Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative

Director’s Report

June and July 2025

State Budget/State Aid:

  • The Library of Michigan has told us that they have received emails from IMLS that Michigan will be receiving the funds for 2025-26, since Congress approved IMLS funds for 2024-25 and 2025-26. However, for Library of Michigan to receive the fund for this year there must be a line in the state budget with funds from the state. That line was removed from the Legislative’s version, which is one of the 3 proposed budgets that have been released. (Governor’s version, Senate’s Version and Legislative’s version) We now must wait until September (most likely the end of September) for the Legislature to finish negotiating a new State Budget. Hopefully with the line in the budget for IMLS. If that occurs then we will have Mel and MelCat for one more year.

 Cooperative Services

  • The next Advisory Council Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7th at Bay County Library System Wirt Branch, 500 Center Ave. Bay City, MI 48708 at 10am.
  • Most of the Technology & Innovation Grants from the cooperative have been distributed but we are still waiting for the evaluations from several members. If you haven’t filled out an evaluation please do so ASAP. If you have any questions please let us know.
  • We are still waiting on State Aid 2nd check from a few libraries. If you do not wish to mail the check to us, let us know and I we can arrange to pick it up.

 Library Cooperatives of Michigan (LCM)]

  • Superiorland Library Cooperative has hired Tricia Wylie as the new cooperative director. She is starting on 8/11/25.
  • Lakeland GIS Mapping Project is coming along well. Amber thinks she has received all the information from libraries to set up the Borders for the whole state. We are planning on introducing this statewide at the MLA Annual Conference.
  • I have been working with Jennifer Balcom (Mid-Michigan Library League Director) to plan the LCM Annual Retreat. This year we will be meeting in Mt. Pleasant and at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College. Thank you, Anne, for your help on this.

 Library of Michigan (LM)] Randy Riley, State Librarian

  • Michelle Bradley announced that Shauna Quick has joined the Library Development Team at the Library of Michigan as the new Technology Access Consultant. Shauna has over 19 years of experience in Michigan Libraries, focusing on community technology access, staff training, and strategic innovation. Most recently, she served as the Implementation Manager at the Brandon Township Public Library, where she led technology planning, grant-funded projects, and digital literacy programs. Please reach out to Shauna at Quicks1@michigan.gov with questions related to E-rate, Ploud, or other library technology training or consulting needs.

Michigan Library Association (MLA): Dillon Geshel, Interim Executive Director

  • A June 2025 statewide poll reveals Michigan voters increasingly oppose book bans and strongly support their local public libraries. The new poll follows a similar statewide survey on library issues conducted in March 2023, both commissioned by the Michigan Library Association and conducted by the public opinion survey and research firm EPIC-MRA. Results confirm a growing statewide resistance to censorship efforts targeting library collections and a significant increase in strong support for public libraries since 2023. Key findings show:
    • 79% approve of Michigan libraries' work (up from 71%)
    • 75% trust librarians' collection decisions
    • 50% now say books should never be banned (flipped from 42% in 2023)
    • 84% support current library policies on age-appropriate shelving

Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS): Scott Garrison, Executive Director

  • MCLS is excited to announce Ja’Kayla Sisson-Kilpatrick as the new Administrative Assistant. She came on board as a temp on May 19, 2025, and transitioned to permanent, full-time status on July 21. A member of the Business and Operations team, Ja’Kayla provides essential clerical support across multiple MCLS departments.
  • Mark your calendar for Thursday, Sept. 18, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Eastern (9:30-11 a.m. Central) and join MCLS for our last Virtual Dialogue this year. We will wrap up our series looking at the future of libraries by gathering staff from all roles, in all types of libraries around Indiana and Michigan.

MMLC Administration:

  • Eric met with Irene and Tanya to sign checks at GCFPL both months.
  • Meet with Jennifer Balcom in Midland to work on the LCM Retreat in Mt Pleasant.
  • Eric attended a zoom meeting with MLA to discuss their strategic planning for their organization.
  • Eric attended the Overdrive RLA Quarterly meeting with Katie Strong.
  • Eric attended both monthly meetings of LCM Circulation of Ideas, which was formerly known as LCM DEI meetings. Most of the Coop Directors meet to discuss what’s going on in our region.
  • Eric sat in the monthly LM update meetings.
  • Irene and Eric hosted the monthly CALL meeting with the Lapeer County Library Directors.
  • Eric flew to Philadelphia for the ALA Annual Conference.
  • Meeting with Ken, Janet and Irene to work on my laptop that was having issues.
  • Eric attended Back to the Basic: OMA with Anne Seurynck as the speaker.
  • Eric attended the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Board meeting to give support.
  • Eric attended the Lapeer District Library Board Meeting to give support.
  • Eric participated in the monthly LCM meetings.
  • Eric attended the Back to the Basic: Library Privacy with Anne Seurynck as the speaker.

Respectfully submitted,
Eric Palmer
MMLC Director