MLA Advocacy - February 28, 2019

State Budget Due March 5

The Governor's budget will be proposed on March 5. At that time we will have an indication of the administration's priorities. Once we are aware of the library support we can expect from the governor, we can begin building our support among the legislature. It is unlikely we will see a budget completed prior to the summer break.

Executive Director's Desk - February 14, 2019

“Change is inevitable. Your growth is optional.” John C Maxwell, leadership author.

When it comes to conferences I am a firm believer that sometimes you learn as much during a conversation in the hallway as you do sitting in a session or listening to a speaker.

President's Update - February 14, 2019

Happy Library Lovers Month! I hope you are all feeling the love and warming up!

The end of January brought the ALA Midwinter Conference and the Polar Vortex. I was able to attend the Councilor’s Forum at Midwinter with Jennifer Dean, Michigan’s ALA Councilor. Jennifer and I were excited to meet other association presidents and councilors from around the country.

Creating Better Libraries and Stronger Communities through Kindness, Empathy and Love

The world is in desperate need of more kindness, empathy and love. Incorporating kindness, empathy and love into your daily life inspires others and creates stronger friendships, communities and familial relationships. Now for some editorializing: I feel strongly that the world is in the state it’s in because there’s an utter lack of kindness, empathy and love. All you have to do to know that I’m speaking the truth is watch the news. It breaks my heart. I ask myself, “why do we accept this?” and “what am I going to do?” What are you going to do to change that? Start with this — be kind. Be empathetic. Be loving. If each person makes that commitment, we can start a revolution. We can make kindness the new norm. We’ve accepted a level of behavior that’s low and we need to raise the bar. We need to get back to caring about each other. We need to realize that everybody matters.

MLA Advocacy - January 24, 2019

Practice Advocacy Every Day

The new legislature is getting settled and our new Governor is gearing up for her first State of the State on February 5. We're busy figuring out the new committee members and who could have a big impact on state aid to libraries this year. We'll be meeting with new legislators soon and recommend that you reach out to your new elected officials and invite them into the library for a tour, coffee hour, or any community event. 

President's Update - January 10, 2019

Happy New Year! With a new year comes resolutions and the aspirations of new goals. This year the Michigan Library Association Board's top priority is to search for, select, hire and onboard a new MLA director. The search committee has spoken with the recruiter from ASAE several times. The recruiter is writing a job posting that will be up and posted by February 1. We feel confident that the recruiter knows what MLA needs and wants in our next leader. As the search progresses, please share with me your ideas, hopes and suggestions in regard to our new director.