Reminder to Participate – Deadline Extended to March 31, 2010
PLA invites your library to participate in the 2010 Public Library Data Service Statistical report. Visit http://illinois.edu/goto/plds to complete the survey. You will need your library’s individual PLDS ID number and password to complete the survey.
If you do not have this information, you can get it from . Send a request with your library’s complete name and address and we’ll email you the library’s password and ID number. Thanks for taking the time to participate in the PLDS survey!
Here’s some info to get you started: Multnomah County Library | Portland, Oregon
Multnomah County Library is the oldest public library west of the Mississippi, with a history that reaches back to 1864. As Oregon’s largest public library, Multnomah County Library serves nearly one-fifth of the state’s population with a wide variety of programs and services. Here are some of the libraries in Multnomah County that may be of interest to conference attendees.
Central Library
503.988.5234 • 801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97205
One of the smallest central libraries serving a population of a similar size, the 125,000 square foot building opened in 1913, was renovated 1994–1997, and reopened in April 1997. The building received the AIA/ALA Award of Excellence in recognition of distinguished accomplishment in library architecture in 2001.
Library tours (Meet at the Welcome Desk in the foyer):
Wed., March 24, 5–6 p.m.
Thu., March 25, 11 a.m.–noon
Fri., March 26, 4–5 p.m.
Sat., March 27, 2–3 p.m.
Self-guided tour brochures are available at the Welcome Desk and at desks throughout Central Library.
Directions:
Walk to the Convention Center MAX light rail station. Board the MAX BLUE line to City Center/ Hillsboro or the RED line to City Center & Beaverton. Get off at Galleria/SW 10th MAX station (the last stop in the Rail Free Zone). Walk 0.1 mile south to Central Library (801 S.W. 10th Ave.). Time: About 15 minutes. Fare: This is in the Rail Free Zone, so no fare is required.
Hollywood Library
503.988.5391 • 4040 N.E. Tillamook St., Portland, OR 97212
Open Mon. & Tue. 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Wed.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun. noon–5 p.m.
The 13,000 square foot ground floor library is part of a mixed-use building, with retail space adjacent to the library and 47 mixed-income apartments above. Multnomah County has a two-party condominium relationship with the developer; the county owns the library and the developer owns the retail space and apartments. The building opened in 2002.
Directions:
Walk to the Convention Center MAX light rail station. Board either the BLUE line to Gresham or the GREEN line to Clackamas Town Center. Get off at Hollywood/N.E. 42nd Ave. station. Walk 0.4 mile north to Hollywood Library (4040 N.E. Tillamook St.). Time: About 20 minutes. Fare: Adult ($2), Youth/Student ($1.50), or Honored Citizen ($0.95).
Kenton Library
503.988.5370 • 8226 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217
Open Mon. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tue. & Wed. noon–8 p.m.; Thu.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun. noon–5 p.m.
The 6,000 square foot storefront building is Multnomah County’s newest branch library. It’s a leased space in a renovated building featuring recycled wood from the original structure. The library opened March 8, 2010.
Directions:
Walk 0.36 mile west from the Convention Center to the Interstate/Rose Quarter MAX station. Board the MAX YELLOW line to Expo Center. Get off at Kenton/N. Denver Ave. MAX station. Walk 0.1 mile south to Kenton Library (8226 N. Denver Ave.). Time: About 30 minutes. Fare: Adult ($2), Youth/Student ($1.50), or Honored Citizen ($0.95).
Hillsdale Library
503.988.5388 • 1525 S.W. Sunset Blvd., Portland, OR 97239
Open Mon. & Tue. 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Wed.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun. noon–5 p.m.
This 12,000 square foot library, which opened in 2004, earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) certification at the Gold Level. It incorporates many environmental design elements that significantly reduce or eliminate the building’s negative impact on the environment, while providing an inviting, friendly and comfortable place for library users of all ages.
