FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 8, 2024 For more information, please contact: Scott Garrison Executive Director Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) garrisons@mcls.org   Midwest Collaborative for Library Services welcomes new eLicensing and Collection Resources Manager Sarah Beaubien  Lansing, MI—The Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Beaubien as …Read more »

This month I’ll finish my spring 2024 Michigan Library Association Think Space recap (continuing from part one in July), focusing on presentations on experimentation, future-proof space, and powerful partnerships. I thank Jennifer Dean (UM-Flint) and Lisa Waskin (Superior District Library) for major contributions to this month’s piece.  Architecture librarian Cathryn Copper from the University of …Read more »

The onboarding of a new employee can and should be SO much more than signing paperwork and one week of training. By viewing onboarding as a process over time and planning with purpose, libraries and other workplaces can create positive experiences that lead to more satisfied staff and higher retention. Library staff across Indiana and …Read more »

We are pleased to announce that Mott Community College Library in Flint, MI has selected Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to provide consulting services for a staff day in September. We have enjoyed working with the staff of Mott Library several times and look forward to being with them again. Is your library looking …Read more »

The MCLS OverDrive for Academics group now consists of both Indiana and Michigan academic libraries! The addition of Indiana’s Earlham College prompted a slight name change, moving it from OMiA (OverDrive for Michigan Academics) to OMIA (OverDrive for Michigan and Indiana Academics). Expanding the group beyond Michigan to Indiana has been a goal since the …Read more »

IMLS grant funds are available until July 10, 2024 to cover the cost of text messages for new TALK subscribers anywhere in the United States. These funds are available on a first come, first served basis to individual public libraries, co-ops, groups of libraries, and state-level implementations. Please note that grant funds do not cover …Read more »

This month I’ll recap a portion of the spring 2024 Think Space program from the Michigan Library Association (MLA), which focused on future-ready libraries and featured speakers on tech transformation, strategic succession planning, experimentation, future-proof space, and powerful partnerships. I’ll finish my recap in the August MCLS newsletter.  1. Library administrator and technology author, consultant, …Read more »

Academic librarians and library staff are invited to a Virtual Dialogue on Wednesday, July 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon Eastern (9:30-11 a.m. Central). The MCLS Engagement, Consulting, and Training Team will guide a conversation designed to connect you with other academic library staff. We invite people working in academic libraries at all levels and in all …Read more »

Since Fall 2020, the University of Michigan Press (UMP) has collaborated with its parent library and library consortia LYRASIS to implement the Fund to Mission Open Access monograph model. This program facilitates the conversion of an increasing percentage of the Press’s frontlist (currently 75% of the 80 monographs UMP publishes annually) to Open Access without …Read more »

We are pleased to announce that LaGrange County Public Library in LaGrange, IN has selected Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to provide consulting services for strategic planning this summer. We are looking forward to working with the library’s director, staff, Board, and community to guide the creation of a plan that will be relevant and impactful. …Read more »