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UW Offers Online Mastersand Nevada.New Degree First of its Kindin Western Region“We know we will see many people leave theworkforce in libraries in the next decade,” said JimScheppke, state librarian at the Oregon StateLibrary. In the next few years, younger librarianswith master degrees “can look forward toadvancing very rapidly into well-paying positions,”he said.A new program at the UW will make it possiblefor aspiring librarians to get the education they needto advance their careers, without having to relocateor leave their jobs.Starting this fall, the Information School of theUniversity of Washington will offer an onlineMaster’s degree in Library and Information Science(MLIS). The UW Information School is the onlyAmerican Library Association accreditedinstitution in the Northwest, making this the firstsuch degree by a school in Washington, Oregon,Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, UtahThe distance-learning format is convenient forworking professionals who don’t have the luxuryof time and mobility to pursue an education. Butthe UW’s use of short campus sessions also givesstudents the opportunity to meet their instructorsand to network with other students, maintainingthe benefits of an on-site degree. The 63-creditdegree will take students about three years tocomplete.“How do MPLA libraries use Pattern Research?”Library trustee training in NV, NE, KS, SD, and NDCustomer service staff days in OK, UT, and COMarketing seminars in NM and MTManagement clinics in SD, WY, and AZSupport staff conferences in WY, KS, and COStaff leadership in ND and MTCommunication workshops in all 12 MPLA states“Five-Minute Strategic Planning” in NE - NEW“We know MPLA libraries!”Pat Wagner, Pattern ResearchPO Box 9100, Denver, CO 80209-0100(303) 778-0880; fax: (303) 722-2680pat@pattern.com; www.pattern.comTools for Explorers since 1975.MPLA Newsletter, February 2002We provide entertaining and practical programs for libraries and libraryorganizations of all sizes, for volunteers, staff, directors, and boardmembers. See our Website for acurrent list of typical programs andour travel calendar.Page 5

“We have a number of staff who’d love to get adegree in library science, but they are working fulltime, and they are unable to pick up and move toSeattle for a couple of years,” said Michael Wirt,library director, Spokane County Library District.“I think this is a wonderful opportunity.”To apply, candidates need a bachelor’s degree witha minimum grade-point average of 3.0 and a GREscore. A TOEFL score is required for internationalstudents. The Information School requires apersonal statement, transcripts, and three lettersof recommendation. The application deadline isMarch 15, 2002.For application materials, please call (206) 5432320 or (800) 543-2320, or e-mailrequests@ese.washington.edu.Your Library:A Safe Place?Dail BarbourTeton County Library, Jackson WYEDITOR’S NOTE: Dail Barbour is the Facility Managerat the Teton County Library in Jackson, WY. Part of herjob is security (which she claims was assigned to her whenshe missed a meeting!). However she has completed herCertified Institutional Protection Manager(CIPM)certification and continues to attend security sessionswhenever possible. MPLA supported Dail’s attendence atthe IFCPP(International Foundation for Cultural PropertyProtection) conference this year and encouraged her tocontribute security information to the organization. Thisis a series of safety steps Dail has taken in her library thatare relatively cheap and available almost everywhere.Contact her at dbarbour@will.state.wy.us with questions.Security in public buildings is always a challengeespecially in libraries where a basic part of themission is to be open and accessible to everyone.It can be difficult to assume a protective stancetowards staff and patrons while maintaining anatmosphere conducive to learning and access toinformation. Library budgets often don’t leaveroom for security equipment, especially in smallPage 6towns with low crime rates. Staff members canbe difficult to enlist in security precautions whenthey have been lucky to live in an area where theyhave experienced little crime personally or at work.At our library in northwestern Wyoming, all ofthese concerns have been issues for us. Duringconstruction of our new library four years ago, anintruder spent the night in the old library severelyfrightening the librarian arriving in the morning.This certainly had an influence on our thinking anda security system was installed in the new building.Rarely, does reality(or available funding) soconveniently influence a decision process.However, we have discovered that a good securitysystem is just a start and that staff ’s investment inprevention measures on a daily basis is equally asimportant. The following suggestions are steps wehave taken in our library to encourage this.1. Establish partnerships with local lawenforcement, the Department of Family Services,and the local mental health center if available. Allof these agencies have expertise which can helpthe library establish policies and procedures to dealwith potentially bad situations. Our policedepartment and mental health center do a jointpresentation for the staff once a year which givesthem information about which situations requirelaw enforcement and what kinds of other help areavailable if that is not needed. The Departmentof Family Services has also provided guidelinesto help the staff deal with unattended minors-the“babysitting problem” that is endemic in libraries.2. Get your board involved and generate goodpolicies for their approval. Recruiting boardmembers from some of the agencies mentionedcan be very helpful in encouraging support forprevention security measures.3. Control your keys. One person should be incharge, give out the absolute minimum, and knowwho has them. Try to restrict them to internaldoors. Keypads are a good way to provide entryand you can easily reprogram as staff turnoverMPLA Newsletter, February 2002