Directions:
Walk to the Convention Center MAX light rail station. Board the MAX GREEN line to City Center/PSU. Get off at S.W. 5th Ave. & Pine St. Board TriMet Bus 44 (Capitol Hill to PCC Sylvania). Get off at S.W. Capitol & Sunset. Walk northwest to the Hillsdale Library (1525 S.W. Sunset Blvd.). Time: About 40 minutes. Fare: Adult ($2), Youth/Student ($1.50), or Honored Citizen ($0.95).
03.10
Contact for more information about the Multnomah County Libraries.
Lake Oswego Public Library
The Lake Oswego Public Library has been Oregon’s top rated Library (Hennen/HAPLR) for the last six years. This 27,100 square foot community Library has a service population of 40,000 and circulates over 1.4 million items per year. Lake Oswego residents have the highest per capita circulation of any community in Oregon (32.5 items per capita).
Lake Oswego Public Library
(503) 636-7628
706 Fourth St., Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Open M-Th 10-9; F Sat 10-6 Sun 1-6
Bill Baars, Library Director
Driving Directions
Distance: 9.55 miles Time: 20 minutes
Start at 777 NE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVD, PORTLAND going toward NE IRVING ST – go 0.1 mi
Turn Right on NE GLISAN ST – go 0.2 mi
Continue on NE LLOYD BLVD – go 0.1 mi
Continue on NE INTERSTATE AVE – go 0.4 mi
Turn Right on N LARRABEE AVE
Turn Right on N WINNING WAY – go 0.2 mi
Take Left ramp onto I-5 S – go 2.4 mi
Take exit #299A/LAKE OSWEGO onto SW HOOD AVE(OR-43 S) – go 0.7 mi
Continue to follow OR-43 S – go 5.1 mi
Turn Right on D AVE – go 0.3 mi
Turn Right on 4TH ST
Arrive at 706 4TH ST, LAKE OSWEGO, on the Left
This library is tentatively planning to organize a tour of this facility during the PLA conference. Contact for more information.
Fort Vancouver Regional Library
Fort Vancouver Regional Library District is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington and serves more than 443,000 residents in four counties with 13 libraries and 3 bookmobiles. Eight libraries are in Clark County, just north across the Columbia River from Portland. More information at www.fvrl.org.
Here are the Clark County FVRL libraries that may be of interest to conference attendees:
Battle Ground Community Library
(360) 687-2322
1207 SE 8th Way, Battle Ground WA 98604
Open Tu W Th 10-8; F Sat 10-6
Jackie Spurlock, Community Librarian
New building opened May 2009 in Battle Ground Village, a live-work development.
PLEASE NOTE: Management staff will be attending PLA and not available to give tours, so this would be a D.I.Y. opportunity only.
Directions [driving distance from Oregon Convention Center is 25.3 miles]
1. Take I-5 North from Portland, across the Columbia River and through Vancouver.
Take the Battle Ground exit.
2. Turn right and travel east on 219th, which becomes Main St. in Battle Ground.
3. Turn right at SE Grace Ave (southbound).
4. Turn left at SE Rasmussen and cross the railroad tracks into Battle Ground Village.
5. Turn right on SE 14th and drive past the library at the corner of 14th and SE 8th Way.
6. Turn right on SE 9th, then right again into the library parking lot.
Cascade Park Community Library
(C-Tran Route #80)
(360) 256-7782
600 NE 136th Ave., Vancouver WA 98684
Open Tu W Th 9-8; F Sat 9-6
Teresa Torres, Community Librarian
New building opened December 2009.
Conference attendees are invited to set up a time to tour this beautiful new facility by contacting Lori Chance ( or 360-699-8803) at the district office in advance. The Cascade Park library is adjacent to a popular community center, features an automated materials handling system, and is ten times larger that the previous library that served East Vancouver.
Directions [driving distance from Oregon Convention Center is 16.6 miles]
1. Take I-5 North from Portland, across the Columbia River.
2. Take the first exit after the bridge, to Hwy. 14.
3. Go eastbound on Hwy. 14 to I-205 Northbound (to Seattle).
4. Travel north on I-205 to the Mill Plain Blvd. exit.
5. Turn right on Mill Plain Blvd.
6. Turn left on 136th Ave.
7. Go north on 136th Ave. to the library on the left (shares the site with Firstenburg Community Center).
Three Creeks Community Library
(C-Tran Route #9)
(360) 571-9696
800-C NE Tenney Road, Vancouver WA 98685
Open Tu W Th 10-8; F Sat 10-6
Mike Jansen, Community Librarian
D.I.Y. tours only.
