, and she is nationallyrecognized as a resource for support staff associations.

Cayas Award for Visionary Library Service to YouthEvie Wilson-Lingbloom, Branch Manager of Edmonds Public

Library of Sno-Isle Regional Library System, was the recipient ofthe CAYAS Award for Visionary Library Service to Youth. [For moreinformation about Evie Wilson-Lingbloom’s distinguished careerin service to youth and libraries, see page 11 of this issue.]

Lifetime EmeritusMembership Award

Janice Hammock,retired from the Wash-ington State Library asLibrary Information Spe-cialist in Technical Ser-vices, received the Life-time Emeritus Member-ship Award. Using herskills in writing, editing,training, and designingonline specifications,Janice Hammock madesignificant contributions

to the development of resource sharing among Washington librar-ies. In addition, since the 1970s, she has served WLA in manycapacities, including chair of the Technical Services InterestGroup, all-interest group representative to the WLA board, andtreasurer of the organization for four terms.


Washington LibraryAssociation 1999 Awards

Merit Award for Outstanding Performancein a Special Area

Tom Mayer, Director of Sno-Isle Regional Li-brary, was presented the Merit Award for Outstand-ing Performance in a Special Area, which recognizescontributions in an area of specialization of service to

libraries andthe librarycommun i t y .Tom Mayer’sefforts to de-velop the Li-brary CapitalFacility Arealaw and to edu-cate legislatorsabout the valueof librarieshave helpedtear down thewalls that

separate city, county, and school libraries to thebenefit of library patrons; and his expertise in prop-erty tax has been a valuable resource to the WLALegislative Committee for many years. Tom Mayerhas also served as a member of many other WLAcommittees, and as president of the Association.

Merit Award forAdvances in LibraryService

Sharon Hammer, Di-rector of Fort VancouverRegional Library, was therecipient of the Merit Awardfor Advances in LibraryService, which recognizesindividuals who have beeninstrumental in making im-provements in library ser-vices. Sharon Hammer hasdemonstrated leadershipas a library director, as a mentor to students andcolleagues, and as a dedicated member and pastPresident of WLA. During her term as President, theAssociation streamlined and re-energized herself; atFVRL, she ran a successful bond issue, upgradedautomated services, annexed and opened new branchlibraries, and modeled for her peers a prudent,strong, principled approach to intellectual freedomissues.

Ruth Poynter, WALE OutstandingEmployee of the Year. Photo by TonyWilson.

Janice Hammock, Lifetime EmeritusMembership Award. Photo by TonyWilson.

Tom Mayer, Merit Award forOutstanding Performance in aSpecial Area. Photo by Tony Wilson.

Sharon Hammer, MeritAward for Advances inLibrary Services. Photoby Tony Wilson.

26.ALKI July 1999

WLA Communiqué(continued from page 25)

President's AwardJoan Weber presented the President’s Award to

Don and Gail Willis. This award is given in recogni-tion of outstanding performance, high achievement,

and significant contributions to the Association.Currently, Gail is Association Coordinator of WLA;and Don is a librarian at Seattle Public Library. Inher citation, Joan noted that Don had long devotedcountless hours to WLA. She selected him for thisaward, however, “for being the pivotal underpinningwhich was critical to the success of my presidency.”Don packed materials in and out of meetings, loadedand unloaded his car and home with WLA parapher-nalia, drove Gail to meetings, and even assumed theAssociation Coordinator’s duties when illness forcedGail to miss an annual retreat, among many contri-butions to the Association’s smooth operation. Ac-tive in WLA years before she became Coordinator,Gail has great mastery of the workings of the Asso-ciation—a mastery without which, Joan stated, “mythree-year term would have been extremely diffi-cult.” Although contracted for two-thirds time, Gailspends significantly more hours on Association busi-ness, has opened her home to meetings, and devoteda room in her house for the WLA office. “She has beenmy friend, confidant, editor, mentor, and , on severaloccasions, my salvation,” Joan said.

Jan Hanson, DistinguishedService as an Individual Friend,Photo by Tony Wilson.

