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Written by Asante Cain, 2014-2015 MLA President   

President's Update - November 13, 2014

We had our annual inservice at the Grand Rapids Public Library this past week. For one session we watched a TED talk by psychologist and author Shawn Anchor. He presents that one strategy to increase your happiness is for 21 days write down three new things that you are grateful for each day. If you do, you’ll be significantly more optimistic at the end of the three weeks. As we enter into the winter months, in spite of the gray skies and oncoming snowstorms, let’s take some time to be thankful for what we have. I’m thankful for my baby. I’m thankful for my wife. And a bit down the ladder, I’m thankful for databases. Databases, why would I be thankful for databases?

Without databases, getting quality information, used to be a much greater task than it is now. Databases are incredible tools that have made a difference for libraries. From the comfort of your own library or home you can research medical questions, learn how to fix cars, find peer reviewed studies, or study book reviews. Michigan is unique because we collectively have access to a set of databases provided by the Library of Michigan. Libraries in turn give access to these powerful databases to patrons and students.

In regards to databases we should be thankful for MLA as well. There is no other organization in the state of Michigan that stands up for librarians and libraries as well and as universally as MLA. Examine your revenue sources and where that money is spent; MLA may have had direct influence in maintaining and helping you with both. MLA advocates to legislators on the importance of strong funding for the Library of Michigan and its partners. With your dues, we are able to convince decision makers to the importance of MeL Databases; databases that educate and inform citizens of Michigan.

When you are eating your turkey, and watching the Lions (hopefully) win on Thanksgiving, take a moment to be thankful for the role MLA plays in securing databases and funding for your organization. Thanks MLA.

Make it an outstanding day!

Asante

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