MCLS held its 2011 Annual Meeting, Library Clouds and Content, on October 6, 2011.  For the first time, member libraries were offered the option of attending in-person or via videostreaming.  Of the 120 attendees, about half opted for videostreaming, and several reported that it went well.  We will survey the virtual attendees for their feedback …Read more »

State Librarian Nancy Robertson sent out the following message today regarding changes to the MeL Databases: Dear Michigan libraries, After lengthy contract negotiations on issues unrelated to pricing, NewsBank and the State of Michigan could not reach agreement on the wording of the contract. Since the State of Michigan has boilerplate requirements that must be …Read more »

This is a reminder to Michigan libraries that the MeL Databases line-up will change on October 1, 2011. Update 10/11/2011: NewsBank Michigan Newspapers Database will expire and be removed from MeL Databases on November 1, 2011. For information, please see: http://mcls.org/cms/sitem.cfm/databases__econtent/mel_databases/ Due to changes in our MeL support contract, MeL Databases Librarian Kelly Bayee is …Read more »

For a limited time, MCLS members will receive an EXTRA discount off the already-reduced price for our most popular Tattle-Tape strips and RFID tags.

MCLS will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 5, 2011.

At the board meeting on August 17, 2011, the MCLS Board accepted the Nominating Committee’s  proposed slate of candidates for the five open seats on the 2012 Board.  The following slate will be presented to the membership for approval this fall: Academic/Indiana – Janet Fore, Library Director Cushwa-Leighton Library, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana …Read more »

Welcome Lenawee County Library! MCLS is pleased to announce that Lenawee County Library is joining the Michigan Evergreen shared integrated library system.  MCLS staff, Megan Dudek and Evette Atkin, will train Lenawee County Library staff later this fall, with a migration date in January 2012. Our Michigan Evergreen shared catalog is open for additional libraries …Read more »

Librarians from eight academic libraries met at MCLS on July 22, 2011, to begin formation of the Shared Monographic Print Storage Pilot Project. MCLS is facilitating the project for member libraries, with the goal of using a collaborative approach to reduce local expenditures while maintaining access to monographic titles. The pilot will develop a distributed, …Read more »

The CINAHL and NoveList databases will not be available through MeL beginning October 1, 2011. Please contact MCLS at services@mcls.org no later than September 15 if you are interested in joining a group purchase for either of these databases.

More than 90 librarians from Indiana public libraries gathered at The Flagship in Anderson, Indiana, on August 9 to attend The Future of Indiana Public Libraries Conference co-sponsored by IPLA, ILF and MCLS. This conference marked the first step in planning for the successful future of public libraries in Indiana. IPLA will continue the planning …Read more »