MLA Conference 2006 Missoula
Holiday Inn Parkside
May 3-6, 2006

This year the Montana Library Association celebrates its centennial. MLA had its beginnings in Missoula in 1906, so it is fitting that this centennial conference also be held in Missoula. Gertrude Buckhous, University Librarian, chaired the group's organizational meeting. The next day she was elected Vice President, with Granville Stuart elected as President. From then on, Montana librarians have been "proceeding on" with all the things librarians and libraries do, growing and changing with the times through the years.

We believe we have put together an exciting centennial conference for you, with something for just about everyone. Please come and help us celebrate!

Proceeding on ... Our conference motto is adapted from the frequent phrase in Lewis and Clark's Journals, "We proceeded on." We anticipate that MLA and the state's libraries will continue to serve our citizens for the next hundred years and keep "proceeding on."

Final Schedule

| Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Printable PDF | Back to Home |

Wednesday, May 3

Registration Table Hours: 8:00-10:00, 1:00-6:00

All Day

On Your Own Area Excursions

Birding: America's latest craze, Missoula Style (See Event Info. for details)

Pre-Conference: Cataloger's Use of MARC 21 & 21st Century Library Cataloging: Challenges and Opportunities, by Bill Moen, Interim Director of the Texas Center for Digital Knowledge and Associate Professor, School of Library and Information Science, University of North Texas [CMTS]

Library catalogers face new challenges and opportunities to bring order to the chaos of the ever-changing information landscape. The networked information environment that has emerged in the last decade and the new forms of digital information objects requires a reexamination of our practices, tools, and standards. While the key goal of organizing information remains the same, namely, to provide users with effective and efficient access to relevant information, we need to be open to major changes in our work and tools.

This workshop blends research results and an analysis of current ideas and trends. The workshop will assist catalogers, metadata specialists, information systems librarians, and other interested information professionals to understand key issues and opportunities for organizing information.

A research project, supported by funding from a U.S. Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant is examining over 56 million MARC bibliographic records from OCLC’s WorldCat database to identify catalogers’ use of MARC fields/subfields. Project information is available at: http://www.mcdu.unt.edu. Preliminary results indicate that only a small number of the nearly 2,000 MARC fields/subfields are commonly used. Decisions by catalogers, for example, the level of cataloging and the encoding of bibliographic data in MARC records, ultimately affect the ability of users to effectively and efficiently find, identify, select, and access relevant information. During the workshop, the results of this research project will be presented and participants will be encouraged to discuss the implications for catalogers and users of these results. MARC jargon will be minimized to enable the broadest understanding of the importance of the findings from this research.

The workshop will examine recent and emerging ideas and activities that are already affecting or ultimately affect the work of library catalogers. Key topics that will be addressed are:

• MARC Content Designation Utilization (MCDU)
• Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR)
• Resource Description and Access (RDA)
• Extensible Markup Language (XML)
• Metadata

Participants will be presented with information to help them thoughtfully consider the issues and opportunities. The workshop’s goal is to help information professionals participate in shaping 21 st century cataloging and information organization.

Pre-Conference: Funny Bones for Customer Service, by Jan Fandrich, Technical and Access Services Librarian, MSU-Billings [LSP]
Jan Fandrich, M.L.I.S., is currently the Technical and Access Services Librarian at Montana State University-Billings Library. She has also worked as a children’s librarian in a large public library, and as a researcher and serials specialist in a corporate library. What do all these jobs have in common? The need for great customer service! Working with an ever-changing population of part-time student employees led Jan to explore ways of training new and returning workers for continuous improvement of customer service. Working with students also pointed out the need to make this training fun for the participants! To date, Jan has given presentations on customer service training at the local and statewide level, in addition to training each semester at the MSU-Billings Library. Her program will energize your staff and/or yourself and help you impress your customers!  Participate in humorous skits and role-plays designed to sharpen your customer service skills.

12:00 - 1:30

Lunch (on your own)

MLA Board Meeting

Pre-Conference: The Accidental Library Manager, by Rachel Singer Gordon, writer, speaker, web expert and librarian [LA]
This program takes a practical look at the skills and background new and potential library managers need to succeed in their positions. It reassures those with little preparation for their management roles, who never realized they would be going into management (or never intended to do so), or whose library school coursework failed to prepare them for the challenges of management. In an era where younger and potential managers are told what their elders think they “need to lead,” find out what library staff really want from their managers, how to use your current background to succeed, and how to reduce the fear inherent in common concerns.

