MLA Board elections: ALA Chapter Councilor

ALA Chapter Councilor

Melissa Brechon

Background:

Melissa Brechon has been the Director of the Carver County Library System, Chaska, Minnesota since November 1998. She is the former Director of the Austin Public Library, Austin, Minnesota. Earlier Melissa held a position as Senior Librarian for the Hennepin County Library System, Champlin Library branch.

Melissa served as President of the Minnesota Library Association (2003), Chair of the Metropolitan Library Service Agency Advisory Board (2004) and is currently serving as the President of the Friends of the College of St. Catherine Library and on the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Board.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCE:

Minnesota Library Association

President

Legislative Committee

Conference Planning Committee

Nominating Committee Chair

Library Management Roundtable

Public Libraries Division, Chair

Presidents Award Recipient

American Library Association

Exhibit Round Table Board of Directors

Library Administration and Management

Carver County

Member of the Carver County Sesquicentennial Committee, 2003-2005

Public Library Association

Public Policy in Public Libraries

PLA Conference Committee- Local Arrangements (co-chair) 2008 Conference

Chaska Rotary-current member

Dominican University, adjunct teacher in the MLIS program

Robert H. Rohlf Consultants, P.A., Associate

Friends of Library Development & Services, treasurer

Minnesota Library Council

METRONET, Chair

A graduate of the College of St. Catherine (MA. library science) she completed her graduate work at the College of St. Catherine/Dominican University (MLIS) in 1995.

Statement of Concern/Vision:

My concern for ALA is always looking to be part of a future vision for an organization that needs to be flexible, accountable and relevant to better serve the membership and ultimately our customers. Part of the vision would include solid partnership with our vendors, elected officials and other agencies so that the library story would include an exciting future built on our rich heritage.

Alec Sonsteby

Background:

Alec Sonsteby is a reference/instruction librarian at Concordia College, Moorhead. A graduate of the library school at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2005), Alec won the school’s Bryce Allen Award for Reference Services. He has been induced into Beta Phi Mu and Phi Beta Kappa. His service in ALA includes:

• Instruction Section, Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL):

• Section listserv administrator, 2005-2009.
• Chair, communication committee, 2007-2008.
• Reference and User Services Association (RUSA):
• Member, 2007 and 2008 president’s conference program committees.
• Member, advisory board, Reference Sources for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries, 7th ed., 2006.

Statement of Concern/Vision:

The library profession is at a critical juncture: national security concerns and censorship increasingly challenge our privacy and intellectual freedom; the profession faces a shortage of librarians (or not, depending on whom you ask); librarian bloggers express frustration about the benefits and responsiveness of our national association; and the public library as a "third place" is threatened more than ever by a lack of sustainable funding. These and other issues are ones with which our national association must wrestle. As the MLA's ALA Chapter Councilor, I will do my best to represent MLA membership to ALA as it continues to address these challenges. I also hope to follow the lead of past Councilor Chris Olson and to inform members of our association about the actions of the Council through a variety of channels. An active member in ALA since graduate school, I am very familiar with the structure of the Association and know the ins-and-outs of networking within it. With this experience, I believe that I can effectively accomplish the responsibilities of the position.

Edward Swanson

Background:

Professional career:

• Macalester College, 1964-1969
• Minnesota Historical Society, 1968-1999
• Minnesota Planning Agency, Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning, Saint Paul Public Library, 1999-2001
• MINITEX Library Information Network, 2000-

Professional activities:

• Minnesota Library Association: Various offices and committee memberships including President, Chapter Councilor, Chair of Technical Services Section, Co-chair of Centennial Committee
• American Library Association: Various offices and committee memberships including Council, Committee on Organization, LRTS/ALCTS Board of Directors, Chair of ALCTS/CCS/CC:DA, Freedom to Read Foundation Board of Directors
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions: Member, Governing Board; Member, Professional Committee; Section secretary and chair; Division secretary and chair
• Various offices and activities in other professional organizations including OCLC, MnSCU/PALS, and MnPALS, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

Statement of Concern/Vision:

Even though Minnesota is well represented by active members in many of the units of ALA, it is the Chapter Councilor who is the face and voice of MLA (and other library interests in Minnesota) to ALA at large. Likewise, it is the Chapter Councilor who represents ALA to all those concerned with libraries in the state of Minnesota.

As a long-time, active member of both MLA and ALA, coupled with my experience in other local, national, and international library organizations and my knowledge of library services in Minnesota, I believe I have the background and experience to once again represent the people of Minnesota on the national stage.