Event Details

Presenters: Kate McDowell (keynote) and Thom Fladung (workshop)

Date: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Attendance options:

1. In-person – full program: 9:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Eastern
2. Virtual – opening remarks & keynote address: 9:45 – 11:30 a.m. Eastern

Location:
St. Joseph County Public Library Community Learning Center
305 S. Michigan St., South Bend, IN 46601
Google Maps

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Registration

Choose how to attend:

• In person (REGISTER HERE)
EXTENDED DEADLINE! Register by 5 p.m. on Sept. 25
$75 per person (includes a light breakfast, lunch, and beverages)

• Virtual (REGISTER HERE)
Register by 12 p.m. on Oct. 7
$25 per person to participate in the opening remarks and keynote live on Zoom

Registration is limited and open to anyone from an MCLS member organization. Check your membership status here. Not a member? Join today!

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Overnight Accommodations

MCLS has secured a special group rate of $149.00 USD at the following nearby hotel:

Aloft by Marriott South Bend
111 N Main St., South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: 574-288-8000
Google Maps

Check In: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
Check Out: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
Hotel reservation link

The last day to book your stay at the special group rate is Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.

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About the Program

Agenda

Times are Eastern (local time) and subject to change.

9:15 a.m.           Registration/ light breakfast (fruit, pastries, and beverages)
10 a.m.              Opening remarks by MCLS
10:30 a.m.         Keynote: Data Storytelling in Libraries presented by Kate McDowell
11:30 a.m.         Workshop: Crisis Communication with Thom Fladung
12:30 p.m.         Lunch (taco bar, dessert, and beverages)
1:30 p.m.           Workshop: Crisis Communication with Thom Fladung
3 p.m.                Wrap-up
3:30 p.m. Experiential library tour: SJCPL (optional)

Experiential library tour

St. Joseph County Public Library is planning a unique tour experience for in-person attendees!

Learn more about the resources, services, and spaces that SJCPL’s Main Library has to offer on a staff led tour. Highlights will include:

• The Youth Services Department
• The library’s new bookmobile, The Dream Machine
• Studio 304
• A hands-on learning activity in the Local & Family History Department
• Crisis Intervention staff, including the library’s in-house social worker, will also be available to discuss how SJCPL has moved to a trauma informed approach when interacting with patrons. 

Note: tour times will be determined based on feedback from the event registration form.

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Keynote Address

Photo credit: KateMcDowell.com

Kate McDowell, author and professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign will present on data storytelling in libraries.

About Kate McDowell 

Professor Kate McDowell focuses on storytelling as information research, social justice storytelling, and how the history of library storytelling can enhance contemporary data storytelling. Her projects engage contexts such as public libraries, non-profit fundraising, and health misinformation in online discourse. This research takes many forms, from publications to storytelling workshops and toolkits to research roles with international coalitions and working groups. She leads the nationally-funded Data Storytelling Toolkit for Librarians project to equip libraries with narrative tools for data-informed advocacy, which has been used by over 5,000 librarians in over 50 countries so far. Her book for libraries, Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact, came out in 2025. 

Read more about Kate McDowell on her website. 

Workshop: Putting Crisis Communications in Play

Photo credit: crisiscommunications.com

Thom Fladung will lead a hands-on workshop on crisis communication best practices and techniques including brainstorming key messages and participating in mock interviews, to help you prepare for any media interview or public speaking opportunity. With his practical approach to instruction and years of experience, you will walk away with pragmatic tips and best practices that you can put into play immediately to effectively communicate during a crisis.

About Thom Fladung

Thom Fladung serves as managing partner for Hennes Communications. He brings more than 33 years of daily newspaper and digital media experience to the agency, having served as a top editor at some of the nation’s largest newspapers such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Detroit Free Press. Over the past decade, Fladung has also played a lead role in helping newsrooms enter the digital age, including web, social media and handheld digital devices.

Thom is an expert at crafting effective, strategic messages on hard deadlines. He is also experienced at quickly evaluating, assembling and disseminating information – crisis management skills that are critically important for clients coping with reputation management issues and breaking crises. In 2017, Thom received the Communicator of the Year award from the International Association of Business Communicators.

Learn more about Thom on the Hennes Communications website.

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Special thanks to our location sponsor

by MCLS Engagement Strategist Laura Warren-Gross

If you have not visited an academic library recently, you are missing out. They serve students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. I visited library director Jen Fiero at the William Atkinson Library at Jackson College and was treated to a tour of the remodeled facility that offers a variety of study spaces, along with learning about the breadth of services she and her staff provide.

The library was an early adopter of a Library of Things in an academic setting, and it is immediately noticeable in their space. The windows and walls are covered with branded “Your Library More Than Books” artwork to let students know that they can borrow chargers, calculators, laptops, and headphones to help them complete their assignments. The Library of Things also includes fun items like art supplies and games. In addition to the Library of Things, the staff has added a makerspace to their facility that includes a tool changer 3D printer and a button maker.

In a unique partnership, the library serves incarcerated students at seven facilities throughout Michigan. Jen Mikesell, the corrections liaison librarian, provides library instruction to the students. The team at the library curates resources for the students via a reference by correspondence service. Both Jen Fiero and Jen Mikesell are a part of the Michigan Consortium for Highter Education in Prison (MiCHEP) that is working to establish standards for prison higher education and advocating for library resources for incarcerated higher education students throughout the country.

Offering books and technology, a safe place to study, and a team of dedicated staff members to support learning needs, the Atkinson Library exemplifies how vital an academic library is to a college community.

What makes your library unique? Engagement, Consulting, and Training team members would love to hear about your library and share your story! Interested? Contact us at engagement@mcls.org.

MCLS recently welcomed the following new libraries to our member community! 

