Michigan Library Association

Michigan State Budget Cycle

The Michigan state budget supports libraries, education, housing, childcare and healthcare. Most importantly, the state budget supports the people who live here. State budgets can seem very complex, but in reality, it boils down to a plan for spending available resources on the services that Michigan communities need and value. Below is an outline of the year-long Michigan state budget cycle and simple ways for you to help influence and advocate for how these resources are spent.

MLA 2023 Annual Conference Call for Proposals

The Michigan Library Association invites proposals for Breakout Sessions at the MLA 2023 Annual Conference to be presented in person, October 18 - 20, 2023, at the Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo.

Get Involved! The 2023-2024 Call for Ambassadors is Open

The Call for Ambassador online signup for 2023-2024 workgroups and committees is now open! Applications are accepted through April 28, 2023.

Letter to Legislators and Candidate Outreach

Check out the August 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 outreach and advocacy efforts begin even before candidates take office.

MLA Statement on Patmos Library Millage Failure

November 14, 2022

As the November election results were announced, the Michigan Library Association (MLA) was disheartened and saddened to learn that continued funding for the Patmos Library in Jamestown was defeated again. A local tragedy with national implications, the Patmos Library is the only library in the country that has essentially been defunded by the vote of its citizens due to its refusal to comply with censorship. The push to defund the Patmos Library was rooted in objections to one (1) challenged book that was put behind the desk in December 2021 and four (4) challenged books that were returned to their shelves in October. Some members of the community continue to demand that all books containing LGBTQ+ themes be removed, a selection that represents about 90 books, or less than .01% of the library’s collection.

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