Contents:  Executive Director | News | Training | Special Offers | Vendor and Product News

NOTES FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SCOTT GARRISON

This month I’ll recap a portion of the spring 2024 Think Space program from the Michigan Library Association (MLA), which focused on future-ready libraries and featured speakers on tech transformation, strategic succession planning, experimentation, future-proof space, and powerful partnerships. I’ll finish my recap in the August MCLS newsletter.  

NEWS

New accounting software is live! 

We have been hard at work implementing a new accounting system and are delighted to announce that our new software is live! Thank you for your patience as we take a short pause to ensure that our accounting processes are working correctly in our new system. Invoices will begin flowing again in early July. Billing contacts, watch your inboxes for further details on our new customer portal soon!  

Nominations for MCLS Board of Directors are due July 5

The MCLS Board of Directors Nominating Committee seeks nominations from the MCLS membership for the following Board openings for 2025-2027:

• At-Large Library Representative (Indiana)
• School Library Representative (Indiana)
• Research Library Representative (Indiana)

Each seat has a three-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and expiring Dec. 31, 2027. The Board meets four times per year, in February (Zoom), May, August, and November (each in person), and Board meetings alternate between Indiana and Michigan.

Subscribe to TALK by July 10 to receive IMLS grant funded texts 

IMLS grant funds are available until July 10, 2024 to cover the cost of text messages for new TALK subscribers anywhere in the United States. These funds are available on a first come, first served basis to individual public libraries, co-ops, groups of libraries, and state-level implementations. Please note that grant funds do not cover the subscription price, which is calculated based on service population. Subscription discounts apply for MCLS members, and for co-op/group/state implementations.

Text and Learn for Kindergarten (TALK) is an early learning text messaging service created by librarians for libraries. Based on the ALSC/PLA "Every Child Ready to Read" program, TALK is provided at no cost to caregivers of children ages 5 and under. Available in English and Spanish, it helps public libraries connect with underserved parents and caregivers, encourages caregiver-child interactions to support early learning, and suggests easy activities appropriate to a child's development level that help prepare them for school success. In addition, subscribing public libraries can also use TALK to promote their own programs for young children. The service comes with multiple toolkits for promotion, partnership building, getting started, and more, plus a web-based account portal and support provided by MCLS.

To receive IMLS grant funded texts, your must subscribe to TALK: Text and Learn for Kindergarten, a service of MCLS, no later than Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Please fill out this no-obligation quote request for details.

If you would like a demonstration of TALK or need to discuss billing options that align with your fiscal year, please email talkhelp@mcls.org. 

Academic library staff: connect at our July Virtual Dialogue! 

Academic librarians and library staff are invited to a Virtual Dialogue on Wednesday, July 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon Eastern (9:30-11 a.m. Central). The MCLS Engagement, Consulting, and Training Team will guide a conversation designed to connect you with other academic library staff. We invite people working in academic libraries at all levels and in all positions to come together to share your strategies, insights, and experiences with each other. Please plan to have your microphone enabled and camera on to participate in the dialogue.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at engagement@mcls.org. We look forward to connecting with you.

Indiana library selects MCLS to provide consulting services  

We are pleased to announce that LaGrange County Public Library in LaGrange, IN has selected Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to provide consulting services for strategic planning this summer. We are looking forward to working with the library’s director, staff, Board, and community to guide the creation of a plan that will be relevant and impactful.

Is your library looking for library-specific consultants, presenters, or facilitators? MCLS can help! Visit our webpage to read more or contact us to request a quote.

ConsortiaManager Corner 

Thank you to our members for a successful and smooth July renewal season. July 2024 marks two years with ConsortiaManager (CM)! We are increasingly experiencing the benefits of CM as it continues to help MCLS staff more easily process member subscription renewals and communicate with vendors about renewals.

Please reach out to services@mcls.org if you need any support and/or assistance working with CM.  

TRAINING

New semester of training workshops is now available! Visit the MCLS Store for the full summer/fall 2024 semester of training workshops and to see all workshops currently open for registration!

Questions? Contact Gwen at training@mcls.org or 517-220-9950.

The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.

SPECIAL OFFERS

The MCLS website has a full list of vendor partners and a searchable product list. 

MCLS is pleased to announce a new vendor partnership with Liverpool University Press

Liverpool University Press (LUP) is the UK’s third oldest university press, with a distinguished history of publishing exceptional research since 1899, including the work of Nobel Prize winners. LUP has rapidly expanded in recent years to become an award-winning academic publisher that annually produces approximately 150 books, 42 journals, and several eBook collections specializing in literature, modern languages, history, and film studies.  

MCLS member offer: 20% discount available on two or more individual collections before July 31, 2024. View products and member pricing for this special offer. 

