MLA’s “Primary Source” is an exclusive, first-hand account of the latest news and announcements from the staff of the Michigan Library Association.
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Depicted in ancient stories as a bearded, wise old man, wearing long robes and a timepiece, Father Time left us at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2020. He imparted his wisdom and reinforced his message – time is passing. I know that we all gave a huge sigh of relief that 2020 was finally over (and with a sigh, many of us silently, or loudly, added…"don’t let the door hit you in the rear.")
At exactly one second past midnight as the new year dawned on January 1, 2021, we marked the change that everyone desperately needed. In the same ancient stories alongside Father Time is Baby New Year, commonly depicted as a baby swaddled in a diaper and looking at what lies ahead with the promise of rebirth; a new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
The MLA staff conversed about the opportunities ahead of us as a new year dawned and as you can see, they were up for some fun in our cover photo to give you their rendition of Baby New Year. Can you guess who is who? Read more
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MLA's Statement Condemning the Violent Attack on the Capitol |
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The past year has challenged all of us in ways we would have never expected. We are proud that during this time we have used our platform as a leader in the library community to speak out about important issues that affect all of us while we affirm the values libraries hold dear. |
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Together we can combat the danger of disinformation and strengthen our democracy.
A Message From MLA President Jennifer L. Dean
The Michigan Library Association (MLA) condemns the violent attack on our nation’s Capitol. The wanton destruction, looting, and racist and anti-Semitic sentiments our nation was subjected to on January 6, 2021, are antithetical to our core constitutional principles and the ideals of justice and reconciliation to which our nation aspires today.
This relentless attempt to thwart the peaceful transfer of power at the heart of our democracy, beginning with baseless claims of fraud and culminating in the tragic loss of lives, was a conflagration of deliberate disinformation, misuse of authority, and a desire to reassert dominance based on centuries-old systems of white power and privilege. Following the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter and racial justice demonstrators protesting the unequal treatment of Black people and People of Color were met with walls of law enforcement officers in full riot gear, assailed with rubber bullets and tear gas, and shackled, blocks away from the Capitol and White House. The mob of perpetrators who attacked the Capitol on Wednesday, domestic terrorists who attacked the very heart of our democracy, received vastly different treatment. As has been widely documented, law enforcement was woefully unprepared for Wednesday’s altercation despite weeks of advance notice. Rioters were aided and abetted by an unsecured perimeter and law enforcement without riot gear and were encouraged to go home after hours of televised violence and destruction. MLA calls on legislators to investigate the criminally inadequate response to this egregious attack and to illuminate the systemic racism that allows separate and unequal systems of justice to continue.
MLA is grateful to our federal legislators from Michigan and all elected legislators who returned to Congress to work late into the night to ensure that the will of the people of the United States of America was respected and the Electoral College results were certified. MLA calls on our state and federal legislators to respect their colleagues and constituents and unite behind the 46th President and Vice President of the United States.
Legislators will find a powerful ally in our Michigan libraries, cornerstones of their communities. Libraries are open and accessible to all, providing access to trusted, authentic, and vetted information resources. Libraries provide opportunities for education and cultural enrichment. Libraries stand with their communities, defending their constitutional rights and creating safe, equitable spaces where social discourse can thrive. Libraries provide a model for inclusivity, justice, and opportunity. MLA continues to hold strong and affirm these values as we serve and advocate for our Michigan library community. MLA calls on our legislators to join with us. Together we can combat the danger of disinformation and strengthen our democracy.
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Jennifer L. Dean, PhD, MLIS
MLA President and ALA Councilor, 2020-2021
Dean of Libraries and Instructional Technology
University of Detroit Mercy
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MLA is Getting a New Look! |
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It's a new year, a new decade and now it's time for a new look. MLA is getting a new logo! |
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The first logo! This image was taken from the cover of the MLA 1895 handbook! |
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We first started seeing this logo in the 1990's. |
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MLA's current logo. Our current logo features a signature green - affectionately referred to as "baby-poop green" among MLA staff. Expect our new look to include some new colors! |
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MLA is getting a brand new look! We are so excited to be working with an extremely talented designer from a world-renowned design firm. We've had our current logo for a few decades and now it's time for a fresh new look to refresh MLA's brand and bring our logo design up to date. |
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Since June 2019, the American Library Association (ALA) has been undergoing a plan to realign and strengthen its governance, membership engagement, and board structure first called SCOE (Steering Committee on Organizational Effectiveness) and now entitled Forward Together.
