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President-Elect
| Shannon Midyett - Poplar Bluff Municipal Library Shannon Midyett is the Library Director of the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library. She has been with PBMLD since starting as a Page Shelver in 1993. Shannon earned her BS in Organizational Management from William Woods University in 2008 and her MLIS from the University of Missouri in 2022. Shannon was active locally and statewide to ensure the passage of legislation establishing sales tax funding for Missouri libraries. She was a key team member in the passage of a local ballot initiative, Proposition 1, in 2012 that established a quarter-cent sales tax for Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, tripling its annual revenue. Serving at PBMLD when it was the pilot library for the Missouri Evergreen Consortium (MEC) project, she has been active in the MEC community since its inception in 2012. Shannon has just begun her second term as Treasurer of the MEC Executive Board. She served as Chair of the Missouri Evergreen Board from 2020 to 2022 and as Past-Chair in 2023. She held the role of Secretary and Member-at-Large on the Missouri Library Association Board from 2020 to 2022. She has been a member of the Missouri Library Association, American Library Association, and Public Library Association for more than 15 years. Candidate statement: I am honored to be considered for the role of President-Elect with the Missouri Library Association. I have seen firsthand time and time again the transformative power of libraries. I have served my community through our local library for over 30 years beginning in high school as a page and working my way up to Library Director. MLA has been vital to ensuring libraries across Missouri can continue to make an impact on the lives of our patrons and the citizens of Missouri. If elected, I will be committed to continuing MLA’s long-standing tradition of upholding intellectual freedom, strengthening Missouri’s libraries, providing professional development opportunities for library professionals, and, ultimately, ensuring the continued delivery of life-changing service to our communities. |
Members-at-Large |
| Dr. Greg Carter- West Plains Public Library Dr. Greg Carter is currently serving as the library director of the West Plains Public Library. Before serving as the library director, Carter spent fifteen years in public education at West Plains R-7 School District as a classroom teacher, elementary librarian, and central office administrator. Carter holds academic degrees from Missouri State University, William Woods University, University of Missouri, and a Doctorate in Education from Saint Louis University. He currently lives in West Plains, MO where he was born and raised. Candidate statement: If entrusted with a leadership position in the Missouri Library Association, he will be dedicated to amplifying the voices of librarians across our state, advocating for resources that empower communities, and ensuring that every Missourian has access to the transformative power of libraries. |
| Colleen Norman - Mid-Continent Public Library My name is Colleen Norman and I have been a librarian in Missouri since 2014. I started my library work as a youth services staff member, then was an assistant manager at 2 branches over 5 years, I was the assistant manager for youth services after that, and am now the programming and signature events manager for Mid-Continent Public Library. I have been involved with the Missouri Library Association since 2018, first as one of the coordinators for the 2019 conference, then as a member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee, serving as chair of the committee in 2023. Candidate statement: Through the IFC, I have traveled the state and country offering the Introduction to Intellectual Freedom workshop developed by the IFC to library staff, board members, and trustees. I've been involved with the board through these various roles and would like to have the opportunity to try on a new MLA hat as a member at large for the MLA board. The work of MLA and its various committees and communities of interest is vital to libraries across the state and I would be honored to continue my work with MLA in a new capacity. |
| Dr. Denice Atkins, Associate Director of the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies, University of Missouri Dr. Denice Adkins is professor and associate director of the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies, University of Missouri and co-editor of the Journal of Education for Library & Information Science. Her research interests include public libraries, services to the Latinx community and other underserved populations, reader advisory research, and youth services. Her previous elected positions include President and Treasurer for REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking) and councilor-at-large for the American Library Association. Candidate statement: I am running because I want to make a positive difference to Missouri’s library community and help to celebrate the hard work that MLA members put into this organization every day. I have seen many of my former students go on to MLA leadership and use their skills and gifts in support of Missouri’s libraries and library staff. I want to do my part to continue MLA’s legacy of being a safe and supportive space for our library staff to develop the skills and strengths needed to succeed in our unique context. |
ALA Councilor-Elect
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| Steven V. Potter - Missouri Evergreen Like many, Steven Potter has navigated the challenging, unexpected, and at times traumatic landscape of the past several years. Yet, amidst these trials Missouri libraries and the dedicated individuals within them have proven their indispensable value to individuals, communities, and the nation's health. Steven has a long history of working for over 35 years in Missouri's libraries and the library community. He is currently the Principal at Potter Training and Consulting; he also serves as the Executive Director for the Missouri Evergreen Consortium. He works closely with the seventy-seven libraries in the consortium and hears their concerns regularly. He was a member of the administrative team at Mid-Continent Public Library for twenty-seven years, including twelve years as the Library Director. Before working in library administration, he worked in technical services, I.T., the MCPL warehouse, and various other jobs at Mid-Continent Public Library. If there is a library task you might identify, Steven has carried it out at some point. Advocacy is not just a professional duty for Steven, it is a personal commitment that has shaped his life. As an instructor at the University of Missouri and a member of the SISLT Advisory Council, he has actively contributed to the development of the library community. His longstanding memberships in MLA, ALA, and PLA reflects his continuous engagement in advocating for Missouri Libraries. He has participated in numerous Library Advocacy Days and National Library Legislative Days, and his membership in the MLA Legislative Committee for decades has provided him with a wealth of experience in advocating for libraries. Candidate statement: If elected as the ALA Chapter Councilor from Missouri, I will bring my decades of experience and my current work with libraries of all sizes. I will not only represent you, but I will also bring my personal and professional experiences and sensibilities to the job. As a moderate and a pragmatist, I will ensure that ALA's approach is inclusive and beneficial to all, including rural or exurban Missouri libraries. However, I am a staunch believer in intellectual freedom, freedom of inquiry, and freedom to read. These values are the backbone of our library community, and I will never compromise on them. I deeply value all efforts to support literacy, and I am committed to fostering a culture of learning and exploration in our libraries. I appreciate your consideration and thank you for all you do for your community and for Missouri's libraries. |
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