December 2025 - Michlib-l

Not Your Mother's Librarian
by Lisa Rabey 19 Dec '25

19 Dec '25

Happy holidays everyone! I can't believe it's been a year since I started this project! I wanted to share the recording for Not Your Mother's Librarian that I presented to a global audience, via Creative Mornings, back in November. There were A LOT of Michigan library workers who attended, and I am grateful for the representation! The presentation starts with the history of librarianship, which dates back to nearly 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus (so it's older than Christianity), to what libraries do today. There were a lot of great comments and a few nit picky ones that I didn't give the gossip on what happens at my library. I work at a class 2 library where the most exciting thing happening is when one of the patrons comes in and spends over $100 on print jobs. Not much to tell! Over 300 people signed up but I'm not sure how many attended. I know the slide deck has been downloaded nearly 150 times, so that makes me happy! If you find the presentation useful, interesting, or entertaining, pass it around! The video and slide deck will always remain free and freely available for download. Video: https://bit.ly/NGINotYrMthrsLibrnVideo Slide deck: https://bit.ly/NotYrMothersLibrarian <https://bit.ly/NotYrMothersLibrarian> Lisa Lisa Rabey | (She/They) --------------------------------- I am everywhere: https://lisarabey.com Jane Austen and Brontës empire: https://excessivelydiverting.net Nerd Girl Industries: https://nerdgirl.net Scarlet McAdams: https://msscarletwrites.online

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Youth & Teen Services Updates
by Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) 19 Dec '25