Washington LibraryFriends and TrusteesAssociation 1999 AwardsDistinguished Service as an Individual Friend Award

Jan Hanson, Friend of the Aberdeen Timberland Library, waspresented the Distinguished Service as an Individual FriendAward, which recognizes creative and effective work in interpretingthe library to the communityand bringing the library’s ser-vices to the community’s atten-tion. Since 1997, Hanson hasbrought graphics, public-rela-tions, and organizational skillsto the Aberdeen Friends, alongwith enthusiasm and sincerity.A volunteer and community ac-tivist, Jan Hanson won con-verts to the library and helpedwin the library election.

Distinguished Service by a Friends Group AwardThe Distinguished Service by a Friends Group Award was

presented to Friends of the Snohomish Library. The SnohomishFriends have campaigned for annexation to the Sno-Isle RegionalLibrary System, for a Library Capital Facility Area, and are nowworking for approval of next fall’s library bond issue. Their visibilityand participation have increased membership in the organization,and helped make the library and its programs the center ofcommunity involvement.

Dan and Gail Willis (with Joan Weber), President’sAward. Photo by Tony Wilson.

Friends of the Snohomish Library—leaving the platform before wecould get their picture, unfortunately—Distinguished Service by aFriends Group. Photo by Tony Wilson.


Alki vol. 13

Carol Gill SchuylerElected VicePresident/PresidentElect

In a special election held May 1999, Carol GillSchuyler became Vice President/President-Elect ofthe Washington Library Association. The specialelection was held due to a resignation and vacancyin this position.

Carol Gill Schuyler has worked in Washingtonlibraries for nearly thirty years. She has been achildren’s librarian, branch manager, coordinator ofchildren’s services, and division head, with dutiesranging from presenting toddler storytimes to co-chairing major building renovation projects. Cur-rently she is Head of Regional Services at KitsapRegional Library.

Carol is a long-time participant in WLA. She hasserved as chair of CAYAS and of the ScholarshipCommittee, and for the last two years has beensecretary of the Association.

Board of Trustees of Milton Memorial Library. Photo by Tony Wilson.

Distinguished Service Trustee AwardRonald Miller, Spokane Public Library Trustee, was pre-

sented with the Distinguished Service Trustee Award, for serviceby an individual, in recogni-tion of constructive accom-plishment toward the ad-vancement of library serviceand the development of soundlibrary policies. Miller hasserved as a trustee for twoterms, from 1982 to 1992 andfrom 1993 to the present. AsBoard Chair, he led the pro-cess of selecting a library di-rector, and has also been in-strumental in establishing ahigher level of funding for theSPL.

Distinguished Service by a Board of Trustees AwardThe Distinguished Service by a Board of Trustees Award was

presented to the Board of Trustees of the Milton MemorialLibrary. Over many months, the Milton Trustees studied thebenefits of annexation to the Pierce County Library System, visitedPierce staff and administration, and sponsored town meetings todiscuss the issue. Ultimately, they recommended annexation. TheCity Council approved, and the ordinance will be on a ballot fordecision by the Milton voters. Kristi Ceder, Maria Davidson, SheriOlson, Penny Huntsinger, Lawrence Conner, and Gail Kouamewere honored for the time and effort they spent in reaching thisdecision, and also for demonstrating their conviction that thepeople of Milton deserve the best possible library service.

Ronald Miller, Distinguished ServiceTrustee Award. Photo by TonyWilson.

Washington LibraryAssociation1999 ScholarshipWinner

The WLA Schol-arship for GraduateStudy is awarded an-nually to a studentenrolled in a master’sdegree program inlibrarianship. Selec-tion is based on theapplicant’s demon-strated potential forleadership in theprofession, aca-demic achievements,and community and professional activities. NancyMcIntosh Schutz is the recipient of the 1999 WLAScholarship. A student in the distance educationprogram of the School of Library and InformationManagement of Emporia State University in Empo-ria, Kansas, Nancy Schutz is employed as YouthServices Librarian Associate at the Lacey Timber-land Library.

Nancy McIntosh Schutz, WLAScholarship Winner. Photo byTony Wilson.

28.ALKI July 1999

ME: I hope this program will be ready in the fallof 2001.

CM: Another degree you mentioned starting isthe B.S. in information and technology. This is nota library degree?

