Michigan Library Association

2022 Michigan Library Awards Honorees

The Michigan Library Awards are brought to you by the Michigan Library Association (MLA), the Library of Michigan, the Library of Michigan Foundation, the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME), and the Michigan Academic Library Association (MiALA). It’s the Michigan library community's own version of the Academy Awards, the Emmys, the Grammys, and the Tonys, and the can't-miss event for recognizing Michigan's amazing library professionals and libraries.

Couldn’t attend the Michigan Library Awards in person? Grab some popcorn and watch a replay of the show on Facebook as we continue to recognize and celebrate our honorees! The recorded Michigan Library Awards program will be broadcast on MLA’s Facebook page on Thursday, November 3 at 7:00 PM.

Legislators of the Year

Last week, MLA Executive Director Debbie Mikula and Jenny Marr, President-Elect and Chair of the MLA Advocacy and Legislative Committee visited the capitol to present awards to MLA's 2024 Legislators of the Year. We are proud to honor State Representatives Angela Witwer and Regina Weiss for their commitment to libraries in Michigan.

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks New Episode

Check out the latest episode of Chapter & Verse, Creating Safe Spaces: Outreach Inclusion and the Modern Library. In this episode, hosts Debbie Mikula, Executive Director of MLA, and Mallorie DeVilbiss, Director of the Suburban Library Cooperative, talk with Olivia Olson, Head of Community Engagement at the Troy Public Library.

Olivia reflects on her early love of libraries and the path that led her into library work. She shares how the community engagement department came to life and how programs like the bookmobile and the English Language Learners Book Club are expanding the library’s reach.

From serving diverse communities to creating safe, welcoming spaces, Olivia offers insight into the evolving role of libraries and the powerful connections they foster. Her stories of working with patrons and her vision for the future remind us why libraries remain essential pillars of community life.

Note From Dillon

The past month has been a busy time of transition for MLA. As our outgoing Executive Director prepares for retirement, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside her and the MLA team in my new role as Interim Executive Director. Many of you have been in touch with well wishes, to check in, and to ask how the transition is moving along. And as I’ve often stated in response – Debbie and everyone on staff at MLA has helped to plan the most organized onboarding journey that I’ve ever experienced. It’s helped bring me up to speed on MLA’s day-to-day operations quickly, allowing me to dive right into our important work on advocacy, programming and member engagement.

November 5 Election Millage Results

We are excited to share the good news that several libraries around Michigan passed millage proposals during the November election! Library millages are the primary source of funding for most Michigan public libraries and at the ballot box, Michigan residents made it clear that they love, support, and VOTE YES to fund their local libraries. It is a great reminder that regardless of where patrons land on the political spectrum, libraries are for everyone!

More Articles...