MLA Advocacy - May 24, 2018

House Bill 5090 Reduces Library Funding

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Senators regarding HB 5090. There have been nearly 300 responses to our request urging your Senator to talk with Sen. Tom Casperson, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. After a meeting with the Senator's office today, we learned the bill will not move until the fall. The Senator has agreed to work with us to help address our concerns and MLA will testify at the committee hearing next week.

Contact your Senator TODAY to Save Library Penal Fines

House Bill 5090 must be stopped. House Bill 5090 changes how fines from weigh stations are distributed. Under the proposed legislation, failure to stop at a weigh station would be changed from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction and exempt certain vehicles. This means a reduction in penal fines to libraries since civil infraction penalties are lower than misdemeanor penalties.

This bill moved through the House without recognition of an analysis that found that it will reduce library funding.

Update from the Academic Libraries Interest Group:

Join the ACRL Instruction Section for its virtual annual program to discuss four stages of curriculum mapping.

Curricular Mapping - From Planning to Practice 
Thursday, May 31, 2018 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Executive Director's Desk - May 10, 2018

Recognition for School Libraries

The Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) has succeeded in having three bills introduced in the Michigan House that would require a school librarian in every school in the state. At MLA we fully support these bills and congratulate MAME on their effort and achievement. They worked tirelessly to raise awareness and garner attention to this crucial issue. These bills are recognition by legislators of the importance of school libraries and librarians to the education and well-being our youth.

President's Update - May 10, 2018

I was able to attend so many great events this past month and some more good ones are coming up. Both speakers for the recent human resources workshop on difficult conversations were excellent. They really knew how to focus in on helping employees succeed at doing their jobs well, and how to prevent uncomfortable situations that none of us want to encounter. There was a nice crowd at the event and we wrapped up with very engaging table talks.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Since 1949, May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. This year, we are challenging librarians to consider allying with millions of people and bring a heightened awareness to mental health through media and programming across the nation. Through intentional programming and special circulating collections, you are poised to help patrons living with mental health challenges, their friends, and families rediscover the importance of the community support found in libraries.