Detroit Tiger team correspondence, 1903-12
Harwell’s 1968 World Series Ring
Rookie cards of Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Ernie Banks, & Roberto Clemente
Beadles, DeWitt, Bull Durham, Reach, & Spaulding guides
Extensive Ty Cobb biography file and photographs
Various World Series programs beginning with 1905
Sporting Life Magazine, 1885-1917

The Lulu and Ernie Harwell exhibit room at Main Library displays some of these artifacts and others, including seats from Tiger Stadium and a mock broadcast booth. Located on 2nd Floor Cass Mezzanine of Main Library, the collection has been supplemented with photos and plaques in the Cass Concourse display on the first floor. Admission to the Library is free and open to the public during regular business hours, Noon to 8 PM Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 AM till 6 PM Thursday through Saturday. Information at 313-481-1401, 5201 Woodward, Detroit, 48202.
Please send condolences and memorial donations to the Ernie Harwell Foundation c/o S. Gary Spicer, 16845 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe, MI 48230.

Previous years’ winners include: Tom Stanton, Sarah Stewart, Steve Hamilton, Christopher Paul Curtis, Patricia Polacco, Dan Gerber, Charles Baxter, Nancy Willard, Janet Kauffman, Elmore Leonard, Loren Estleman, Gloria Whelan, Jerry Dennis, Janie Lynn Panagopoulos, Thomas Lynch, Nicholas Delbanco,  Diane Wakoski and Dave Dempsey.

For further information, see MLA’s web page and nominations form (Word doc).

Here are photos of four of the concepts we’re considering.  Please feel free to comment below if you have a particular favorite!

Our new MCLS website will debut on February 15th, and the first meeting of the MCLS Board will be held on February 22 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Watch the MLC-INCOLSA merger page for updates!

As we move forward as a combined organization, I look forward to continuing the good work that both organizations have done and expanding services in both states. INCOLSA and MLC both have histories of encouraging and facilitating resource sharing and interlibrary cooperation. That will continue and become stronger. We expect to use our new combined membership to forge new and better terms for our group licenses. We will explore how to leverage our membership to expand resource sharing options for residents of both states. In short, we want to work with libraries of all sizes and types in both states to make library collections more available and access to information resources, no matter the format or location, easier.

We thank all of you for the votes of confidence and will work hard to justify your trust in the new MCLS.

INCOLSA board members approved the resolution to combine with the Michigan Library Consortium at a special meeting today in Indianapolis. MLC members approved the same resolution at a meeting yesterday. INCOLSA’s board also authorized the Executive Committee to finalize the Memorandum of Understanding with MLC and to ensure that all legal work is executed appropriately.

The new organization, the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS), will be governed by an interim board made up of 8 Indiana librarians and 8 Michigan librarians until the governing board is elected in Fall 2010. The representatives from Indiana who have been invited to serve as interim board members are Amy Harshbarger, Rose Hulman; Kelly Currie, Delphi Public Library; Patty Lunsford, St. Elizabeth Regional Health; Nancy McGriff, South Central Community Schools; Jennifer Younger, University of Notre Dame; Beverly Martin, Johnson County Public Library; Stephen Day, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library; and Roberta Brooker, Indiana State Librarian.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact the Executive Committee or me. Thank you for your participation in creating a bright future for Indiana’s libraries.

Marnie Maxwell
Interim Director

For further information, see MLC’s web page: INCOLSA and MLC.

The next step in the process will be INCOLSA’s membership vote on Thursday, December 17, 2009.  If INCOLSA’s membership approves the resolution, details regarding the transfer of INCOLSA assets and liabilities will be finalized between the MLC Board and the INCOLSA Board, with a starting date for the new organization and Interim Board on February 15, 2010.

If INCOLSA approves the resolution, Michigan members of the Interim Board will be:
Pamela Christensen, Peter White Public Library, Marquette
Pamela Grudzien, Central Michigan University Library
Denise Hooks, Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative, Flint
Gigi Lincoln, Lakeview Schools
Nancy Robertson, State Librarian, Library of Michigan
Cliff Haka, Michigan State University Libraries
Ishwar Laxminarayan, Jackson District Library
Victor Liu, Washtenaw Community College Library

For further information, see MLC’s INCOLSA and MLC web page.

Her nomination praised her stellar work with students, as follows:

“This wonderful teacher and leader not only makes the school a better place by her establishment and maintenance of a warm, comfortable, communal area in which all are equally welcome, but she strives to make the world a better place by consistently role modeling for colleagues and generations of students, the virtues of non-judgmental behavior, tolerance, and responsibility. There are several classes of deaf and hard of hearing students at Conant, from pre-school through fourth grade. Carolyn makes certain that they have equal access to all her services and has made some changes to the library collections to accommodate them, and to encourage hearing students to learn to communicate with them, just as she has always done for those children who are limited English speaking.

“Carolyn has a very strong commitment to community service. She teaches evening classes for women at local community centers (at no charge) and coordinates other classes as well. She works with a local homeless shelter. Whenever appropriate, she offers the opportunities to participate in service to others to students, their families, and school staff. At major holiday times, they are reminded of those less fortunate, and they are aware of their responsibility to accept and help others.

“Early this year, Carolyn led a group of volunteers in organizing, planning, funding, and preparing a hot meal and ensuring a place to sleep for the night for many homeless families.  First graders designed napkins and place cards, second graders designed the place mats, and in one way or another, all classes contributed. Not only did they provide a full dinner at the church that agreed to house the families, but they also had enough food to package lunches for them for the following day. This was a relevant, first-hand learning experience for the adults and the children who contributed, reinforced by reading the summary of grateful and moving remarks on the evaluation sheets shared with the group by the sheltering organization. This was far more effective teaching than any story that could be read to kids! ”

It is wonderful to see one of our own Michigan librarians honored by this prestigious award.  Previous winners from Michigan include Gigi Lincoln and Margaret Wolfe.