Wednesday Afternoon Excursions:
Those participating may choose between the Fort Missoula Museum and the Smokejumper Center & Missoula Technology and Development Center. Preregistration required. See Event Info. for more details.

Opening Reception

6:00 - 7:30

MLA Night Dine Around (Attendees will be able to make first & second choices of local restaurants during pre-registration); or

Beyond the Patriot Act: MLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee will sponsor a showing of "Beyond the Patriot Act," a 30-minute DVD from the ACLU, with a discussion following moderated by Lois Fitzpatrick. This event will be free and open to all MLA Conference attendees. Pizza and soda provided.

"Beyond the Patriot Act" is the first episode of the ACLU Freedom Files from the American Civil LIberties Union and Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films. It is produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Jeremy Kagan. Through personal stories of ordinary Americans, it tells how a misguided law and other government reactions to Sept. 11 have restricted our most basic constitutional freedoms and threaten America's system of checks and balances.

Dinner on your own

One Conference, One Book: The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger (with bar available)

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Thursday, May 4

Registration Table Hours: 7:00-5:00
Exhibit Hours: 10:00-6:00

New Members/First Time Attendees Breakfast (others welcome)
The Membership Committee invites new members and members attending the conference for the first time to a welcome orientation and breakfast reception. Please take this opportunity to meet fellow members before the conference gets into full swing. This will be a great chance to network with fellow library workers and get pointers on the conference, as well as information about the association. Open to all members: free to new members, $4 for all others.

What’s New in K-12 Literature / Ron & Barb Scherry [CMTS]
The best of recently released K-12 literature will be highlighted. Categories include Picture Books, Novels, Non-Fiction, Newest in a Best-Selling Series, Seasonal/Holiday. Suggestions for sharing these books with children will be given including book summaries, curriculum connections, and author and illustrator backgrounds. Bibliographies will be provided.

Montana Memory Project -- What’s in it for You? What’s in it for Our Patrons? / Jennie Stapp, Steve McCann, Jason Clark [CMTS]
Modeled after the Colorado Digitization Program, Montaniana is a partnership of Montana libraries that intends to create digital access to Montana-related content using the digital content management software, ContentDM. This panel will discuss progress to date and will seek feedback for future considerations and involvement from interested institutions.

Library Instruction as Outreach / Sue Samson, Samantha Hines, Jennie Burroughs [LSP]
A well-designed information literacy instruction program can be the primary focus of outreach and public relations with your key constituencies. This presentation will explore a variety of teaching initiatives that target specific user groups: first-year experience students, distance users, community users, curriculum-specific classes, and under-represented users. Practical applications for building programs and providing instruction will be introduced.

Health Issues in the Headlines: Reading Between the Lines / Gail Kouame [LSP]
Dark chocolate, gray hair, stem cells -- these topics have all appeared in health-related news stories. This session will help participants learn how to investigate the truth behind medical issues in the press.

Program Opportunities with the Montana Committee for the Humanities / Mark Sherouse [LSP]
This session will provide an overview of MCH and its Montana Center for the Book and their variety of programs for libraries, especially Speakers Bureau, OpenBook (reading and discussion), One Book Montana, the Montana Festival of the Book, and Letters About Literature. The 2006 One Book Montana selection also will be announced.

Exhibits Open

Break

Keynote Speaker: Meeting the Challenge: Key Issues for Changing Times, Keith Fiels, Executive Director, American Library Association; & Opening General Session [O]
Libraries and librarians face incredible challenges as we struggle to grapple with an information explosion, a new global society, and incredible technologies that are transforming the way we live and work. How will we fit into -- and shape -- the future world emerging all around us? How can we continue to play a vital role in our society and democracy? What are the most important things we can do to improve library services in America -- and the world? What can we do about library funding? Can we really improve the salaries of library workers? Can libraries even survive? American Library Association Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels will discuss some of the ways in which we can work together to meet the challenges that we face today: funding crises, threats to first amendment protections, poor salaries and a lack of public understanding of the critical role that libraries must play in a global society and information age. Find out how you can make a difference!