occurs.4. Keep all spaces you cannot monitor locked.This especially includes auditoriums and meetingrooms when not in use as patrons can be creativeabout getting into and using empty rooms.5. Prominently post library policies about patronresponsibilities while in the library. Don’t take careof packages, backpacks, or any personalbelongings and encourage staff to be alert tounattended items. Administration is responsiblefor assessing abandoned parcels or backpacks inour library and uses guidelines furnished by locallaw enforcement.6. Panic buttons are a relatively inexpensivesecurity measure. They provide a silent alarmwhich is immediately transmitted to the local policewho respond. All of our public desks have themand staff is encouraged to carry them to lock up atnight if they wish.7. Provide staff continuing information and “tuneups” about security measures. This should includean orientation for all new staff about buildingsecurity measures with a copy of the emergencyplan for the building. Regular fire drills should bepracticed and presentations about prevention andsecurity improvements can be included in staffmeetings.8. Provide “cheat sheets” at your public deskswhich contain emergency phone numbers andprocedures such as how to react to a bomb threat(Continued on page 8)Laura Bush Addresses Nation’s Critical Shortage of Librarians 10 Million to Recruit New LibrariansRecently Laura Bush announced a proposed 10million initiative for 2003 to recruit a newgeneration of librarians. The initiative will bemanaged by the Institute of Museum and LibraryServices. In announcing this initiative Mrs. Bushsaid, “In May 2000, Library Journal magazinereported 40% of America’s library directors planto retire in nine years or less. And, according tothe July 2000 Monthly Labor Review, in 1998 57%of professional librarians were age 45 or older.”Behind Act’ this week is a great achievement. Thisrecruitment initiative is a further indication of thedepth of the President and Mrs. Bush’scommitment to education. Recruiting andeducating the next generation of librarians isessential. They help parents teach their childrenbefore they enter school, they are partners withthe schools in their communities and theyhelpadults continue to achieve and enjoy learningthroughout their lifetimes.”Recruiting a new generation of librarians is vital.Research scheduled for publication in the March2002 issue of American Libraries magazine will showthat based on 1990 Census data almost 58% ofprofessional librarians will reach the age of 65between 2005 and 2019.Funds will be used to invest in a variety ofrecruitment efforts such as scholarships andfellowships for master’s programs; support fordoctoral students who will train the next generationof librarians; leadership development; distancelearning for underserved rural areas; and effortsto recruit librarians to serve increasingly diversecommunities with varying language skills.Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of the Institute ofMuseum and Library Services, an independentfederal agency that supports the nation’s 122,000libraries, said, “The signing of the ‘No Child LeftMrs. Bush made the announcement at the Topekaand Shawnee County Public Library in Kansas.(See related story on page 17 of this issue)MPLA Newsletter, February 2002Page 7

