February 2026 - Michlib-l

MI PR Group upcoming meeting reminder - Tuesday, April 16
by Kelly Rembert 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Hi Everyone, Here is your friendly reminder about an upcoming roundtable meeting of the MI PR Group on Tuesday, April 16 at 10am on Zoom. The MI PR Group was created to bring Michigan library marketers together to share successes, learn from non-successes and to tackle industry issues together. Whether your job title is "Marketing", or promotion is just one of many hats you wear, this group is here to support you! We will have a roundtable meeting so bring questions, concerns and successes to share! Southfield Public Library is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: MI PR Group meeting Time: Every month on the Third Tue, 5 occurrence(s) April 16, 2024 10:00 AM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tJAoceCsqT0rE93Q3ZNCTzdMrQlvVVQ1VL8Z/ics?ic… Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/94569476199?pwd=aVVBV2J5aXlEcDAxZk9vMkRjZ280Zz09 Meeting ID: 945 6947 6199 Passcode: 152088 One tap mobile +13017158592,,94569476199#,,,,*152088# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,94569476199#,,,,*152088# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 945 6947 6199 Passcode: 152088 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcEzRnEqCy Much thanks, Kelly Kelly Ireland Rembert Outreach Librarian Southfield Public Library 26300 Evergreen Rd. Southfield, MI 48076 (248) 796-4367 krembert(a)southfieldlibrary.org<mailto:krembert@southfieldlibrary.org> www.southfieldlibrary.org<http://www.southfieldlibrary.org/> she/her/hers

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Program Recommendation - Maurice Imhoff author of The 1st Colored Regiment: Free Men Who Fought Slavery
by Kelly Rembert 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Hi, I wanted to recommend author Maurice Imhoff. He is the author of The 1st Colored Regiment: Free Men Who Fought Slavery<https://www.amazon.com/1st-Michigan-Colored-Regiment-Slavery/dp/146715878X/…>. We posted a few photos from the presentation at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BEGmrSaY4/. He is based out of Jackson and you can contact him at imhoff.maurice(a)gmail.com. Thanks, Kelly Kelly Ireland Rembert Outreach Librarian Southfield Public Library 26300 Evergreen Rd. Southfield, MI 48076 (248) 796-4367 krembert(a)southfieldlibrary.org<mailto:krembert@southfieldlibrary.org> www.southfieldlibrary.org<http://www.southfieldlibrary.org/> she/her/hers

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LM's CE Stipend still available for PLA
by Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Hi! From Building Babies' Brains to Inclusive Youth Programming, I see quite a number of intriguing youth services programs at PLA's Annual Conference<https://www.placonference.org/> this year. And don't forget MLA's Spring Institute<https://www.milibraries.org/spring-institute> is also coming up fast! To take advantage of attending these great opportunities for networking and ideas on expanding your library's reach, you can still apply for the Library of Michigan CE Stipend<https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/libraries/ce/scholarships/librar…> through the end of February for reimbursment on qualified<https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/-/media/Project/Websites/library…> <https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/-/media/Project/Websites/library…> PLA and MLA SI expenses. Applicants can also request an additional $150.00 if your library is more than 150 miles from the event location. Please visit our CE Stipend site for more information: https://www.mi.gov/cestipend. I will be attending both these conferences myself, so I hope to see you there! Best, 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/> Join the MiYouth<https://liblists.org/postorius/lists/miyouth.liblists.org/> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services. [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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Calling all Poets & Parodists
by Janet O'Keefe 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

If you are a poet, or know any who might be interested, please consider submitting a work! We know there are funny people out in library land and we'd love to celebrate you. Gloria Coles Flint Public Library Celebrating 175 Years with the Return of the Julia Moore Poetry Contest To honor its 175th Anniversary, the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library is excited to announce the return of one of its most unique and beloved historic programs: The Julia Moore Poetry Contest. This contest is part of a yearlong celebration of the Library’s impact, service, and commitment to the Flint community since 1851. It’s good to be bad! Julia Moore (1847–1920), known as “The Sweet Singer of Michigan,” became famous not because her poetry was praised, but because it was joyfully bad. Audiences came to laugh at her work, not with it. But Moore always kept her sense of humor and once said, “You have come here and paid twenty-five cents to see a fool; I receive seventy-five dollars and see a whole houseful of fools.” Her poems were sentimental, dramatic, and often centered around disasters, tragedies, and death. Nothing was off limits. And now the Library invites the public to embrace that same spirit in celebration of creativity, humor, and community. Do you love a rhyme that barely rhymes? Do you feel a collapsed bridge is absolutely poem-worthy? Do you think an awkward metaphor is sometimes exactly the right choice? If so, this contest is for you. This contest is one of many opportunities throughout 2026 where the Library will uplift our history, our roots, and the voices that have shaped Flint for 175 years. For nearly two centuries, people have come through our doors to learn, laugh, imagine, and create. This contest invites the community to celebrate that joyful legacy and to add their own voice to the story. Come all good people, far and near, Oh, come and see what you can hear! Entries will be accepted: January 1, 2026 through March 18, 2026 Winners’ celebration: Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Location: Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St, Flint, MI 48503 Winners may read their poem during the event, but it is not required. Full contest details and online submissions are available at https://www.fpl.info/julia-moore-contest Janet T. O'Keefe Lead Librarian Gloria Coles Flint Public Library 1026 E. Kearsley Flint MI 48503 810-249-2579 She/Her/Hers