As the Michigan Chapter of ALA, MLA will begin a conversation with MLA's past, present, and future leadership to discuss how we see ourselves in this realignment and what the role of Chapters will be moving forward (i.e. voting and board seats). At present, Chapters were not included as elected or appointed seats in the initial draft of the new governance. Many of the other statewide associations throughout the country have expressed their displeasure in being excluded when our partnership with ALA is so strongly tied to legislative and advocacy work.
At this time, ALA is beginning to go from “listening mode” to “take action mode” and it is time that Michigan provides our thoughts and recommendations. Over the course of the next couple of months, a small group from MLA will be in discussion utilizing the following documents on the Forward Together movement:
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Update Your Member Profile! |
Keep your member information up to date in our member’s only portal. Please take a moment to add a work email, and an alternative home email address so you never miss important news and announcements. While you're there take a moment to update your library affiliation, job title, job function and interest areas so we can share relevant programs and services. Plus, make sure to add a home address! This helps us target our advocacy efforts in case we need to contact only members within a specific legislative district.
To access and update your individual member record, navigate to the Member Home page, log in, select "Go to Profile," then scroll down and select edit. Make sure to select “save” to update your changes.
Need your login credentials? To retrieve your username or reset your password simply click the links on the login page, or those provided below, and input your member record’s primary email address (this will be the email address where you receive MLA newsletters and communications). If you need assistance accessing or updating your member record, please contact us at MLA@milibraries.org .
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Mitch Albom Selected for 2020 Michigan Author Award |
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The Michigan Library Association (MLA) is pleased to announce that Mitch Albom has been selected as the recipient of the 2020 Michigan Author Award.
Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned and best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have collectively sold more than 40 million copies worldwide; have been published in 49 territories and in 47 languages around the world; and have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television movies.
A work group representing MLA and the Michigan Center for the Book determine the Michigan Author Award recipient on overall literary merit. To be eligible, authors must be a current resident of Michigan, a long-time resident of Michigan, recently relocated or an author whose works are identified with Michigan because of subject and/or setting.
“Of this year’s nominees, Mitch Albom was the obvious choice. In addition to his literary body of work, Mr. Albom is a humanitarian and has exhibited an enduring commitment to Metro Detroit and Michigan as a whole," said Work Group Chair Eric Stanton, Public Services Librarian, Capital Area District Libraries. "The committee felt that this is an honor that is well overdue.” Read more
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Putnam District Library
Submitted by: Savannah Shilton, Library Director
Putnam District Library's card features an image of the exterior view of the library, a beautiful historic home on Main Street in Nashville, Michigan. The home was built in the 1880s and the Putnam's deeded their house/property to the village for the purpose of becoming a public library. The building has continued to serve as a public library for almost 100 years, and it feels right to honor the Putnam’s (and their home) by featuring it on the library cards.
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Please Note: Narcan Expiration Dates Extended |
The Federal Food and Drug Administration announced on August 17, 2020, that the expiration date for Narcan has been extended from 24 to 36 months. If you have a Narcan kit that has expired, it is viable for an additional 12 months from the stated expiration date. If you have a Narcan kit that hasn't expired, you may consider it viable for an additional 12 months from the stated expiration date. View a flyer with more information.
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Act 315 of 2020 – Michigan Library Privacy Act |
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On December 29, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed into law Senate Bill 611 - now Public Act 315 of 2020 - amendments to the Library Privacy Act. We are eternally grateful to bill sponsor former Senator Peter MacGregor and to all of the library advocates that helped us get this across the line and signed into law. The law goes into effect on March 29, 2021.
This legislation removes obstacles and legal barriers libraries sometimes face when a crime has been committed in the library while providing for continued protection to a core foundational value of libraries: protecting patron privacy; in their reading histories, materials borrowed, resources reviewed, or services used at the library. The greatest change to the Michigan Library Privacy Act has come in clarifying that a library record does not include video surveillance and that video surveillance can be turned over to law enforcement without a court order if it shows no identifying records. By updating the current Act, we are making libraries safer by hastening the investigation of crimes committed in the library and on library property through video surveillance.
Register for an in-depth MLA Connect webinar scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 10:00 am to learn more about how changes to the act might affect your library. This webinar will go through the new amendments and discuss how they may affect existing library practices. This webinar is presented as an in-depth follow-up to the Library of Michigan’s Library Law Spotlight that was presented on January 27th. View details and register.
