KLA Council

One of the many highlights of Tri-Conference 2002 took place during the KLA Business meeting when the three KLA Presidential Awards recipients were announced.

The Library Advocate Award was given to the Honorable Lt. Governor Gary Sherrer. Lt. Gov. Sherrer was honored for his strong support for Kansas libraries and for state grants-in-aid funding that benefits local libraries.

Library Advocate Award--
The Honorable Lt. Governor Gary Sherrer

The Kansas Library Association is pleased to bestow our "Library Advocate" award this year on the Honorable Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer.

Lt. Gov. Sherrer is a native Topekan and a graduate of Emporia State University. Trained as a teacher, Lt. Gov. Sherrer specialized in speech and debate and taught in both Hutchinson and Salina. He was also active in banking and business pursuits in Wichita for many years.

Within the realm of state government, Lt. Gov. Sherrer has served the people of Kansas through his work as Lt. Governor, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing, and Chairman of the Governor’s Vision 21st Century Task Force. He has long been an advocate for education and economic development in Kansas.

Further, Lt. Gov. Sherrer "has consistently stood up for Kansas libraries in the halls of the state Capitol and voiced his support for state grants-in-aid funding to local libraries." Last year, facing critical budget reductions in state aid to libraries and knowing that further legislative action was simply not possible, the Kansas Library Association appealed to Lt. Gov. Sherrer for assistance. He not only listened to our appeals, but he responded. Through his influence, Gov. Graves vetoed the planned reductions in state aid to libraries and restored an amount equal nearly to $300,000 to the budget, thus guaranteeing a continuation of these state monies to libraries across the state of Kansas. As members of the Kansas Library Association gathered here today, we know just how important these grants-in-aid are to many libraries across the state, and we are very grateful for his advocacy on our behalf.

This morning, we honor Lt. Gov. Sherrer for his role as friend and advocate for Kansas’s libraries; for his long time interest in and support of our work; and for his persuasive abilities in support of adequate funding for libraries whose collections and services are made available for all Kansans. Today, we, the members of the Kansas Library Association, wish to publicly acknowledge his good work, thank him for his support, and honor him with the Association’s "Library Advocate" award.

Thank you, Lt. Gov. Sherrer.

The Library Personnel Award was given to Mona Carmack, County Librarian for the Johnson County Library. The award recognizes Ms. Carmack’s numerous contributions to the profession and to the state of Kansas.

Library Personnel Award--
Mona Carmack, Johnson County Library

The Kansas Library Association is pleased to present our "Library Personnel" award this year to Mona Carmack, County Librarian for the Johnson County Library.

It’s hard to know where to begin in describing Mona’s numerous contributions to the profession and to the state of Kansas. Prior to her arrival in Kansas in 1988, Mona had served as a public library director in several libraries "from those in small towns to larger urban libraries." She was the president of both the South Dakota and Minnesota library associations and has been a member of the executive boards of the Iowa Library Association and the Mountain Plains Library Association.

Within the state of Kansas, Mona has served on the State Library’s Library Laws Review Study Technology Committee. In 1997 she was appointed and still serves on the Kansas Library Network Board. In 1998, she was appointed to and still serves on the Northeast Kansas Library System’s Executive Board. And in the year 2000, Mona served as vice-chair of the State Education Technology-Based Network Task Force, which recommended the establishment of the KAN-ED network.

In Johnson County, Mona has long been an advocate of interlibrary cooperation. She has long been active in the Kansas City metro library directors bi-monthly meetings, and in the mid 1990’s assisted the Kansas City Metropolitan Library Network in expanding its mission and renaming itself the Kansas City Metropolitan Library and Information Network.

Under Mona’s leadership, the Johnson County Library system has expanded to meet the needs of the burgeoning population of Johnson County, an area of Kansas that has seen tremendous growth since her arrival nearly 14 years ago. Three new branch libraries were constructed in new areas of the county. The Central Resource Library was built. Three existing branch locations were replaced by newer, larger facilities. The old central library was renovated into a major branch location housing administrative areas and, in cooperation with the Johnson County Community College, adult literacy and ESL classrooms were added. Today, the Johnson County Library system includes 13 libraries which together house more than 1million items. In recent years, Johnson County Library has been recognized in the Hennen American Public Library Ratings Index as one of the finest libraries in its category in the United States.

Mona’s dedication to her profession is noteworthy. It gives the Kansas Library Association great pleasure to bestow the Library Personnel award to Mona in grateful acknowledgement of her many accomplishments.

The New Professional Award was given to Helen Hokanson, who serves as the Lackman Library Branch Manager in the Johnson County Library System. A librarian since 1998, Ms. Hokanson has demonstrated professionalism and leadership for which this award recognizes her.

New Professional Award --
Helen Hokanson, Johnson County Library

The Kansas Library Association is please to present this years’ "New Professional Award" to Helen Hokanson, who serves as the Lackman Library Branch Manager in the Johnson County Library system.

Helen joined the Johnson County Library in January of 1998 and received her MLS degree from Emporia State University in December of that year. In January 1999 Helen was named the Assistant Branch Manager at Blue Valley Library, a position she held until August 2001, when she became the Lackman Library Branch Manager.

During the years 1999 and 2000, Helen’s work in the Blue Valley Library required her direct involvement in the hiring and training of numerous staff, including developing training regimens, overseeing "rotating training residencies", and performing staff appraisals. Mr. Ken Werne, Blue Valley Manager, also credited Helen with being a model of proactive service during her tenure there.

Helen serves as a member of the system-wide Materials Handling Committee, responsible for developing policies and procedures for circulating, receiving, reshelving and inter-branch routing of materials, no small feat in a system comprised of 13 separate facilities. Helen also serves as a Core Trainer, a task that calls on her to train all staff in the effective usage of the branch automation system.

Helen’s other contributions toward her colleagues can be measured in her activities in the Staff Development Committee, responsible for providing continuing education events and promoting staff recognition. She has worked on the annual Johnson County Library holiday party, annual awards breakfast and has effectively revamped the staff recognition program.

Helen serves as a role model for the Johnson County Library staff. It is in recognition of her professionalism and leadership that we present to her the Kansas Library Association’s "New Professional" award.

On Thursday evening, April 4, Tri-Conference attendees had the opportunity to ‘Kick Back, Relax, and Let Loose with KLA.’ Sponsored and organized by the Membership Committee, participants could choose between a variety of games or simply sit around the table and chat. Vintage music, lively conversation, and exuberant shouts of bingo filled the air. A wonderful assortment of items donated from library groups and individuals spurred a hearty competition in the silent auction. Because of this enthusiasm, participation, and generosity, $1908.58 was deposited into the KLA Educational Foundation. This brings the foundation grand total to $7,493.92. Through fundraising efforts such as these, six $100 grants to were given to attendees of the Tri-Conference this year.

A big thank-you to Autographics for making a donation that paid for the scrumptious dessert buffet that night. Donations to the Foundation can be made at any time. Call the KLA office at 800-234-0529, ext 114, to request a form.
-Alice Trussell & Sally Conard, Membership Committee Co-Chairs