Support MLA Future Pathways Grants

As we approach the end of the year, many of us look for meaningful ways to give back. This year, we invite you to support the MLA Equity Fund. Our goal is to raise $3,000 by year-end, and with your help, we know we can achieve this!

November 5 Election Millage Results

We are excited to share the good news that several libraries around Michigan passed millage proposals during the November election! Library millages are the primary source of funding for most Michigan public libraries and at the ballot box, Michigan residents made it clear that they love, support, and VOTE YES to fund their local libraries. It is a great reminder that regardless of where patrons land on the political spectrum, libraries are for everyone!

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks

Tune in to the second episode of Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks on December 12! December's episode will be hosted by Linda Adams from the Northland Library Cooperative and feature library worker and award-winning photographer, poet, and author, Peter Wurdock from Newberry in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

MLA Strategic Planning Survey

We need to hear from you! This fall, MLA is working with Alliance for Library Impact to develop a new strategic direction and 3-year plan for our work to educate, advocate, and engage libraries and library workers throughout Michigan.

Note from Debbie

The voters have spoken and Michigan will again see a change in House leadership when the 103rd Legislature takes over on January 1, 2025. The short-lived, two-year trifecta of democratic control will come to an end, and while our Governor is a Democrat and the Senate continues to have a democratic majority, the House now has a solid 58-52 Republican majority.  

With that in mind, it is even more critical that we do all that we can before the year's end to pass the Freedom to Read legislation (House Bills 6034 and 6035) that MLA has been supporting for the past two years.

Two weeks ago, Rep. Glanville (D-Walker) and Rep. Paiz (D-Harper Woods) introduced tie-barred legislation that simply requires libraries to adopt collection development policies that incorporate both the principles of the First Amendment and the rights afforded and upheld in civil rights protections. By incorporating both principles into standard library policy, libraries can 1) protect citizen’s rights to receive and express diverse ideas without censorship, and 2) put to rest baseless challenges targeting authors or the subject matter, content, or viewpoint of material based on protected class. 

Freedom to Read Legislation Introduced in House

On Thursday, November 7, new legislation to safeguard library materials from censorship and protect the right to read was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives. The Freedom to Read Act legislation, tie-barred House Bills 6034 and 6035, was introduced by Michigan State Representatives Veronica Paiz (D-Harper Woods) and Carol Glanville (D-Walker) and referred to the Committee on Government Operations. 

Along with the MLA Board, staff, workgroup leadership, and the MI Right to Read Coalition, we are proud to endorse and share this newly introduced legislation.