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Thursday, March 17, 2022 12:00 AM |
 MLA Connect Advocacy Hour: Intellectual Freedom: When the Challenges Are Truly Political
When a book or materials challenge is made by people with legitimate interests in the outcome, however difficult it is to discuss, there will be an outcome in line with the First Amendment and your library's values. However, there is an entirely different class of book bans that are political, politicized, and performative which must be understood in order to be properly engaged.
For public libraries, these challenges are used to attack the library's funding, its staff, or even its existence. In school libraries, these performative and politicized challenges seem to attack or negate the students the books represent. In order to face these unusual types of challenges, library leaders in both public and school settings need to see that these challenges are more expansive than previous intellectual freedom fights - and need to be prepared to engage them on multiple fronts at once.
Join MLA and MAME for a discussion with EveryLibrary Executive Director John Chrastka about ways to anticipate and answer highly politicized challenges with integrity to your mission and compassion for the community or students your library serves.
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View Coffee Hour Recording
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Friday, January 21, 2022 12:00 AM |
MLA Connect Advocacy Hour: Penal Fines, Civil Fines and Library Funding
SPECIAL DAY AND TIME! Friday, January 21, 2022
3:30 - 4:30 PM
Join us for a special Friday afternoon edition of our MLA Connect Advocacy Hour! On Friday, January 21 at 3:30 PM, we will welcome Michigan State Senator Ed McBroom and MLA Lobbyist Bob Devries for a discussion on the difference between penal fines and civil fines, and the ripple effects on library funding as a result of criminal justice reform. Join us to learn more about civil fines and penal fines, how these fines fund libraries, and the laws that surround them.
Senator McBroom represents Michigan’s 38th Senate District, located in the Upper Peninsula, and Chairs the Senate Natural Resources and Oversight Committees.
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View Coffee Hour Recording
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Thursday, December 16, 2021 12:00 AM |
MLA Connect Advocacy Hour: Intellectual Freedom
Thursday, December 16, 2021
10:00 - 11:00 AM
MLA’s new Advocacy Hour Conversations are an opportunity for the library community to learn more about MLA's advocacy and legislative priorities including funding, elections, property taxes, literacy, internet access, privacy, intellectual freedom and more. Each month, we will address a new topic and share any pending legislation introduced in the House or Senate that could impact the Michigan library community. Open discussion and Q & A will follow this interview-style agenda.
On Thursday, December 16, join Lance Werner, Director of the Kent District Library, and Amber McLain, Director of the Patmos Library, as they talk about intellectual freedom rights, share personal experiences, and open a conversation about book challenges, censorship, upholding rights to privacy, library audits, and MLA’s statement of principle.
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View Coffee Hour Recording
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Thursday, September 16, 2021 12:00 AM |
MLA Connect Coffee Hour: Are You Prepared for Your Next Ballot Proposal?
Thursday, September 16, 2021
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Are You Prepared for Your Next Ballot Proposal? The MLA Connect September Coffee Hour is all about how to build community support for your library.
Learn why voter support for funding libraries is dropping in many places, and what support is for your library looks like in your community.
Know in advance what amount voters are willing to pay to keep your library open, improve or expand access, what can be done to increase support, and who you need on your team.
Guest:
Edward V. Sarpolus, Target Insyght
Over the past 25 years, Edward has spoken to hundreds of groups, organizations, associations in Michigan and across the United States and other countries. He is the Executive Director of Target Insyght, which assists organizations with market research, image management, public relations, advocacy, and ballot campaign consulting. He has worked on over 200 millage and bond campaigns in the last 30 years including many that impact Michigan libraries.
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View Coffee Hour Recording
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