Cedar Springs Public Library (MI)

Center Line Public Library (MI) 

Manistique School and Public Library (MI)

Thompson Home Public Library (MI) 

MCLS membership is exclusive to Indiana and Michigan libraries of any type and size. Learn more about the benefits of joining MCLS, a strong community of 600+ libraries, on our website. Then, fill out our online application or contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 for assistance. 

by MCLS Engagement Strategist Laura Warren-Gross 

The collaborative work of public libraries is always amazing. I recently visited Karl Stutzman, the director of Milford Public Library in Indiana. When I walked into the beautifully maintained Carnegie Library, I was immediately drawn to a series of displays.  

Karl explained that Kosciusko County is hosting a passport tour in honor of America 250. As a part of the tour, Maureen, the Associate Director of the library, curated more than a dozen displays illustrative of the history of the town and the library. Items include photographs of the town and library, furniture from the original Carnegie Library, a card catalog and other library-related objects, sports memorabilia, and even an autobiography of Dorthea Kerlin, Milford Public Library’s longest-serving director. These displays demonstrate the library’s prominent place though many years of Milford’s history. 

Being a part of a countywide event draws folks into the community who might not otherwise visit Milford Public Library. While there, visitors can also enjoy the beautiful gardens that surround the building. They were designed and donated by a landscape architect who grew up in Milford and maintained by his local extended family—another collaborative project that benefits the library and beautifies the town. 

What makes your library unique? What types of projects are you working on at your library? Engagement, Consulting, and Training team members would love to hear about your library and share your story! Interested? Contact us at engagement@mcls.org. 

MCLS is currently preparing for an exciting new member year beginning July 1! The key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) will receive a membership renewal email in early June (schools received their renewal emails in May).

This email includes information about the benefits you’ve accessed so far in the current member year, how we’ve succeeded together as an MCLS community, what we will do together in the coming year (including a new members-only event), and how to update your key contacts. Renewal invoices will arrive in a separate email.

If any of your key contacts have changed or you have questions about membership, please contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388.

If you are not yet an MCLS member and want to learn more, visit our membership page.

by MCLS Engagement Strategist Laura Warren-Gross

I recently visited with Cindy Casper who serves as both the director at Eau Claire District Library and the interim director at Sodus Township Library in Michigan. She graciously shared what makes these libraries special.

Located only six miles apart, the libraries have operated separately until recently. Cindy, along with the Friends of the Library and the Boards of both libraries, has been working to merge the libraries into one entity.

Cindy has written grants to expand programming for both libraries. One example is a series called Back to the Basics which teaches skills like how to make cheese and butter, raise chickens, and sew. There is also a program called Cook the Books which brings patrons together to share recipes they have made from a common cookbook. These programs resonate with me because the library is offering members of both communities opportunities to gather, share, and learn together. 

During my visit, the Friends of the Library group was holding a book sale, a 3-D printer was humming along creating dinosaurs for the summer reading kickoff party, and Cindy shared some work done by volunteers from the University of Michigan iSchool. Everything that is happening at both libraries is focused on creating welcoming, vibrant hubs for two small southwest Michigan communities. 

What makes your library unique? Engagement, Consulting, and Training team members would love to hear about your library and share your story! Interested? Contact us at engagement@mcls.org. 

MCLS is currently preparing for an exciting member year, which begins July 1, 2026!   

The key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) at school libraries will receive a membership renewal email in early May. All other libraries will receive their renewal email in early June. 

This email includes information about the benefits you’ve accessed so far in the current member year, how we’ve succeeded together as an MCLS community, what we will do together in the coming year (plus a save the date for a new members-only event), and how to update your key contacts. Renewal invoices will be sent to billing contacts in a separate email.  

If any of your key contacts have changed or you have questions about membership, please contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388. 

Please join us in welcoming Westville-New Durham Township Public Library (IN) to our member community! 

MCLS membership is exclusive to Indiana and Michigan libraries of any type and size. Learn more about the benefits of joining MCLS, a strong community of 600+ libraries; then, fill out our online application or contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 for assistance. 

Together, the MCLS community is strong.

Together, we will thrive in 2026 and beyond!

There are a multitude of benefits to being a member of a large collective like MCLS, which has more than 600 members of every size and type of library across Indiana and Michigan. MCLS offers affordable and customizable access to the key services and resources libraries depend on. Below is a snapshot of how we are investing in our members:

>eLicensing and Collection Resources

• • Our staff negotiates discounted pricing with 70+ vendors (and growing).
  • In our previous member year, 445 libraries saved up to 90% off list prices on select titles.
  • In the coming year, we anticipate libraries will save more than $7 million on eLicensing & Collection Resources contracts through MCLS. 

>Training

• • We offer workshops and certification courses for all levels of library staff that are either deeply discounted or free as a benefit of MCLS membership.
  • Since July 1, we’ve offered 141 workshops to 1,836 registrants. In the coming member year, we will add at least four NEW workshops to our comprehensive catalog. 

>Consulting

• • 27 libraries used our consulting services last member year (July 1-June 30)!
  • We have many more projects currently underway for customized consulting services in strategic planning, community engagement, leadership and management, and a variety of essential workplace skills topics. We look forward to empowering more libraries to achieve the extraordinary not only as both a staff and an essential community resource.

>Investing in YOU through collaboration and innovation

• • MCLS partnered with EveryLibrary Institute and the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor School of Information on a research project about libraries’ impact across the literacy ecosystem, which we hope to replicate in Indiana.
  • MCLS has supported the Indiana Library Federation’s (ILF) 2026 comprehensive Indiana polling project designed to gather timely, reliable public opinion data that will support libraries’ and associations’ efforts to advocate for libraries and inform strategic decision-making across Indiana’s library community.
  • Together, we will continue to find new ways to collaborate on initiatives that you can use to demonstrate the positive impact your library has on your community. We are currently exploring working with other consortia to fund building advocacy tools libraries can use (e.g., comms templates).
    
