Ms. McGann's experience includes development of the Rogue Valley Business Information Network. Held in Seaside Oregon, the three days focused on issues of advocacy for library services at the state, local and in-house levels. Phil Keisling, Oregon Secretary of State opened the conference and Beverly Stein, Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and Philip Margolin, aclaimed Portland author, presented at other events. Public, school, academic and special librarians met with their local legislators at the Capitol and asked for their support on an innovative proposed bill. For the first time, OLA's legislative agenda includes support for several different types of libraries.
Public libraries benefit through an increased appropriation in Ready to Read funding.
Legislators received the information positively. Another Legislative Day, and library related displays in the Capitol are planned for April 15th. A phone survey about public access to the internet in Oregon's public libraries was conducted at the end of 1998. OLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee received information from 128 of the state's 130 public libraries. Specifics of internet access policy and procedures varied from locale to locale, but the majority felt that the structure being used was successful for their community.