Directions [driving distance from Oregon Convention Center is 14.8 miles]
1. Take I-5 North.
2. Take Exit #7 (134th St).
3. Take a left at light.
4. Travel west on Tenney Rd. to the Fred Meyer main parking lot entrance.
5. Turn right into parking lot.
6. Library is located to your left, in the northwest corner next to Riverview Community Bank.
Vancouver Community Library (main library)
(C-Tran Routes # 25, 32, 37, 39)
(360) 695-1566
1007 E Mill Plain Boulevard, Vancouver WA 98663
Open M Tu W Th 9-8; F Sat 10-6
Karin Ford, Community Librarian
This library will move in 2011 to a much-larger new facility now under construction five blocks away.
D.I.Y. tours only.
Directions [driving distance from Oregon Convention Center is 9.4 miles]
1. Take I-5 North from Portland into Vancouver.
2. Take Exit #1C to Mill Plain Blvd. and turn right.
3. Go eastbound one block to the intersection of Mill Plain and Ft. Vancouver Way.
4. The library is on the southeast corner of the intersection.
5. Parking is available on both the west and east side of the building.
6. The library is located on the upper level; district offices are in the basement. Vancouver Community
Vancouver Mall Community Library
(C-Tran Routes # 4, 7, 32, 44, 72, 78, 80)
(360) 892-8256
8700 NE Vancouver Mall Drive, Suite 285, Vancouver WA 98662
Open M Tu W 10-9; Th F Sat 10-6; Sun 12-6
Barbra Meisenheimer, Community Librarian
D.I.Y. tours only.
Directions [driving distance from Oregon Convention Center is 13.2 miles]
1. Take I-5 North from Portland, across the Columbia River.
2. Take the 39th St/WA-500 E. exit- Exit 2- toward Orchards (0.1 miles)
3. Merge onto WA-500 East (3.5 miles)
4. Take the NE Thurston Way exit toward Westfield Shoppingtown (0.3 miles)
5. Keep left at the fork to go on NE Thurston Way (0.1 miles)
6. Turn right onto NE Parkway Drive (0.1 miles)
7. Turn right onto NE Vancouver Mall Drive (0.2 miles)
8. The library is on the upper level, between the food court and JC Penney
Contact for more information about the Fort Vancouver Regional Library.
The ALA election season is upon us (electronic polls open and paper ballot mailing begins) on March 16 and polls close on April 23, 2010. We wanted to find out a bit more about the two ALA presidential candidates, so we asked them to provide us with an answer, for the PLA blog, to the following question: “What two challenges are most critical to public libraries today and how can ALA and PLA help public librarians meet those challenges?” Their responses are below.
The two most critical challenges to public libraries today are: adequate funding and technology’s demands.
1. Adequate funding – It is critical for a strong and successful public library to receive adequate funding. We all know the economy has gone sour. That puts libraries in direct competition with all other government services. We need to create a strong core of advocates to speak loudly for us through conscious, deliberate and continuous marketing and public relations. Libraries, librarians and trustees need to be forceful in their efforts to secure adequate operating revenues. It may mean placing a proposition on a ballot for a first time, lobbying with elected officials, and/or organizing grassroots campaigns for support. ALA and PLA have been in the forefront of working with librarians and trustees on advocacy. We must strengthen our efforts as professional leaders and as the professional organization for all librarians. We need to tell our stories about successes using libraries, the “people’s university.” ALA and PLA need to be able to get down to the grassroots – through regionalized programs, webinars, interactive learning via our websites, whatever delivery method we can utilize. We need to make it easy for all libraries to access the needed information to secure their needed funding.
