You are invited! Celebrate 20 years of MeLCat! The Michigan eLibrary Catalog (MeLCat), the statewide shared catalog and inter-library loan component of the Michigan eLibrary,<https://mel.org/welcome> is celebrating 20 years of service to Michigan libraries and their communities in 2025! Growing from 12 member libraries in 2005, MeLCat now boasts over 435 libraries-public, school, academic and special-using different automation systems. Since 2005, MeLCat has built a database with over 34 million holdings with an average request fill rate of over 90%. The goal of the Michigan eLibrary is to provide equitable access to a comprehensive array of high-quality information resources for Michigan residents. Using MeLCat as a discovery tool fosters collaboration among libraries and other organizations to enhance knowledge-sharing and ensure resources, including special, unique, or historical materials, are available to all, regardless of geographic or economic barriers. To mark this amazing anniversary, we invite you to join us in-person or virtually to celebrate. In-person: At the Michigan Library Association conference reception, which will take place at the Library of Michigan on October 30th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. You'll find MeL team staff from the Library of Michigan and the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) in the Lake Erie Room on the 2nd floor. Stop by to win prizes, take a selfie with a life-sized "Mittens, the MeLCat Kitten," taste the MeLCat signature cocktail or mocktail, "Mitten's Harvest Potion" brought to us by American 5th Distillery and MCLS, and pair it with a MeLCat cookie. (You must be registered to attend the MLA conference to attend.) Virtually: Join the MeL team staff from the Library of Michigan and MCLS on Zoom, November 20th from 3-4pm. We'll share some MeLCat stories, follow the travels of Mittens, the MeLCat Kitten, throughout the state, and give away MeLCat prizes. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87180144825?pwd=8hl4aux57IvsnfM6vncRzCNLNEdIh9.1 MeLCat was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan. Michelle Bradley Library Development Manager Library of Michigan 517-335-1507 [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/>.