  • MCLS engages at state, national, and international levels to implement the innovative programs that enrich our member community. We provide the infrastructure and/or staffing for MeLCat and RIDES, MI-SPI, OEN, two OverDrive groups, and OA efforts. Last year, the MDPN (Michigan Digital Preservation Network) launched the world’s first LOCKSS 2.0 network in collaboration with the six member libraries who host our network nodes: Capital Area District Libraries, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, Northern Michigan University, Traverse Area District Library, and Western Michigan University.

The MCLS membership year is July 1-June 30. 

 

Last updated June 4, 2026.

Offer ends June 30, 2026 

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, NewsBank is offering substantial discount incentives (20%+) on their fully digitized, complete run backfiles of local Michigan and Indiana newspaper archives. See the titles here. The offer includes the following details: 

• Titles can be purchased à la carte or as a bundle with additional savings for each title added, as one-time perpetual purchases. 
• NewsBank’s historical newspaper archives are OCR-D scanned, fully searchable backfiles from the master film reels and can act as a replacement for any microfilm the library may hold. 
• Archives include millions of pages of primary source material for local and state historical research and integrate with ILS systems and discovery services. 
• Current NewsBank subscription customers will have NO ongoing hosting or access fees associated with these archive purchases; furthermore, no additional licensing changes would be required for current NewsBank customers participating in the MCLS offer.

For more information or a quote, contact MCLS eLicensing & Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382. You may also reach out to Kyle Carufe (NewsBank Senior Academic Account Manager) at kcarufe@newsbank.com. 

MCLS is currently preparing for an exciting member year. The key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) at school libraries will receive a membership renewal email in early May. All other libraries will receive their renewal email in early June. 

This email includes information about the benefits you’ve accessed so far in the current member year, how we’ve succeeded together as an MCLS community, what we will do together in the coming year (plus a save the date for a new members-only event), and how to update your key contacts. Renewal invoices will arrive in a separate email. 

If any of your key contacts have changed or you have questions about membership, please contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388. 

The following library staff members have earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending workshops through MCLS!? 

Basic Essential Workplace Skills Certificate? 

• Carol B. Flynn, Kellogg Community College, MI 
• Caylah LaFollette, West Iron District Library, MI 
• Julie Marino, Westchester Public Library, IN 
• Meghan Rogers, Westchester Public Library, IN 
• Bexi Spanos, West Iron District Library, MI

Basic Cataloging Certificate 

• Cindy Persic, Bridgman Public Library, MI 
• Carey L. Sperl, Lansing Community College, MI

Are you interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? For details, see our website. Essential Workplace Skills tutorials are free to MCLS members as a member benefit! For questions, please email Gwen at training@mcls.org or call 517-220-9950.

MCLS recently welcomed the following new libraries to our member community: 

• Gary Public Library (IN) 
• Pigeon District Library (MI)  
• Thomas Township Library (MI)
• Walled Lake City Library (MI)

MCLS membership is exclusive to Indiana and Michigan libraries of any type and size. Learn more about the benefits of joining MCLS, a strong community of 600+ libraries, on our Membership page. Then, fill out our online application or contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 for assistance. 

The following library staff members earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending workshops through MCLS:

Basic Essential Workplace Skills Certificate

• Jeania Deaton, St. Clair County Library System, MI
• Lorraine Whitney, Liberty Fund, Inc., IN
• Kristie Feguer, Reed City Area District Library, MI

Are you interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? Any staff member at our member libraries can take Essential Workplace Skills tutorials for FREE! Learn more about library staff development certificates on our website. If you have questions, please email Gwen at training@mcls.org or call 517-220-9950.

Things remain busy at MCLS in this time of transitions, and I hope to see many members at the MCLS Annual Meeting on Dec. 2, 2025 at 10 a.m. Eastern (9 a.m. Central) on Zoom (please register here) where topics will include revised MCLS Bylaws and our Board of Directors’ next steps following their September member survey and recent retreat.  

Following a Board vote on Nov.14 to revise the MCLS Bylaws, the MCLS members must vote to approve the revised version per Bylaws Article XI. Provided we have a quorum of 10% of MCLS members present at the Dec. 2 Annual Meeting (see Article VII Section 7.05), we will hold a vote. My Annual Meeting invitation email to MCLS members included links to the current and revised Bylaws. The 2025 Board officers (see Article V) led the Bylaws revision in consultation with MCLS’s attorney.   

The main difference in the revised Bylaws is in Article IV Section 4.01 (Board of Directors Composition). MCLS would move from: 

• requiring 16 Board members including 10 by library type (Academic, Public, Research, School and Special) and four At-Large seats  
• to requiring at least eight Board members, ideally comprised of representatives from Academic, Public, School and Special, and two At-Large seats 

These changes mean that: 

• Board seats dedicated to the highest-research academic libraries (i.e., the six largest universities in Indiana and Michigan) would sunset in the next few years (high-research institutions would be eligible to serve in the Academic seat). 
• Reducing from four Academic and Research seats to up to two Academic seats promotes fairness in representation and Board composition. 
• One At-Large seat in each state would also sunset in the next few years (a representative from any type may serve in remaining At-Large seats). 
• Making the number of seats flexible rather than fixed would allow the Board to continue operating through occasional Board resignations that may occur. 
• Removing the requirement to have each type represented would relieve situations where it is difficult to find a new representative to succeed one who resigns and allow the Board greater flexibility than the current Bylaws permit. 
• MCLS can reduce its costs for reimbursing Board members for travel to meetings. 