(Continued from page 7)on the phone. These should not be visible to thepublic but readily available for staff. We velcroours in place(along with our panic buttons) so theydon’t get lost and stay in the same place consistentlyand the locations are part of our staff orientation.Most of these suggestions don’t involve expensivesolutions and we, like most small libraries, don’thave professional security personnel. However,encouraging an atmosphere of awareness amongyour staff and providing training from local sourcesto help them are basic steps available in allcommunities. Informative and helpful sessionsabout security are often available at state andregional library conferences. The personal contactsgained from attending these presentations, as wellas the information provided, can help throughoutthe year when questions and/or problems arise.As librarians, we all know there is no such thing asaccess to too much information!Business SenseJean AndersonBusiness LibrarianFort Collins Public Library, COBe Tax Savvy!It’s that time of year again, time to begin thinkingabout taxes. A tax headache is only one mistakeaway, be it a missed payment or filing deadline, animproperly claimed deduction, or incompleterecords. And, you can safely assume that a taxauditor presenting an assessment of additionaltaxes, penalties, and interest will not look kindlyon an “ I didn’t know I was required to do that”claim. Here are some great Internet sites to helpyou get a working knowledge of how the taxsystem works for the small businessperson.IRS Tax Information for Businesswww.irs.ustreas.gov/bus info/index.htmlThe federal government provides tons ofinformation for the business owner. Some of themore interesting links are listed below:Page 8- Small Business Corner - information on starting andoperating a new small business.- Frequently Asked Business Tax Questions - questionsand answers for small businesses, selfemployed persons, and others.- Employee Plans Center - provides insights intoemployee retirement plans.- Federal, State and Local Government - tax informationfor federal, state, and local governments.- Tax Calendars – helps find important individual,business, and excise tax dates. This site alsohas a tax calendar for small businesses. Itcontains helpful hints, general tax information,a listing of the most common tax filing datesand more, all in one comprehensivepublication. (The calendar can bedownloaded).- Braintaxer – an interactive game to test yourknowledge of a specific IRS or tax relatedtopic.- Digital Dispatch – an e-mail service of the IRSproviding daily messages with information onthe IRS and taxes.U.S. Business Advisor (sponsored by SBA)www.business.govClick on the “Taxes” link to find answers andguidance on common business tax questions. Findout the latest about Social Security, how to submitan IRS e-file for businesses, read tax regulations inplain English, download forms, and much, muchmore. The U.S. Business Advisor site also has manyother services for the businessperson and issponsored by the Small Business Administration.Small Business Taxes and Managementwww.smbiz.com/Designed as a daily newsletter, this site providescurrent news on taxes and management. Click onthe “News and Tip of the Day” for today’s updatealong with updates from previous days. Look herefor the newest information on tax rulings andtables. The site also contains a glossary of tax termsand a synopsis of the Tax Relief Extension Act of1999. Note: This Web page has been designated aDow Jones Business Directory select site.MPLA Newsletter, February 2002

Nolo Presswww.nolo.com/category/tax home.htmlNolo Press provides many pages of help toindividuals and small business owners. The Taxesand Audits page includes links to their onlineencyclopedia on topics such as audits and appeals,how to deal with the IRS, tax bills, and smallbusiness taxes. Take a look at other links on thispage such as “Tax Savvy for Small Businesses.”Or, look at the FAQ section on “Small BusinessTaxes.” Note: Nolo Press publishes legal assistancebooks written in plain English and beware, theyaggressively market them on their Web site.Quick Tip: Need Tax Forms?Federal: www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/forms pubs/forms.htmlStates: www.lib.lsu.edu/govdocs/taxes.htmlSuggestions for future “Business Sense” columnsare welcome at anderson@libsys.ci.fort-collins.co.us.Outstanding Educators Honoredin Oklahoma by OASLMSThree Oklahoma educators were honored by theOklahoma Association of School Library MediaSpecialists (OASLMS), a division of the OklahomaLibrary Association, at Encyclo-Media, a statewideconference sponsored by the Oklahoma StateDepartment of Education on Sept. 27, 2001.The OASLMS Polly Clarke Award forOutstanding Library Media Services was givento Linda Gann, library media specialist at JenksEast Elementary in Jenks. The OASLMS BarbaraSpriestersbach Award for Excellence inTeaching was awarded to Sally Siewert andCarolyn LaBrue, third grade teachers at McKinleyElementary in Enid. The OASLMS Certificateof Merit for Promotion of School LibraryMedia Services was awarded to Bill Caruthers,superintendent of Geary Public Schools in Geary.EBSCO ADMPLA Newsletter, February 2002Page 9

