Oregon Library Association Units
Current Chairs and Purposes 

Divisions

Academic/ ACRL-Oregon
Kirsten Hostetler, Central Oregon Community College (email)
The Academic Division/ACRL-Oregon seeks to foster communication among academic library personnel; to promote the development of Oregon's academic libraries; to sponsor educational programs of interest to academic library personnel; to serve as liaison between academic personnel and various other academic and library constituencies; and to advocate for academic libraries and library personnel on the state level.

Children's Services (CSD)
Tara Morissette, Co-chair,  (email)
Emily West, Co-chair
Alec Chunn, CSD Webmaster (email)
The defining goal of the Children's Services Division is to champion children's literacy by supporting and providing continuing education for Oregon's children's librarians and support staff who work in children's services.

Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL)
Jessica Lorentz Smith, Bend Senior High School (email) 
The purpose of the Division is to improve education through the encouragement of the professional growth and status of its members and to promote, strengthen, and unify the school library programs in the State of Oregon.

Oregon Young Adult Network (OYAN)
Caitlin Mcmahan, Chair, Eugene Public Library(email)
OYAN is a non-profit, educational and informational organization whose goals are; to advocate for excellence in library services for young adults; to take a proactive role in providing library services to teens; and to provide a network for communication among those who work with teens.

Public Library Division (PLD)
Haley Lagasse, North Bend Public Library (email)
The purpose of the Public Library Division shall be to promote public library service and development, to promote the potential for increasing cooperation among public libraries, to represent the interests and concerns of public libraries in relation to the Oregon Library Association and the Oregon State Library, and to develop legislative priorities for public libraries and other issues as may be pertinent to the Division.

REFORMA Oregon (REFORMA)
Brandace Rojo, Chair, Josephine County Library(email)

The main purpose of the REFORMA Oregon Division is to promote the advancement, growth, improvement, and implementation of library and information services to the Latino and the Spanish speaking community in the State of Oregon.  As a division, REFORMA Oregon will provide a space for sharing information, continuing education opportunities, resources, networking, and supporting librarians around the state to better the quality of services and programs for the Latino/Spanish speaking community.

Support Staff (SSD)
Rinny Lakin, Multnomah County Library (email)
The purpose of the Support Staff Division shall be to provide a framework for information sharing, continuing education and moral support for all library support staff. Specifically, the aims are to provide a forum to encourage new ideas, discuss concerns and solve problems; promote awareness of library issues; inspire and promote professional growth through networking, conferences, workshops and mentoring; exchange ideas on processes, systems, and policies; provide a medium for the exploration of new ideas and technologies; foster cooperation among all Oregon libraries in all the various public and technical areas throughout the library; and to increase awareness in the library community of the evolving roles played by support staff.

back to top

Committees 
 

Awards Committee
Vacant (email)
Solicits nominations for Association awards in various categories; makes selections of recipients

Communications
The Communications Committee oversees creation, distribution, and archival storage of the two main publications of the Oregon Library Association: The bi-weekly OLA Hotline and the OLA Quarterly journal.

Vacant, Chair,  (email) 

OLA Hotline Co-editors:(email)
Kristin Williams, Athena Public Library

OLA Quarterly - Interim Editor in Chief, Kate Lasky 2021-22, (email) 

OLA Quarterly Editors: 
Bob Abbey, Forest Grove, PCC, (email)
Jillian Coy, Teen Librarian, Forest Grove, (email)
Katie Hart, Klamath County Library,  (email)
Erica Jensen, Lewis & Clark College,  (email)
Jim Jatkevicius, WCCLS,  (email)
Jennifer Kubus Wells   (email)
Anne LaVallee, Beaverton City Library, (email)
Norma Leistiko, Beaverton City Library,  (email)
Kathryn Rose McDonald, (email)
Dillon Peck, Salem Public Library,  (email)
Allison Reibel, Multnomah County Library,  (email)
Nicole Shuey, Jackson County Library Services, (email) 

OLA Tweeter/Twitter Admin:  Vacant
OLA Facebook Admin: Charles Wood, (email)
OLA Association Manager:  Shirley Roberts, (email)

Conference
Liisa Sjoblom, Chair, Deschutes Public Library (email)
Plans and executes the program for the annual conference.

EDI Anti-racism Committee
Ericka Brunson-Rochette, Co-chair, Deschutes Public Library (email)
Meredith Farkas, Co-chair, Portland Community College Library (email)
An Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force was created at the August 2019 OLA Board meeting with the charge of developing an EDI Plan for the Association.  The purpose of the EDI Plan is to affirm OLA’s commitment to EDI and set direction for OLA by identifying EDI priorities and strategies to achieve them. In April 2021 this Task Force was made an OLA Standing Committee at the OLA Annual Business Meeting, held during the OLA 2021 Virtual Conference.

Finance / Investment
Stuart Levy, OLA Treasurer, Parkrose High School Library (email)
Reviews all fiscal policies and procedures, responding to direction from the Executive Board. The Committee serves as the consulting body for the Treasurer, the Executive Board, and the Association Manager in such areas as Association investments, the budget, and other financial concerns of the Association.

Intellectual Freedom
Emily O'Neal, Co-chair, Deschutes Public Library, (email)
Vacant, Co-Chair, , (email)
Aids the development of the Association's position on Intellectual Freedom, to interpret this position to the public, and to act in support of this position.

Leadership
Jessica Otto, Co-chair, Newberg Public Library, (email)
Jane Corry, Co-chair, (email)
Oversees leadership development opportunities for the OLA membership, including creating and managing leadership trainings and programs, as well as serving as leadership mentors.