Exhibitors’ Luncheon

Library Practitioner Certification and E-Learning Opportunities / Karen Strege & Sara Chesemore [LA]
The Western Council of State Libraries is currently developing a region-wide library certification program. Learn about developments and trends in the certification of non-MLS library workers in Montana, in the West, and in the US. Tying certification to the achievements of competencies might mean changes at your library. Sara will speak about WebJunction's E-Learning Clearinghouse.

What’s FRBR and Why Should I Care about It? / Linda Gonzalez (BCR) [CMTS]
The Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) is a proposed model for bibliographic information. Developed with the needs of library users and the capabilities of current information technology in mind, it may drastically change the way we organize our online catalogs, making them easier to search and navigate.

The Secret of the Syndicated Sleuth: Nancy Drew, Readers, and Libraries / Jan Zauha & Linda Karrell [CMTS]
Who was Nancy Drew’s real father? Is reading her and her syndicated siblings really like eating a box of twinkies? Is she worth spending your precious budget on? Explore the history of our conflicted relationship with Nancy and her ilk. Share your own secrets!

Your 21 st Century Library Career / Rachel Singer Gordon [LA]
Today’s constantly changing library environment highlights the growing importance of lifelong learning. It’s easy, though, to get too bogged down in our day-to-day duties to pay sufficient attention to our own careers and professional development. Get tips for using technology to keep up, keep connected, and map out a dynamic library career, as well as ideas on mentoring others and keeping the profession moving forward as a whole.

Funding Digital and Preservation Collection Projects / Gayle Palmer [LA]
This session covers strategies for funding collection projects through internal funds, foundation and grant proposals. Covers evaluating appropriate funding sources, preparation of a grant proposal and creating case statements for internal operating funds. Reviews grant proposal elements and emphasizes matching your institution’s project with the appropriate funding source. Provides information on Northwest funding sources. For libraries, archives, museums and heritage organizations.

Break

Massages Available
Courtesy of the Montana School of Massage

OCLC Update / Sam Sayre, (OCLC) [T]

ACRL Information Literacy Standards and Composition Papers: How Are We Doing? / Kellian Clink [LSP]
Association of College & Research Library standards concerning student evaluation of information sources were assessed using more than 100 student papers and focus groups with students and teachers to try to understand whether students assess their sources for relevance, authority, timeliness and bias.

Find Out What’s So Special about Montana’s Special Libraries and Librarians / Magi Malone + panel (3:00-5:00) [LA]
There are almost 50 special and institutional libraries listed in the 2005 Montana Library Directory. Find out more about our state’s art, health, law and research libraries, and librarians.

Finger on the Pulse: Measuring Your Library’s Services for Quality / Brent Roberts [LA]
In today’s world of fizzling funding and deafening demands for quality improvement, it is imperative that libraries identify ways of analyzing, improving and promoting their services. This workshop will help participants from all library types identify appropriate ways of measuring the good they do on a daily basis, and prepare them to develop assessment action plans for use in their own libraries.

Radical Reads: What’s New in Young Adult Literature? / Linette Ivanovitch [CMTS]
What's new? What's exciting? What's downright scary? Keep up with the latest trends and titles in literature written for today's digital savvy teen audience. Linette will present the newest, best, and most radical young adult titles from the last year. An annotated bibliography of titles and professional materials will be provided.

4:45 - 5:45

Interest Group Meetings:
Public Library Directors MPL
Local History and Indexing Autio-Hook
Inter-Library Loan: Going Postal with Postal Service [LSP] Ballroom C
Children’s/Young Adult Ballroom B
Paraprofessionals West

4:45 - 6:00

Walking Tour of Historic Missoula (See Event Info. for details)

6:15 - 7:30

ASLD Division Dinner (See Meal Info. for details)

6:00 - 8:00

Reception at Missoula Public Library

Cates Trivia Mania
Join your friends and colleagues for a couple hours of hilarious fun and contribute to a very worthy cause at the same time. Dress in costume (or not) and join a team of trivia players for Montana Trivia and more! Form a team of up to 8 people ahead of time, or just come and join a team at the event. Costumes are optional: This is our Centennial, so we're promoting fashion through the decades. Pre-formed teams as well as individuals are encouraged to dress up in one of the decades' attires: 1906-1916 through 1996 - 2006. Who was Sheila Cates? Sheila was an inspirational librarian who cared for the development of every librarian and library in Montana; she died of cancer in 1993, but we carry on her passion for libraries and librarians by raising money for the scholarship fund created to honor her. While pre-registration is strongly encouraged to help us gauge a headcount for this zany event, walk-ins are welcome; $10 in advance or $12 at the door. A cash bar will be available, along with complimentary snacks. Prizes will be awarded for best period costumes and winning Trivia team.

