[Libs-Or] OLA's withdrawal from PNLA

[Denise Fuller]

I, too, have expressed concern to the OLA board about this decision.  As a
job seeker, I have found PNLA's resources to be of great benefit.  As
a youth librarian, I have also not seen a diminishing of requests for YRCA
books.  I have asked the OLA board to revisit this issue and reconsider
their decision.  I invite others to let the OLA board know how losing our
membership in PNLA will affect Oregon.

Denise Fuller
Chair of Oregon's IRRT



On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 6:24 PM, Samantha Schmehl Hines
<samhines at gmail.com>wrote:

> To the Oregon Library Association and the Members of OLA,
>
> We are deeply saddened by OLA's recent decision to withdraw from PNLA.
> The primary reason cited was the cost of having a representative
> attend PNLA Board meetings during a temporary economic downturn. But a
> permanent step was taken, and our great sadness is that we were not
> involved in the dialogue nor given an opportunity to discuss the
> perceived lack of PNLA's value.
>
> The relationship between OLA and PNLA has historically been vital to
> both organizations. According to OLA's official history A Journey
> Through Time, "OLA arose from a meeting held at the annual conference
> of PNLA." It should also be noted that it was three librarians from
> Portland who drafted and signed PNLA's Articles of Incorporation in
> 1955. Before and since that time, Oregon has been a valued partner of
> PNLA, and we will miss Oregon's voice at our Board meetings. As we
> begin our second century of cooperation and promoting libraries in the
> Northwest region, the PNLA Board still believes that PNLA can make a
> unique contribution to the Northwest library environment.
>
> The fourth PNLA Leadership Institute takes place in October 2010.
> Since the first Leadership Institute in 2004, 100 Leads participants
> have gone back to their libraries, library systems, and library
> associations equipped with leadership and change management training
> to help navigate their libraries through rapidly changing
> environments. As noted in the OLA decision to leave PNLA, "The LEADS
> Institute has a good reputation based on feedback from its
> participants." Six of these individuals have given directly back to
> the PNLA Board, and several others have worked on PNLA conference
> committees over the past five years. Most importantly, LEADS
> participants have also given back at the local level, which was the
> original need and inspiration for the PNLA Leadership Institute.
>
> The Young Readers Choice Awards - the oldest children's choice award
> in North America - maintains a strong following throughout the region.
> Participation in Oregon was second only to Alberta, and the Oregon
> Association of School Libraries has approached PNLA to investigate
> partnering with us in order to maintain its participation in YRCA. In
> response to concerns raised from our Provincial partners, YRCA has
> worked to include greater Canadian content in order to keep Harry
> Hartman's vision for YRCA meaningful for children throughout the
> Northwest.
>
> Based on the strength of PNLA's past four conferences (including the
> very successful 2006 conference in Eugene), PNLA is in a healthier
> financial position than it has been in the past, and we invested
> $3,500 back into our State and Provincial conferences in 2009. The
> upcoming joint WLA/PNLA conference in Victoria looks to be another
> wonderful professional development opportunity.  The session selection
> process for the 2010 conference was incredibly competitive, with close
> to 100 program proposals from around the region. Out of these
> submissions, 36 of the best proposals have been selected on such
> relevant themes as management, children's services, and a survey of
> collaborative virtual reference models throughout the NW. The sessions
> include presenters from Multnomah County Library, Tigard, and the
> Oregon State Library - proof that there is, in Oregon, a desire to
> contribute to and attend PNLA's annual conference.
>
> Again, we are deeply saddened by OLA's recent decision to sever its
> relationship with PNLA. A Journey Through Time foreshadows that "state
> associations would eventually render PNLA obsolete" but notes that
> this has not happened because "the need to share resources remains a
> constant." PNLA will continue to promote libraries and the profession
> of librarianship throughout the Northwest in the months and years
> ahead, and we remain optimistic that the Oregon Library Association
> may one day revisit its recent decision.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
>
> The PNLA Board.
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