ME: No, it is not. For one reason, ALA is opposedto library degrees at the undergraduate level; and wetry to remain true to the directives of the field. Thisis an information degree, and is consistent with theapproach at Drexel, Pittsburgh, and other universi-ties. The graduates of such programs take jobs thatare about using information technology for a pur-pose. Some will becomemanagers of help desks;some will move into sys-tems analysis positions;some will manage data-bases. This sort of pro-gram isn’t computer sci-ence, in the sense that thestudents are not program-mers; they are informa-tion technology applica-tions folks. By the way,the B.S. in informationand technology was a verysuccessful program atSyracuse; and when thestudents got into the workforce, they really knocked‘em dead.

CM: These all sound like terrific ideas, but theymay require a lot of money. In your keynote address,you mentioned that the School would need $3–4million in outside funds every year.

ME: Yes, that’s what we’re aiming for. TheUniversity of Washington and the State of Washing-ton have strongly supported our initial growth move-ment, and have significantly increased the baselinebudget of the SLIS already. We already put six toeight funding proposals in the hopper since I gothere, we’re working on contracts, and we are hopingfor some major gifts from benefactors. Also, I hopethat the alumni of this school and alumni of otherlibrary and information schools who are in thisregion will contribute. This school is here for thepeople in the library and information field of theregion. We will support them in every way we can; we

Director Mike Eisenberg Talks withAlki(Continued from page 10)

will promote our field, and we will do our best to turn out the bestpossible graduates we can to fill these positions. In exchange forthat, we request that people in the field support us, by makingfinancial contributions to the SLIS on a regular basis. If I can showthat there is widespread support among the thousands of librar-ians and the 4000 alumni of the school, that sends a strongstatement to the University, to the state, and to the public. It wouldspeak wonders. So, in summary, we will take a variety of ap-proaches to raising funds. We’re not afraid to ask, because wethink we will be doing important, good work that deserves support.So please contribute!

CM: What else would you like to say to WLA members?

ME: I would like to tell the members of WLA that I am extremelyimpressed with the people I have met in this state. WashingtonState is not the laid-back West Coast: I have met people who areincredibly dedicated and hard-working, people who are intelligent,talented, and creative. I am thrilled to be a member of their

community—of ourcommunity; my wife,my family, and I arereally pleased to bereceived as such.Having said that, Iam prepared to rollup my sleeves andwork as hard as Ican, seven days aweek, to promoteand improve our pro-fession and the workthat we do in thestate of Washingtonand the Pacific

Northwest. I plead with people to join us in this. It’s easy to benegative, to point fingers; and yes, these are legitimate concerns—we all need to make improvements. But I would like all of us to sayto ourselves, “What can I do today to make it a little better in ourfield, for my work, for my users, for library and information sciencein the Pacific Northwest?” If we all do this, if we all talk with ourfriends and colleagues about what we do and how important it is,if we support each other across types of libraries, if we add up allthose little things, I believe we have an opportunity to create thegreatest library and information services infrastructure—pro-grams, services, resources—of anywhere on the planet. I think thepieces are starting to come together: the awareness of the public,the educational environment for pre-K through higher education,the public library infrastructure, as well as what is going on inWashington businesses and corporations. And now, one piece isour school, to stand beside these other groups and push thingsforward. We can help each other. My most important message toWLA members is this: You have now a school you can be proud of.We are truly aiming to be the greatest information school in theworld. We’re going to do it together.

I believe we have an opportunity tocreate the greatest library andinformation services infrastructure—programs, services, resources—ofanywhere on the planet.


INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTRIBUTORS

ALKI is published three times per year (March, July, and December).Each issue is centered on a theme relevant to Washington libraries.Unsolicited contributions are welcome and encouraged, but will be pub-lished based on the needs of specific issues. All submissions may be edited.The Editor and the ALKI Editorial Committee reserve the right to make thefinal decision on any submitted material.

Deadlines for submissions are January 15 for the March issue, May 15for the July issue, and October 15 for the December issue.

Format: Submissions should be in electronic form, if possible. Thepreferred formats are any Word for Windows or ASCII text transmitted as ane-mail message or submitted on a PC-formatted 3.5-inch disc. Hard copy willbe accepted if the author does not have other options. Photos should beblack-and-white. The Editor should be contacted before submitting art-work. Photographic prints and artwork will be returned, if requested.Otherwise, they will not be returned.

Articles typically range in length from 1,000-5,000 words and need notconform to the issue’s theme; although theme-related articles are more likelyto be published in the corresponding issue. Unsolicited articles unrelatedto the theme, if they are selected for publication, will be published on a space-available basis. Articles should be in-depth examinations of issues of

importance to Washington libraries. ALKI publishes li-brary news and announcements in a column format.