2. Technology – Technology is a challenge that is both exciting and frustrating. Libraries struggle to keep up with in-house needs and user demands. Insufficient bandwidth issues are increasing as users place more demands on library service. New applications give us pause – RSS feeds, blogs, Facebook and Twitter and whatever’s next place – and place increased demands on staff. We must address basic computer needs as well as services like Millennials and teens who want reference answers texted to them. ALA and PLA can create organizational synergy so that each division can create meaningful professional development, with LITA and LLAMA and other divisions to provide common solutions. There are tremendous opportunities for cooperation and I believe it’s time to work collectively to especially keeping libraries at the forefront with technology. The expertise is there and ALA and PLA can deliver it.
What two challenges are most critical to public libraries today and how can ALA and PLA help public librarians meet those challenges?
To address the two most critical challenges facing public libraries, we must transform the public’s perception that libraries are “nice to have” to the perception that “libraries are essential for learning, essential for life” (on par with police, fire, education).
1. Funding. We face significant differences in funding challenges from previous recessions; many believe we are seeing permanent changes in the availability of future tax dollars. Even when the economy gets better, local and state governments’ efforts to raise revenue may never reach previous levels. Some ways ALA and PLA can help include:
• Launch a national colloquy on funding models, by convening a national summit and then developing strategies to replicate this dialogue at state and local levels;
• Partner with organizations like OCLC that report important research on public library funding;
• Expand our efforts to encourage library users to tell their stories about the life-transforming power of libraries;
• Develop and advocate for national library funding legislation, just as with the recent funding efforts for broadband technology and jobs growth.
2. Managing in a rapidly changing environment (especially information and communication tools). Libraries must move rapidly to stay relevant. Some ways ALA and PLA can help include:
• Help libraries build diverse staffs which reflect community demographics, by investing in retention as well as recruitment;
• Continue investment in leadership development and change management, linking these programs to diversity efforts;
• Promote innovative, forward-thinking solutions to technology challenges (e.g. new service delivery models) and funding constraints (e.g. leveraging technology to increase productivity and introduce new, powerful management tools);
• Introduce programs to facilitate the reconfiguration of staff to integrate the skills of librarians with the needed skills from related professions;
• Promote professional education programs for existing staff to sustain proficiency in a rapidly changing environment;
• Expand opportunities for information sharing with e-learning and social networking tools;
• Build collaborative across ALA units and with external entities to assist libraries in making difficult choices to discontinue services (e.g. PLA and LLAMA’s Public Relations and Marketing Section for managing change). In closing, I ask for your vote.
PLA is offering both individual and group registrations for the Virtual Conference. The group rate allows a single location to host the virtual conference for multiple attendees. Cost is determined by number of attendees. Individuals who register to attend PLA 2010 in Portland will automatically receive access to the Virtual Conference as part of their registration. Register for the PLA 2010 Virtual Conference at here. Registration closes on Friday March 19, 2010.
Offered biennially, PLA National Conference is the premier event for public libraries, drawing librarians, library support staff, trustees, friends and library vendors from across the country and around the world. The conference includes nearly 200 top-quality continuing education programs, preconferences, talk tables, several social events, networking opportunities, and a bustling exhibits hall. PLA 2010 will be held March 23-27, 2010 in Portland, Ore. For more information, visit www.placonference.org.
Share Your Library’s Successes and Challenges
PLA is seeking interested parties to submit virtual poster sessions as part of the upcoming PLA Virtual Conference. The topic of your poster session can be your choosing, but must be related to public librarianship. Virtual posters can be submitted as Web pages, PowerPoint presentations, or other formats which can be ‘mounted’ on the Web. Accepted posters will be mounted on the PLA Virtual Conference website prior to the event (the PLA Virtual Conference will be held on March 25 and March 26 during the PLA 2010 National Conference). Presenters are welcome to participate in online discussions about their posters via the Virtual Conference.
To apply, please send an email to Kathleen Hughes () detailing your idea. Please include the following:
Primary Contact Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Job Title and Institution, Name of Additional Contributors, Title of Proposed Virtual Poster Session, Brief Abstract (150-200 words) describing your poster session, Format of Virtual Poster (e.g., doc, html, pdf) and if any special files/software/effects will be incorporated. We have the ability to do voice-over narration, so if you would like to take advantage of that, just include it in your proposal. Proposals are due by March 8 at 4:00 p.m. Selected proposal will be notified by March 12, 2010.
