Archive for December, 2009
Last week was a historic one for MLC. On Tuesday, the membership voted 68-1 to combine with INCOLSA, and the following day the INCOLSA membership approved the same resolution 153-29. We are grateful for the overwhelmingly positive votes and are eager to begin working together as the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. MCLS will officially begin business on February 15, 2010.
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.
December 21st, 2009
Announcement from INCOLSA, December 17, 2009:
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.
December 17th, 2009
At a special meeting held on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, the MLC membership approved a resolution to accept a transfer of INCOLSA assets and liabilities, combining MLC with INCOLSA.
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.
December 16th, 2009
Carolyn Wheeler, Media Specialist at Conant Elementary School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is a recipient of the national 2009 I Love My Librarian Award, sponsored by the New York Times and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Congratulations, Carolyn!
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.
December 8th, 2009
