Discussions around the State and Reminders of Upcoming Events

The discussion about a new vision or model for regionally distributed services for Michigan's libraries continues. At their invitation, I've recently met with the directors member libraries of Superiorland and Hiawathaland Cooperatives at a meeting in Marquette. I've been to Saginaw to meet with the member library directors of White Pine Cooperative. I met Friday with the directors of member libraries from Lakeland in Grand Rapids. And, a little over a week from now, I will meet in Sterling Heights with the directors of member libraries in the Suburban Library Cooperative. The ideas generated in these meetings have been invaluable to me in honing my thoughts on the subject and in gathering all of the facts and needs for services to libraries and to patrons. I will have the opportunity to meet with the Cooperative Directors Association later this month as well, and will receive more input and comment from them at that time.

Late in July I was pleased to be included in the initial brainstorming for strategic planning for the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME). At the day long session in Grand Rapids the group had wonderful interaction and generated many productive ideas for a vision for the future of MAME. This week I will be a participant, along many others, in the Michigan Library Association's Directors' Summit, to be held here in Lansing. I am confident that the discussion there will be similarly productive and energizing as MLA looks to the future as well.

Back at the Library of Michigan, in the newly expanded Lake Erie Room on the first floor, preparation for the huge mailing for the 2007 Michigan Reads! program is underway. We're sending out over 5,000 "Big Chickens" books and related programming materials to libraries, elementary schools, Headstarts, and school readiness programs. Look for information to come on the Book Festival of our generous corporate sponsor, Target Corporation, on August 25th at Kensington Park near Brighton and for the month-long Michigan Reads! programming that will take place around the state during the month of September. It should be a lot of fun and a great way to promote reading to children!


Of course, the reason Lake Erie has been expanded and renovated is because the old Lake Ontario Room in our building is now a part of the area that holds the State Law Library Collection, which has been moved from the Williams Building where it had resided for years. We are so excited to have all of the Library of Michigan collections under one roof at long last. The collection remains closed for another week or so while the move gets finished and the staff has a chance to get organized and settled before opening to the public and state government.

Finally, don't forget that the 2007 State Librarian's Excellence Award nominations are due by September 6th. You can find details about the program at the Library of Michigan homepage. It's all about excellent customer service and is open to libraries of all sizes, types, locations, etc. Be sure your library takes the opportunity to be considered for the $5,000 award sponsored by the Library of Michigan Foundation and Hantz Group, or one of the two $1,000 citations of excellence, sponsored by the Foundation and Edward Surovell Realtors. The awards will be announced and celebrated at the State Librarian's Luncheon at the Michigan Library Association Annual Conference in Lansing this fall.