MLA Celebrates 134 Year Anniversary

As Michigan’s oldest and largest library association, MLA has been championing Michigan libraries for 134 years. Our story began in 1891, when Mary A. Eddy (a librarian at Coldwater Free Public Library) wrote to Detroit’s Henry M. Utley about forming a statewide library association. The first MLA meeting took place on September 1, 1891, in Detroit with just 37 members – enough librarians to elect five officers and even print their 40-line constitution on a tiny 3-inch by 6-inch card! From those humble beginnings, MLA has grown into a community of thousands of librarians, volunteers, and library supporters across the state.

Now it’s time to celebrate – and we want you to join us! Show your MLA pride on Monday, September 1, by posting on social media. Send us a happy birthday message, share how long your library has been serving its community, or give MLA a shout-out about your membership. Don’t forget to tag @MichiganLibraryAssociation on Facebook so we can celebrate together. Let’s make this milestone 134th birthday a memorable one for our entire library community!