Contents:
News | Executive Director | Training | Special Offers | RIDES
MCLS and The Wellbeing Lab partner to present a 2021 wellbeing literacy initiative 2020 was a truly extraordinary year that took the interpretation of terms such as ‘agile’ and ‘resilience’ to a whole new level. 2021 has finally arrived, and perhaps you’re feeling cautiously hopeful that better times are ahead for yourself, your family, and your library and its community. If anything, this virus is showing us just how much work there is to do to heal. At MCLS, we have been wondering, “How do we help libraries and communities heal and grow forward?”
One thing is for sure: there is absolutely no need to put your wellbeing at risk and burn yourself out as you continue doing your best to lead and support others — when you can have guidance and support helping you and those in your library community thrive even in the face of ongoing turbulence, uncertainty, disappointment, depression, or worse.
MCLS has partnered with The Wellbeing Lab to support libraries in measuring and building wellbeing literacy. This includes learning about six key pillars of wellbeing based in positive psychology, the science of wellbeing, how to monitor and improve those pillars for ourselves, and how to help others do the same. This initiative includes two opportunities:
First, The Wellbeing Lab has extended a 20% discount on the PERMAH Wellbeing Survey and any of their learning programs to MCLS member libraries. For more information, or to receive a discount code to register for a learning program, contact services@mcls.org.
Second, we have a special opportunity for up to 21 Indiana libraries to receive a scholarship to attend the Wellbeing Lab’s Certificate in Creating Wellbeing program through grant funds established by the MCLS Board of Directors from the proceeds of the sale of the former INCOLSA building. For more information, visit the Indiana grant webpage.
We hope you'll consider how this initiative can support you, your staff, and your library!
Save the date for the 2021 Spring eResources Meeting on Friday, April 23, 9am-3pm Eastern (8am-2pm Central). We’ll meet online and hear from SAGE and Wiley representatives regarding the upcoming 2022 multiyear group renewals for SAGE Premier and Wiley eJournals. We are still planning the day and will provide an update in the April MCLS eNewsletter. If you have topic suggestions, please share them via the registration form. Register today!
We are pleased to announce that Pam Seabolt, Library Strategist on MCLS's Engagement, Consulting, and Training team, has been certified as an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a method to help organizations ignite change through asking positive questions to identify their strengths in order to co-construct their best future. It can be used to help libraries with strategic planning, change initiatives, or many other organizational topics, such as internal communication, customer service, teamwork, collaboration, or workplace satisfaction.
Congratulations, Pam!
As Pam joins Michelle Bradley in this achievement, MCLS now has two certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitators, with two additional staff working toward certification. If your library is seeking to create change through positive, strengths-based dialogues, contact us to see how the Appreciative Inquiry method can work for you.
Congratulations to Mark Szidik on 25 years at MCLSPlease join us in congratulating Mark Szidik, Chief Information Officer, on his 25th anniversary at MCLS! Mark was former Executive Director Randy Dykhuis's first hire at the Michigan Library Consortium (the organization that existed before the 2010 merger with INCOLSA to form MCLS). We have benefited greatly from Mark's talents, passion, curiosity, and particularly rare blend of accounting and technology background and experience, ever since. Mark has made countless contributions to our organization and driven MCLS continually forward. He and his team have taken us from dumb terminals, floppy disks, and dot matrix printers to the current world of custom Web-based software, virtualized servers, and software as a service (SaaS).
Current MCLS Executive Director Scott Garrison says, "I've found Mark to be one of the most thoughtful and curious IT professionals I've ever worked with. I appreciate the detailed questions he brings often to projects and meetings, and how he balances asking 'why?' and 'why not?' in the work we do. Mark truly cares about delivering quality services to our members and staff alike, and that care shows in how he leads our IT/Accounting department."
Congratulations on this milestone, Mark! We appreciate you!
MCLS Virtual Dialogues for all library staffThe MCLS Virtual Dialogues will continue on Zoom on the third Friday of each month, 11am-12:30pm Eastern (10-11:30am Central). Our next gathering will be on Friday, March 19. Part support group, part visioning, let’s share our thoughts and ideas as we navigate the environment we find ourselves working in right now and look towards the future. These Dialogues are open to all library staff of all levels and roles throughout our two-state Indiana and Michigan region, and beyond.
Watch the email lists for the login link and topic announcement. We look forward to seeing you!
Check out archived recordings of our past Dialogues>>
Michigan library staff: register today for a new digital literacy virtual workshop“Unlocking the Secrets of a Digital Literacy Learning Plan for Library Staff" will be offered by MCLS in partnership with the Library of Michigan this spring. The workshop is designed to equip you with the tools and a process to help you build a learning plan around technology and digital literacy skills for library staff. If you wish your library had such a learning plan in place, but you’re not sure where to start or how to organize it, then this workshop is for you!
Registration is just $15 and, because it is funded by the Library of Michigan, is only open to Michigan library staff. This workshop will only be available as live virtual instruction.
This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, with additional funding provided by the State of Michigan.
Especially in these times, citizens need robust broadband Internet access, as millions have been forced to work, attend school, and connect socially, online. Many libraries, library organizations, and others are doing what they can to help, and there are opportunities to get involved.
For more information or to see all upcoming workshops, visit our workshop and event registration page. If you have any questions, please contact us at training@mcls.org.
The Washington Post (TWP) online offers:
As you may already know, TWP ongoing content is no longer available in any LexisNexis products as of October 2020.
For more information or a quote, contact Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (800) 530-9019 ext 401.
MCLS/TLN & Infobase are partnering on an exciting 2021 Partnership Promotion. Five Infobase services are being offered at a 60% discount to MCLS/TLN members: UNLIMITED ACCESS Video on Demand (All Ages); a Just for Kids video service; a video-based Technology Training/Personal-Professional Development service called Infobase Learning Cloud; Ferguson’s Career Guidance; and World News Digest including World Almanac.
Weekly webinars are being offered every Tuesday from 9-9:30am Eastern (8-8:30am Central) and every Thursday from 2-2:30pm Eastern (1-1:30pm Central) throughout March. For webinar access information, additional information on the products, or to request a quote, contact MCLS Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (800) 530-9019 ext 401. TLN members may also reach out to Jim Flury at jflury@tln.lib.mi.us.
myLIBRO is an all-in-one library solution to help libraries connect with patrons & students and increase library access, particularly during COVID restrictions. This mobile app solution offers connection to most Integrated Library Systems, allowing patron search/hold/account management; self-check; scheduling for curbside/contactless pick-up & in-library services; reserve & play of audiobooks from Overdrive & other platforms. It also offers a robust notification system, letting libraries share library news such as emergency closures, policy changes, and upcoming events. Smart-assist features are in development. MCLS will host a webinar where the various features of myLIBRO will be presented. Sign up today to reserve your spot.
For additional information or a price quote, contact Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (800) 530-9019 ext 401.
This is a great time for MCLS members who are considering participating in JSTOR for the first time or adding new journal collections to their current JSTOR holdings. Exclusive offers available through June 30, 2021 include:
The journal collections in JSTOR include more than 12 million articles from peer-reviewed scholarly and literary journals, as well as research reports and primary sources from libraries’ special collections and archives. For more information or a quote, contact MCLS Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (800) 530-9019 ext 401.
RIDES pre-renewal pricing information will be emailed to direct delivery libraries in early April.
RIDES Assistance Form: mcls.org/rideshelp
