Contents:
Executive Director | News | Training | Special Offers | MeL
Like so many other organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic influenced MCLS to become a mostly remote work organization, and I have big news to share. On Friday, Aug. 12 the MCLS Board of Directors voted to authorize me as Executive Director to seek our members’ approval to sell the building and land we own at 1407 Rensen St., Lansing, MI. Our goal is to complete a successful member vote by Wednesday, Sept. 28 through an open, transparent process that complies with Michigan state law and the MCLS Bylaws. This means that we will need at least 10% of our member libraries to vote, with the majority in favor of selling.
If MCLS’s Member Representatives approve a sale, we will engage a realtor, list the building, and find a smaller space to lease that will meet our current needs. Clearly, selling our building is a major change involving many details to consider. Please read on to learn more about some of our considerations and the process we will undertake.
Read more and register to attend a Member Representative info session>>
We welcome our newest MCLS member libraries!We welcome the following libraries, who have recently joined MCLS:
Arab American National Museum, MI
Beaver Island District Library, MI
Constantine Township Library, MI
Lyons Township District Library, MI
Troy School District, MI
We are so glad to have you as members!
MCLS currently has 642 member libraries across Indiana and Michigan. Is YOUR library receiving all the benefits of membership? Find out by checking our member list, and learn more about membership on our website!
An update on our transition to ConsortiaManagerCompleting the implementation of ConsortiaManager (CM) remains a top priority for MCLS's Group Purchasing (GP) team. Due to the complex nature of changing subscription systems, we are not surprised we have hit some snags along the way. Please rest assured we are addressing all issues as they are reported. MCLS's IT, Contact Management, and GP staff are diligently working to adjust the system to create an optimal user environment for our current and future members.
Member accounts are active and renewal and subscription information are able to be reviewed. Upon logging in, you'll see announcement notifications; please take time to read these as we continue to make updates. CM uses a clear, widget format that provides an easy reference of your library's purchases and renewals.
We’ll hold our second ConsortiaManager training for MCLS members on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 11am-noon Eastern (10-11am Central). The session will be recorded and made available to members. Tejs Grevstad, one of the founders of CM, will conduct the session. Register today!
Please reach out to MCLS Group Purchasing with any questions at services@mcls.org or (517) 939-1382.
MCLS offers workshop for new managersMaking the transition from doing work yourself to managing others can feel overwhelming. You’ll feel pressure from below and above. So how do you set yourself up for success?
MCLS is offering a new workshop designed to help minimize the stress and walk you through the process of management by targeting five specific areas. In Supervisor Series: Learning to Manage for New Managers you’ll learn to successfully handle staff, projects, performance, conflict, and even yourself as you evaluate and continuously improve your effectiveness as a manager. This virtual workshop taught by our own Jenny Kobiela-Mondor takes place 10am-3pm Eastern (9am-2pm Central) on Dec. 1, 2022. There will be a break for lunch.
This workshop qualifies for 4 LEUs or contact hours. MCLS member library staff receive the discounted price of just $80. We expect this workshop will fill, so register today! Questions? Email Gwen at training@mcls.org.
Jenny Kobiela-Mondor earns certificationWe are pleased to announce that Library Strategist Jenny Kobiela-Mondor of the MCLS Engagement, Consulting, and Training team has been certified as an Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a strengths-based approach to organizational change. It focuses on an organization's positive core by using a whole-system approach to help staff co-create their best future. MCLS uses AI to help libraries with strategic planning, change initiatives, and other internal areas of focus such as communication, customer service, teamwork, collaboration, and workplace satisfaction.
Congratulations, Jenny!
MCLS now has four certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitators. If your library is seeking to create change through positive, strengths-based dialogue, contact us at engagement@mcls.org to see how we can support you.
The Michigan OER Network Steering Committee, which includes MCLS Executive Director Scott Garrison, invites you to register for the 2022 MI OER Summit to be held virtually on Sept. 29 and 30, 2022. This year’s summit theme is “Looking Back, Looking Forward”, focusing on how work in open education has been transformed during the past two years and plans for a re-imagined future. Registration is FREE and open to anyone. You can register now at the MI OER Virtual Summit page.
Keynote speakers this year will be Dr. Maha Bali, Associate Professor of Practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo and Nicole Allen, Director of Open Education for SPARC. There is a full, excellent line-up of speakers and presentations.