Floundering at the desk when someone asks you for a book or author you haven’t read? Would you like a ‘go-to’ list for books/authors you may not be familiar with? During this PLA 2010 program, a panel of Readers’ Advisory experts will showcase five top genres (Women’s Fiction, Humor, Horror, SF/Fantasy, and Mystery) and what every librarian should be familiar with about the genre, including the top five authors, books, up-and-comers, and trends. This program will be held during the upcoming PLA National Conference, in Portland, Oregon and also will be featured as part of the PLA Virtual Conference.
The PLA Virtual Conference is a great way to participate in and enjoy conference, even if you can’t be there in person. The Virtual Conference will consist of live programming on Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26 and will include five hour-long, live programs on each day. Programs are chosen from among the highest rated in PLA’s session preference survey. Each day also will include a lunchtime author interview and a closing session ‘happy hour’ event for attendees to get together and discuss the day’s programming. Get more information here.
PLA is looking for lots of enthusiastic bloggers to fan out and cover all of the important details of the PLA 2010 conference.
We’re planning to deliver detailed coverage of PLA 2010 programs, social events, exhibits, interviews, and maybe even a few podcasts.
If you will be at the conference and want to blog sessions or other live events, write to or and we’ll give you all the details.
Don’t miss an opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills to benefit your career and library community! The PLA Leadership Fellows Program offers full tuition scholarships for four executive leadership training programs at prestigious universities in the United States. The program provides a unique learning opportunity for public library managers who want to broaden their perspectives, improve their leadership skills, drive change in their institutions, and plan with a strategic vision.
The following Programs are available: APPLY BY MARCH 1, 2010!
Leading Organizational Change
University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School
Senior Executives in State and Local Government
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
APPLY BY APRIL 1, 2010!
Positive Leadership: Building Extraordinary Leadership Capabilities
University of Michigan, Ross School of Business
Executive Management Program
University of Washington, Evans School of Public Affairs
Candidates must be PLA members who are management staff in a public library system and have five years of experience in a leadership role.
Two author interviews are scheduled to take place live during the 2010 PLA Virtual Conference. The PLA Virtual Conference will take place on Thursday, March 25, and Friday, March 26, during the PLA 2010 National Conference in Portland, Oregon.
Thursday’s Author Interview (11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (PDT) will feature Mary Roach, author of the New York Times bestsellers “Stiff,” “Spook,” “Bonk,” and the forthcoming “Packing for Mars.”
Friday’s Author Interview (11:45 a.m -12:45 p.m.) will feature Debra Gwartney, a National Book Critics Circle finalist for her memoir, “Live through This: A Mother’s Memoir of Runaway Daughters and Reclaimed Love.”
Both interviews will be conducted by Booklist’s Donna Seaman. The PLA Virtual Conference also will feature ten live educational programs, poster sessions, networking opportunities, and more.
PLA is seeking interested parties to submit virtual poster sessions as part of the upcoming PLA Virtual Conference. The topic of your poster session can be your choosing, but must be related to public librarianship. Virtual posters can be submitted as Web pages, PowerPoint presentations, or other formats which can be ‘mounted’ on the Web. Accepted posters will be mounted on the PLA Virtual Conference website prior to the event (the PLA Virtual Conference will be held on March 25 and March 26 during the PLA 2010 National Conference). Presenters are welcome to participate in online discussions about their posters via the Virtual Conference.
To apply, please email detailing your idea. Please include the following:
Primary Contact Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Job Title and Institution, Name of Additional Contributors, Title of Proposed Virtual Poster Session, Brief Abstract (150-200 words) describing your poster session, Format of Virtual Poster (e.g., doc, html, pdf) and if any special files/software/effects will be incorporated. We have the ability to do voice-over narration, so if you would like to take advantage of that, just include it in your proposal. Proposals are due by March 8 at 4:00 p.m. Selected proposal will be notified by March 12, 2010.