19 Dec '25

Food Literacy Workshop Gather 'Round the Table with Teens - returns! In-person workshops, 10:00 am ET - 5:00 pm ET for the following dates/locations: * Monday, April 20, 2026 - Register for this session<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/even…> at Jackson District Library's Meijer Branch, 4699 Airport Road, Jackson, 49202. * Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - Register for this session<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/even…> at Traverse Area District Library's Woodmere Library, 610 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City 49686. * Friday, April 24, 2026 - Register for this session<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/even…> at Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St., Flint, 48503. Food literacy is essential for teens to understand and learn about food in a positive way, including food skills and best food practices. Young Adult library library staff will benefit from this workshop designed to guide libraries to in turn support teens as they explore the impact of food on so many levels of their lives. This project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan. Ready to Read Michigan Presents: Foundations of the Science of Reading for Public Library Professionals<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/even…> (a two-part webinar series) Tuesday, January 27, 2026 and Tuesday, February 3, 2026 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET The Reading League advances the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. This two-part webinar series* will be taking a deeper dive into the "Science of Reading" and how libraries can help support best practices for early literacy development. The Science of Reading embodies over 40 years of research findings from multiple fields of study that shine a light on key fundamental principles of reading instruction. In the Foundations of the Science of Reading session, participants will learn about three "anchors" that have emerged from this research. These include: * The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) * Scarborough's Reading Rope (Scarborough, 2001) * Four-Part Processing Model for Word Recognition (Seidenberg & McClelland, 1989) *This webinar will be recorded for registrants<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/even…>, but live attendance is encouraged for an engaging conversation. This project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan. Resources Braille Literacy Month with MI's BTBL Braille Literacy Month begins January 1st, and we celebrate World Braille Day on January 4th to commemorate the birthday of Louis Braille. In preparation and celebration, we wanted to provide you some fun programming ideas you can do in your library in the New Year. For the activities listed below, please email me directly at wambaughs(a)michigan.gov<mailto:wambaughs@michigan.gov> and I will provide you with the PDFs that you can print at your library (the files are too large to attach in the listserv). I can also mail you braille alphabet cards if you plan to use any of the following activities. * NLS Fun with Braille activity sheet * Write Your Name in Braille activity * Using glue, puffy paint, dot markers, etc. to write your name in braille, instead of slate and stylus- Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/259238522292649299/ or https://www.pinterest.com/pin/910571618385462134/ * Crack the Code activity * A Facebook post about Braille Literacy Month- please tag us @MichiganBTBL! (I’m happy to provide images that can be used to promote braille literacy!) * Storytime highlighting Louis Braille, a character with a visual disability, characters with glasses, characters with white canes, etc. * Adult book club or Netflix miniseries discussion about All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr * Braille Lego Lab<https://legobraillebricks.com/> Questions? Contact Stephanie Wambaugh, wambaughs(a)michigan.gov<mailto:wambaughs@michigan.gov>. For more information on BTBL, visit our website<https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/bureau-of-services-for-blind-…> or follow us on Facebook @MichiganBTBL<https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081670844611>. 2026 Early Literacy Calendar Now Available at the ALA Store: PLA members receive an extra discount<https://americanlibraryassociation.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE5MDc4MiZwPT…> Step into a colorful year of reading, writing, singing, talking, playing, and counting with the 2026 Early Literacy Calendar! Share these fun, reproducible calendars with families at your library and support early literacy growth all year long. Each month features hands-on, family-friendly activities that spark curiosity and support early learning. Use code ELC26 at checkout to receive both your PLA and ALA member discounts for a total of 20% off the list price. Early Literacy Calendar (English)<https://americanlibraryassociation.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE5MDc4MiZwPT…> Early Literacy Calendar (Spanish)<https://americanlibraryassociation.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE5MDc4MiZwPT…> Bring Acts of Science: Connected to Your Community This April—Sign Up to Livestream! Apply now<https://pages.scistarter.org/connected-facilitators/> <https://pages.scistarter.org/connected-facilitators/> to be one of 250 libraries hosting a satellite event this April! SciStarter will provide all the resources you need — from livestream access to event materials, toolkits, and promotional content. New to Citizen Science? If you or your library staff are new to citizen science, start with these foundational tools: 🎓 Library Training Tutorial: Learn the basics of citizen and community science, and how to introduce it to your library users. 👉 SciStarter.org/training-library<https://l4yex5cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001j-3166DHclg9azvjOPUoLrN4nGTQc46zlB…> 🌐 Library Resource Hub: Explore kit-building guides, project recommendations, promotional materials, and professional development tools designed for libraries. 👉 SciStarter.org/library<https://l4yex5cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001j-3166DHclg9azvjOPUoLrN4nGTQc46zlB…> Outstanding Science Trade Books and Best STEM Books for 2026! The Children’s Book Council (CBC) and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) are proud to present the winning children’s and teen titles for both the Outstanding Science Trade Books and Best STEM Books for 2026! Since 2017, the CBC and NSTA have been coordinating and promoting these nationally recognized book award lists. Each year, the NSTA selects expert educators to form committees for each award and the CBC coordinates with publishers to send hundreds of newly published books to them to read and evaluate. The 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books<https://tea4sccab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001U-nrceXfrqroiRKDJQWZSoWbhXcxHwd6SZ…> and 2026 Best STEM Books<https://tea4sccab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001U-nrceXfrqroiRKDJQWZSoWbhXcxHwd6SZ…> winners are on the CBC website. Along with our online display of book covers and bibliographic information, there are also spreadsheets so that you can easily sort and check these lists against your collection or inventory. In the News... ‘The Librarians’ To Premiere on PBS on February 9<https://www.slj.com/story/The-Librarians-To-Premiere-PBS-February-9> - SLJ, 12/5/25 Planning a Cents-ational Financial Literacy Storytime<https://programminglibrarian.org/articles/planning-cents-ational-financial-…> - Programming Librarian, 12/9/25 Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season, Cathy Lancaster Youth Services Coordinator Library of Michigan 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48915 My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org<http://www.mypronouns.org/> to learn more. LancasterC5(a)michigan.gov<mailto:LancasterC5@michigan.gov> | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan<http://www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan> Follow us: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/libraryofmichigan/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/libraryofmich> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmichigan/> [Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan] [Michigan.gov/Vote logo Description automatically generated]<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/> Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/>.