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Friday, May 5th

Registration Table Hours: 7:00-5:00
Exhibit Hours 8:00-6:00

7:00 - 8:00

Division Breakfasts:
ASLD Ballroom D
PLD Ballroom B
SLMD Ballroom C

DIY Website Usability on a Shoestring Budget / Steve McCann [T]
How user-friendly is your library website? This session will give you the tools you need to discover for yourself. Topics include an overview of usability techniques, equipment, and the attitude necessary to help you jumpstart the process with little or no funds. Learn about “personas,” think-aloud protocols, and much more.

School Libraries: an Invaluable Resource / Colet Bartow [LA]
This session will explore and discuss the essential roles the school library media center and media specialist play, the value of quality LMCs, how LMS/LMC help students meet content standards and improve student achievement.

Meet the Authors! / panel convened by Karen Gonzales: (8:30-10:30) [O]
Five well-known children’s and young adult authors will discuss their books, writing styles and working together in a writer’s group. Authors are Sneed Collard, Peggy Christian, Jeanette Ingold, Dorothy Patent and Bruce Weide.

Significant Tidings / organized by Sue Samson [LSP]
Five presentations will be given:
AskAMontana Librarian : Adventures in Reference / Sheila Bonnard & Betsy Garlish
Collaborating with Our Users through Wiki Guides / Samantha Hines
Getting Maximum Results from Minimal Processing at the K. Ross Toole Archives / Donna McCrea
Implementing an Informatics Student Project in the Solo Library / Heidi Sue Adams
How Diverse Is Your Library? : the Experience of Mansfield Library’s Diversity Efforts / Elaine Higgins & Linder Schlang

Quality Time with Exhibitors (& Break)

Poster Sessions

Awards Luncheon

Earn Your MLS Degree from Home / Sue Jackson [LA]
There’s not a master’s degree in library/information science offered in Montana, but that hasn’t stopped a growing number of Montanans from earning an MLS/MLIS from their home town. You’ll hear how it can be done -- the challenges, costs, requirements -- through various accredited distance learning degree programs.

Applying Library Law in the Real World / Darlene Staffeldt [LA]
Darlene Staffeldt, MSL staff, and legal representatives will discuss current Montana library law and what it means for public libraries.

Meeting Etiquette, or, How Parliamentary Procedures Help a Meeting / Lois Fitzpatrick [LA]
Did you ever have a meeting go out of control? Did you want to say “Point of order” and know what it means? We will look at roles used in meetings; how to set up a room for the meeting energy. Robert’s Rules will be covered.

Developing Native American Collections and Indian Education for All Resources: Best Practices for Sources, Titles, and Ideas / Carlene Engstrom [CMTS]
Looking to improve your library collection coverage of Montana’s Native American People and American Indians overall? This program will help you identify quality and appropriate materials for Native American Library Collections for school and public libraries. Learn the Why, What and How of Native American Collections, helping to locate sources, bibliographies and vendors.

“Paws, Claws, Scales & Tales”: 2006 Summer Reading Workshop / Cindy Christin, Ginny Cowan, Cindy Patterson [LSP]
A crash course on the 2006 summer reading program manual by sharing ideas and strategies for a successful and fun program. All children’s and YA librarians encouraged to attend.

Social Software: Your Library, Your Community / Sam Sayre (OCLC) [T]
The “New Social Software Movement” promises to bring people together around your library and grow genuine community like never before. This sounds great, but what is hype and what can we actually use now to deliver practical results to our libraries and communities? This session will present definitions of social software followed by explanations, discussions and demonstrations of specific social software tools. Don’t be surprised if you learn about something you can implement in your library -- the next day!