Library Development and Legislation
Kim Olson-Charles, Co-chair, University of Western States Library, (email)
Jeremy Skinner, Curry Public Library District, (email)
Establishes plans for improvement of libraries in Oregon through study and recommendation of plans for the use of state and federal funds; exploration of other sources of funding, e.g., foundation grants. Establishes priorities for legislative action which may affect all types of libraries in Oregon.

Membership
Rebecca Stoltz, Co-chair, Josephine Community Library Foundation (email)
Kate Lasky, Co-chair, Josephine Community Library Foundation (email)
Endeavors to secure new members for the Association by contacting librarians and others interested in library service in Oregon. Special effort should be made to contact those new to the state and the profession to express OLA's interest in them and to explain what the Association can offer them.  Membership Committee also actively communicates with non-renewing members for possible renewal, response to exit survey, etc.

Nominations
Arlene Weible, State Library of Oregon (email)
Shall have charge of the conduct of the regular and special elections and the counting and tabulation of all votes cast. Will submit a press release to the OLA Hotline for the January issue requesting suggestions for nominees and petition nominees; will determine a slate of nominees in February; will submit candidates' statements for the OLA Hotline in the April issue; will insure that candidates are introduced and that information about the candidates is available at the annual conference.

Oregon Authors
Deidra Menser, Co-Chair, Tigard Public Library (email)
John Repplinger, Co-Chair, Willamette University (email)
Collects and preserves bibliographical data on Oregon authors.

Oregon Reader's Choice Award
Lori Lieberman, Lincoln High School (email)
The ORCA is intended to be a fun and exciting way for Oregon youth in grades 4-12 to become enthusiastic and discriminating readers.  During the course of the school year, Oregon students choose their favorite book in a real-life democratic process.

back to top

Round Tables

Documents Interest Group (DIGOR)
Vacant, Oregon State University (email)
The objectives of DIGOR are to provide opportunities for communication, education and cooperation among the government information library community, and to improve access to government information by all.

International Relations (IRRT)
Jian Wang, Chair, (email)
The objectives of this organization shall be to provide a framework for information sharing of librarians, library workers, and library supporters interested in international librarianship activities of all types of libraries. The specific aims of the IRRT are to increase the communication of OLA members from all types of libraries about the international visits, exchanges, and special programs in which OLA members are involved. To increase the general awareness of contributions made by Oregon librarians at the international level, IRRT will sponsor programs at the conference of the Oregon Library Association.

Legal Reference 
Vacant, Chair, (email)
The objectives of this organization shall be to provide a practical framework for information sharing, continuing education opportunities, professional interactions, and a support system to those library workers engaged in providing legal reference services in all types of Oregon libraries. This organization shall aim to share ideas, plan, and improve legal reference services in and among libraries and foster fellowship, cooperation, and professionalism among its members.  

Library Assessment (LART)
Vacant,  (email)
Provides a practical framework for information sharing, continuing education opportunities, professional interactions, and a support system to those library workers engaged in library assessment in all types of Oregon libraries. This organization shall aim to share ideas, plan, and improve library assessment activities in and among libraries and foster fellowship, cooperation, and professionalism among its members

Library Instruction (LIRT)
Vacant, , (email)
The Library Instruction Round Table is formed to promote library instruction as a means to empower library users to become life-long learners; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and materials; to foster continuing educational opportunities; and to promote cooperation and fellowship among OLA members engaged in library instruction. 

New Member (NMRT)
Vacant
The New Member Round Table will engage and encourage information professionals within OLA who wish to discover more about the organization.  The New Member Round Table will enrich the existing OLA ranks, while inspiring emerging information professionals.  Our objectives are to 1) help association members become more actively involved and integrated within OLA and  2) advance the overall professional development of 21st century librarians, library staff, and information professionals.

Outreach (ORT)
Vacant
To provide a framework for information sharing, continuing education and moral support for library workers currently providing outreach services; and to offer opportunities for networking and encouragement to libraries wishing to expand or develop library outreach services.

Past Presidents Round Table (PPRT)
Vacant
The objectives of this organization shall be: 1) to enliven the OLA conference by working for the participation of all OLA members in the programs and activities of the conference; 2) to encourage library administrators, library staff and library supporters to be actively involved in professional library activities at the local, state, regional, or national level, and; 3) to support the office of OLA President.

Reference (RRT)
Vacant, (email)
The objectives of this organization shall be to provide a practical framework for information sharing, continuing education opportunities, professional interactions, and a support system to those library workers engaged in reference services in all types of Oregon libraries. This organization shall aim to share ideas, plan, and improve reference services in and among libraries and foster fellowship, cooperation, and professionalism among its members.

Staff Training Round Table (STRT)
Darci Hanning, State Library of Oregon (email)
The Staff Training Round Table (STRT) is a resource for any library staff member who is involved with staff training at their library. Membership in this group will allow libraries across the state to discuss current training issues and best practices, share resources, and collaborate on building future training to meet the needs of an ever-evolving profession.

Technical Services (TSRT)
Lillan Curanzy, Newport Public Library (email)
The objectives of this Round Table shall be to provide a framework for information sharing, continuing education and moral support for library workers currently engaged in technical services activities. Specifically, the aims are to provide for the exchange of ideas on technical services and automation processes, systems, and policies; to provide a medium for the exploration of new ideas and technologies; to foster cooperation among all Oregon libraries in the areas of technical services and automation; and to increase an awareness in the library community of the roles of technical and automation services.

back to to

Taskforces 

back to top