MCLS is sending out a membership renewal email reminder to key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) in early May for schools and early June for all other libraries. This email offers an opportunity to respond with any changes to your membership and to provide updated contact information ahead of our July 1 renewal date. Invoices …Read more »

Susan’s first day with MCLS was Feb. 27. Having most recently worked at Rolling Prairie Elementary School (IN) following 15 years in various roles at La Porte County Public Library (IN), Susan brings both a strong understanding of K-12 and public library eResource needs and a commitment to innovative service in support of library users. In …Read more »

This month, I’ll reflect on Dr. Emily Knox’s thought-provoking Feb. 7 lecture on intellectual freedom, book banning, and more that MCLS co-sponsored with Western Michigan University (WMU). Dr. Knox’s books include Book Banning In 21st Century America and Foundations of Intellectual Freedom. Her events drew a wide audience of academic, public, and school librarians and …Read more »

Did you know our Essential Workplace Skills on-demand tutorials are FREE to all staff of MCLS member libraries? That is a $720 value, per person! There is no limit to the number of staff from your library who can participate. We have already had 294 registrations for the on-demand tutorials since rolling them out in …Read more »

Following Kristin Fontichiaro’s recent presentation on mis- and disinformation, as Dr. Emily Knox’s lecture at WMU (and livestream) and workshop on intellectual freedom and book challenges approach on Feb. 7-8, and as I talk with libraries, I continue thinking a lot about diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, and accessibility (DEIJA)—especially the pushback against these principles …Read more »

As MCLS prepares to embark on a strategic planning process in 2023, we want to engage with the library community in both Indiana and Michigan through a series of Community Conversations. These conversations are fast approaching this month, so please register today! This engagement process is an opportunity to hear from our community—staff from libraries …Read more »

Registration is open for the next in MCLS’s popular Virtual Dialogue series! The next dialogue, which is about cultivating a flexible mindset, will be hosted by MCLS’s Engagement, Consulting, and Training team on Tuesday, March 15, from 10:30am to noon Eastern (9:30-11am Central) via Zoom. The topic was chosen from feedback we collected about what …Read more »

The Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) is looking for an energetic, creative, and collaborative individual to join our team as a MeL Support Specialist. As a member of the Shared Library Systems team, the person in this position plays a key role in the ongoing success of MeL. The position requires excellent verbal and …Read more »

In early 2023, MCLS will co-sponsor presentations by Kristin Fontichiaro of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s School of Information and Dr. Emily Knox of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s School of Information Sciences, on understanding and addressing misinformation, disinformation, and intellectual freedom challenges. Many have noted how these issues are heavily impacting a growing number …Read more »

Working in a library can be stressful. Many library staff members are exhausted and running on fumes while trying to build inclusive spaces, stand up to censorship, and tend to the day-to-day details of running a library. If this sounds familiar, join MCLS Library Strategists Jenny Kobiela-Mondor and Lissa Krull for MCLS’s new workshop, “Break …Read more »