News of personnel changes, professional organiza-tions, awards, grants, elections, facility moves or construc-tion, and/or establishment of newsworthy services can besubmitted, and may be edited and included on a spaceavailable basis. Items that require a timely response shouldbe submitted to The WLA LINK, instead.Columns appearregularly and cover specific areas of library service oroperations. Columns typically are pre-assigned in advance,and any be written or administered by a designated person.Anyone interested in submitting material for a specificcolumn should contact the Editor.

ALKI retains electronic representation and distribu-tion rights to contents. ALKI reserves the right to re-usetext, photos, and artwork in subsequent editions, withnotification to the submitter, if possible. Otherwise, allrights revert to the creator/author of the work.

Two CAYAS Workshops(Continued from page 12)

in the Seattle area to attend Puget Sound Council book reviewsessions at the University of Washington to network and to supportone another. Jerene also encouraged librarians from other partsof the state to participate by becoming members and receiving themonthly (September-June) newsletter of Council reviews.

Another way public librarians can support school libraries isto volunteer to serve on curriculum or other committees for theschool district in their area. Public librarians can get to know theschool board, parents, teachers, principals, and superintendentsin their region, not just the local school librarians. Through activeinvolvement, public librarians can learn how the schools operate;and in the long run, both public and school libraries will benefitfrom a close partnership.

This two-part workshop successfully gave audience members“The Inside Scoop” on school libraries. Thanks to a wonderfulpanel for a dynamite session!

Judy Sierra, “Queen of the Flannel Board”: CAYASSpring Workshop, 1999

At a CAYAS-sponsored workshop in Seattle on March 12, JudySierra, “Queen of the Flannel Board,” delighted a large crowd oflibrarians and others with her storytelling tips and examples.Discussing her process, from her inspiration to her teamwork withher artistic husband, Judy let us see just how she works. She toldstories, created flannel board pieces, and shared her research asshe presented new ways to create flannel board stories that are afar cry from the traditional lackluster presentations many librar-ians associate with this method.

Judy encouraged even the least artistic librarians to try herpatterns and techniques to catch the attention of their youngaudiences with vibrant folktales brought to life on a flannel board.Participants learned to create bright, colorful flannel board storiesusing various materials, including a quilting fabric, interfacing.Here is a quick summary of Judy’s tips for making great flannelboard stories:• Use black for the flannel board (robe velour is a good choice for

material).• Use an artist’s portfolio with ties as your board.

• Make the flannel board figures out of interfacingor felt (children under three years of age do bestwith single felt pieces, and older kids appreciatemore detailed characters made out of quiltinginterfacing).

• Color the white interfacing material withwatercolor pens (always color your figures beforecutting them!).

• Use black interfacing with felt pieces glued ontop to create dramatic figures.

• Blow up the patterns found in Judy’s book, TheFlannel Board Storytelling Book (2nd ed., H.W.Wilson, 1997), since larger figures work bestwith young audiences or large crowds.

• Stick to folklore for your source of flannel boardstories (Judy believes these tales translate bestto the flannel board).

Judy presented traditional favorites such as“Little Boy Blue” and “The Turnip,” as well as moreobscure tales such as “The Cat and the Parrot.” Eachstory came to life for the audience. Many were somuch fun that people couldn’t wait to go back to theirlibraries and try them in their next storytime.

The flannel board provides a great opportunityfor interactive storytelling, and Judy suggested waysto involve children in the storytelling process, as wellas in production and performance. Her creative ideasran from chanting along with the little girl-protago-nist in “The Gunny Wolf” to teaching older childrenhow to tell flannel board stories to younger children.Judy also presented information on creating shadowpuppet plays. At the end of the workshop, severalbrave volunteers performed a shadow puppet playunder Judy’s guidance.

Librarians and others from both sides of thestate and from as far away as Las Vegas came to meetJudy and to take part in this interactive workshop.Thanks, Judy Sierra, for an engaging, informative,and fun program.

30.ALKI July 1999


I’d Rather Be Reading . . .

by Nancy Pearl

Nancy Pearl

Nancy Pearl directs the Washington Center for the Book at theSeattle Public Library.