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Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference Findings for FY21 and FY22 |
State economists including State Treasurer Rachel Eubanks, State Budget Director Dave Massaron, Senate Fiscal Agency Director Christopher Harkins, and House Fiscal Agency Director Mary Ann Cleary, agreed to upgrade state revenue projections in response to data that shows the doom and gloom from the economic shutdowns enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be nearly as bad as originally feared. These projections* were presented at the January 15, 2021 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC).
When Michigan’s government finally closes the books on FY2020 (last year), it is projected to have a $2.5 billion surplus in the General Fund and a nearly $1.2 billion balance in the School Aid Fund. These numbers will be carried over into the current fiscal year. The combined $3.7 billion surplus is a complete turnaround to where state officials projected the budget's position to be last summer when Michigan was staring into a $2.2 billion hole for FY2020. The state economists stated that the federal government's help with unemployment payments, stimulus checks, and COVID-19 relief help for public health care, is a big driver for the change. Read more
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Penal Fine Information and Resources |
Michigan is the only state to have constitutionally mandated funding for libraries. That funding comes in the form of Penal Fines and the way these funds are collected and distributed is at times complicated to understand. Interested in learning more? Check out our website for more information on this critical source of library funding. Special thank you to Clare Membiela, Library of Michigan, for providing MLA with a detailed report on the history and state of Penal Fines in Michigan. |
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MLA Advocates for Upgraded Vaccine Eligibility for Library Workers |
We know vaccine eligibility is of great concern to many Michigan library workers. MLA is advocating for upgraded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for library workers using a two-pronged approach. We are requesting the prioritization of public and academic library workers as essential service providers in the vaccine rollout program in Phase 1b to Governor Whitmer and new Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel, and we are also providing a template for library leadership to use to contact their local health departments.
MLA is urging the Governor and the MDHHS to make public and academic library workers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b.
We have provided library directors with a template letter to use to follow up with their own county departments of public health if deemed appropriate for their local needs.
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Latest Updates on Coronavirus Orders and Workplace Protocols |
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During this rapidly changing situation, we are actively monitoring legislation and regulations related to COVID-19. Please watch MLA's website for important news and announcements as we keep you informed.
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Library Board Meetings Continue Virtually |
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On January 22, 2021, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its epidemic order (https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98178_98455-550215--,00.html) with some modifications allowing additional specific indoor activities. The order takes effect on February 1 and remains in effect until February 21, 2021. All library board meetings must remain virtual. In fact, all public meetings, remain prohibited. Read more
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Homeland Security Guidance for Essential Workers |
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On December 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, updated their guidance in version 4 of their document “Ensuring Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers Have the Ability to Work Safely”.
As the nation continues to respond to COVID-19, it is important that considerations regarding essential critical infrastructure workers continue to inform response policies and activities. The ability of these workers to perform their jobs safely is critical to our nation’s ability to maintain the resilience of national critical functions. It is for this reason that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in collaboration with other federal agencies, State and local governments, and the private sector, has issued the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce Guidance for COVID-19 response (first issued in August 2020). This guidance is intended to help State, local, tribal, and territorial officials and organizations protect their workers and communities and ensure the continued safe and secure operation of critical infrastructure by identifying the universe of essential workers that may require specialized risk management strategies so that they can work safely. It can also be used to begin planning and preparing for the allocation of scarce resources used to protect essential workers against COVID-19. Read more
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Eighth Consecutive Budget Increase for IMLS in FY21 Federal Appropriations |
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The FY2021 spending bill, signed by the president on December 28, 2020, included an additional $5 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) -- the eighth consecutive increase in federal annual appropriations to IMLS. Read the news release. ALA has already begun to engage with the 117th Congress to ensure the current political favor translates into direct support for library workers and library stabilization as America continues to recover from the pandemic. View ALA's Advocacy Transition page for more information. |
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ALA Disaster Relief Funds |
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Check out January's edition of our monthly outreach to Michigan Legislators where we continue to educate them on the value of our libraries and the critical role of library staff. Our monthly letters include information on programs and services that libraries provide, education on library funding, the return on investment for our communities, stats and fun facts about library usage and more.
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Outreach to New Legislators Continues |
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Michigan House of Representatives Committee Assignments |
The 101st Legislature - Michigan House of Representatives Committee Assignments have been confirmed. Please review the lists below, if your representative is on a committee it will be even more important to reach out to them when we issue any Calls to Action.
