Mountain Plains Library Association
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| Mountain Plains Library Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mountain Plains Library Association |
| Formation | 1948 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado |
| Region served | American West; Plains states |
Mountain Plains Library Association is a regional professional association serving libraries and librarians across the American Plains and Mountain states. Founded in 1948, the association connects public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, and tribal libraries through advocacy, continuing education, and regional collaboration. The organization engages with state library agencies, national associations, and higher education institutions to support library services across rural and urban communities.
History
The association was established in the post‑World War II era alongside national organizations such as American Library Association, Library of Congress, Association of College and Research Libraries, Special Libraries Association, and contemporaneous regional groups like Pacific Northwest Library Association and New England Library Association. Early leaders included figures who worked with Colorado State Library, Nebraska Library Commission, Wyoming State Library, Kansas State Library, and Montana State Library. The group developed programming in response to federal initiatives from agencies such as Institute of Museum and Library Services and historical legislation like the Library Services and Construction Act and later Library Services and Technology Act. Over decades the association interacted with national accreditation bodies including Council on Library and Information Resources and academic programs at institutions such as University of Denver, University of Wyoming, University of Kansas, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and University of Montana.
Mission and Activities
The association’s mission emphasizes professional development, resource sharing, and advocacy paralleling priorities of American Library Association divisions like Public Library Association and Reference and User Services Association. Activities include continuing education in partnership with state entities such as Colorado State Library, South Dakota State Library, North Dakota State Library, and collaborations with university programs at Emporia State University, University of Colorado Boulder, and Brigham Young University. It supports initiatives influenced by federal programs from National Endowment for the Humanities and standards promoted by Association of College and Research Libraries. The association coordinates responses to regional needs highlighted by organizations such as Western Governors' Association and nonprofit funders like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Membership and Organization
Membership includes librarians and institutions from states including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Organizational structure mirrors models used by American Library Association with elected officers, committees, and state representatives who liaise with state bodies such as Kansas State Library Commission and academic departments at University of Arizona. The association works with allied organizations like Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Public Library Association, and advocacy groups such as State Library Agencies and regional consortia modeled on OCLC and Mountain West Digital Library. Funding sources have included membership dues, conference revenues, grants from Institute of Museum and Library Services, and partnerships with philanthropic organizations including Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Conferences and Events
Annual conferences bring together practitioners from public, academic, school, and tribal libraries, often featuring presenters from institutions such as Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, American Libraries, and higher education speakers from University of Colorado Denver, University of New Mexico, Iowa State University, and University of Utah. Programs address topics linked to digital initiatives promoted by Digital Public Library of America, preservation methods related to National Archives and Records Administration, and services informed by research published in Library Quarterly and College & Research Libraries. The association has hosted preconference workshops with trainers affiliated with ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, Association of Research Libraries, and statewide agencies like Colorado State Library and Nebraska Library Commission.
Publications and Awards
The association publishes newsletters, conference proceedings, and occasional monographs drawing on scholarship found in journals such as Library Journal, Reference Services Review, and Information Technology and Libraries. It issues awards recognizing service, innovation, and scholarship similar to honors given by American Library Association sections and state library associations; award recipients have included librarians from institutions like Denver Public Library, Salt Lake City Public Library, Boise State University, and University of Kansas Libraries. The association maintains archives and records in collaboration with university special collections at repositories such as University of Denver Libraries Special Collections and state historical societies including the Colorado Historical Society.
Regional Impact and Collaborations
Regional impact includes support for interlibrary loan networks modeled on OCLC and regional digitization projects in partnership with Mountain West Digital Library, Digital Public Library of America, and state digitization initiatives led by Montana Memory Project and Colorado Digitization Program. The association has partnered with tribal institutions, working alongside organizations like National Congress of American Indians and tribal colleges such as Diné College and Salish Kootenai College to strengthen services for Indigenous communities. Collaborative efforts extend to emergency preparedness influenced by guidelines from Federal Emergency Management Agency and preservation collaborations with National Endowment for the Humanities and National Archives and Records Administration.