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MeL Minute: A Sleuth’s Guide to MeL Marketing Magic
by Williams, Barbara (MDE) 19 Dec '25

19 Dec '25

[cid:image001.png@01DC70D7.3976AA70]A Sleuth’s Guide to MeL Marketing Magic It was a quiet morning at the library. The coffee was hot, the stacks were neat, and everything seemed perfectly ordinary, until a whisper of mystery drifted in. Patrons were asking about MeL resources, but the posters were missing, the social media posts were silent, and the flyers? Gone without a trace. That’s when the clue appeared: Digital & Print Assets<https://mel.org/library-staff/promote/digital-print-assets>. A tucked-away trove of marketing tools, ready for you to explore. Flyers, posters, social media graphics; all waiting to be discovered. Thoughtfully designed materials that make promoting MeL simple and stress-free. Inside the Digital & Print Assets<https://mel.org/library-staff/promote/digital-print-assets> page, you’ll find: * Eye-catching graphics for your social feeds: scroll down for Social Media Resources for 5+ years if images and copy * Ready-to-print flyers, templates, and posters for your library walls and bookmarks: scroll down to MeL Print Assets. * Step-by-step guide to using the print and digital assets and the communication templates: scroll down to Guide to MeL Promotions Toolkit * Mittens Files – Adorable, eye-catching graphics featuring MeLCat's feline mascot. Perfect for social posts and kid-friendly promotions! * MeLCat Magazine – A polished, ready-to-share publication that highlights the magic of MeLCat. Great for linking in newsletters or your webpage. TIP ALERT! The hyperlinks on the Digital & Print Assets page will download the files directly to your browser’s downloads folder (except PDFs, which open in a new tab), so you won’t see a preview page first. But here’s the twist: these resources shine brightest when they’re put to work. If they stay tucked away, they’ll never get the chance to help you solve the mystery of marketing MeL. Follow the Trail The investigation doesn’t stop there. Other pages hold more secrets: * Promotional Materials<https://mel.org/library-staff/promote/promotional-materials> – Order bookmarks and posters for your patrons * Design Your Website<https://mel.org/library-staff/promote/design-your-website> – Tips for weaving MeL into your site * Logos and Usage Guidelines<https://mel.org/logos-and-usage-guidelines> – Keep your branding sharp and consistent 🔍 Solve the Case These tools are ready and waiting to help your library shine! Visit the Digital & Print Assets<https://mel.org/library-staff/promote/digital-print-assets> page today. Explore the clues, share them with your patrons, and make MeL the star of your library’s story. The mystery is yours to unravel. Ready to begin? If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact melerhelp(a)mcls.org<mailto:melerhelp@mcls.org> for help. Author/editor: Hi! I'm Shauna Quick, the Technology Access Consultant at the Library of Michigan. In an effort to understand how AI can help libraries, I've been practicing different use scenarios such as writing this MeLMinute like a cozy mystery novel. I had help from Microsoft Copilot to change the tone and descriptions of this month's theme (mysterious, right?). I asked it to rewrite my text like a science fiction novel, children's librarian getting ready for story time, and finally a cozy mystery novel. I hope you enjoyed the mysterious flair. Supporting Michigan libraries by putting you first. Want more information on MeL?  Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org<http://mel.org/>, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery<https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MILOM/subscriber/new>. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks. MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only. The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan. Barbara Williams, MLIS Library Development Analyst (MDE) Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, MI 48909 WilliamsB39(a)michigan.gov<mailto:WilliamsB39@michigan.gov> I (517) 241-2149 [cid:image002.png@01DC70D7.3976AA70] [cid:image003.png@01DC70D7.3976AA70] Do you know an outstanding Michigan educator? Nominate them for 2026-27 Michigan Teacher of the Year! The MTOY Program is accepting nominations through September 24. Nominate an educator using the online form<https://mde.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9BjArjCenn1GB14>. For more information visit www.Michigan.gov/mtoy<http://www.michigan.gov/mtoy>. [Michigan.gov/Vote logo Description automatically generated]<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/> Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/>.

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MeL barcodes
by Deb Hemmye 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

Good morning all! I have two questions on this balmy Thursday morning: * What "tricks" do you use when a barcode on a MeL item doesn't scan? We first add a "b" in front of the barcode, then we try adding the "zv172" Rides number at the end, then we try both. We've also tried adding the Rides number at the front of the barcode. It feels like we are getting more and more of these barcodes that won't scan for us in MeL, so I thought I'd reach out and see what everyone else is doing. * * Second, what do you do if you simply cannot scan the item into MeL? We process it for the patron anyway since we can keep track of it through our own ILS. We've tried looking the item up by title in MeL's "Search/Requests" function to see if we can somehow mark it as received through the patron's account, but the titles never come up. I would love to hear about any ideas or processes your library uses! Deb Hemmye Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686 Currently listening to Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins

