Gina J. Millsap
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  • Gina runs a great library with imagination, entrepreneuring spirit, discrimination, attention to the technological tradewinds and deep empathy with her patrons. She is also a great colleague who is willing to share insight and very generous when her good ideas are stolen by neighboring libraries. Crosby Kemper; Director. Kansas City Public Library

  • I have worked Gina on library training programs, where her vision and knowledge have won the loyalty of her students. But I am also a very heavy user of Gina's library. Her vision results in wonderful collections, resources, programs, customer service and marketing. Shannon Roy; Continuing Education Coordinator

  • I have worked with Gina for the past two years. I have found her to be innovative and thoughtful... a very good combination. I trust that she would serve the ALA membership well as President of that organization. Jo Budler; State Librarian

  • I have known Gina for many years, and have been impressed by her development of skills and knowledge of library leadership. She has a wonderful vision for libraries and librarians of the future, built on partnerships within libraries and their communities. She would make a tremendous ALA president! Marjorie Malek-Ahmadi; Librarian, Whiteside Elementary, Lubbock, TX

  • I had the pleasure of meeting Gina through the Leadership and Management track at ALA in 2007. Since that time, she has been a great mentor to me. Gina has the skills, knowledge and forward thinking to lead ALA. She is a strong advocate for libraries and she delivers. I strongly recommend Gina for ALA President. Bridget Cain-Bushman; Circulation Manager, Beaverton City Library

  • I encourage you to vote for Gina Millsap. I had the good fortune to work with Gina at one of the nation's most progressive public libraries, the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Gina is an outstanding library leader, smart, has a sense of humor, and a great listener while understanding the many challenges libraries currently face. Jeff Dawson; Director, Two Rivers, Wisconsin

  • It may sound cliche, but Gina is a born leader. She is just the person you want in a crisis - fast on her feet, articulate, strategic and ready with a good solution. Her poise and presence make her ideal to represent our profession in every venue. Don't miss this opportunity! Robert Newlen; Assistant Law Librarian

  • I am endorsing Gina because of her belief in books and librarys as one of the important ways we extend education in our community. Bob Harder

  • Gina is an outstanding librarian, a leader with unusual sensitivity, and a professional in all respects. And she's great to work with. Duane Johnson; Library Trustee, retired State Librarian

 

Ebooks for Libraries Petition Goes Live

We’ve just started a new grassroots campaign targeted at libraries, readers and communities around the country.  I want you to be among the first to add your names to the petition. Here’s the link: ebooksforlibraries.com.

A little background… several of us have been working on ebook issues affecting public libraries for a couple of years. As you know, it’s been a challenge to explain to our colleagues, our boards of trustees and thousands of local library customers why libraries can’t provide the same kind of access to digital content that Amazon does. There’s a lot of passion about and interest in this issue and concern about what the long-term impact is for libraries.

We went live today with a “soft opening.” The intent is positive – to educate readers and library users about the current ebook market and how libraries may currently purchase ebooks and to establish a way for readers, who are also library users, to become familiar with and to give feedback to publishers. Since most readers don’t read by publisher brand, (“I want everything you have published by Random House”  isn’t something we typically hear) we think this could be a good thing for publishers and libraries.

We are also encouraging librarians to educate themselves, their boards and their customers about the current ebook situation so that they can speak about it knowledgeably and civilly and ultimately, make good decisions for their libraries and readers.

If it takes off and we receive at least 10,000 signatures, we’ll be sending the big six publishers a snail mail copy of the petition. So, what are you waiting for. Head to ebooksforlibraries.com and let your voice be heard.

Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to my staff members who have worked closely with me on this important project: David King, Jeff Tate, Diana Friend, Rob Banks, Michael Perkins, William Ludwig, Paul Brennan and Scarlett Fisher-Herreman.

Let’s Talk: Connecting to our Customers and Providing Value

I’m headed to Houston to present at the Texas Library Association. I’m co-presenting “Designing the Digital Branch: It’s Everyone’s Job” with David Lee King. Presenting with my colleague David is always fun and inspiring. We talk about a model for creating and maintaining a library’s digital presence where everyone has a role to play and has ownership of what is presented to the community and the web world. As the CEO, I’m always looking for value – value to our customers and community, the return on investment of library resources, and the value to staff as an essential tool for providing service and as a way to have conversations with customers, colleagues and the wider world of readers and library users.

I’m also presenting “21st Century Librarian.” What does the future hold for libraries and what should we do right now to ensure a successful future? It may sound simple, but for libraries to be relevant going forward in the 21st century, our profession must develop and implement the knowledge, skills and practices to be 21st century librarians. What we do is important. Why we do it is even more important.

So we’re always focused on our core values and our mission.

The role of public libraries has changed quite a lot in the past 50 years. Our role in society is a pretty important one. Fundamentally, we provide open access to stories and information in all forms—books, ebooks, film, music, art— in whatever form is most relevant to the person seeking it. Our goal is to ensure that anyone in our community who visits the library finds something that speaks to him or her. That openness and accessibility is essential in a democracy.

But increasingly, it has become more than that. Libraries are also the places where people can realize their dreams and aspirations and they can do it for themselves, freely and independently.

You know the song by Aretha Franklin and Annie Lenox, “Sisters are Doin’ It for Themselves?” That’s how I think of the opportunities libraries should be offering – options for people to learn and do for themselves. You’ll notice I didn’t say by themselves. We’re always here to help, but having the freedom to decide what they will experience and learn, how they will do that, who they will do that with and what they will do with that newly acquired knowledge and skill should be a fundamental right for any public library user.

For instance, here is our mission.

Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library: Your place. Stories you want, information you need, connections you seek.

The challenge for librarians is to live our enduring values while changing the ways and means we use to provide value to the people who need us. It must be about the customer, the user, the patron, the library member… whatever we call the people who use and value libraries.

So, how do we do that?

To see what your library is doing to fulfill its unique role in building community and serving its citizens, take a look at our strategic work plans for 2012-2013. And we’re always looking for good ideas and feedback. Remember, this is your place – for stories, information and connection.

What do you think a 21st century library (and librarian) should be? Post your ideas here or send me a message at gmillsap@tscpl.org.