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Registration is Open for Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021! |
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Join us March 11-12, 2021 for a virtual conference sure to spark your creativity and energy in making youth library programs and outreach possible for all!
Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021 Virtual Conference is all about sparking connections and possibilities. We are offering both individual and group rates, and students are free! We can't wait to connect with you this March 11-12, 2021. So don't wait! Register today.
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Sparking Connections and Possibilities
Opening Keynote with Alex Gino
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Watering Young Imaginations: Librarians Doing the Decolonization Work
Thursday Afternoon Keynote with Alia Jones
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A 2020 Debut: Connecting with Readers and Community during a Global Pandemic
Friday Morning Keynote with Darcie Little Badger
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How to Love Library Work When it Doesn't Love You Back: Moving Forward in Youth Services
Friday Afternoon Keynote with Julie Jurgens
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Burnout and Stress: Science-backed Strategies for Your Library!
Friday Closing Keynote with Ryan Dowd
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Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021 Partner Opportunities |
Do you offer products and services for libraries? Don't miss the opportunity to connect with hundreds of library staff at Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021. Exhibit in the virtual expo hall, or become an event sponsor with one of our virtual sponsorship opportunities
Support our libraries by sharing the invitation with your vendors!
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Registration is Open for 2021 Spring Workshops |
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All 2021 spring workshops and events will be virtual. Registration is open! Visit us on the web to view event details and register today! |
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Community Collaborations: Healthy Community Initiatives
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
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Library Human Resources: Drafting Policies That Work
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
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The Business of Libraries: Small Business Development
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
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Cultural Intelligence: Unconscious Bias Affects Everyone
Wednesday, May 05, 2021
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Funds Are Available for Spring Events |
We don't want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to attend any one of our upcoming events because of financial reasons.
MLA provides individual members close to $10,000 annually for librarians and support staff at any Michigan library to attend MLA events. There are two specific funds that provide scholarships – the MLA Education Fund and the MLA/MALC Academic Library Fund.
The application forms are very short and simple! Applications to attend Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021 are due Friday, February 12, 2021. Spring 2021 Workshops scholarship applications are due Friday, March 12, 2021.
Don't miss out due to financial constraints, fill out the application today!
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Library Continuing Education Program Stipends
Continuing education stipends are also available through the Library of Michigan Library Continuing Education Program. Michigan public, academic and school library staff are eligible to apply for funds to attend virtual events.
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MLA Connect provides virtual education and engagement opportunities you can access from anywhere to keep you connected to the library community in Michigan! Read on to check out the lineup of upcoming MLA Connect programs. |
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Upcoming MLA Connect Webinars |
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MLA Connect Webinar: The Good Professionals' Guide to Bad Guys Who Want to Hack You and How to Stop Them |
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Friday, February 19, 2021
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
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Beth Ziesenis, Your Nerdy Best Friend |
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Passwords, phishing, privacy? Pfttt! You're not alone if you would rather tally the numbers in the phone book than deal with your password problems. But you can't be a professional without taking responsibility for your personal online security -- for the protection of yourself and your company.
Online security issues -- and solutions -- don't have to be boring, scary or ignored. Author Beth Z, aka Your Nerdy Best Friend, will have you laughing and learning with the real facts about the threats you face using the technology at your fingertips. And, more importantly, you'll leave with practical tips and tools for breathing easier.
Registration is $25 for members and $50 for non-members and is first-come, first-served.
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MLA Connect Webinar: Library Privacy Act Amendments |
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Tuesday, March 16, 2021
10:00 – 11:00am
Free to Attend
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Learn about recent amendments to the Library Privacy Act that have the potential to affect how libraries report crime, interact with law enforcement, interact with each other, and underscore the seriousness of maintaining patron privacy. This session will go through the new amendments and discuss how they may affect existing library practices. This is presented as an in-depth follow-up to the Library of Michigan’s January Library Law Spotlight.
Participants in this session will be able to:
- Identify the changes to the Library Privacy Act
- Understand how to apply these changes to existing policies.
- Explain the importance of the privacy act to relevant staff, boards and volunteers.
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Upcoming MLA Connect Coffee Hour |
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MLA Connect Coffee Hour: AmeriCorps Opioid Response Training |
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Thursday, February 25, 2021
10:00 – 11:00 am
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During this special coffee hour dedicated to raising awareness about the opioid crisis and providing opioid response training to library staff, presenters from the AmeriCorps Community Training for Overdose Rescue Program will cover information and provide training around the magnitude of the opioid crisis and its impact on our communities.