Turning to the Board’s member survey results and their next steps toward updating their collective vision and direction for MCLS (also known as Ends, on p. 3 of the Board Policy Manual), 232 individuals responded to the survey, offering nearly 700 comments in addition to answering all or nearly all of the survey’s five questions.  

Here is a summary of some of the survey data: 

1. Many respondents identified how the Board’s current three main outcomes of developing innovative solutions, fostering robust collaboration, and facilitating transformative learning are interconnected and hard to prioritize. Innovation received the most “highest importance” ratings at nearly 47%, and transformative learning received the most “lower importance” ratings at nearly 42%. 
2. Regarding current concerns, nearly 62% were “most concerned” about funding overall, with many pairing that with concern over legislation/requirements for libraries, book banning/freedom to read, and community advocacy on the importance of what libraries do. 
3. A free response box regarding how libraries could collaborate to address concerns from question 2 identified many common themes including collective advocacy, shared collections/licensing, group discussion opportunities, and training for library staff. There was significant overlap around groups of libraries/librarians coming together to share best practices, commiserate, discuss common issues, or learn from each other. 
4. In terms of the most important thing libraries need that they do not currently have, most respondents cited funding, or situations complicated by a lack of funding, such as training or education for staff, a new or renovated building, marketing support, or fair/reliable pricing for resources.  
5. 100 respondents took the opportunity to offer open comments to the Board, many reiterating the need for advocacy, or offering thanks for current MCLS activities. Some comments encouraged the Board to be more visible and explore innovative ways for libraries to share and communicate, and for MCLS to lead more opportunities in Indiana and find new ways to demonstrate the value of services to public libraries.  

At their Nov. 14-15 retreat, the Board considered the survey data in a broader context of driving forces that may shape MCLS’s future. After some intensive group work and discussion looking at Ends development through multiple lenses, the Board created a draft Ends document. Now under revision ahead of a Board vote in early 2026, the current version points to expanding access to resources, innovation and stability, and collaboration. I hope you’ll join us at the Annual Meeting on Dec. 2 to learn more, engage, and ask questions.  

In the meantime, and as we wind through and past the 2025 holiday season and into 2026, I want to take a moment to express gratitude for MCLS’s members, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders. I thank our staff, who work hard to provide the best service we can. I also thank our Board and its officers for all the work they did in 2025 on a number of fronts and look forward to how they continue what they started this fall and help fuel MCLS’s and our community’s future. Special thanks to Indiana Academic Library Representative Josh Petrusa for his help with this newsletter piece.   

I will also take just a moment here to recognize Janet LaCross, who retires from MCLS in December after a remarkable 39-year career with us. Janet has seen and helped guide MCLS through an astonishing amount of change in her many years with us, and we wish her a long, happy, and healthy retirement. We will miss Janet greatly.  

I hope our December-January newsletter reaches you around a restful holiday season spent with those who mean the most to you. As always, I hope to hear from you at garrisons@mcls.org, and as we reflect on what at times has felt like a chaotic 2025, may we all have a productive and successful 2026.  

 

 

 

 

 

MCLS recently welcomed Kirklin Public Library (IN) and Linden Carnegie Public Library (IN) to our member community!

MCLS membership is exclusive to Indiana and Michigan libraries of any type and size. Learn more about the benefits of joining MCLS, a strong community of 600+ libraries, on our website. Then, fill out our online application or contact Gwen Haviland at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 for assistance. 

Did you know that one of the benefits of your organization’s MCLS membership is access to discount codes from a variety of purveyors? In addition to discounted pricing on eResources, we also currently offer negotiated discounts with: 

• Brodart: exclusive savings on library supplies, equipment, and furniture 
• Demco: discounts based on your library’s annual organizational spend 
• Ingram: discounts on trade hardcover, trade quality and mass market paperbacks, library bindings, university press, spoken word audio, games, DVD/Blu-ray, and net titles. These special discounts also apply to Continuations and New Title Notifications/Standing Order Programs. 
• Hotel Planner: specially negotiated hotel rates 
• The Library Store: discounts on orders of $100.00 or more 

To request these discount codes, contact services@mcls.org and please specify which discounts you’re interested in. After we verify your membership, you will receive your selected codes along with information on the terms, what is included/excluded, and how the discount program works. If you are not yet an MCLS member, get started on our website!

 

This month I thank the 232 people who responded to the MCLS Board of Directors’ survey in September, and will share next steps the Board will take. The Board and I really appreciate the data MCLS members took the time to submit, including hundreds of comments.  

As I mentioned in September, MCLS’s member libraries own MCLS as an organization. According to MCLS’s governance system, the Board serves as the informed voice and agent of MCLS’s owners and is accountable to the member/owners. They will use the survey data to update their collective vision and overall direction for MCLS, which the staff and I will operationalize in alignment with the strategic plan that we created in 2024 (with a great deal of input from member libraries and other stakeholders).  

The Board will consider the survey data as they focus on updating their vision and direction for MCLS (also known as Ends, on p.3 of the Board Policy Manual) at their Nov. 14-15 retreat. We will share a data summary and any changes the Board made to their Ends in the December-January MCLS newsletter (watch this space). We will also offer an opportunity for MCLS members to engage with the Board on how they’re using the survey data at the MCLS Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. Eastern (9 a.m. Central) (registration information coming soon).  

In other news, the Board will also discuss updates to the MCLS Bylaws at their meeting on Friday, Nov. 14. Once the Board approves new Bylaws, MCLS members will vote to approve them according to the methods in the Bylaws document. We’ll communicate the voting process to members well in advance of the vote. 

I’ll close by noting that this newsletter finds many of us in the middle of the fall conference season. I appreciated seeing many MCLS members at the Upper Peninsula Region of Library Cooperation (UPRLC) conference in September and the Michigan Library Association (MLA) conference in October. I hope to see some of you at the Charleston Conference in early November and the Indiana Library Federation (ILF) conference the following week. I also encourage you to join us for the Annual Meeting to engage with us and learn how your member input is influencing the Board’s vision and direction work.  

