Rob Banks has been elected to lead the Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA), an organization founded 60 years ago to bring together librarians in 12 states with similar interests and issues. MPLA meets annually in conjunction with one of the member’s state conferences. It provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and a network to help support libraries throughout the region.

Banks is the Deputy Director of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Banks began at the library in the Acquisitions department, and advanced to supervise the Circulation department. After completing his Master in Library Science, he served as Outreach Services manager and has been Deputy Director since 1998. For the last three years, Rob also represents Kansas on the American Library Association Council, and has just been elected to his second three-year term. 

The Deputy Director earned his Bachelor’s of Music Education from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Library Science from Emporia State University. Rob is professional musician and is the harpist with the Topeka Symphony. He is a graduate of the Greater Topeka Leadership Class of 2005, and has served on the boards of the Community Concert Association and the Topeka TurnAround Team, Inc.