The AmeriCorps Community Training for Overdose Rescue Program will also cover how to recognize the signs of an overdose, how to respond to an overdose including how and when to administer Narcan, how to perform CPR, and aftercare considerations for overdose survivors. At the end of the training, AmeriCorps will mail participants an Overdose Rescue Kit containing Narcan - an overdose-reversal medicine that comes in an easy-to-use nasal spray device.
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This coffee hour is free to attend to anyone interested in joining the conversation! A maximum of 500 attendees can join the live event. Registered attendees will receive information and a link to access the meetings on the Zoom platform. A recording of the events will be available on the MLA website for those unable to attend the live events. Questions? Contact us at (517) 394-2774 or mla@milibraries.org.
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New Archived MLA Connect Coffee Hour: Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium Naloxboxes |
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Missed an MLA Connect event? Check out archived webinars and coffee hours on the MLA website. Please note recordings are provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. |
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The Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium (NMORC) is comprised of 32 member organizations over 18 rural Northern Michigan Counties. One of their goals is providing Naloxboxes to community organizations so that naloxone is available in areas where overdoses may occur. Public libraries are a priority for this placement.
NMORC will discuss reasons for having Naloxboxes and a draft policy for implementing them in your libraries.
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Michigan Library Advocacy Day 2021 - Save the Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 |
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Mark your calendars now and plan to join the Michigan Library Association (MLA), the Michigan Academic Library Association (MiALA), the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) and hundreds of library advocates from throughout Michigan as we inundate our legislators with our presence on a multitude of scheduled Zoom meetings, phone calls, emails and tweets, this April 20. We will meet virtually with legislators to thank them for the work they have done in support of libraries and ensure they are continuing to champion the importance of libraries in Michigan communities.
By participating in the Michigan Library Advocacy Day you will help establish a stronger voice for the library community, develop important relationships with your local legislative leaders, and garner a greater understanding of the processes related to policy-making from individuals involved in the work on a day-to-day basis. Advocacy Day will also give you the chance to network with other library supporters and create opportunities for future collaborations. We will be taking care of all the details, providing advocacy training videos and talking points, template communications and scheduling the Zoom meet and greets with your local legislators - all you will need to do is register! So mark your calendars now and plan to join us!
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Do you have news you want to share? Contact Lisa Buttigieg at lbuttigieg@milibraries.org to share news of promotions, new hires, appointments, awards or a tribute in memoriam. |
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Fowlerville District Library welcomes Ellen Peters as the new Library Director. Congratulations and Welcome Ellen!
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Congratulation to Katie Brinker who is the new director for Hopkins District Library. Welcome Katie! |
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Please welcome Phillip Kwik as Interim Director of Troy Public Library. Thank you for your service Phillip! |
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The Shiawassee District Library is pleased to announce that Kim White will be the new Director. Congratulations Kim! |
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Melissa Cole will become the Capital Area District Libraries' Foster Branch's new head librarian. Cole also oversees CADL's Downtown Lansing and South Lansing branches. Congratulations Melissa! |
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Kent District Library would like to congratulate Jaci Cooper on her promotion to Director of Projects and Planning.
Way to go Jaci!
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Congratulations to Capital Area District Libraries’ former Head Librarian at their Foster Branch, Jean Bolley on her retirement. Wishing you all the best Jean! |
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Long time reference guru Pam Spoor is hanging up her cardigan after 38 years of service to the Manistee County Library! Wishing you the best Pam! |
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Congratulations to Xiaoming Xu from the Andrews University Library who is retiring after 27 years of service. Congratulations on your retirement and thank you, Xiaoming for all that you have contributed to the library world! |
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Have a job to post? Members receive deep discounts on job postings through the MLA Career Center job board. Learn more here.
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts - Kalamazoo, MI
Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University - Detroit, MI
Bloomfield Township Public Library - Bloomfield Twp, MI
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Don't keep this great resource to yourself!
Please share this newsletter with your colleagues and networks.
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Connect with MLA on social media! Like and Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest real-time updates from MLA staff, library news, inspirational and educational posts and more! We also ask that you share this invitation with friends and help us extend our reach so important advocacy updates and calls to action are heard by library supporters throughout the state. |
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Uniting the Michigan Library Community
MLA is proud to partner with organizations serving the library community.
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