The MI OER Network would like to extend appreciation to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) for support creating the event registration page and providing the virtual conference platform. Funding for the MI OER Summit is provided in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.
MCLS soft skills workshops return, redeveloped into Essential Workplace Skills self-paced tutorials!These popular workshops are back and better than ever! Presented by our Engagement, Consulting, & Training team, the Essential Workplace Skills tutorials offer many relevant topics for library staff with the added benefit of participating at your own pace and on your own schedule – no time zones to worry about here! EWS tutorials are still FREE for staff of our MCLS member libraries.
There are currently five courses available for registration:
We will be adding more topics, so be sure to continue to watch our newsletter Training section and the MCLS store. Each Essential Workplace Skills tutorial earns 2 LEUs/CEUs, and participants can download a certificate upon completion. We offer a Certificate of Library Staff Development in Essential Workplace Skills for those who complete at least five tutorials. More information and the application form can be found on our website.
We hope you'll check out this opportunity – the same great content in a new format to help even more library staff improve their workplace skills! Questions? Email Gwen at training@mcls.org.
Nine individuals from multiple library types in Indiana and Michigan recently earned an MCLS Certificate of Library Development in the following areas:
Daniella Bryant, Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI
Loretta Carter, Tippecanoe County Public Library, IN
Cori Miner, Indianapolis Public Library, IN
Alisia Neubeck, Gary Byker Memorial Library, MI
Joseph Anteau, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C., MI
Wendy Kamps Tsao, Oakland Community College, MI
Leesa Kowal, Otsego District Public Library, MI
Joseph Anteau, Miller Canfield, MI
Erica Luck, Houghton Lake Public Library, MI
Janina Zmurkiewicz, Harrison Township Public Library, MI
Congratulations and thanks to all of you!
Interested in earning YOUR Library Staff Development Certificate from MCLS? Read more about the requirements and get an application form on our website!
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.
Explore Nursing: Current Concepts & Practices from Films On DemandFind the most current video content to support nursing programs with Nursing: Current Concepts & Practices. Featuring videos from the past five years from trusted producers such as Elsevier, Medcom-Trainex, Cambridge Educational, and Medivision, this collection is tightly curated to help nursing students pass licensure exams and prepare for long-term job success in a complex health care system.
Housed on Films On Demand’s instruction-friendly platform, educators can create playlists, segments, and in-video assessments for classwork while students can enjoy unlimited, simultaneous access from the classroom, at home, or on the job. Infobase is offering MCLS members a substantial discount with subscription pricing under $3,000.
Contact MCLS Group Purchasing for a quote at services@mcls.org or (517) 939-1382 today!
The Asian American Experience: a new resource from ABC/CLIOHelp library users grow in their understanding and knowledge of the Asian American community through ABC/CLIO’s new resource, The Asian American Experience. Available starting October 1, this research database includes primary sources, historical references and provides curriculum specific student activities. Audio clips, videos, and documents make this collection a comprehensive resource on the Asian American Experience.
Contact MCLS Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (517) 939-1382 for a quote and/or resource trial.
With more of the top nursing and allied health journals, CINAHL Ultimate provides better research results for better patient care.
CINAHL Ultimate is the new definitive resource for nursing and allied health research, providing full text for more of the most used journals in the CINAHL index than any other database. It covers more than 50 nursing specialties and includes quick lessons, evidence-based care sheets, CEU modules, and research instruments.
For a quote, contact MCLS Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (517) 939-1382.
Encourage reading by students of all ages at your library with TumbleBook resources. TumbleBookLibrary, TeenBookCloud, and TumbleMath offer eBooks designed to promote the love of reading in a format all ages love.
TumbleBookLibrary is a curated database of children’s eBooks aimed at elementary age children. TeenBookCloud is a curated database of eBooks and other digital content, including graphic novels, for middle- and high-school readers. Both are easy to use with no check-out time limits or wait lists. TumbleMath helps foster math engagement through its comprehensive collection of math stories.
Contact MCLS Group Purchasing at services@mcls.org or (517) 939-1382 to find out more about these resources or to request a product quote or trial.
MeLCat welcomes back all of the schools that suspended MeLCat participation for the summer. Make sure to check the MeLCat Participating Libraries list for the most current status.
MeLCat is a statewide multi-type library resource sharing program. MeL was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional funding is provided by the State of Michigan and the Library of Michigan Foundation.
