Often historical events, when viewed in the rear-view mirror, seem like they had to happen the way they did. The chain of cause and effect seems to have been predetermined. Most of the time, when lived through, it’s not nearly so tidy. So it was with the Dutch Republic at the turn of the 17th …Read more »

The culmination of the Michigan Libraries Engage project, a partnership of MCLS and the Library of Michigan (with some federal funding from the Institute of Museum & Library Services) was a Community Engagement Summit, held on September 27, 2018, in East Lansing, Michigan. The Summit brought together many of the 150 members of the cohorts …Read more »

The MCLS Board of Directors has accepted the Nominating Committee’s proposed slate of candidates for the five seats whose terms expire at the end of December 2018. Electronic voting to approve the slate of candidates begins on September 17. All Member Representatives should receive an email on September 17 with voting instructions. Votes will be …Read more »

It could have been any hot-button issue: Immigration reform. Police violence. Gun control. The topic this time was climate change. Online commenters to Montana’s Bozeman Daily Chronicle online chat room were slugging it out in a flame war. But in this case, the commenters hammering away weren’t unknown to each other; they were neighbors with …Read more »

As a result of a successful Linked Data Summit held in March 2017, MCLS facilitated the formation of a multi-state Linked Data for Libraries Users Group. The purpose of the group is for staff of libraries to discuss the latest developments in Linked Data and the implications for libraries, share experiences, explore new products, and …Read more »

In August 2011, libraries on the Atlantic coast of the United States were thrashed by Hurricane Irene. Barely a year later, Hurricane Sandy struck. Both storms caused damage to library buildings, equipment, and collections. One New Jersey library was damaged by Irene and Sandy, and after being forced to rebuild for a second time, closed …Read more »

The Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) is seeking a dynamic and service driven Executive Director. The Executive Director serves as chief executive officer of the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, a member-driven non-profit organization which facilitates library and information resources and collaboration to benefit all types of Indiana and Michigan libraries. MCLS works in …Read more »

In the beginning, there were two libraries. And they saw that their collections were good. But not great. Somebody was always walking in to ask for something that wasn’t in the collection. And so they begat interlibrary loan. Resource sharing may not quite go back to the creation, but in terms of our culture, it …Read more »

The MCLS Nominating Committee seeks nominations from the membership for the following openings on the MCLS Board of Directors: At-Large Library Representative (Indiana) Research Library Representative (Indiana) School Library Representative (Indiana) Public Library Representative (Michigan) At-Large Library Representative (Michigan) Each seat has a three-year term, beginning January 1, 2019 and expiring December 31, 2021. The …Read more »

In conversations with multi-types of libraries in both Indiana and Michigan, participants stated that “soft skills” were the most needed skills for staff in the 21st century library.  In response, MCLS has created a new Certificate of Library Staff Development in Basic Soft Skills. The certificate program includes five live, online courses delivered by MCLS …Read more »