Jessica Keyser Appointed to MLA Board (Again)

At the MLA Board of Directors September meeting, the Board voted to appoint Jessica Keyser to the seat vacated by Tim Gleisner, who stepped down to take a position in Texas. Jessica will fulfill the remainder of the term which ends June 30, 2023.

MLA Strategic Plan 2022

Since 2019, the MLA Board of Directors has spent time and energy developing a strategic direction for MLA. The well-developed and executed plan has clarified and guided MLA in how best to utilize our time and resources in advancing the library community and meeting the future needs of all key stakeholders.

MLA Awarded $40,000 Services to the Field Grant from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council

We are very proud to announce that MLA has been awarded $40,000 for a Services to the Field Grant through the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC).

Call for Nominations for 2023 MLA Board Election Now Open

Each year in September, the Call for Nominations for the MLA Board opens. This year we invite individuals representing public, school, or academic libraries, any staff position within the library (not just directors), any size and budget, and from any geographic region of Michigan, to step up.

The Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (NLDC) is seeking nominations/self-nominations for four member-at-large directors and the President-elect position, with terms beginning in July 2023 and ending in June 2026. The Call for Nominations will be open through Monday, November 7.

Letter From Debbie

September 23, 2022

There is work ahead of us. When dealing with censorship, we must put in the time, energy and resources to address the growing challenges in our state. You can expect the vocal minority to show up at a library or school near you if they haven’t already.

This past week, we were heartened to read a national public opinion poll conducted by the nonpartisan research firm Embold Research on behalf of EveryLibrary showing that 75% of Americans oppose book banning and are willing to consider book banning when going to the polls this November. Just 8% of voters believe “there are many books that are inappropriate and should be banned.” These statistics indicate that the actions of a small, vocal minority are giving the impression that our schools and libraries are full of offensive materials, which is simply not the case.

State of Michigan Budget Updates

On October 1, the FY23 State of Michigan budget will begin and libraries have much to be thankful for.