The Washington Library Association Journal November 2014 Volume 30 | Number 3 Alki Intellectual Freedom Inside this Issue To Intellectual Freedom, With Love.............................................................5 An Interview with an Intellectual Freedom Training Whiz: King County Library System’s Catherine Lord .................................................................6 The Things We Lose: Government Documents in the Digital Age ..........16 Up Front Cultivating Interest in Interest Groups by Nancy Ledeboer Nancy Ledeboer Recently I was at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon where the new president declared “this is not your father’s chamber.” My want to get involved. However, they have not found an Interest initial thought was that she stole my line. How often have I said Group that represents their “community of interest.” We also we’re “not your mother’s library” or even “not your grandmoth- heard from members that in some cases the Interest Group they er’s library?” I still find people who are surprised to hear about joined is not very active. I’ve talked to library staff that only join the programs, online resources and learning opportunities that WLA to get reduced registration to conferences. So how do we the library offers. create a structure that welcomes and engages library staff from all types of libraries serving in a wide variety of roles? …how do we create a In the past Interest Groups have been the first place where members connected and interacted with other members who structure“ that welcomes and shared a common interest. A few Interest Groups have faded engages library staff from all away and new ones representing broader areas of interest such as leadership or adult programming have taken their place. Ide- types of libraries serving in ally each Interest Group holds regular meetings where members can network, share best practices and discuss emerging issues. a wide variety of roles? I invite you to share your ideas about what type of Interest ” Groups would appeal to you and what value you want to receive from your participation. This got me thinking about WLA. Are we evolving as an In this issue, you’ll be reading about a variety of issues related association to meet the changing needs of our members? As to intellectual freedom. This is an age old issue for libraries, and the roles of library staff evolve, are we flexible in responding yet I suspect that it too is evolving. Recently I’ve been reading with relevant programming and continuing education? As we about seed libraries under attack for sharing seeds. Who would welcome millennials into our workforce, are we embracing the have thought that we’d be defending the right to share seeds? idealism and collaborative work style that they bring to our Today we have many types of libraries serving diverse com- libraries and to the association? munities across our state. We must adapt and be flexible in our approach to intellectual freedom challenges. There is no one The board is exploring to ensure that WLA remains relevant to way to serve and meet the needs of our members. It is through you, our members. Susan Lee and Jeanne Fondrie, our Interest forums like Alki, Interest Group meetings and WLA conferenc- Group coordinators, formed a task force to look at how other es that we can learn from one another as we respond to changes library associations are adapting. They invited Interest Group in our libraries, our communities and our state. chairs to talk with members about how well the current struc- ture meets their needs. If you have ideas for how WLA can adapt to provide more meaningful opportunities for you to grow, please send me an In our member survey last year, we heard from people who email or call me. & We must adapt and be flexible “in our approach to intellectual freedom challenges. " Nancy Ledeboer is the Spokane County Library District executive director and WLA president. 2 ALKI • November 2014 ALKI • November 2014 Table of Contents Alki The Washington Library Up Front Association Journal By Nancy Ledeboer ...................................................................2 23607 Highway 99, Suite 2-C From the Editor .......................................................................................4 Edmonds, WA 98026 (425) 967-0739 Intellectual Freedom Email: [email protected] Web: www.wla.org To Intellectual Freedom, With Love ..................................................... 5 By Diane Cowles ALKI Editorial Committee Joyce Hansen, Alki Editor Diane Cowles, Committee Chair An Interview with an Intellectual Freedom Training Whiz: King County Steven Bailey Library System’s Catherine Lord ............................................................... 