Montana State Library Employee Named to International Library Cooperative Board of Trustees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2006
Contact: Sara Groves
(406) 444-5357
(HELENA) - Bruce Newell, Director of the Montana Library Network at the Montana State Library, was recently named to the Board of Trustees of OCLC, the leading global library cooperative. OCLC works to help libraries serve people by providing economical access to knowledge through innovation and collaboration. "It is an honor to be elected to serve libraries and library users around the globe," said Newell, "and this is the best time to be a librarian. Libraries throughout the world are in transition from doing old things new ways to doing new things new ways. We'll need imagination and hard-work to achieve what our users expect, which will mean that library services are convenient, globally networked and growing, highly personalized, part of a global knowledge ecology, and effective."
"I cannot think of a more appropriate person to serve the needs of the world's libraries and library users," said Darlene Staffeldt, Montana State Librarian. "Bruce has incredible vision and is completely dedicated to ensuring that everyone in the world has access to information and to knowledge. We are very lucky to have him here in Montana, working for Montana's libraries and library patrons." Newell has served as the Director of the Montana Library Network since 1999. He has also worked as a librarian at the Lewis & Clark Public Library, the Montana State Library, and in Baker County, Oregon. Newell also worked as an Information System Planner with the State of Montana's Department of Administration.
"What libraries need more than ever in order to meet the expectations of our users are hope, from which springs a dissatisfaction with the status quo and an anticipation of better library services for our users; trust in each other, knowing that our way in to the future is paved with collaborative bricks, shared dreams, and our combined intellects; and guts to make the future real by acting as if tomorrow is really going to happen for ourselves, our neighbors, our kids, and our kids' kids," said Newell. The OCLC Board of Trustees is similar in structure to a university board, and meets five times a year. OCLC is a nonprofit organization that has provided computer-based cataloging, reference, resource sharing, eContent and preservation services to 54,000 libraries in 109 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.
Through its statewide programs, the Montana State Library empowers Montanans; enhances learning in families and communities; builds 21st Century skills; and provides opportunities for civic participation. For more information, visit http://msl.mt.gov.
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