January 2006 Good Stuff.Indd

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NORTH DAKOTA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION December 2005 NDLA Website - http://www.ndla.info Volume 35 • Issue 4 Robin Silverman, Conference Keynote Speaker Incoming President Jeanne Narum and outgoing President Marlene Anderson Editorial Policy The Good Stuff welcomes your comments and suggestions. We reserve the right to edit letters/ articles for publication. Please include your name and address when writing. Letters should be sent to Marlene Anderson, P.O. Box 5587, Bismarck, ND 58506-5587, The Good Stuff Editorial Committee, or e-mail: Marlene.Anderson@bsc. nodak.edu Submission Guidelines & Deadlines Consider submitting news and articles via e-mail! Send your articles /news to any of the following e-mail addresses: [email protected] Published quarterly by the [email protected] North Dakota Library Association [email protected] [email protected] Editorial Committee Marlene Anderson, Chair Karen Anderson Joan Erickson Erin Smith Production Artist Deadlines for Articles/News Submission Clearwater Communications Issue Deadline Robin Pursley March . .January 13, 2006 June. .March 17, 2006 Subscription Rate August (Pre-Conference) . June 23, 2006 $25/year Advertising Rates (per issue) $100 – full-page ad Minutes and Reports are linked to $50 – half-page ad www.ndla.info/exbdmin.htm $25 – quarter-page ad For information contact: Marlene Anderson, Chair The Good Stuff Editorial Committee The Good Stuff - Page 2 - December 2005 President’s Message By Jeanne Narum, NDLA President It's difficult to believe that sionals to become a vital part of our organiza- all of the preparations for tion. The membership committee will be discuss- annual conference are fin- ing this issue during the coming year. ished for this year and our 2006 is the big birthday bash year! In anticipa- time in Grand Forks has come tion of NDLA's 100th anniversary celebration, and gone. I had a wonder- committee members will be working diligently ful opportunity to see old on creating a quilt and cookbook. I invite you friends and make new ones. to add your special talent to these special proj- It reminds me of the song we ects. Contact Phyllis Bratton about working on used to sing when I was in grade school about the quilt and Marlene Anderson about adding a making new friends and keeping the old ones - recipe to the cookbook. one is silver and the other gold. I found that some Let's light all those candles in a spirit of coop- librarians are struggling with the same challenges erative participation in Providing Excellence as I face and some are approaching new ones. in Information Access @ Our North Dakota There were many programs for different librar- Libraries! ians to choose from at conference. That was my goal. We found out from Dallas Knudson how to begin writing grants. Participants told stories in Margaret Read MacDonald's pre-conference (the Grassroots Grant Recipient hotel staff said they didn't know librarians could Reports on NDLA make so much noise!) Roland Smith took us on his special journey as a writer with his luncheon Conference Experience slide presentation. When the conference plan- By Kari Budge, ning started, digital libraries, technology plans, Library Media Specialist educational web resources, and new MINITEX Editor’s note: Kari serves as a Library Media and ALEPH software were discussed. Teens and Specialist at the Phoenix Elementary and Lewis 'tweens programming was added (this customer and Clark Elementary Schools in Grand Forks. group always presents special challenges for me.) I was pleased to see new members of NDLA giv- I attended the 2005 North Dakota Library ing programs. Thanks to the hard work of many Association annual conference in Grand Forks people, there was a myriad of choices. through an award from the New Members Now I am excited to look forward to a year Roundtable. Thank you again for this wonder- of goals for NDLA and myself. Among them are ful opportunity!! trustee meetings during the year. A talk with Jim I had never attended a NDLA conference, Connor helped me understand the importance of therefore didn’t know what to expect. By the this group of people and the training that should time the three days were up, I had an abun- be available to them. Keeping up the dialogue dance of new ideas as well as meeting new with customers and legislators during a non-legis- colleagues. There were so many good sessions lative year about state-funded electronic databas- to choose from, it was hard to pick which ones es is also on our agenda. Ilene Larson has agreed to attend. Most of the time, we would split to be available to us this year to help out with up so that we could share with each other the this task. And, finally, there is the challenge of materials from the different sessions. It was