Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative

Director’s Report

June and July 2024

State Budget/State Aid:

  • The state has a new budget for 2024-25, with 1 million dollars expected to be added to the State Aid budget line. This will increase the per capita rate from just under .50 to .533986. This is the first time it has been over the .50 mark.

Michigan Cooperative Directors Association (MCDA): [Name Changing to Library Cooperatives of Michigan (LCM)]

  • MCDA (LCM) will be working with MLA on a podcast about libraries in Michigan. We are planning on doing uplifting stories about library workers who enjoy their jobs. We are splitting up the year between the 11 cooperatives. We are looking for any stories that you would like to
  • MCDA DEI committee has been working on a DEI Identity Wheel. We are hoping it will be a way for libraries to approach

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

Michigan Cooperative Directors Association (MCDA):

  • The Cooperative Directors, MLA and Clare Membiela (LM Library Law Consultant) will be conducting a Trustee Training during the MLA Advocacy Hour on February 15, 2024, beginning at 6 p.m. It is hoped that this start time will allow more Board Members to attend. The session will be recorded as well.
  • Carol Dawe from Lakeland Library Cooperative reported that the Patmos Library passed a 3-year millage with a 63% approval rate.

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

  • At the last LM update, Clare spoke about the change in ADA requirement for websites. She has put some information on the LM notes page. Also, Kate at White Pine has sent out additional information which I have included as a separate attachment on this subject.
  • Also, as a reminder that Clare will be out until at least the end of May. If you have legal questions you need answered right away, it is suggested you contact your lawyer. If you have time, contact anyone at LM and they will try to help or leave the question for Clare until she comes back. Anne Seurynck and Mike Bloom from Foster Swift have offered some of their time to help answer libraries questions.

Michigan Library Association (MLA): Debbie Mikula, Executive Director

  • MLA 2024 Annual Conference: Registration for MLA 2024 Annual Conference and Small and Strategic Pre- conference is OPEN! This October 15 -18, PRESS PLAY and join the Michigan library community at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City.Full Conference
  • Early Bird registration is $300 for MLA members! Visit org/annual- conference to check out the schedule at a glance, breakout sessions, special events, and featured speaker lineup, and register today for the best rates!
  • Small and Strategic Pre-Conference: The Small and Strategic Pre-conference will be held on October 15, 2024, ahead of the MLA 2024 Annual Conference at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City, Michigan. The pre-conference is for library staff from Michigan’s small and rural libraries, providing an opportunity for these dedicated library workers to network, learn, and discuss the concerns and needs specific to small libraries. Registration is only $55 for MLA members and is limited to 100 attendees. Pre- conference Registration for staff from class 1, 2 and 3 libraries as well as statewide organizations is open now! Registration for staff from all libraries opens after Friday, August 2, 2024.
  • MLA’s New Address: PO Box 27337, Lansing, MI 48909

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

  • New Vendor Spotlight - MCLS is pleased to announce a partnership with NewspaperArchive. Would you like to have access to a huge collection of digitized and searchable newspaper content? The NewspaperArchive database has over 16,000+ different publications ranging from 1607 - Present Day. All content is primary source material digitized directly from microfilm or PDF—so it appears exactly as it did in print—with the added benefit of being 100% searchable! NewspaperArchive also has 85% unique content when compared to other newspaper resources on the market. View a demonstration of the NewspaperArchive database here. A title list spreadsheet is accessible at NewspaperArchive - Publication xlsx

MMLC Administration:

  • Eric is planning to host the Fall regional meetings in September via Zoom. Look for an email from Eric for more
  • Tuesday, October 1 will be our next Advisory Council Meeting. We are meeting at Harrison District Library, who has remodeled an old restaurant into a beautiful new library. Our guest speaker will be Michelle Bradley, Library Development Manager from the Library of
  • The Library Cooperatives of Michigan (LCM) CE committee is still trying to set up three different sessions on Library Marketing. Unfortunately, an issue came up that we need clarification on, which has delayed the planning of these sessions. We are now looking at doing these sessions after the first of next
  • LCM DEI committee met, and we are working on the DEI Identity Wheel. We are presenting it at the Cooperative Director’s retreat in
  • Anne Heidemann and I had a meeting with Katie Strong, our new representative from Overdrive via zoom. Katie will be doing a presentation at our MMLC Overdrive Group Meeting on August 1st.
  • Irene and Eric attended the Call meetings. Unfortunately, many of the directors from Lapeer could not attend the sessions due to summer activities and
  • MMLC completed all transition activities during June, which ended our Fiscal Agent responsibilities with Friends of Michigan Libraries on June 30, 2024. All hard-copy materials were transferred to FOML Board Chair, Jill Sodt (Mott Community College Library Director) on July 11th.
  • Eric attended both MLA Connect meetings, the first was Banning and Censorship challenges from the youth voice, with speakers from DAYUM (Detroit Area Youth Uniting Michigan). The second one was on EV Chargers @
  • Eric has attended the MLA Small and Rural meetings, which is the preconference portion of the MLA Annual Conference in Traverse City. We have tried to find speakers and sessions that would be important and interesting to small
  • Eric is participating in the UM/LM Cohort meetings, which will be monthly until
  • Eric attended the LCM sponsored Ensuring Digital Accessibility session with Anne It was well attended by directors.
  • Eric attended, with two other Coopertive Directors (Kate Pohjola Andrade and Mallorie DeVilbiss) a meeting with Debbie Mikula, MLA Director, to plan the Podcast we are working on with LCM and
  • Irene has finished digitizing 35 years of MMLC Board meeting minutes and Advisory Council meeting minutes, along with numerous years of Annual Audit files, Plans & Policies, Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation meeting files, and Annual State Aid Report files. Irene is currently working with MMLC’s website designer to update the website, which will include a new Archives portal. Irene and Island River Digital are also assessing changes needed to bring the MMLC.info website into ADA

Respectfully submitted,
Eric Palmer
MMLC Director