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Sherry Burton
by Library Director 10 Apr '26

10 Apr '26

Sherry Burton was at Dowagiac District Library last evening for a presentation based on her "Orphan Train Saga" book series. Sherry did a fine job and kept our standing-room-only crowd fully engaged. Highly recommended! https://www.sherryaburton.com/

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MI Tri-Share
by Kimberly Feltner 10 Apr '26

10 Apr '26

Good morning, Branch District Library recently signed up to participate in the MI Tri-Share program, which divides childcare costs among eligible employees, the employer, and the State of Michigan. While the program is excellent in concept, I’ve found the administrative side to be more challenging than expected. I’m reaching out to see if any other libraries are currently offering this benefit. If so, how has your experience been so far? Any insights, lessons learned, or best practices to make it work in reality? Thank you in advance! Kimberly -- Kimberly Feltner Assistant Director Branch District Library 10 E. Chicago St. Coldwater, MI 49036 Phone: (517) 278-2341 ext. 123 Fax: (517) 278-2342 http://www.BranchDistrictLibrary.org

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Inclusive Data Practices: Strengthening connections with rural communities - FREE Infopeople Webinar
by Califa Group 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

How can rural libraries better understand and reach the people who aren’t showing up in their data or their programs? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ [Inclusive Data Practices: Strengthening Connections with Rural Communities - a free Infopeople webinar. April 22, 2026.12-1 p.m. PT/3-4 p.m. ET. Presenters: Stacey Wedlake, Gisela Pancheco, Brenda Hornsby Heindl, Sonia M. Espinoz, and Francisco M. Garcia Ortiz. Fee: $0. Two infographic charts displayed as if during a presentation.]<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1174> Inclusive Data Practices: Strengthening Connections with Rural Communities<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1174> How can rural libraries better understand and reach the people who aren’t showing up in their data or their programs? Rural libraries serve communities with deep social, cultural, and economic diversity, but traditional data often tells an incomplete story. Inclusive data practices offer an asset-based approach that helps libraries identify who may be missing from their current data and discover new ways to connect, engage, and build trust. In this one-hour webinar, a researcher from the University of Washington will introduce the foundations of inclusive data practices and share practical ways rural libraries can begin applying this framework. Library staff from Liberty Public Library (NC) and Sunnyside Library (Yakima Valley Libraries, WA) will highlight real world examples of how they are intentionally building relationships with Spanish-speaking, Latino, and Hispanic communities through thoughtful, community centered strategies. At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will: * Use inclusive data practices to identify groups not reflected in current library data * Recognize and map key community assets * Describe at least three effective strategies for engaging rural communities [Learn More - Description: Rectangle: Rounded Corners: Learn More] Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PST (1-2 p.m. MST, 2-3 p.m. CST, 3-4 p.m. EST) Presenters: * Stacey Wedlake, Research Scientist, University of Information School * Gisela Pacheco, Program Coordinator, Liberty Public Library (NC) * Brenda Hornsby Heindl, Branch Librarian, Liberty Public Library (NC) * Sonia M. Espinoz, Community Library Supervisor III, Yakima Valley Libraries (WA) * Francisco M. Garcia Ortiz, Public Library Services Director, Yakima Valley Libraries (WA) Fee: $0, Free to everyone! Learn More and Register Today!<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1174> Upcoming Courses<https://infopeople.org/training> [A watercolor image of a man carrying a toddler girl on his shoulders as seen from behind.]<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1169&reset=1> Early Literacy: Designing Meaningful and Impactful Library Programs for Children and Caregivers<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1169&reset=1> [A diverse trio of people working at a table around a laptop and a stack of papers.]<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1173&reset=1> All Work Is Team Work<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1173&reset=1> [A colorful graphic of a woman climbing steps next to her resume featuring an upward trending graph. She is heading towards a trophy that another woman places at the end of the journey.]<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1168&reset=1> Strategic Career Planning for Library Professionals<https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=1168&reset=1> Don't Like Deadlines? [A person relaxing at home on their laptop with their dog next to them above the words]<https://infopeople.teachable.com/> Infopeople On-Demand Infopeople On-Demand<https://infopeople.teachable.com/> means learning whenever, wherever. Jump into a topic and move at your own pace. Courses are always there when you need them. No rushing. No deadlines. Just you and the learning. [Find Your Next Course - Description: Rectangle: Rounded Corners: Find Your Next Course] [A group of people with artistic tools designing projects.]<https://infopeople.teachable.com/p/creating-fantastic-library-displays> Creating Fantastic Library Displays<https://infopeople.teachable.com/p/creating-fantastic-library-displays> This course will provide you with tips, techniques, and inspiration that will help you to create library displays that delight. Enroll today!<https://infopeople.teachable.com/p/creating-fantastic-library-displays> [Califa + Infopeople, helping libraries think differently.]<https://infopeople.org/> Califa Group 330 Townsend Street, Suite 133, San Francisco, CA 94107 United States of America [website]<https://califa.org/>