I appreciate how the Board is working at their level and the staff at theirs so MCLS can continue serving libraries as effectively and impactfully as possible. If you also appreciate what our Board and staff do, I encourage you to let them know. 

What’s on your mind right now? Let me know at garrisons@mcls.org.

The following library staff members have earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending workshops through MCLS: 

Basic Cataloging Certificate 

• Heather Jeremy, MCLS Guest Library, IL 
• Sarah Elizabeth Freeman, Arkansas State Archives, AR 

Basic Essential Workplace Skills Certificate 

• Niaya Taylor, Vincennes University Shake Library, IN 
• Sara Simich, Roseville Public Library, MI 
• Cynthia Justak, Westchester Public Library, IN 

Are you interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? For details, see our website. If you have questions, please email Gwen at training@mcls.org or call 517-220-9950. Essential Workplace Skills tutorials are free to MCLS members as a member benefit!

By an overwhelming majority vote, our member representatives elected the proposed slate of board members to serve from Jan. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2028. The elected slate includes:

Academic Library Representative (MI): Kendra Lake, North Central Michigan College

Academic Library Representative (IN): Josh Petrusa, Butler University Libraries

Public Library Representative (IN): Melissa Merida Foster, New Albany Floyd County Public Library

At-Large Library Representative (IN): Stephen Patton, Indiana State University

Special Library Representative (MI): Maria Ketcham, Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library & Archives

New and returning board members will join the current board for their annual planning retreat on Nov. 13-15. Congratulations!

The following library staff members have earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending workshops through MCLS!? 

Basic Cataloging Certificate? 

Jacqueline Cooper, IU Indianapolis Ruth Lilly Law Library, IN
Quintessa Gallinat, Manchester District Library, MI 

Advanced Cataloging Certificate? 

Jennifer Rasmussen, Northville District Library, MI
Timothy J. Streasick, University of Michigan – Dearborn, MI 

Basic Essential Workplace Skills Certificate*? 

Cynthia A. Glass, Vincennes University, IN
Jan King, Taylor University, IN
Denise L. Nees, Vincennes University, IN
Emily Nelson, Public Libraries of Saginaw, MI
Breezy Salisbury, The Floyd County Library, IN
Cyndi Schmidt, Orion Township Public Library, MI 

Are you interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? For details, see our website.

*Essential Workplace Skills tutorials are free to MCLS members as a member benefit!

For questions, please email Gwen at training@mcls.org or call 517-220-9950.

This month I’m asking MCLS members for help: the MCLS Board of Directors will issue a brief 5-question survey focusing on the future to all of our member libraries on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and needs one response per member by Wednesday, Sept. 24. Please take this important survey to give our Board input they can use to update their vision and direction for MCLS in these challenging times for libraries. 

MCLS member libraries are more than just members: they own MCLS as an organization. MCLS Board members represent and are accountable to the member/owners. They listen to the member/owners to learn what they value and what matters to them. They use what they learn to set and maintain a collective vision and direction for MCLS. In turn, the MCLS staff and I work to deliver on the Board’s vision in all we do for members and others where possible. I am accountable to the Board as Executive Director. 

Our Board is issuing this survey now so they can have member/owners’ input ahead of their annual retreat in November, where they will focus on their vision and direction for MCLS.  

Members, you can contact the 2025 MCLS Board members and learn about what they do and how on our website. I hope you’ll take their survey, and also find other ways to connect with them anytime to share your thoughts and ideas. Like me, they want to hear from you. It’s why our Board exists. 

You may know that you can be part of the Board. If you want to get involved in helping set MCLS’s future direction, step forward when you see our annual call for Board nominations in early summer. Have questions about what the Board does? Ask a Board member you know, or me. We’re always looking for people who care about MCLS and want to see it empower libraries to achieve the extraordinary.  

What do you value? What matters to you? What do you need? Let your Board members know, and let me know at garrisons@mcls.org. 

Oxford Journals has published high quality content representing the forefront of academic research for over a century. With content ranging from 1791 to 1995, the Oxford Journals Archive enables users to quickly locate previously hard-to-find material and explore changes in opinion that form the foundation of current research. 

The 2025 Oxford Journals Archive comprises 272 journals, including eight new titles for 2025. Libraries have the flexibility to purchase the complete Archive, one or more of the five subject collections, top-ups for prior purchases, or individual titles. With over six million pages of content from Volume 1, Issue 1 of each title, the Oxford Journals Archive provides both quality and value.  

Oxford Journals Archive is offering the following perpetual access discount options to MCLS members through Dec. 31, 2025: 

• Option One: new purchase of the 2025 Complete Journals Archive or 2025 Archive Subject Collection  
  MCLS members may purchase the complete 2025 Oxford Journals Archive with FTE-based discounts of up to 80% off the list price.
• Option Two: update an existing Journals Archive Collection
  Any MCLS members that currently own the Oxford Journals Archive may purchase a top-up to update their collection at the following discounted rate by FTE: 
  • Under 10,000 FTE, 60% off 
  • 10,001-20,000 FTE, 40% off 
  • Over 20,000 FTE, 30% off
• Option Three: purchase archive content title-by-title
  Libraries may order individual titles with the following consortial discounts: 
  • Purchase 1-9 titles, 15% discount 
  • Purchase 10-14 titles, 25% discount 
  • Purchase 15-19 titles, 35% discount 
  • Purchase 20+ titles, 40% discount 

For more information or to request a quote, email MCLS at services@mcls.org. 