Break

Membership Meeting

5:00 - 6:00

Interest Group Meetings:
Trustees: Program will include discussion of the Library Board Education Program. Hook
Health Sciences Librarians: Program will include discussion of the "Montana Medical Libraries Newsletter", led by Lisa Autio, editor. Jenkins
Technical Services Boussard
Offline Dolack
Montana Depository Libraries Meeting Autio

5:00 - 8:00

Missoula’s First Friday!

Exhibits Close

State Library Commission Reception

MLA Membership Dinner -- Past MLA Presidents are encouraged to attend.

Beers with Peers (ASLD)

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Saturday, May 6th

Registration Table Hours: 7:00-10:00 a.m.

Transitional Librarians : Generation X in the Library / Eileen Wright & Kirsten Clark [LA]
Generation X librarians have one foot in the analog world and one foot in the digital world - we are the generation in-between. Just as we’re the same age as the parents coming into the library, we are the same age as the new faculty, too. The baby boomers are our bosses and the Millennials are coming up behind us. Are we the bridge generation? How do we fit within the library world? What can we do to be seen and heard? How can we make a difference? How can we work together efficiently?

The Why, What, and How of Public Library Districts / Darlene Staffeldt [LA]
Darlene will lead a panel discussion on public library districts. The panel will explore what districts are, why libraries might consider becoming one, and how to go about forming a public library district.

The Montana NACO Funnel and What It Can Do for You / Coby Johnson & others [CMTS]
A description of the Montana NACO Funnel project, NACO itself, and the purpose of maintaining name authority files. Information will be presented as to what the funnel can do for the libraries of Montana and how a library can join.

What Can You Do with Those Discarded Books? Alter Them!!! / Julie Radtke [O]
Bring a hardbound discarded book from your library and turn it into a work of art. Learn how discarded books can be used in conjunction with art classes or research assignments in English and history classes. Public librarians can alter books as community projects.

Native American Literature for Children and Young Adults / Dottie Susag [LSP]
Using literatures written by Native Americans, this sectional will provide readings, and summaries, and some lesson plans. Handouts will be provided.

Break

Is This What the Future Holds? Librarians in Science Fiction / Christy Donaldson [O]
One of the greatest places to look for future portrayals of librarians is in science fiction. Anyone interested in science fiction or librarians is welcome to blast off into the future as we look at various representations of librarians in science fiction books, movies and television.

How Long Range Planning Works in the Library / Suzanne Reymer [LA]
Suzanne will lead a panel discussion about the experiences of public librarians who have gone through a long range planning session.

Public Patrons in University/College Libraries: Issues and Some Answers / Rich Wojtowicz [LA]
This presentation examines the accommodation of public patrons in public and private college and university libraries, focusing on the Northwestern United States. Comparison of policies will provide material for consideration. Questions and discussion will encourage the sharing of ideas for an issue which we all face in academic libraries at one time or another.

Packaging the Message: How to Do Grassroots Lobbying / Lois Fitzpatrick, Jim Smith, Kathy McGowan [LA]
Before we know it election time will be here. Learn how to ask questions of the candidates when they come to your door. Hear from lobbyists how to frame the questions. Hear from legislators what makes an impact with them. Learn how to be more effective during sessions.

Best Impressions: Favorite Books from the 2005 MT Book Award Committee / Jan Zauha & others [CMTS]
Join us for a lively book talk and discussion featuring titles selected from the 2005 MT Book Award books proposed for the list, all written by MT authors, set in Montana, or about MT. Learn about the award and explore a traveling display that’s just right for your library.

Media Literacy / Linette Ivanovitch & Gloria Curdy

Author’s Luncheon
Speaker: Janna Nickerson, author of Eyes of War

MLA Board Meeting

OMNI Meeting

Possible Area Tours (on your own)

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Continuing Education Creditation

Some programs above note credits which can be earned through the Montana State Library. The categories are noted in brackets [ ] after the program title. Below is a guide to the abbreviations used.

CMTS -- Collection Management & Technical Services
LA -- Library Administration
LSP -- Library Services to the Public
T -- Technology
O -- Other

Logo created by Erika Mann, Reference Technician, University of Montana.
Website created by Samantha Hines, from the
Conference Booklet Committee, chaired by Stacey Gordon.