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Library Trivia Questions
by Lorry Traver 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Good morning, I am hosting a "100 Years Smarter" trivia night at our library this coming Monday as one of our celebratory programs for our library's 100th birthday this year. I was wondering if anyone has some fun general library trivia questions and answers I could use? I had initially wanted to stick with questions related to how libraries worked in the 1920s (what their processes were like, what machines they used, etc.) to today. But, that is proving much harder to find information on than I had anticipated. So, now it has become a little bit of those types of questions, some questions about our library specifically, and then I would like to add in some quirky and fun questions that are still somehow related to libraries. Thanks so much! -- *“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled is a spark.”* *—*Victor Hugo *Lorry Traver (She/Her)* Public Services Librarian Brandon Township Library 248-627-1460

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Paid Internship Opportunity at Bloomfield Township Public Library
by BTPL Careers 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Hello-- We have a wonderful new 9-week internship with a limited application period (through 4/23). It's a chance for students to experience working in a library, across multiple departments, to get an understanding of the careers within them. If you know any students in the metro Detroit/Bloomfield area who would benefit from this opportunity, please pass it along. It will help the future of libraries. : ) https://bloomfieldtwp.bamboohr.com/careers/69. Many thanks! Best Regards, Linden Godlove Administrative Assistant Bloomfield Township Public Library See all of our open positions here: https://btpl.org/employment/

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Help Spread the Word: Youth Summit for the Right to Read – May 9
by Amber Sheerin 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Hello All, We’re excited to invite you to help us spread the word about an upcoming opportunity for teens across Michigan, the Youth Summit for the Right to Read<https://www.milibraries.org/youth-summit>, hosted by the Michigan Library Association on May 9. This engaging, youth-centered event will be facilitated by BookRiot’s Kelly Jensen and will bring together young people to explore intellectual freedom, advocacy, and the power of their voices. Through interactive sessions and peer connection, participants will leave inspired and equipped to stand up for the freedom to read in their communities. How you can help: * Encourage teens to register: If you work with middle or high school students who are passionate about books, libraries, or speaking up for what they believe in, please share this opportunity with them directly. Personal invitations from trusted library staff can make a big difference! * Promote in your space: Consider sharing information through your bulletin board, teen advisory boards, book clubs, school partners, or social media. * Start the conversation: Use this as a chance to talk with teens about intellectual freedom and why it matters. Free promotional materials available: We’re happy to provide bookmarks, flyers, or postcards to help you promote the summit in your library. If you’d like some mailed to you, please let us know by replying to this message with your mailing address and requested quantity. There are also downloadable graphics on our website<https://www.milibraries.org/youth-summit#social>. Thank you for everything you do to support and empower young readers. We hope you’ll partner with us to make this event a success and help amplify youth voices across the state. If you have any questions or would like additional materials, feel free to reach out. Warmly, [A picture containing text, clipart Description automatically generated] Amber Sheerin, CMP, DES (She/Her) Program & Event Director Michigan Library Association PO Box 27337 Lansing, MI 48909 Direct: 517-881-3194 Office: 517-394-2774 asheerin(a)milibraries.org<mailto:asheerin@milibraries.org> www.milibraries.org<http://www.milibraries.org/> Follow MLA on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/MichiganLibraryAssociation> and Bluesky<https://bsky.app/profile/milibraries.bsky.social>!

