Please excuse cross-posting

MCLS is mourning the sudden and untimely passing of Randy Riley, State Librarian of Michigan, on January 3, 2026. Over his 36-year career at the Library of Michigan, Randy supported and led many important initiatives for libraries and fostered and promoted excellent access to a wide variety of information to citizens throughout Michigan. He was a singular and exemplary colleague and friend to libraries in many ways that others including the Library of Michigan, Library of Michigan Foundation, Michigan Library Association, University of Michigan School of Information, and others have highlighted this week. I encourage you to read Randy's touching obituary to learn more about his rich life beyond his work.

We at MCLS are profoundly appreciative of Randy's countless contributions to libraries and the library field statewide, regionally, and nationally. Many of our staff had the great fortune to work with and know him, and we treasure the long relationships and deep connections we built with him. Randy served as a member of the MCLS Board of Directors since becoming State Librarian in 2014, and we will always remember his articulate, incisive, thoughtful, and passionate voice around the Board table. Randy urged us all to stay strong and lean into collaboration in difficult times, and MCLS will continue taking his advice to heart in how we support libraries and continue working with the Library of Michigan and our other partners.

Randy's staunch support for MeLCat, the DPLA Michigan Service Hub, the Michigan Digital Preservation Network, and so many other projects and programs made an incalculable difference, and we join the library community in remembering him with great fondness, sadness, and also the humor for which he was known to so many.

We extend our sincerest condolences to Randy's family, his Library of Michigan and many other colleagues across Michigan and nationwide, and to all who knew and loved Randy like we did. MCLS is in the process of making a contribution to the Randy Riley Memorial Fund at the Library of Michigan Foundation. I hope you'll share a memory of Randy via the Foundation website. 

May great memories of Randy support us all.