Note from MLA Nominating and Leadership Development Committee Chair Cathy Russ

Cathy Russ
Chair, MLA Nominating and Leadership Development Committee

The MLA Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is the group that works together to identify and recruit excellent candidates to run for the MLA Board and determines the final slate of candidates to present to the membership for election.

Dark Store Legislation

In response to the financial loss dark stores have caused communities throughout Michigan, State Senator Ed McBroom has introduced SB0019 and SB0020 that would change who oversees tax dispute cases.

Across Michigan, nearly 90% of funding for public libraries comes directly from local sources. With continued attempts by big box retailers to secure lowball evaluations of their storefronts, known as “dark store theory,” we have seen disastrous effects on local tax bases, city services, schools, and libraries. when successfully implemented by big box stores, this commonly used but disputed form of property tax evaluation diverts those critical operating funds away from public libraries.

What Do Michiganders Really Think? MLA Launches Public Opinion Poll on Book Banning

Last month, the Michigan Library Association contracted with EPIC-MRA, a full-service survey research firm with expertise in Public Opinion Surveys and Market Research Studies. EPIC-MRA has a proven track record of producing accurate and useful research data based on public perceptions and opinions. While we have been using national studies (like those produced by ALA and EveryLibrary) to prove that book banning and censorship issues are not tolerated by the majority of voters in the country, we felt that we needed solid Michigan data to back this up.

Gov. Whitmer Signs Bipartisan Legislation Expanding Rights and Freedoms for LGBTQ+ Michiganders

Last week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer was joined by Attorney General Dana Nessel, Senator Jeremy Moss, Representative Jason Hoskins, and other legislators, advocates, and allies to sign legislation expanding the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA). The bill reaffirms legal protections for sexual orientation and expands coverage to include gender identity and expression.

MLA Supports Passage of the Crown Act Introduced by Senator Sarah Anthony

The MLA Advocacy and Legislative Committee supports Senate Bill 90 a bill introduced by State Senator Sarah Anthony known as the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act. If made law, this bill would add language to Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists as traits historically associated with race.

The Miller Test 

It is the responsibility of public libraries to guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity, including those which some individuals in our society may consider to be unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable. As legislation here in Michigan and around the country attempts to ban books and criminalize our library workers, it is critical to know that LIBRARIES DO NOT HAVE OBSCENE MATERIALS ON THEIR SHELVES. It is also equally important to understand why reading a single paragraph or page out of context at a library board meeting is so misleading.