MLA’s Equity, Diversity, Accessibility and Belonging Journey 2019-2022. We're in it for the long haul.

A journey is one that takes time, focus and energy. Since 2019, MLA has been intentionally and consciously on a journey to address equity, diversity, accessibility and belonging, and “we are in it for the long haul.” Our board, staff and ambassadors have been instrumental in keeping this front and center for the past 3 years in all that we do, in all decisions we make, and in our daily work to address the inequities that are inherent in our society. By digging deeper to examine the root causes of these inequities, MLA has become a more innovative and responsive organization with each passing day.

HB 5097 Moves Forward to Ban Race and Gender Stereotyping in the Classroom – Challenging Intellectual Freedom

In early June, the Senate Education and Career Readiness Committee took up House Bill 5097, which was first introduced by Rep. Andrew Beeler (R-Fort Gratiot), and referred it to the committee of the whole. The legislation would ban “race and gender stereotyping” from the classroom. Two Democratic members of the committee walked out of the committee meeting in protest. 

Welcome to MLA's New Social Media Strategist Intern

Earlier this month, the MLA staff welcomed Kara MacKenzie, our Summer Semester 2022 Social Media Strategist Intern. Kara is a technical writing specialist, and avid plant mom from Battle Creek, Michigan. She is currently a junior at Michigan State University, where she majors in Professional & Public Writing and Women’s & Gender Studies.

MI Library Is Now... Underway!

We are excited to share that our statewide campaign promoting the two MI-83 Grant Projects is off to a great start. Please continue to share your library's new tools and resources with your patrons and communities as we progress into the summer, and tag the Michigan Library Association whenever you are posting on social media!

MLA Awards Call for Nominations

Do you know someone who deserves recognition and celebration for their work in Michigan libraries? We encourage and welcome your nomination for any of MLA's Awards for recognition at the 2022 Michigan Library Awards on Wednesday, October 19 in Port Huron Michigan.

Letter From Ryan

Michigan library friends,

This time of year is about refreshment, regrowth, and renewal. After two-plus years of a pandemic, signs of encouragement grow stronger with each return of a familiar library program or activity, and with each return to our spaces by a patron. MLA is leading the charge to both welcome back and introduce anew to our communities, the value of recent additions to our spaces and collections through the MI-83 project where libraries, courtesy of ARPA funding, received new technology and digital content. The MI Library is Now marketing campaign can be utilized by all of us as another tool to welcome back folks to Michigan libraries. Take advantage of these resources and modify the message uniquely for your community.