6 Sheri Boggs By Darlene Pearsall Kelly Evans Emily Keller Freethinking Discourse While Hiding behind the Librarian’s Skirt ........ 8 Becky Ramsey, Akli intern Tami Robinson By Tony Wilson Anna Shelton Tony Wilson Academic Freedom: The Role of Librarians in What Universities WLA Executive Director Contribute to Intellectual Freedom .......................................................... 11 Dana Murphy-Love By Tami Echavarria Robinson WLA Assistant Director Kelsi Brisebois Overcoming Barriers - Ensuring Access........................................... 13 “Alki,” a Native American word meaning By Steven Bailey “by and by,” was suggested by Nancy Pryor, Special Collections at Washington State Library, We’re With the Banned: A Journalist, a Comic Book Shop Owner, as the title for the Washington Library Associa- Two Librarians and a Handful of Bands Make a Stink about Intellectual tion’s journal. “Alki” is also the state motto, Freedom .................................................................................................15 signifying a focus on the future. By Sheri Boggs Alki (ISSN: 8756-4173) is published online three times per year in March, July, and November. Articles Alki’s purpose is to communicate philosophical The Things We Lose: Government Documents in the Digital Age ....16 and substantive analyses of current and By Cass Hartnett and Taryn Marks enduring issues for and about Washington libraries, personnel, and advocates, and to facilitate the exchange of research, opinion, What if All of WLA Read the Same Book ........................................... 21 and information. By Darcy Brixey Direct your submission queries to: Greening the Library: Easy Sustainability ........................................... 22 Joyce Hansen. By Amanda Clarke Email: [email protected] Alki is designed by Tammy Reniche, Director of Solinus Publications for Melby Cameron & Anderson. Cover photo by: Warren Chin What Evil Lurks in the Staff Refrigerator? ........................................... 25 Cover Photo: Toan Nguyen, assistant manager at The Seattle By Cameron Johnson Public Library, Beacon Hill Branch, and Wei Cai, (r) regional manager of five southeast branches of The Seattle Public Library, both grew up in countries with no intellectual freedom. WLA Communiqué People and Places ............................................................................... 28 I’d Rather Be Reading The Series: When Characters’ Lives Unfold Across Real Time in Literature, Readers Happily Follow Along ......................................... 30 By David Wright ALKI • November 2014 ALKI • November 2014 3 From the Editor by Joyce Hansen It was one of those days you sometimes get latish in the autumn when the sun beams, the birds toot, and there is a bracing tang in the air that sends the blood beetling briskly through the veins. { -P.G. Wodehouse, Very Good, Jeeves { Joyce Hansen Greetings, WLA, “Autumn is beetling to an end and while it grows colder, putting in years as a sub and temporary librarian. Which curl up with our winter issue starring intellectual freedom brings me to the next Alki. Publishing in March 2015, the (IF). IF, an essential value in keeping the library stew vital, focus will be on “Taking Care of Business” (the economic is guaranteed by the First Amendment. For the ins and impact of libraries to their communities; business services, outs of IF and how to talk about it with patrons, Darlene job and business centers; making library dollars grow). Pearsall interviews an IF training guru (p6). Sherri Boggs What does it take to take care of business? Hiring two FT moves beyond the theoretical in her tale of initial reluc- librarians could indicate that despite a severe dependency tance, and then joy, at taking part in a Spokane IF event on Google by patrons, librarians are needed, desirable and (p15). Diane Cowles introduces Seattle Public Library staff should be a priority in a library’s budget. The deadline for who grew up in life-threatening circumstances and no IF contributions to the issue is January 15, 2015. in their respective Vietnam and China (see cover photo) (p5). In an informative throwback to a pre-digital govern- I look forward to your take on the bottom line. Happy ment age, Cass Hartnett and Taryn Marks deliver intriguing Thanksgiving to all. & back stories (p16). It’s not just Kermit the Frog who cheers green—Amanda Clarke writes about ease and options when greening the library (p22). Cameron Johnson digs deep to determine, What’s loitering in the work fridge (p25). In Alki Editorial Committee news, we say good-bye and thank you to Theresa Kappus and student intern Brent Mills. And, in turn, welcome to Kelly Evans and Becky Ramsey who will take their spots. Evans is a business librarian at Eastern Washington University Libraries and is also active on WLA’s