MLA Board elections: President-elect

The MLA Board is pleased to announce the slate of officers for the 2008 elections. This is the "Statements of Concern" and background information provided by each candidate.

You should be receiving your ballot via the U.S. Mail within the next weeks. You will need to return the ballot to the MLA Office to cast your vote.

Thanks to this year's Nominating Committee: Ruth Solie, Chair; Marlene Moulton Janssen; Rebecca Patton, Victoria Peters.

President-Elect

Ken Behringer

Background:
I have worked in a variety of support staff and management positions in libraries in Minnesota, Wyoming and North Dakota, starting as a shelver at the Rochester Public Library more than 40 years ago. My work experiences include academic library settings, a state library agency, and public libraries (both consolidated and federated.) My most recent positions are:

2004 - present Dakota County Library, Director,

2000 - 2004 MnLINK, Executive Director

1989 - 2000 Great River Regional Library, Director

Statement of Concern/Vision:

I see this as a time for thoughtful reconsideration within MLA and the Minnesota library community - particularly on the public library side. There are two issues that I would hope to help address if elected to this position.

• Organizational expenditures must remain consistent with available resources. To broaden supporting membership, recruiting and programming efforts must continue to ensure that MLA offers a variety of programs and services of interest to a wide range of library staff.
• In the absence of strong state library agency charged with keeping Minnesota's historic collaborative efforts among libraries and systems relevant and in full repair, I would like to see MLA play a more active role in reviewing and addressing structural and financial tensions affecting these service arrangements.

Barbara Misselt

Background:
I have been a librarian at SELCO in Rochester for 8 years, and am currently the Assistant Director. My MLS degree is from the University of Illinois, and my undergraduate degree is in music. Previously, I worked for the Air Force Library Service In South Dakota. I have presented frequent conference sessions, been active in the Legislative Committee and worked on the platform committee and many other regional and state committees.

Statement of Concern/Vision:
My goal as President will be to work for the development of a clear purpose and plan for MLA that will enable it to be a respected organization that provides its members with stable leadership, support, education, and advocacy. I will maximize opportunities to open and maintain lines of communication among the Board, Committees, Roundtables, and members.

I believe that libraries are integral to democracy and the economic development of their communities. The people who work in and for those libraries are the engine that makes libraries successful, and the purpose of MLA as their professional organization is to take care of those people and equip them to provide high quality service to their communities. With MLA, I will advocate for the development and support of libraries, build relationships with library funders and supporters, and endeavor to provide professional development for the staff, volunteers, and trustees of libraries.

Read my thoughts about librarianship on my blog at: http://www.multitypelibrarian.com