MLA Committees and Work Groups
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Committees and work groups selected during an annual call for volunteers help guide the work of MLA through identifying and developing future leaders, advising on the latest trends, planning educational events such as conferences and workshops, and selecting award winners. The Call for Volunteers is issued each spring. Learn more about participating.
2020-2021 Standing Committees
Advocacy and Legislative Committee
Monitors legislative and policy issues impacting libraries and makes policy recommendations to the board. Informs and educates members about state legislation and policy issues. Contact legislators as needed to educate them about library concerns.

Chair: Jenny Marr Ferndale Area District Library
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Betty Adams Leanna Hicks Public Library
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Shirley Bruursema Kent District Library
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Bryan Cloutier Oxford Public Library
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Riti Grover Farmington Community Library
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Jessica Keyser Grosse Pointe Public Library
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Katherine Lester Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
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Cindy Mack Brighton District Library
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Michael McCullough Willard Library
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Clare Membiela Library of Michigan
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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Larry Neal Clinton-Macomb Public Library |

Jasmine Parker Ferndale Area District Library
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Dale Parus Ionia Community Library
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Kelly Richards Muskegon Area District Library
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Mary Rzepczynski Delta Township District Library
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Erin Schmandt Caro Area District Library
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Kristin Shelley MLA Past President, East Lansing Public Library
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Vanessa Verdun-Morris Taylor Community Library
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Ryan Wieber Kalamazoo Public Library
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Professional Development and Networking Committee
Anticipates emerging trends and hot topics. Works with staff as a think tank for ideas and insight to help identify the kinds of training our members will need to excel in the libraries of the future as well as today.

Amber Alexander Library Director Presque Isle District Library
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Scott Duimstra Library Director Capital Area District Library
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Jennifer Dye Detroit Public Library
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Loretta Hunter LRC Coordinator Wayne County Community College District
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Katharyn Jones Portage District Library
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Dennis Kreps Bridgman Public Library
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Maria McCarville Public Libraries of Saginaw
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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Ann Neff-Rohs Jackson District Library
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Michael Postula Ann Arbor District Library
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Karren Reish Library of Michigan
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Sarah Rick Michigan Department of Corrections
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Katherine Rothley Lyon Township Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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Lisa Valerio-Nowc Farmington Community Library
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Lisa Waskin Superior District Library
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Nominating and Leadership Development Committee
Cultivates leadership potential within MLA membership to maintain strong and effective governance and solicits and evaluates nominations of candidates for service on the MLA Board of Directors.

Meghan Brody Michigan State University Libraries
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Pamela Christensen West End Health Foundation
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Mollie Freier Northern Michigan University
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Valerie L. Meyerson Petoskey District Library
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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Kristin Shelley Library Director East Lansing Public Library
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Eric Stanton Capital Area District Libraries
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Kate Van Auken White Pine Library Cooperative
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Finance Committee
Provides financial oversight for the organization, including budgeting and financial planning, financial reporting, and the creation and monitoring of internal controls and accountability policies in support of the MLA Board of Directors.

Scott Duimstra Library Director Capital Area District Library
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Tim Gleisner Head of Special Collections Library of Michigan
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Karen Knox Library Director Orion Township Public Library
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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2020-2021 Professional Development Work Groups
Academic Libraries Work Group
The Academic Libraries and Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Chapter program work group works to promote the role and work of libraries on college and university campuses and plan and offer professional development opportunities and support to professional and support staff. This work group replaces the Academic Libraries Interest Group.

Marc Boucher Lake Superior State University
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Jennifer L. Dean University of Detroit Mercy Libraries
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Kristin Fontichiaro University of Michigan
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Mollie Freier Northern Michigan University
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Kathy Irwin Central Michigan University
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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Tashia Munson Washtenaw Community College
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Stacy Nowicki Kalamazoo College Upjohn Library
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Monique Oldfield Wayne State University Libraries
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Monica Porter University of Michigan
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Michele Pratt Delta College Library
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Jill Sodt Mott Comity College
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Allie VanDoren Lake Superior State University
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Leslie Warren Northern Michigan University
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Jacqueline Wrosch Eastern Michigan University
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Trustee Work Group
The new trustee work group will assist in planning and creating programming, events and resources to assist Trustees in their roles.

Burton Brooks Loutit District Library
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Jeff Croff Capital Area District Libraries
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Jeffrey Hopp Presque Isle District Library
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Deborah E. Mikula Executive Director Michigan Library Association
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Jennifer Moore Kalamazoo Public Library
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Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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MaryAnne Thorndycraft Orion Township Library
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Amy Zaagman East Lansing Public Library
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MLA 2021 Annual Conference
Annual Conference is a three-day conference scheduled for October 28-30, 2020 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The work group assists in the planning and execution of this event with up to 600 attendees, guests, speakers and exhibitors.