Defining the Library Consortium 

Libraries today operate in complex environments, navigating evolving community expectations, and a growing set of unknowns. Whether large or small, urban or rural, all libraries share the common challenge of delivering high-quality services in a sustainable and impactful way. In this context, library consortia like the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) are an essential tool for cooperation, connection, and collaboration—one that not only strengthens individual libraries but also advances the greater library community’s shared goals. 

A library consortium is a formal collaboration in which libraries unite to share resources, streamline services, negotiate better deals, and support each other’s missions. By working collectively, libraries can achieve goals that would be difficult or impossible to accomplish alone.   

Library thought leader Lorcan Dempsey presents a power framework that argues that consortia are extremely beneficial to individual libraries and systems via their ability to scale capacity, learning, innovation, and influence. His 4-part blog series linked below touches on each element and helps define some of the less-discussed advantages of consortial affiliation. 

1. The powers of library consortia 1: How consortia scale capacity, learning, innovation and influence  
2. The powers of library consortia 2: Soft power and purposeful mobilization: scaling learning and innovation  
3. The powers of library consortia 3: Scaling influence and capacity 
4. The powers of library consortia 4: Scoping, sourcing and scaling 

With more than 630 member libraries of every type and size across Indiana and Michigan, MCLS provides a compelling example of Dempsey’s core framework elements.   

Scaling Capacity: Doing More Together 

Dempsey defines the first library consortium core power as scaling capacity, or increasing what individual libraries can accomplish by pooling resources and infrastructure. At MCLS, we do this through: 

• Group licensing agreements that offer access to databases, eBooks, eJournals, and library software from 70+ vendors at a lower cost than libraries would pay independently. 
• Consulting services that help libraries conduct strategic planning, facilitate staff day training, and lead community conversations—services that might otherwise be out of reach for smaller libraries. MCLS consultants bring experience, objectivity, and proven methodologies to help libraries make informed decisions and foster staff and stakeholder buy-in. 

This capacity scaling allows MCLS members to extend their reach and improve services at a reasonable cost, which is essential in an era of constrained budgets.  

Scaling Learning: Shared Knowledge and Professional Growth 

Consortia create knowledge-based communities. Dempsey describes our role as scaling learning, or enabling continuous professional development and the exchange of expertise across institutions. MCLS nurtures this through: 

• Training workshops  that support curated opportunities for staff development at all levels of skill and position within the library ecosystem. Continuous learning is vital to keeping library services relevant and effective. By investing in staff knowledge, libraries build stronger teams and improve service to their communities—without stretching limited budgets. 
• The Essential Workplace Skills Certificate, a 10-hour, self-paced learning opportunity which is free for any staff member of an MCLS member library. 
• Engagement opportunities like our Virtual Dialogue series, where staff from Indiana and Michigan libraries of different types and sizes can collaborate, share best practices, and co-create solutions. 

We aim to promote collective learning, to ensure libraries stay agile and informed in a fast-changing field.  

Scaling Innovation: Pilots, Projects, and Programs 

According to Dempsey, consortia are uniquely positioned to scale innovation because they can pilot new ideas, pool risk, and spread successful models more broadly. MCLS exemplifies this through programs like: 

• The MeLCat and MeL eResources components of the Michigan eLibrary, for which MCLS staff provide implementation, support, and training. The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan. 
• TALK (Text and Learn for Kindergarten), a text messaging service that empowers caregivers to support school preparedness for children up to age 6 through activities, songs, and more. Originally created by Ypsilanti District Library staff with input from regional early childhood education partners, this easy-to-implement program is based on Every Child Ready to Read. Offered nationwide with a discount to MCLS members, TALK reflects how a consortium can cultivate innovation that serves community needs in new and scalable ways. 
• The RIDES (Regional Interlibrary DElivery Service) interlibrary courier system, which we manage to enable libraries to make materials available to citizens across Michigan. 
• The Michigan Digital Preservation Network (MDPN), a member-centered, collaborative organization dedicated to preserving Michigan’s digital cultural memory materials and leveraging our shared resources to make digital preservation accessible to as many libraries and institutions as possible. 

By connecting members with new tools, programs, and support, MCLS helps libraries experiment safely and adopt innovation faster. 

Scaling Influence: A Unified Voice for Libraries 

Finally, Dempsey emphasizes the consortium’s role in scaling influence—amplifying the voice of libraries in policy, vendor negotiations, and public discourse. MCLS supports this by: 

• Advocating member interests in vendor negotiations, ensuring equitable access to vital digital content. 
• Participating in national and regional initiatives along with other consortia, vendors, associations, and others, that align with library advocacy and demonstrating libraries’ positive impact. 
• Creating spaces for dialogue across library types (public, academic, school, and special libraries) to foster knowledge sharing about common goals and challenges. 

As a result, MCLS member libraries are not isolated, and are part of a larger, strategic network that commands attention and shapes the future of library service.  

The Big Picture: Sustained Value and Shared Mission 

For more than a decade, hundreds of libraries have trusted MCLS to help them respond to change, innovate, and serve their communities more effectively. Libraries rely on us for cost savings and quality services, but MCLS is more than a service provider—we are also a member owned and governed organization, shaped by the very voices we strive to empower. 

As Lorcan Dempsey observes, consortia deliver outcomes no single library can achieve alone. With our industry surrounded by rapid change and revolving unknowns, consortial collaboration is not simply helpful; it is essential. At MCLS, we want libraries to move beyond surviving change and actively engage in shaping it. To this end, MCLS staff leans into our vision: empowering libraries to achieve the extraordinary. 

Have a question or an idea? Let’s talk. We’re here to listen and help. Visit mcls.org to learn more about our services, explore membership benefits, and see our current strategic plan. You can reach me directly at garrisons@mcls.org or 517-489-4071.

