The MCLS Board of Directors met across two days, Thursday, Nov. 29 and Friday, Nov. 30, for their annual strategic planning retreat and November Board meeting. During the retreat, the Board considered ways to more fully engage with MCLS members, heard presentations from MCLS staff members about operations and achievements for 2018, and discussed ways to build on successes for 2019 and beyond. During their Thursday afternoon session, the Board utilized a World Café conversation to delve deeply into the question of membership engagement. The Board will continue their discussions about membership engagement into the new year and will develop a complete plan in 2019.

During the meeting, the Board also welcomed new members Raenell Smith, Media Specialist at Whiteland Community High School and Annie Belanger, Dean of University Libraries at Grand Valley State University. Laura Mancini, Director at Adams-Pratt Oakland County Law Library, was appointed to complete the unexpired term for the Michigan Special Library representative. The MCLS auditor presented the FY2018 annual audit, which was a clean opinion with no reservations, and the Board approved the audit as presented. Officers were also chosen for 2019 and Edra Waterman, Director at the Hamilton East Public Library, will serve as President, Paul Gallagher, Associate Dean for Resources and Digital Strategies at Western Michigan University, will serve as Vice-President, Alexis Macklin, Dean at Purdue University Fort Wayne, will serve as Secretary, and Arlene Weismantel, Senior Associate Director at Michigan State University, will serve as Treasurer.