Chair: Claire Lopiccolo Romeo District Library
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Mollie Barkovich Gobles Elementary School Library
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Lynn Bieszka Warren Public Library
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Mattie Cook Flat River Community Library
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Betsy Hull Capital Area District Libraries
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Sean Lyons Capital Area District Libraries
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Eric Palmer Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative
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Staff Liaison: Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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Jill Spreitzer University of Detroit Mercy Libraries
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MLA 2020 Virtual Conference
The new virtual MLA 2020 conference is scheduled for October 28 & 29 2020. The work group assists in the planning and execution of this event with up to 600 attendees, guests, speakers and exhibitors.

Chair: Kevin King Kalamazoo Public Library
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Vice-Chair: Claire Lopiccolo Romeo District Library
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Amber Alexander Presque Isle District Library
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Mattie Cook Flat River Community Library
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Tim Gleisner Library of Michigan
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Jill Lansky Kalamazoo Public Library
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Bethany Maley Kalamazoo Public Library
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Sherri McConnell Capital Area District Libraries
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Terri New Kalamazoo Public Library
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James Pugh Orion Township Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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Jill Spreitzer University of Detroit Mercy Libraries
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Andrea Vernola Kalamazoo Public Library
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Jacqueline Wrosch Eastern Michigan University
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Spring Institute 2021
This two-day conference brings together approximately 200 statewide children and teen service librarians to share, learn and experience best practices. Help plan valuable programming that includes national award-winning authors, illustrators and storytellers.

Chair: Sara Magnuson Kent District Library
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Vice-chair: Elissa Zimmer Ferndale Area District Library
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Jill Anderson Kent District Library
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Anne Heidemann Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries
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Jocelyn Levin Lyon Township Public Library
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Dena Moscheck Bay County Library System - Wirt Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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Ariel Wiborn Veteran's Memorial Library
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Spring Institute 2020 - Now Fall Institute Preconference

Chair: Beth Lowe
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Vice-Chair: Sara Magnuson Kent District Library
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Karen Blackledge Muskegon Area District Library
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Amanda Heidema Herrick District Library
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Jocelyn Levin Lyon Township Public Library
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Emily Marsh Bay County Library System
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Dena Moscheck Bay County Library System - Wirt Public Library
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Jessica Parij Canton Public Library
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Monica Porter University of Michigan
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Staff Liaison: Amber Sheerin Michigan Library Association
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Elissa Zimmer Ferndale Area District Library
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Michigan Library Awards
Reviews and updates award guidelines, encourages nominations, reviews nominees and selects the winners for our MLA professional recognition awards including the Librarian of the Year, Heart of a Champion, Rising Star, Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth and Legislator of the Year. The Awards Committee also works closely with the annual conference work group that is planning the annual awards gala.

Lauren Arnsman Kalamazoo Public Library and Kellogg Community College
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Staff Liaison: Rachel Ash Michigan Library Association
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Jolee Hamlin Capital Area District Libraries |

Karen Knox Orion Township Public Library |

Cathleen Russ Troy Public Library
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Sonya Schryer Norris Library of Michigan
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2021 Literary Award Work Groups
Mitten Award
Recognizes and promotes quality literature for youth in picture book format. Read more about the Mitten Award here.

Chair: Kimberlee Gardner Rochester Hills Public Library
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Chair: Angela Warsinske Rochester Hills Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Rachel Ash Michigan Library Association
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Adrienne Baker Herrick District Library
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Ashley Lehman Orion Township Public Library
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Kirsten Malzahn Novi Public Library
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Ashlee McClaughry Bloomfield Township Library
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Kathleen Merucci Salem-South Lyon District Library
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Everett Pine Ferndale Area District Library
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Lisa Rodkey Kent District Library
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Keegan Sulecki Troy Public Library |
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YouPer (Young Person) Award
Recognizes and promotes quality literature for youth in chapter book format. Read more about the YouPer Award here.

Chair: Brittany Wesner Clinton-Macomb Public Library
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Vice-Chair: Lisa Boyd Canton Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Rachel Ash Michigan Library Association
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Robert Chartrand Capital Area District Libraries
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Maeve Devlin Cromaine District Library |

Heather Draft Cromaine District Library
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Jessica Keeler
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Jamie Klos Clarkston Independence District Library
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Nakenya Lewis-Yarbrough Belleville Area District Library
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Cassie Veselovsky Capital Area District Libraries
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Diana Wenger Muskegon Area District Library
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Elizabeth Wierenga Kent District Library
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Thumbs Up! Award
Recognizes an outstanding contribution to teen literature that has both literary quality and teen appeal for those 13 to 18 years of age. Read more about the Thumbs Up! Award here.

Chair: Tracy Bedford Clarkston Independence District Library
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Vice-Chair: Kristen Jayska Livonia Public Library
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Staff Liaison: Rachel Ash Michigan Library Association
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Kayla Dies Paw Paw District Library
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Shanni Kerr Ionia Community Library
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Becky Mangini Chesterfield Public Library
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Amanda Shepard Herrick District Library
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Sarah Swiderski Salem-South Lyon District Library
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Sarah Welch Big Rapids Community Library
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