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GoLM - Summer Reading Button Exchange
by matt.grayvin＠rhpl.org 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

It’s time for the first ever Summer Reading Button Exchange! What is a button exchange? The Guild of Library Makers is inviting libraries and partner organizations to create buttons and send them in to be mixed into mystery boxes that will be mailed back out to participants. Show off your creativity and receive a box of buttons from libraries across the state. To participate, make 50 buttons with a summer reading theme and send them to us. We will mix all submitted buttons, sort them into mystery boxes, and return one box to each participating group. The exchange is open to libraries, schools, library co-ops, and other organizations that partner with their local library to promote and support summer reading. If you participate in RIDES and invite a group that does not, please have them use your library as the receiving location for their mystery box to help reduce shipping costs. What you do with the buttons is up to you. Display them, wear them, give them to patrons, or trade them with other libraries. We encourage you to share photos and send thank-yous or shout-outs to the groups whose buttons you receive. How to sign up Email guildoflibrarymakers(a)gmail.com Your email must: * Include “2026 Button Exchange” in the subject line * Include the name of your library, institution, or organization * Include your RIDES code, if applicable (RIDES codes can be found at members.mcls.org/w/melcatforms/melcontacts-rides.cfm) * Include your physical mailing address * Include a primary contact name, phone number, and email address Make 50 buttons Be creative. Buttons can be made using a button press, illustrated by students, 3D printed, crocheted, or made by any other method. Use any fastening style (pin back, magnet clasp, etc.), but please ensure sharp components are secured for shipping and keep overall weight reasonable. Your buttons must: * Have a summer reading theme * Include your organization’s name or logo so recipients know where they came from If you need help making buttons, contact the Guild of Library Makers at guildoflibrarymakers(a)gmail.com and we will connect you with support or local resources. Prepare and ship your buttons Place all buttons in a box. Please do not ship in an envelope. Clearly label the outside of the box with “2026 Summer Reading Button Exchange.” Include a sheet inside the box with: * Your organization’s name * Your RIDES code (if applicable) * Your mailing address * A contact name, phone number, and email address Buttons must be received no later than March 31, 2026. Shipping options: Send through the RIDES network to: Dearborn Heights Library, John F. Kennedy, Jr. Branch Attn: Carolyn Smith RIDES code: 500-ZV370_28 Or mail/drop off at: Wilder Branch Library Attn: Sarah Mills / Justine Cucchi-Dietlin 7140 E 7 Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48234 After that, relax and wait for your mystery box. We will begin processing submissions during the first week of April and ship all boxes by the end of the month so they arrive in time for summer reading. We encourage participants to take photos of their designs, staff, volunteers, and creative process. Share them on your website or social media using #SummerReading and #MIButtonExchange. You may also email photos to guildoflibrarymakers(a)gmail.com or share them in our Discord community at https://discord.gg/9vRYyXKPrf Thank you to the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Branch of the Dearborn Heights Library, the Wilder Branch of the Detroit Public Library, and the Deliveries team at The Library Network for helping make this exchange possible. Questions, suggestions, or interested in helping? Connect with the Guild of Library Makers. Website: guildoflibrarymakers.com Email: guildoflibrarymakers(a)gmail.com Discord: https://discord.gg/9vRYyXKPrf Happy making! GoLM

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water bottles never claimed
by mgoedge＠petoskeylibrary.org 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Happy Thursday, We accumulate an alarming amount of reusable water bottles in our lost and found and I've tried to think of a cheeky way to give them a new life rather than sending them to a donation pile. Has anything worked for your library? My ideas: Clean/sanitize/bleach and seal them and set them out as free to take near our bottle filler Partner with local restaurants or beverage spots to fill them one time for free Fill them with soup (eek) Get a free book from the Friends book sale if you take one home! Fill with candy so patrons will take one home! Take five and fill them with water in case of emergency! Thank you and I'd love to hear solutions to this low-stakes epidemic, Megan Petoskey District Library

