October 2016
WALA Fall Newsletter Message from the President Volume 25, No. 3
Greetings Wichita Area Library Association members and friends. My name is Tom Taylor. I am the Director of the Andover Public Library. I have been in Andover for almost 3 years, but I have been a WALA member since 2008 when I moved to Wichita. I enjoy listening to audiobooks, reading when I can, and watching Indy Car racing and other sports.
It is my pleasure to serve you as the President of WALA. WALA is the best value of any professional organization I have belonged to. For only $15 you get to connect with a wide variety of librarians across the metro area. Our continuing education and advocacy offerings have proven to be very valuable to me and the libraries I have represented. And we have fun, lots of fun.
It is, however, far from fun and games for Kansas libraries. Public Libraries and our regional library systems faced a significant legislative Tom Taylor, threat this past spring. Legislation appeared that would strip the WALA President, autonomy of local library boards and the taxing authority of the Andover regional library systems. Fortunately librarians and library supporters Public Library rallied to the cause and libraries were removed from that legislation.
But our advocacy efforts must not end. That legislation could reappear. Our schools and universities are dealing with continued funding shortages that affect their libraries. We need to advocate on their behalf. We learned this past spring that our voices can be heard. So, please renew your membership if you have not already and join us at our annual Legislative Luncheon on November 21st at YaYa’s EuroBistro.
Warmest Regards, Tom [email protected]
Page 2 WALA 2015 - 2016 Leadership October 2016 Officers
President Treasurer 2016 - 2017 2015 - 2017 Tom Taylor Kendra Mork Andover Public Library Goddard Public Library 316-558-3500 316-794-8771 tomtaylor [email protected] @andoverlibrary.org Vice President/President Secretary Find Us on Facebook! Elect 2016 - 2017 2016 - 2018 Helen Rigdon Angela Paul Volume 25, No. 3 Wichita Public Library Wichita State 316-688-9361 University Libraries [email protected] 316-978-5084 Don’t keep WALA the best-kept [email protected] secret in Kansas library land! Like us on Facebook and invite Immediate Past President Newsletter Editor 2016 - 2017 2015 – your friends to do the same. Kristi Jacobs Sara Butts Bradford Memorial Library Wichita State We are always happy to post (El Dorado, KS) University Libraries about events or job openings at 316-321-3363 316-978-5017 WALA libraries — just send a link [email protected] [email protected] to Sara Butts at Webmaster Ex Officio [email protected]. 2015 - Jill Stern Samuel Willis South Central Kansas Wichita State Library System (SCKLS) University Libraries 1-800-234-0529 ext. 151 [email protected] [email protected] Upcoming Events Board of Directors
Anne Ethen 2016-2018 Cindy Pfeiffer 2015-2017 Wichita Public Library Circle High School October 19-21: 316-303-8181 316-541-2277 Kansas Library Conference [email protected] [email protected] Hyatt Regency Sue Koenig 2015-2017 Sara Butts 2016-2018 *See page 3 Wright Community College Wichita State 316-927-7700 ext. 219 University Libraries [email protected] 316-978-5017 November 21: [email protected] Legislative Luncheon Samuel Willis 2016-2018 Ruth Harries 2015-2017 Ya Ya’s EuroBistro Wichita State Butler Community College *See page 7 University Libraries 316-322-3351 [email protected] [email protected] December 9: Holiday Party Newman University *See page 7
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2016 Kansas Library Conference
When: October 19-21
Where: Hyatt Regency 400 W. Waterman St. Wichita, KS 67202
Sign Up: http://kslibassoc.org/2016conf/
Keynotes: Joan Frye Williams, Library Consultant Gene Ambaum, Co-Creator of Unshelved, the library comic strip
Stop by the WALA table near the registration desk and the Ballroom Foyer on Wednesday and Thursday to purchase tickets for the KLAEF basket raffle. The WALA board is contributing a basket with the theme “Go For The Gold.” The basket drawing will be held in the Redbud room on Thursday during the Awards Reception from 5:00-5:45 p.m.
WALA is sponsoring a dine-around on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. after the Exhibitor’s Bash where you can network with other library professionals and WALA members. Meet at the registration desk and then eat at your chosen restaurant. Register at http://bit.ly/2dpsNih
Tweet about the conference with #kslib16
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October 2016 2016 Annual Meeting
The 2016 WALA Annual Meeting on May 19th had a great turnout. We celebrated the retirement of Jean Hatfield of Wichita Public Library and Max Burson of Friends University. We also enjoyed the stand-up comedy of Wichita Public Library’s resident comedian Daniel Pewewardy. Volume 25, No. 3
New Professionals Meet & Greet
The New Professionals Meet and Greet was held on September 22nd at Wichita Public Library’s Alford branch. Approximately nine new library professionals met to network with other library professionals in Wichita
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Andover Public Library Raises Money For Andover Food Bank
Andover Public Library Director Tom Taylor and Children’s Librarian Jennifer Clark helped raise money for the Andover Food Bank by sitting in the dunk tank during Greater Andover Days on Oct 1st. The library raised over $600 for the food bank from their fundraiser.
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October 2016 The Big Read Wichita
The Big Read Wichita can be found in many local businesses and libraries in the Wichita area, providing free and paid events from book club discussions to play adaptations and movie screenings of Ray Bradbury’s Farenheit 451. The events will take place from October 1st to November 15th. Some of the featured events are listed below; however, the full list of events can be found at http://www.bigreadwichita.org.
Volume 25, No. 3Volume Big Read Kick-off Party 10/1 from 2-4 p.m. @ The Wichita Art Museum
Reader’s Theatre 10/23 from 2-3:30 p.m. @ Wichita Community Theatre
Mozart & Shostakovich 10/29 from 8-10 p.m. & 10/30 from 3-5 p.m. Wichita Symphony Orchestra @ Century II Concert Hall Cover art by Matt Owen Evening with Bradbury’s Biographer 11/5 from 7-9 p.m. @ WSU Hughes Metroplex
WALA Legislative Luncheon November 21st @ Ya Ya’s Eurobistro 12-1:30 p.m. See flier for details on page 7 for details RSVP to Kendra Mork and pay at the door
WALA Holiday Party December 9th @ 5 p.m. Newman University Alumni Room
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Page 8 Join us!
October 2016 Do you know a library staff member who would enjoy the social interaction and networking opportunities that WALA offers? Do you have a coworker who could contribute to our local organization? Do you have an employee who has great ideas and loves to be involved with the community? If so, encourage them to become a Read WALA NEWS at: member of the Wichita Area Library Association! http://walaks.org/ For $15.00 a year, membership for WALA is a newsletter/ steal! All they need to do is fill out a membership Volume 25, No. 3 application and mail it and a check for $15.00 (made payable to WALA) to
Kendra Mork, WALA Treasurer Goddard Public Library 201 N. Main St. Wichita, KS 67213
Membership forms can be found on our website: http://walaks.org/
The Wichita Area Library Association (WALA) is an organization of li- brary professionals started in 1982 in Wichita, Kansas.
WALA is dedicated to supporting libraries and library employees in the Wichita area and works to improve library services and access for the Wichita area community of library users.
Submit materials for WALA NEWS to:
Sara Butts Wichita State University Libraries 316-978-5017 [email protected]