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ILL Mailers
by Crystal Corcoran 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

Hi all, I found a hoard of ILL mailing materials in a deep corner of my library and I would like to share. I have large bubble mailers and the cardboard ones - CD sizes, and some are single book sizes. Reply with your RIDES code and I'll parse them out, first come first served. -Crystal Crystal Corcoran Head of Adult Services Email: crystal.corcoran(a)farmlib.org<mailto:crystal.corcoran@farmlib.org> Tel: (248) 848-4312 Web: www.farmlib.org Farmington Community Library | One Library, Two Locations [Farmington Community Library's logo. The logomark is three location icons formatted as an open book. The type reads "FCL" in a typewriter font next to the logomark.]FCL Farmington Hills | 32737 W. 12 Mile Rd.<https://www.google.com/maps/place/Farmington+Community+Library/@42.4979744,…> FCL Farmington | 23500 Liberty St.<https://www.google.com/maps/place/Farmington+Community+Library/@42.4643366,…>

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Happy Holidays! Save a Book from Weeding!
by Zac Larson 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

Just thought I'd share a great video seen across social media. Happy Holidays everyone! https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Gv5kRdBmF/<https://www.facebook.com/reel/1401288191558648/?__cft__[0]=AZZzYYyjHQs0OR7y…> Zac Larson Pronouns: He/Him Administration Collection Development Librarian Staffing and Scheduling Devereaux Memorial Library 201 Plum Street[http://www.crawfordco.lib.mi.us/dnn/portals/0/devsm.jpg] Grayling, Michigan 49738 Phone: 989-348-9214 Ext. 203 Fax: 989-348-9294 [cid:7454727e-1945-40da-ae1c-74f89f783f60]

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Summer Reading Party Activities
by Hopkins Library 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

Hello Michigan Library Land, The last few years, we have had a foam party at Summer Reading Wrap-up party (as well as pizza and prizes). This has been our biggest event of the year, and the first year everyone loved the foam party part, but I've noticed that interest in the foam portion has waned a bit. So, I'm wondering if there are other fun activities we could put in its place. Specifically, I'm looking for ideas for activities that are: - accessible to a wide range of ages (toddlers - middle school especially) - no limit on participants (we've had between 100-150 total attendees in past years, probably half of those are children) if people have to wait to participate, that's ok, but we let the entire community attend the party. - Outdoors (we have water and power available in the park) If you have any ideas or have hosted any programs or vendors who fit this bill (and are located or willing to travel to Southwestern Michigan), let me know! Thanks! Kevin Kevin Meyer, Director Hopkins District Library 118 E. Main St. <https://maps.google.com/?q=118+E.+Main+St.+%0D+Hopkins,+MI+49328&entry=gmai…> Hopkins, MI 49328 269-793-7516 http://www.hopkinspl.michlibrary.org/

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Open Position: Technical Services Coordinator.
by Ryan Tackabury 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

The Ruth Hughes Memorial District Library is looking for someone with an eye for detail who loves providing great customer service and being a team player. Our Technical Services Coordinator position oversees the cataloging and processing of the materials in our collection, manages our MeL loans, and helps provide support for programming. Most importantly, they get to work in a great environment, and with a great Director, me! See the attached document for more information, and please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. -- Ryan Tackabury Director Ruth Hughes Memorial District Library 211 North Almont Avenue Imlay City, MI 48444 (810) 721-2737 www.ruthhughes.org

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Ink
by Trevor Van Valkenburg 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

We have extra HP Ink 305A in yellow, magenta, and cyan for a printer we no longer have. If this is useful for anyone email me your RIDES code and I will send them your way.

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Free Books from NDL
by Jenny Rasmussen 18 Dec '25

18 Dec '25

Hello all, We have the following available for claiming. Please provide your TLN Mailer so we can send them out to you! Title Author ISBN Type Count Smoke Gets in Your Eyes Caitlin Doughty 9780393351903 paperback 14 Beautyland Marie-Helene Bertino 9781250338020 paperback 13 The Great Displacement Jake Bittle 9781982178260 paperback 12 Come & Get It Kelly Reid 9780593328224 paperback 12 Thanks, Jenny Rasmussen Technical Services Clerk Northville District Library 212 W. Cady St. Northville, MI 48167 she/her

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