For more information, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

Bloomsbury is offering multiple discounts for MCLS members 

Until July 31, 2024, MCLS members can save an additional 10% on all Theology and Religion resources from Bloomsbury Digital Resources. In addition, take the following discounts on Bloomsbury Collections: 

• 20% off Frontlist Collections (2022, 2023, 2024)  
• 35% off Backlist Collections (2021 and earlier/Archive)  

For more information, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

Join the University of Michigan Press Fund to Mission initiative 

Since Fall 2020, the University of Michigan Press (UMP) has collaborated with its parent library and library consortia LYRASIS to implement the Fund to Mission Open Access monograph model. This program facilitates the conversion of an increasing percentage of the Press’s frontlist (currently 75% of the 80 monographs UMP publishes annually) to Open Access without requiring inequitable author payments. MCLS libraries are invited to join the UMP Fund to Mission initiative. Through the consortium program, libraries receive access to frontlist titles at a discounted rate and support the Fund to Mission effort of the University of Michigan Press.   

UMP focuses on the humanities and social sciences with strengths in areas like political science, music and sound studies, performance, and more. Part of their commitment to Open Access involves working with scholars to empower them to explore the growing interest in Open Access. With Fund to Mission, authors do not pay a Book Processing Charge (BPC) as the Fund covers publishing costs. 

For more information about the project, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

VENDOR AND PRODUCT NEWS

Visit the eResources page of the MCLS website for a full list of vendor partners and a searchable product list. 

PolicyMap supports multiple library user needs

Academic institutions and public libraries use PolicyMap for various reasons, primarily because it is a robust data analysis and mapping tool for research and teaching across many disciplines. Here are some specific ways subscribers use PolicyMap: 

• Research: Faculty and students can use PolicyMap to access over 70,000 research-ready datasets from 150 sources and maps to explore trends and patterns in health, demographics, education, and economics. For example, researchers may use PolicyMap to examine the impact of policy changes on a specific community or to identify underserved areas through healthcare or education services. 
• Teaching: PolicyMap is a teaching tool in various courses, such as urban planning, public health, sociology, nursing, medicine, economics, and more. It allows instructors to incorporate data visualization and mapping into their teaching, helping students better understand the practical application of concepts and theories. It's an excellent resource for undergraduates and geographers who need research-ready data paired with a simple yet sophisticated mapping platform. 
• Institutional research: Universities can use PolicyMap to analyze and visualize data on their campus and surrounding areas. For example, they may use PolicyMap to track student enrollment trends, identify potential locations for new academic programs, or assess the impact of campus construction projects on the surrounding community. 
• Community engagement: PolicyMap can be used to engage with community stakeholders, such as local government officials, non-profit organizations, and community members. Universities can use PolicyMap to provide data-driven insights to inform policy discussions and community development initiatives. 
• With PolicyMap, public libraries can gain access to tens of thousands of datasets through the platform, eliminating the need to find and standardize data from disparate sources. PolicyMap curates and standardizes +75,000 indicators from over 150 authoritative public and proprietary data sources. You can also upload your own data into the platform.

For more information, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

A recap and recording link for the June Skilltype webinar 

In June MCLS hosted a vendor webinar featuring Skilltype. At this session, attendees learned how this software product helps libraries advance employee professional development. Skilltype is a library-specific professional development tool that allows library administration to strategically assess employee skills and professional development needs by identifying strengths and gaps and providing information on various professional development opportunities available through a variety of established services and organizations. The webinar, led by Skilltype founder Tony Zanders, was recorded and is available for viewing. 

Discounted pricing on Skilltype is available to MCLS members. Contact services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382 for more information and a quote. 

Register now for the Sage Skills discussion on Aug. 21

MCLS members are invited to join Sage and MCLS for a Sage Skills discussion at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central) on Wednesday, Aug. 21. During the session, Sage staff seek to engage with MCLS members about the two Sage Skills platforms: Student Success and Business Skills. We will discuss essential skills to prepare learners for academic achievement and personal development, and the classroom-to-career skills most vital to the modern workplace. Additional topic areas include the impact of bias and inequity and being a driver of positive change, academic integrity and AI, challenging critical thinking skills in real-life business situations, nurturing personal skills in resilience, self-care, time management and financial literacy, and upskilling essentials to support undergraduate coursework success. 

Sage will also be offering MCLS substantial discounts (up to 25%) based on the number of subscriptions purchased.   

We encourage you to visit our Sage Skills sharing site created for MCLS members. Sage also provided the following reading lists focused on Student Success: 

• First Generation Students 
• Pathways Transfer Students 
• First Year Experience Support 
• Using AI Responsibly 

If you have any questions, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resorces at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382. 

MCLS recommends Minitex for your security product needs  

Minitex is a library consortium located at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. If you are in the market for RFID/RF tags, tattletape, or other security products, Minitex products coordinator Dana Kocienda is ready to assist MCLS members with purchases.

Dana can be reached at 800-462-5348 or minitex-products@umn.edu.