The MCLS Board of Directors Nominating Committee seeks nominations from the MCLS membership for the following Board openings for 2026-2028:

• Academic Library Representative (Indiana)
• At-Large Library Representative (Indiana)
• Public Library Representative (Indiana)
• School Library Representative (Indiana)
• Academic Library Representative (Michigan)
• Special Library Representative (Michigan)

Each seat serves a three-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and expiring Dec. 31, 2028.

The Board meets four times per year: in February (via Zoom), and in May, August, and November (in person), alternating between Indiana and Michigan. The November meeting includes a Board orientation and a two-day strategy retreat to review activity of the previous year, assess trends, and determine strategic changes to MCLS’s services and offerings. Newly-elected Board members are asked to attend this year’s annual retreat, Nov. 13-15, 2025. MCLS reimburses Board members for all direct meeting expenses.

The MCLS Board follows the Policy Governance Model developed by John and Miriam Carver. New Board members will receive an orientation to Policy Governance the day prior to the Board retreat (Nov. 13).

MCLS’s members are also its owners. The Board represents your interests as owners. Through the nominating process, you have the opportunity to put forth the names of those who will define our Ends and Limits, both of which guide MCLS staff as they consider the products, programs, and services MCLS offers. The slate of candidates will be chosen from the nominations, voted on by the current Board of Directors in August, and presented to membership for election in early September. MCLS will announce Board election results in October.

To assist you in nominating candidates, please read Section 3 of the Board Policy Manual for an overview of the Board’s work and responsibilities. Under MCLS’s Bylaws Section 4.03, only designated Member Representatives or Alternates from MCLS member institutions are eligible to serve on the Board.

If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors or wish to submit a nominee, please complete this form. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Central) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. If you would prefer to mail your nomination, please send it to: MCLS Nominating Committee, 1407 Rensen Street, Lansing, MI 48910-3657.

MCLS will be sending out a membership renewal email reminder to key library contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) in early June. This email offers an opportunity to both respond with any changes to your membership and provide updated contact information ahead of our July 1 renewal date.  

Invoices will be generated and emailed to your MCLS billing contact in mid-June. School libraries already received their invoices in May.  

If your library’s director or billing contact has recently changed, please send updates to Gwen at membership@mcls.org as soon as possible. Thank you so much for being an MCLS member! 

The next date in MCLS’s popular Virtual Dialogue series is Thursday, July 17, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Eastern (9:30-11 a.m. Central). Our 2025 Virtual Dialogues are designed to provide opportunities for those in the library industry to connect and engage around various topics related to the future of libraries. Watch for July’s topic coming soon on the email lists and our website. 

MCLS Virtual Dialogues are not courses or webinars, but rather opportunities to engage with others in the profession. Please plan to have your microphone enabled and camera on to participate.

Questions? Reach out to the Engagement, Consulting, and Training team at engagement@mcls.org. 

We look forward to connecting with you! 

The following library staff members have earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending workshops through MCLS:  

Basic Cataloging Certificate 
Amelia Chea, Kitsap Regional Library, WA
Jennifer Rasmussen, Northville District Library, MI
Timothy J. Streasick, University of Michigan – Dearborn, MI
Joan K. Weddell, Oakland Community College, MI 

Advanced Cataloging Certificate 
Katelyn Arasin, United States Airforce Academy, Fort Carson Grant Library, CO  

Basic Essential Workplace Skills Certificate 
Teresa M. Baldwin, Eaton Rapids Area District Library, MI
Mary Gleason, Orion Township Public Library, MI
Jennifer Rasmussen, Northville District Library, MI 

Interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? For details, see our website.

Essential Workplace Skills tutorials are free to MCLS members as a member benefit! For questions, please contact Gwen at training@mcls.org or 517-220-9950. 

MCLS negotiates discounted subscription terms with our vendors as well as renewal rates and license terms. When you meet with a vendor, ask if they work with MCLS and request MCLS pricing. This will initiate the vendor to send your quote to MCLS. When we receive a quote from a vendor, we ask for both list and MCLS discounted pricing. We will share that with you. If you opt to subscribe or purchase through MCLS, we will invoice you and take care of obtaining renewal pricing for as long as you wish to offer the resource.

MCLS will be sending out a membership renewal email reminder to key school library contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) in early May. This email offers an opportunity to both respond with any changes to your membership and provide updated contact information ahead of our July 1 renewal date. Invoices will be generated and emailed to your MCLS billing contact in mid-May for schools and mid-June for all other libraries. 

If your library’s director or billing contact has recently changed, please send updates to Gwen at membership@mcls.org as soon as possible.

Thank you so much for being an MCLS member! 

        

MCLS is pleased to welcome the following new libraries and organizations to our member community:

Liberty Fund, Inc., Indiana
Oakland City-Columbia Township Public Library, Indiana
Odon Winkelpleck Public Library, Indiana
Princeton Public Library, Indiana

Are you interested in becoming a member of MCLS? You can view our member benefits and access our online membership application here. Contact Gwen at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 with any questions.

This month, I’ll feature video of a recent conversation I had with Rima Zalghout, librarian at the Russell J. Abaid Library and Resource Center at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI. I encourage you to visit the Museum and its library and learn more about the Arab world and Arab Americans’ experiences. The video is just under 15 minutes in length, and I’ve summarized Rima’s answers to my questions below. Contact Rima to learn more about her library and arrange a visit at RZalghout@accesscommunity.org

Tell me about services your library offers and who your primary users are. (starts at 0:30) 

The Russell J. Abaid Library and Resource Center has the biggest collection by and about Arab Americans, featuring library collections on the Arab world, Arab studies, and the Michael Suleiman collection. The library has a reading room and a meeting room that hosts pre/post-tour discussions for museum visitors, poetry readings, and youth programs. It also has a recording studio for recording oral histories. Rima is a solo librarian and triages all reference requests. The Museum serves Dearborn’s high concentration of Arab Americans and is a national museum serving many including researchers from across the country. The library is open by appointment only.   