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Free materials from the Women's Health Partnership
by Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of death for Michigan women, and to tackle this issue the Cancer Prevention and Control Section of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has screening programs for women. * The Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Navigation Program (BC3NP)<https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/chronicdiseases/cancer/bc3np> provides breast and cervical cancer screening to eligible women. * The WISEWOMAN Program<https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/chronicdiseases/cancer/wisew…> provides screening for heart disease risk factors and health coaching to make lifestyle changes. * The Program for Breast Cancer in Young Adults<https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/chronicdiseases/cancer/breas…> provides educational and quality of life resources for cancer survivors, metastatic thrivers, caregivers, and health professionals. To promote these programs, the MDHHS Cancer Section began the Women’s Health Partnership<https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/chronicdiseases/cancer/women…> to partner with organizations to: * Enroll women for lifesaving health screenings. * Engage women in services for themselves and their families. * Educate about breast cancer risk and improve the quality of life of those impacted by cancer. * Help women take advantage of FREE health services in the communities they serve. How can libraries help with this effort? Feel free to order free materials<https://www.research.net/r/WHP_Materials> <https://www.research.net/r/WHP_Materials> (bookmarks, flyers in multiple languages, display items) to provide these resources in your community. Thank you, 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/> Join the MiYouth<https://liblists.org/postorius/lists/miyouth.liblists.org/> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services. [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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Join us TODAY for Digital Collections Office Hours!
by Gallo, Biz (MDE) 12 Feb '26

12 Feb '26

Please join us for our first Digital Collections Office Hours of the year, Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 10:30-11:30 am. Do you have questions about creating digital collections? Do you have material that you want to digitize and share with your community, but don't know where to start? Are you interested in preserving your digital content and need tool recommendations? Join experts from the Library of Michigan<https://cms.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/libraries/digitization/>, DPLA Michigan Service Hub<https://michmemories.org/>, and the Michigan Digital Preservation Network<http://mipres.org/> for free advice during new monthly open office hours! Come with questions, like... * What grants are available to support digitization of my collections? * What file format should I be scanning to for long-term preservation? * What platforms can I use to publish digital collections? * How do I work with volunteers to create a scanning program? * And much, much more! Office Hours will be held virtually the second Thursday of every month from 10:30-11:30 am and are open to any staff or volunteers at libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, or other cultural memory organizations! Use the link below to register for office hours and receive the Zoom link. Come for a question, stay to join the discussion! Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lce-upj8oG9XI77qeMfLkRc_04ehDFp… Biz Gallo Statewide Digitization Initiatives Coordinator Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo, Lansing, MI 48915 GalloB(a)michigan.gov<mailto:GalloB@michigan.gov> | mi.gov/LMdigitization<http://mi.gov/LMdigitization> | 517-335-1402 she/her/hers [Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan]<https://www.michigan.gov/mde/resources/michigans-top-10-strategic-education…> [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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Presenter Recommendation
by Mick Howey 11 Feb '26

11 Feb '26

Hello Michlib! Monday evening, BPL had the pleasure to host Rodney David Deal from the Detroit Historical Society. Rodney's program was Freedom Confirmed: President Abraham Lincoln's Courage To Create Change. His presentation was interesting, informative, well thought out, and highlighted a different aspect of Abraham Lincoln. Rodney was engaging and personable, conversational and knowledgeable, and made what could have been a complicated topic easy to understand. Unlike my last presenter recommendation, here is Rodney's contact information. You can reach, and other great presenters, through the Detroit Historical Society's Speakers Bureau at https://www.detroithistorical.org/speakers-bureau We've used the Society's Speakers Bureau for 3 presentations with another coming next month. All were great presentations! Please let me know if you have any questions. Cheers, Mick Howey, MLIS Adult Services Librarian II Baldwin Public Library 300 West Merrill Street Birmingham, MI 48009 (248) 554-4649 https://www.baldwinlib.org/

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Laingsburg Happenings
by Sara Danford 11 Feb '26

11 Feb '26

Hi all, We are hosting an open house meet’n’greet for our Dog Sled and Native Art Exhibit on 2/28 and I am inviting and sharing the flyer with you all. This is a tribute to local craftspeople in our community for their effectiveness at crossing cultural boundaries by means of niche skilled crafts. Included in the special exhibit are Native American wares that were received in appreciation of a local sled dog maker’s craftsmanship and heart. Other items were procured for personal study and enjoyment, such as numerous Native American baskets provided by master basket weaver, Annie Brock. Accompanying books are available for checkout for further research and intrigue. Hope to see you. All the best, Sara J. Danford Director, Laingsburg Public Library 517.651.6282

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