Prairielands is directed by a Governing Board of nine (9) members, consisting of five (5) citizen members representing the public, three from the Pioneerland Library System region and the remaining two from the Plum Creek Library System region; and four (4) working library staff, one representative for each type of member library served by Prairielands: academic, public, school and special library. This Board adopts and evaluates the Strategic Plan, budget, programs, services and policies.

The Board meets four times a year, on the second Thursday in September, December, March, June, at 4pm. The meetings occur at the PLE office at 109 S 5th Street, Suite #200m Marshall MN, 56258; and online, via zoom.

Additional locations can be found here.

Prairielands Governing Board FY 2024-2025 Members

April Pohl – President Plum Creek Library System Citizen; Beaver Creek, MN.
Kathy Craun Plum Creek Library System Board; Worthington, MN
Herb Rotunda (2 openings) Citizen Representative, Pioneerland Library System
Lisa Spieker Worthington Schools; Worthington, MN.
Susan Hoskins Museum/Historical Society Representative, Pipestone County Museum; Pipestone, MN
Terrance Edwards Academic Library Representative; Ridgewater College – Hutchinson & Willmar; Willmar, MN
Shelly Finzen Public Library Representative, Tyler Public Library (Plum Creek), Tyler, MN.

Prairielands Member Council

What is the Prairielands Member Council?

The Prairielands Member Council’s (PMC) first meeting was February 1, 2002. PMC is an unstructured group. The group does not have a formal charge, except to look to the future of Prairielands. It explores how Prairielands should and can serve its member libraries. The group picks its own direction for discussion and activity as well as responding to requests from the Governing Board, staff and member libraries. This unstructured approach has proven effective thus far.

PMC has 12 members: the Directors of Prairielands, Pioneerland, Plum Creek [or their designee] and representatives from member libraries to include one special, one academic, two Pioneerland, two Plum Creek, three schools. Terms are for two calendar years with no limit to the number of terms. Meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend. All members are required to solicit their own replacements.

Prairielands Member Council FY23-24 Members

Bethany Kauffman, Prairielands
Calla Jarvie, Rock County Public Library
Cindy Hendrickx, Appleton Public Library
Theresa Nysetvold, Murray County Central Schools
Laurie Ortega, Pioneerland Library System
Elizabeth Hoffman, Plum Creek Library System[/fusion_builder_row_inner] [/fusion_builder_row] [/fusion_builder_container]

Teen Co-Op Steering Committee

Founded in June 2007 Prairielands (then SAMMIE), in conjunction with the Pioneerland and Plum Creek Library Systems, began to provide coordinated and cooperative support for healthy young adults throughout the region. A team of like-minded individuals dedicated to encouraging the expansion of young adult services for our area was invited to part of this new initiative and the Teen Co-op Steering Committee was born.

Prairielands Teen Co-Op Members

- - - PrairielandsOffice
      - Bethany Kauffman, Executive Director
      - Jennifer Parkhurst, Administrative Assistant
    - Pioneerland Library System
      - Margaret Weigelt, Atwater Public Library
    - Plum Creek Library System
      - Bronwyn Wenzel, Rock County Community Library
      - Emily Blaeser, Meinders Community Library
      - Emilirose Rasmusson, Marshall Lyon County Library

School Library Committee

The Prairielands School Library Committee is made up of three media specialists/school librarians, one academic librarian, and one public librarian, as well as a representative from the SW/WC Cooperative, a total of six individuals. We hope that through the combined talents of this committee, we can design offerings for our regional school media centers which will suit their needs and inspire them professionally.

Governing Board