bringing in new NDLA members from our library also interesting to see and meet those from staffs. around the state that are involved with this Robin Silverman relayed the "Ten Gifts of organization. Spectacular Library Service" in her keynote I have since been back in my school library address at our banquet. Combining the gifts using many of the neat ideas I received from of intention, thanks, and unity, I would like to the conference. I am already anticipating a extend a special invitation to North Dakota rewarding conference next year. library personnel who are part-time, paraprofes- The Good Stuff - Page 3 - December 2005 Ghost Ranch 2005 “How Hard Can It Be?” or, Taking On the Challenge of Leadership rich in content, covering such areas as communication, managing differences, risk taking, using power and influence, leading change, building commitment, and empowering groups and teams. By Beth Postema, 4th Presenters Maureen Sullivan and Mary Bushing Annual MPLA Leadership shared their phenomenal knowledge of research Institute Fellow in the fields of organizational management, work- place learning, change management, strategic My voice mail box is full, my email account is planning, and communication theory. In addition over its size limit, and my head is absolutely to learning from what researchers have published, swimming with new information and ideas. Why the information was made real through the stories am I in this state? Well, I’ve just returned from of five mentors—experienced library leaders from MPLA’s Leadership Institute at Ghost Ranch, out- throughout the MPLA region. side of Abiquiu, New Mexico. This intensive week of learning and growing was funded by the In any group that works and plays together over Mike Jaugstetter Leadership Grant awarded by the a period of time, catch phrases develop. One of Professional Development Committee of NDLA. the major ones from this year’s group was “How hard can it be?” We first heard this from mentor During the week of October 23-28, I had the Jane Kolbe, former South Dakota State Librarian privilege of learning what is involved in lead- and now Director of the Library Development ership from exemplary leaders in the field of Division of the Arizona State Library. This phrase librarianship. This year’s institute was aimed at was how she described her reaction to being librarians in mid-career who found themselves offered a new challenge or opportunity. She did in positions of leadership or realizing that they not focus on the risks or potential losses, but could take on leadership roles. The week was chose to focus on the potential and downplay the The Good Stuff - Page 4 - December 2005 differences from what she was already doing. competencies of leadership. With those in hand, it does become much easier to respond with One of the major concepts I learned was that “How hard can it be?” when faced with a new or a risk no longer feels like a risk if the fear is expanded leadership role. removed and there is support instead. With this in mind, staff members may be more willing For those of you interested in expanding your to accept changes if they have the support and own development as a leader, or determining if freedom to fail, rather than fear of reprisal. With you have what it takes to be a leader, be on the the support of a director and co-workers, we can lookout for the announcement of the Fifth Annual take on new projects without the feeling of being MPLA Leadership Institute. The application for out on a limb. And those of us who are afraid of the 2006 Institute will be available on MPLA’s heights can hike up a 600-foot mesa. After all, website (www.mpla.us/) on March 1, 2006. when we have the support of those with us on The eligibility criteria for next year’s group will the journey, how hard can it be? include 2 to12 years of experience after receiving the MLS degree. Throughout the course of the week, many of us realized that we already participate in the activi- There are plenty of funding opportunities to assist ties that are involved in leadership—we commu- with the cost through both NDLA and MPLA. nicate about change, we try to influence people, Two fellows are accepted from each state, with we act as role models, we manage projects, and another four selected at-large from the pool of we already set goals and objectives. What the applicants. Institute provided then, through the research pre- sented by Mary and Maureen, were the concepts Go ahead and apply; the risk is small and the and tools to improve performance in these core rewards are huge. Ghost Ranch Leadership Institute class of 2005 The Good Stuff - Page 5 - December 2005 Librarian of the Year: Cheryl Tollefson Dickinson Public Library Director Cheryl 2005 NDLATollefson was named Awards Librarian of the Year at the 2005 Conference.

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