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Millages
by Zac Larson 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Good afternoon, We are going for a millage increase this year. Was wondering if anyone has recently done this. What are some do's and don'ts you could recommend? What worked really well for you? Anything that didn't work? And if you want to share anything else millage related I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you! Zac Larson Pronouns: He/Him Interim Director 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:9d9d53f3-ee44-4aeb-9788-398eb9f2641c]

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Moon Joy!
by Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Wow. I don't know about you all, but I've certainly been experiencing "Moon Joy!" with all the images<https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-multimedia/#images> <https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-multimedia/#images> coming from the Artemis II Lunar Flyby. Which makes now the perfect time to remind you that the Library of Michigan has NASA @ My Library & SEAL kits available<https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/libraries/lm-kits> <https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/libraries/lm-kits> for libraries to use in hosting all sorts of space science programming. Be sure to reserve a kit today<https://libraryofmichigan.libcal.com/reserve/youthkits> for use at your library! And remember you can also access additional activities and resources just for libraries from our friends at StarNet<https://www.starnetlibraries.org/>. P.S. Details on what each kit contains is within the "instructions" tab, and the activities are under the "description" tab when you select a kit. [https://d2jv02qf7xgjwx.cloudfront.net/accounts/191642/images/SLA-Kit_2_imag…]<https://libraryofmichigan.libcal.com/reserve/youthkits> This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 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 Seal of Biliteracy] Acknowledge the incredible strength of students’ multilingual abilities. Seek the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy<https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/flexible-learning/michigan-seal-of-bi…> for graduating seniors. [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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Library of Michigan 2026 Improving Access to Information LSTA Grant Program - Applications are now open!
by Reish, Karren (MDE) 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

The Library of Michigan is pleased to announce that the Improving Access to Information grant programs is open for 2026! This LSTA grant program is designed to provide public and academic libraries and library cooperatives with the opportunity to expand services for learning and access to information and/or to develop library services that provide all users access to information. The intent is to fund one-year projects that increase capacity to provide access to library collections and information for users. The expected focus will be the improvement in access to library users in one of the three priorities listed below and that align with the LSTA priorities listed in the grant documentation. Proposals that are collection requests do not fit the criteria. * Improve access to services & information in areas of literacy. * Improve access to services & information in areas of local history or special collections. * Improve access to information for community users with limited online access. The grant period is one year (Oct. 1 - Sept. 30) and funding is from $5,000 to $25,000. Funding is by reimbursement only. Applications are due Friday, May 29th by 5:00 PM EST. Eligible applicants are Michigan public and academic libraries and library cooperatives. Public libraries must be legally established and eligible for state aid at the time of application. Academic libraries must be part of a public or non-profit college or university currently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. A federal Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number is required to apply. The grant program is competitive. Application Webinars: Register at www.michigan.gov/lsta<http://www.michigan.gov/lsta> in the Improving Access to Information grant section. Webinar recordings will be sent to all registrants. * How to Apply webinar - Thursday, April 23rd - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM * Developing Your Grant Budget webinar - Monday, May 4th - 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Detailed information on the grant program, including timeline, applicant eligibility, and the applications are available at www.michigan.gov/lsta<http://www.michigan.gov/lsta> in the Improving Access to Information grant section. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have. Karren Reish Library Grants Coordinator Library of Michigan 517-241-0021 / www.mi.gov/lsta<http://www.mi.gov/lsta> [Michigan Seal of Biliteracy] Acknowledge the incredible strength of students' multilingual abilities. Seek the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy<https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/flexible-learning/michigan-seal-of-bi…> for graduating seniors. [Michigan.gov/Vote logo]<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) 09 Apr '26

09 Apr '26

Please join us for Digital Collections Office Hours Thursday, April 9, 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 Interim Library Development Manager 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 Seal of Biliteracy] Acknowledge the incredible strength of students’ multilingual abilities. Seek the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy<https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/flexible-learning/michigan-seal-of-bi…> for graduating seniors. [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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