My Life as a Novel

(Continued from page 16)

I’ve come to the conclusion that the major problem with my lifeis that it is not a novel. I’d be pretty satisfied with even a hackneyedrip-off of the most trivial bestseller on the New York Times list, letalone a well-written novel of substance and grace. I’ve devoted alot of time recently to contemplating the advantages that thisunlikely, but oh-so-desirable, state of affairs would bring.

I think about it a lot, actually. If my life were a novel, I couldbe sure that, at some level, it all made sense. (I’m assuming, ofcourse, that I could choose the novel my life would be, at least tothe same extent that I can choose what my life is now, as non-fiction, ongoing autobiography, so to speak. Only the bravestamong us—not me—would opt for the post-modern or experimen-tal novel.) The various plot lines would be pulled together neatly.Characters would enter and leave my life with a definite purpose.The “accidental” meeting on campus would be seen, pages (weeks?months? years?) later, to have had great importance, though Ibrushed it off at the time.

The best part would be that Icould, if the suspense got too un-bearable, sneak a look at the lastpage. Did my younger daughtersucceed as an avant-garde the-ater director? Did my older daugh-ter pay off her law school loans,give up her job as an attorney,and become an elementary schoolteacher? Did I ever bicycle fromPortland, Oregon to Portland, Maine? Did my trusty Trek 750bicycle make it in one piece? Did my knees survive? Did mymarriage last? Did my father die of cancer, Alzheimer’s, or simplyold age? Was it an easy transition to death? Were the good peopleI knew rewarded and the evil ones punished?

If our lives were novels,we’d be forced to recognizethat, at best, we’re minor char-acters in others’ novels. (I’mbetting that mostly wewouldn’t even be in most otherpeople’s novels.) We’d learn todeal with the Rosencrantz andGuildenstern syndrome, thatpervasive belief that we’re thestars of everyone’s life. Youremember Rosencrantz andGuildenstern—minor charac-ters in Shakespeare’s Hamletwho became the leads in Tom Stoppard’s play. Read-ing about them should teach us that we’re all super-

numeraries, walk-ons, with few speak-ing lines, or none atall, in everyoneelse’s lives.

It’s hard to lookat our own lives inthat light. Realizingthat we are the cen-ter of no one’s novelbut our own has an

unsettling, disconcerting effect. But it puts events inperspective. It might help in overcoming the painfulegocentrism we all struggle with. We might come torealize that we’re not even the major character in ourown novel.

Maybe that’s what maturity really is.

If my life were a novel, I couldbe sure that, at some level, itall made sense.

One More “Then and Now”from Angelina

No. 3:1975: The Oxford Press has been in existence for10, 50, 100, 250, or 500 years?vs.1999: The half-life of a biography of DennisRodman is _____ (Fill in the blank).

32.ALKI July 1999

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ALKI thanks WLA 1999 Corporate andInstitutional Members!

Asotin County Library ... Bellingham Public Library ...Big Bend Community College Library … Camas Public Library …

Cannell Learning Resources Center, Clark College … Carpenter Memorial Library ...Clover Park Technical College … Edmonds Community College Library …

Ellensburg Public Library ... Fort Vancouver Regional Library ...Glann Library, Peninsula College … Highline Community College Library …

Holman Library, Green River Community College …Jefferson County Rural Library District …Kalama Public Library …

King County Library System … Kitsap Regional Library ... Longview Public Library ...Lopez Island Library District … Lower Columbia College … Mid-Columbia Library...

Neill Public Library ... North Central Regional Library ... North Olympic Library System ...Ocean Shores Library ... OCLC … Orcas Island Library District ...

Pend Oreille County Library District ... Penrose Library, Whitman College …Pierce College Learning Resources Center ... Pierce County Library System ...

Puyallup Public Library ... Renton Public Library ... Seattle Central Community College ...Seattle Public Library ... Sedro-Woolley Public Library … Sno-Isle Regional Library ...

Spokane County Library District ... Spokane Public Library ... Tacoma Public Library …Timberland Regional Library ... Walla Walla County Library … Walla Walla Public Library ...

Washington State University Libraries … Whitman County Library …Yakima Valley Community College Library … Yakima Valley Regional Library.

Documents

Alki - July 1999 - Washington Library Association · the time goes very quickly, as I have al- ... Angelynn King, ... and a lesson in drawing Lyle the Crocodile by Bernard Waber