What is something you want your community and the MCLS community to know about your library and the impact it makes? (starts at 3:14) 

The library and Museum are full of history and knowledge, which Rima wants to provide to those who want it for uses including exhibits, education, and personal or professional research. The library’s space is versatile and used by different groups.  

What are some current priorities, plans, and projects at your library? (starts at 4:29) 

A current project is to turn their recording room into a community history room for oral histories, handling digital documents, and genealogy (which goes hand in hand with research). Rima also facilitates an annual Arab American book awards program with a ceremony in November. She is currently collecting fiction and non-fiction books to send to judges.   

What is a recent initiative or achievement you’re proud of? (starts at 5:55) 

Rima is proud of the community history room and can see them achieving the end goal for the space. She has also done a collection inventory to understand collection gaps and have more informed discussion with patrons.  

If your library collaborates with others (whether in your institution, library type, region, etc.), how do you do that? (starts at 7:24) 

The library is part of the DALNET consortium, which is a great resource that connects Rima with colleagues who are doing similar work (including at the Detroit Institute of the Arts). She also works with the Museum’s education department, public programming group for book events, and is helping gather resources for a traveling exhibit the Museum is planning.  

How does your library engage with MCLS? (starts at 9:07) 

MCLS is the means by which Rima does professional development as an early-career librarian who is learning. The library plans to join MeLCat this year, which will be a huge boon. 

How can people learn more about the Arab American National Museum and the library? (starts at 10:15) 

The easiest way to learn more is to visit! The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, and the library is open by appointment. Anyone can email her with questions, ideas, and more (RZalghout@accesscommunity.org).  

Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should have? (starts at 11:56) 

Rima suggested asking about her favorite collections in the library – two are their graphic novels and community cookbook collection. The cookbook collection contains church and other recipes that are embedded in the Arab American community’s history and shows its longevity.  

Thank you for reading and/or watching the video. If you’d like your library featured in an upcoming MCLS newsletter, contact me at garrisons@mcls.org. 

MCLS is pleased to welcome Karmanos Cancer Institute (MI) to our community. We are glad to have you!  

Is your library interested in becoming a member of MCLS? You can view our member benefits and access our online membership application here. Contact Gwen at membership@mcls.org or 517-939-1388 with any questions.

The following individuals have earned Certificates of Library Staff Development by attending online workshops through MCLS: 

Basic Cataloging Certificate
Kayla M. Barnish, Chesterfield Township Library, MI
Sarah Anne Chilton, Lincoln Township Public Library, MI
A. Elizabeth Wilson-Cotey, Valparaiso University, IN 

Advanced Cataloging Certificate
Tracy Dee Coburn, Richland Public Library, WA 

Essential Workplace Skills Certificate
Pamela Schmidt, Westchester Public Library, IN
Amanda Michelle Kiefer, Leanna Hicks Public Library of Inkster, MI 

Are you interested in obtaining your Certificate of Library Staff Development? Visit our website for requirements and more information. Essential Workplace Skills tutorials are free to MCLS members as a member benefit!  

Questions? Contact Gwen at training@mcls.org or 517-220-9950. 

The MCLS Board of Directors Nominating Committee seeks nominations from the MCLS membership for the following Board openings for 2025-2027:

• At-Large Library Representative (Indiana) 
• School Library Representative (Indiana) 
• Research Library (Indiana)  

Each seat has a three-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and expiring Dec. 31, 2027. The Board meets four times per year, in February (Zoom), May, August, and November (each in person), and Board meetings alternate between Indiana and Michigan. The November meeting includes a Board orientation and a two-day strategy retreat to review activity of the previous year, assess trends, and determine strategic changes to MCLS’s services and offerings. Newly-elected Board members are asked to attend this year’s annual retreat in November. MCLS reimburses Board members for all direct meeting expenses.

The MCLS Board uses the Policy Governance Model developed by John and Miriam Carver. New Board members will receive an orientation to Policy Governance the day prior to the Board retreat. 

MCLS’s members are also its owners. The Board represents your interests as owners. Through the nominating process, you have the opportunity to put forth the names of those who will define our Ends and Limits, both of which guide MCLS staff as they consider the products, programs, and services MCLS offers. To assist you in nominating candidates, read Section 3 of the Board Policy Manual for an overview of the Board’s work and responsibilities. Under MCLS’s Bylaws Section 4.03, only designated Member Representatives or Alternates from MCLS member institutions are eligible to serve on the Board. 

The slate of candidates will be chosen from the nominations, voted on by the current Board of Directors in August, and presented to the membership for election in early September. 

If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors or wish to submit the name of a nominee, please complete this form. The deadline for submitting names is 5 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Central) on Friday, July 5, 2024. If you prefer to mail your nomination, please send it to: MCLS Nominating Committee, 1407 Rensen Street, Lansing, MI 48910-3657. 

MCLS will be sending out a membership renewal email reminder to key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) in early May for schools and early June for all other libraries. This email offers an opportunity to respond with any changes to your membership and to provide updated contact information ahead of our July 1 renewal date. Invoices will be generated and emailed to your MCLS billing contact in mid-May for schools and mid-June for all other libraries.

If your library has had a recent change in director or your billing contact has changed, please contact us at membership@mcls.org.

Key library staff can view your library’s Member Account Online (MAO) through our MCLS portal. To request an online account, email membership@mcls.org. If you already have an account but have forgotten your password, you can click the “Forget your User ID or password” button on the login page to receive updated information via email.

If you are from a library in Michigan or Indiana that would like to become an MCLS member, please fill out the membership application on our website. Not sure if your library is an MCLS member? You can check out our list of 648 members here!