This month, I’ll offer thoughts on two recent reports on libraries and collaboration: from OCLC Research in August and from an International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) task force in September. The OCLC report focuses solely on academic libraries and refers liberally to former OCLC Vice President Lorcan Dempsey’s recent work and other library and …Read more »

Like so many other organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic influenced MCLS to become a mostly remote work organization, and I have big news to share. On Friday, Aug. 12 the MCLS Board of Directors voted to authorize me as Executive Director to seek our members’ approval to sell the building and land we own at 1407 …Read more »

These popular workshops are back and better than ever! Presented by our Engagement, Consulting, & Training team, the Essential Workplace Skills tutorials offer many relevant topics for library staff with the added benefit of participating at your own pace and on your own schedule – no time zones to worry about here! EWS tutorials are …Read more »

Completing the implementation of ConsortiaManager (CM) remains a top priority for MCLS’s Group Purchasing (GP) team. Due to the complex nature of changing subscription systems, we are not surprised we have hit some snags along the way. Please rest assured we are addressing all issues as they are reported. MCLS’s IT, Contact Management, and GP …Read more »

We are pleased to announce that Library Strategist Jenny Kobiela-Mondor of the MCLS Engagement, Consulting, and Training team has been certified as an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a strengths-based approach to organizational change. It focuses on an organization’s positive core by using a whole-system approach to …Read more »

We welcome the following libraries, who have recently joined MCLS: Arab American National Museum, MI Beaver Island District Library, MI Troy School District, MI We are so glad to have you as members! MCLS currently has 642 member libraries across Indiana and Michigan. Is YOUR library receiving all the benefits of membership? Find out by …Read more »

Lansing, MI—Ann Kaskinen, the K-12 MeL Engagement Specialist for the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS), is the 2022 recipient of the MAISA Education Fellowship Award. This award is given each year to an individual or organization who, among other qualities, places service above self-interest, advocates for the programs and services of public education, has …Read more »

       LANSING, MI—The Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) has been awarded a 2022 National Leadership Grant for Libraries from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The $242,351 grant will further develop and expand capacity for the Michigan Digital Preservation Network (MDPN) through a first-of-its-kind digital preservation system. The MDPN, a member-governed, …Read more »

We are excited to announce that Mary Ruthko has accepted the newly-created position of Marketing and Communication Coordinator at MCLS. Mary most recently worked as the Marketing Manager at the Bay County Library System headquartered in Bay City, Michigan. She brings to us a wealth of experience, and we look forward to working with her …Read more »

I’m thrilled to share that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded MCLS a grant for $242,351 for our project Demonstrating and Documenting a Statewide LOCKSS 2.0 Preservation Network for Cultural Memory Institutions, marking MCLS’s first-ever IMLS grant award as an organization. We will use these grant funds to continue building the …Read more »