Support MLA With Year-end Giving

December 2, 2019

Through planned giving, a Giving Tuesday donation and even online shopping, you can make an important contribution to support our work and the values we hold dear; uniting Michigan libraries, advocating for ALL libraries and advancing the library profession by supporting library staff in their careers through education and professional development opportunities. With your support, we can empower the library leaders of today and tomorrow, and continue to enrich the lives of the people that we serve. As the year comes to a close, we ask that you consider donating to MLA to support the work we do to protect and serve our libraries. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Letter from Debbie

November 27, 2019

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I find joy in sitting back and taking just a few minutes to pause and reflect on the work we do together to help libraries and library professionals succeed. Today, I get to send my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all of you who work in our school, academic, public and special libraries throughout this beautiful state and to say thank you for everything you do to support MLA. But perhaps even more important, I get to say thank you for the work that you are doing locally and within your own environs.

Call for Webinar Proposals

November 18, 2019

Do you have a great presentation idea that you think would be beneficial to MLA members? Would you like to share your knowledge in a particular subject area? If so, we invite you to submit a proposal for a webinar.

As we look to expand the range and breadth of programming, who better to learn from than you, the library expert? Whatever your position may be, you have a lot of expertise to share that will help others do their work better, smarter and faster.

Perhaps it’s a new service you’re offering at your library that you think others could find helpful. Maybe it’s a program proposal that you have considered giving at the annual conference, but the timing just hasn’t worked out (or you gave it and people asked for more!). Maybe you won a grant or fought hard for an initiative that you want to tell other libraries about so they can go after it too. We want to hear from you!

Legislation Amending Library Privacy Act Introduced in Senate

November 7, 2019

On October 29, State Senators Peter MacGregor (R-Rockford), Adam Hollier (D-Detroit) and Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) introduced Senate Bill 611. This bipartisan bill amends the Michigan Library Privacy Act, 1982 PA 455, enabling libraries, if they choose, to work with law enforcement when the library is a victim of a crime, or a crime occurs at the library. Currently, libraries cannot release library records to law enforcement without a court order. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. 

Macmillan CEO Responds to #ebooksforall Advocates in a Letter to Librarians

October 29, 2019

Macmillan Publishers CEO, John Sargent has issued a letter in response to #ebooksforall advocates. Beginning November 1, 2019, Macmillan Publisher's eBook embargo will go into effect. The new Macmillan lending policy will allow libraries to purchase only one copy of each new eBook title for the first eight weeks after a book’s release. Advocates have been signing the #ebooksforall petition and contacting Macmillan's CEO to urge Macmillan to abandon this new lending model. On Tuesday, October 29, Macmillan issued a response in a "Letter to Librarians" from CEO John Sargent. Stay tuned for more news on #ebooksforall advocacy. Read the full text of the letter here: