Public Information and Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 21, 2007
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Thinking
outside the Borders: Library Leadership in a World Community Set for October 22-26
An institute on international library
leadership will be held this fall at the Nebraska Library Commission.
Eighteen librarians from Nebraska, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and
El Salvador will attend the Thinking outside the Borders Institute, a
National Leadership Grant activity funded by the Institute of Museum and
Library Services. The international visitors from Central and South America
will attend discussion sessions in Lincoln, and the annual conference of the
Nebraska Library Association/Nebraska Educational Media Association
(NLA/NEMA) in Kearney.
Announcing the Institute, Nebraska Library
Commission Director Rod Wagner said, "The Nebraska Library Commission is pleased
to host the Thinking Outside the Borders Institute. Nebraska librarians
and their counterparts from Central and South American countries will experience
a unique chance to explore and exchange ideas from their different perspectives
and experiences."
The Nebraska Library Commission is partnering with
the Illinois State Library and the Mortenson Center for International
Librarianship, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in this effort to
bring together librarians from the United States and other countries to promote
a greater understanding and appreciation of the world community in which
librarians work. Nebraska's Thinking Outside the Borders experience will
pair ten international librarians taking part in the Mortenson Center Associates
program with middle-level to senior-level library managers from Nebraska who will come together to explore their mutual
professional interests.
Speaking about a previous Illinois institute that
paved the way for this event, Illinois State Library Director Anne Craig said,
"This conference will sow the seeds for mutual and multicultural cooperation,
from which we will all reap the benefits for years to come." Barbara Ford,
director of the Mortenson Center, said the Illinois librarians and the
international Mortenson Center Associates enhanced their problem solving skills
in international settings. "It's important now because all our libraries are
global libraries," said Ford. "Customers, clients and users expect libraries to
connect them with information from around the world. To be successful,
communities need global perspective. Businesses and education are going global;
libraries are going the same way."
For more information contact Laura M. Johnson,
Continuing Education Coordinator, Nebraska Library Commission, The Atrium, 1200
N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023, 402-471-2694, 800-307-2665,
Laura Johnson.
Thinking Outside the Borders: Library Leadership in a World Community Participants:
Mr. German Eduardo Arias Leon, Banco de la Republica - Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Manizales, Colombia
Ms. Rocio Cazares Aguilar, Universidad de las Americas Pueblo, San Pedro Cholula, Mexico
Mr. Hector Grenni, Don Bosco University, Biblioteca Rafael Meza Ayau, Soyapango, El Salvador
Mr. Ramiro Pena Tapia, The Central University, Bogota, Colombia
Ms. Stelina Maria Pinha, Brazilian Federal Senate Library, Terreo, Brazil
Mr. Jaime Humberto Rendon Valencia, Servicio de Informacion Local, Comfenaico Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
Ms. Andrea Gabriela Solis Blanco, Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano CCCN, San Jose, Costa Rica
Mr. Milton Edwin Vargas Prieto, Luis Angel Arango Library, Bogota, Colombia
Ms. Amy Barr, Kilgore Memorial Library, York, NE, USA
Ms. Anita Stoltzfus Breckbill, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Music Library, Lincoln, NE, USA
Ms. Siobhan Champ-Blackwell, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
Mr. Steve Fosselman, Grand Island Public Library, Grand Island, NE, USA
Ms. Jodene Glaesemann, Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln, NE, USA
Ms. Theresa Jehlik, Omaha Public Library, Omaha, NE, USA
Ms. Sharon Osenga, Meridian Library System, Kearney, NE, USA
Mr. Mike Poma, Creighton University Library, Omaha, NE, USA
Ms. Maggie Tarelli-Falcon, Omaha Public Library, Omaha, NE, USA
Ms. Janet Stoeger Wilke, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, NE, USA
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As
the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the
library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library
Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and
information services, bringing together people and information.