Governor Whitmer Moves Michigan to Stage 4 of MI Safe Start Plan, Libraries Allowed to Open June 8

June 1, 2020

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-110, rescinding her Safer at Home order and moving the entire state to phase four of the MI Safe Start Plan. As a result, Michiganders are no longer required to stay home. Instead, certain businesses will remain closed and specific activities that present a heightened risk of infection will remain prohibited. Any work that is capable of being performed remotely must be performed remotely.

Executive Order 2020-110, Section 10 states: "Unless otherwise prohibited by local regulation, libraries and museums may open as of June 8, 2020, subject to the rules governing retail stores described in Executive Order 2020-97 or any order that may follow from it."

Read EO 2020-110

View EO 2020-97, 6. for rules governing retail stores: https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-529864--,00.html?fbclid=IwAR2tcgMBhTDxOf8CoLj7AxcTTZnbc2GZWjbgYR2keNHSF6Tz-RWo9MWVdBs

You can also take a look at the quick update from the legal community here in Foster Swift Legal Update:
http://events.fosterswift.com/viewmailing.aspx?MailingId=42301&MailKey=1716017.

Update on Executive Orders and COVID-19 Library Closures

May 28, 2020

The status of Governor Whitmer’s Executive Orders continue to happen fast and some days unexpectedly. A special shout out to Clare Membiela from the Library of Michigan for all the work she has done to read them, analyze them and then publish on their website, so all of us can gain insight into what we should take into consideration and many times don’t necessarily need to pay attention to.

Right now, we are watching for any further direction from the Governor’s office on four Executive Orders and also waiting for word about the library advisory work group that has been announced but yet to have been put into play. When we know more, we will share this with the Michigan library community.

Letter from Debbie

May 28, 2020

Anyone else feel exhausted? Fatigued? I took the advice of one of our MLA Connect Coffee Hour speakers about taking care of yourself with a mental and physical break last week. Even when working from home, with nowhere to go due to the pandemic, it was time to slow the world down. I highly recommend it.

While we have been working remotely since March 13, the MLA staff continues to work hard on your behalf. I honestly believe that in MLA’s 129-year history, we have never needed to pay attention and synthesize so much information coming at us from so many sources, so quickly. The staff cancelled programming plans, made new plans, and are now updating plans to keep our advocacy, communications, education and engagement strong.

May 28, 2020

Please take this short survey to help us better serve you! Our goal is to provide valuable programs and services that benefit the library community. We are interested in your feedback so we can make improvements to our job board. If you are responsible for making job posting decisions for your organization, please take this brief survey and let us know your thoughts by Friday, June 26, 2020.

The survey should take less than ten minutes to complete and includes questions about your job posting needs in an average year as well as your organization's job posting budget and pricing expectations. Thank you in advance for sharing your feedback to help us create a job board with job posting price points that will help attract more job postings, more job seekers and make the MLA Job Board the go-to place to connect your organization with talented candidates in the library community.

A Note From Lisa - Please Share Your Library Card Artwork

May 28, 2020

I just wanted to reach out to you to let you know that I have been thinking about you and your library staff. Our global situation has been one that we have never experienced before, yet we all have done so “together”.

I do love the word “together” It’s bold, meaningful and so powerful. You and your library staff are bold and powerful and are an integral part of MLA, so… we are seeking out cool ideas of how to showcase just that. This is where you come in.