The State Library of Kansas Advisory Board held its regular quarterly meeting Friday, June 17. Among other business, the Board elected Martha House, Council Grove, the new chairman of the board, and Donna Lauffer, Overland Park, as the new vice chairman.
House has served as the librarian at Council Grove High School since 1984. Her responsibilities include operation of a library serving 240 students and 20 faculty members. She assists teachers in developing library research curriculum, serves on the school district’s Technology Committee, and organizes local technology in-service activities. House has been a member of the State Library Board since its inception in 2007 and served as vice chair of the board in 2010-11.
Lauffer is in her fifth year as Director of the Johnson County Library. Her promotion to Director followed a five year stint as associate director for branch services and outreach, supervising 12 locations, system-wide youth and outreach services, and planning and construction of several libraries. She joined the Johnson County Library in 1979 when she returned to the Midwest from California. Lauffer has been a member of the State Library Board since its inception in 2007.
The board makeup as described in K.S.A. 75-2534 includes seven professional librarians, a trustee of a public library, two representatives of the general public, and one qualified member of the Kansas Federation of Women’s Clubs. Ex officio members include Executive Director of Kan-Ed for the Kansas Board of Regents, the Commissioner of Education, and the State Librarian. The board was created through legislation passed in the 2007 Legislative Session.