MPLA Featured StateOKLAHOMAThe Oklahoma Library Association is a vitalorganization for libraries in Oklahoma. Themembers of the association are active, hardworking individuals dedicated to excellent libraryservices, continuing education and freedom ofinformation. The Oklahoma Library Associationsupports all aspects of librarianship in our state:academic, public, school, and special libraries.OLA was founded on May 17, 1907 to “Promotelibrary interests in Oklahoma” with 19 chartermembers. The first President was M. J. Fergusonfrom the University of Oklahoma Library. Dueswere 50 cents for the first year and 1.00thereafter. Membership was open to anyoneinterested in libraries in Oklahoma.95 years later, the Oklahoma Library Associationhas over a thousand members and annual dues arestill a bargain, they range from 18 to 91depending on member’s salary. Our purpose is tostrengthen the quality of libraries, library services,and librarianship in Oklahoma. Our president isWayne Hanway, Director of the SoutheasternPublic Library System in McAlester, OK. Waynehas been an active and supportive MPLA membersince 1982. He was recently chair of the MPLAAwards Committee and has been on the MPLANominating Committee.Continuing education is one of the great strengthsof our organization. In addition to the annualspring conference, OLA sponsors 8-10 workshopsa year in locations around the state. Our legislativecommittee is particularly strong, actively educatingour legislators on current library and informationaccess issues.OLA sponsors the highly successful Sequoyah(Continued on page 11)Page 10I am BashaHartley,OklahomaLibraryAssociation Representative for the Mountain PlainsLibrary Association. I am a librarian for the PioneerLibrary System, a three county public library systemheadquartered in Norman, OK. I have at various timesworked in five of the nine Pioneer libraries. I havebeen Children’s Services Manager at the Norman PublicLibrary for over 10 years and still love talking to two yearolds, but at the moment I am Assistant BranchManager at the Shawnee Public Library. My husband,John, is an archaeologist, and we have three sons.My membership in the Oklahoma Library Associationhas been a continuing adventure. The excellentconferences, workshops and retreats have brought menew ideas, new friends and much growth. My peers arenot just those folks in the cubicles around me, but folksin little tiny libraries tucked away in rural Oklahoma andlibrarians in great metropolitan areas. Together we workto enrich libraries across the state. I have, with a greatdeal of help from the Membership Committee,shepherded the OLA store at conferences. We havedeveloped new merchandise every year to coordinatewith each OLA President’s theme. Our theme this yearis “Oklahoma Libraries: Where it’s @!” And our colorsare teal and purple. We are developing khaki denimshirts and polo shirts with the logo, as well as teddybears with t-shirt logos, letter openers and mugs. Everyyear has been a different adventure with the OLA store,but each year we raise needed funds for our organizationand enthuse new committee members who have awonderful time developing merchandise to promoteour mission.I have been a member of MPLA for ten years. Idiscovered Mountain Plains Library Association at theAzLA/MPLA/AEMA conference in Phoenix, AZwhere I was sent to give a paper in 1991. No oneremembers the paper, least of all myself, but I doremember the great conference and the exciting butfriendly atmosphere. Enjoying one MPLA Conferenceis like eating just one jellybean. It’s hard to stop withjust one. I have been to MPLA Conferences in Kansas,(Continued on page 11)MPLA Newsletter, February 2002

OK First Amendment Congress just the TicketThe Third Annual Oklahoma First AmendmentCongress was a record breaker. The event, heldNov. 8 and 9 at the University of CentralOklahoma, attracted 232 participants – triple theparticipation of previous years.Oklahoma’s library community has been a majorplayer in planning the Congresses, which aresponsored by a special committee of Freedom ofInformation Oklahoma. The Congress grew outof a project to help public libraries in the statepurchase materials on First Amendment issues.Committee members this year included Kay Boies,OLA Executive Director, and OLA members JanetBrooks, Metropolitan Library System; Jan Keene,Tulsa City-County Library System; and Bill Young,Oklahoma Department of Libraries.Participants in Oklahoma’s First Amendent Congress.Committee members said there were a number ofreasons why this year’s Congress was so successful: Committee chairman Sue Hale, executiveeditor of The

NDSU Libraries PO Box 5599 Fargo, ND 58105-5599 Phone (701) 231-7910 Home Phone (701) 281-0837 Fax (701) 231-7138 Robert.Jacobson@ndsu.nodak.edu SDLA No corresponding section New Members Roundtable NDLA NEW MEMBERS ROUNDTABLE Victor Lieberman 210 N 6th St Apt B7 Grand Forks, ND 58203-3659 Phone (701) 777-4639 Home Phone (701) 795-9351 Fax (701 .