Hello! Please see BELOW the Fall events available for Library Trustees and Directors from United for Libraries! The Library of Michigan provides a Statewide Membership to United for Libraries to all Michigan Libraries. Access to the events below is available at no cost to Michigan Libraries. - This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan. Clare D. Membiela, MLS, J.D. Library Law Consultant Library of Michigan MembielaC@michigan.gov<mailto:MembielaC@michigan.gov> 517-335-8132 The research and resources above are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation,it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion...." West Va. Bd. Of Ed. V. Barnette, 319 U.S., at 642. The Michigan School Meals program allows for all public school students, grades Pre-K to 12, to eat breakfast and lunch for free. Learn more<https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/food/michigan-school-meals>. [cid:image001.jpg@01D9F078.068C73B0] United for Libraries Learning Live<https://www.ala.org/united/training/learning-live>: 'Engaging Youth: Student Library Trustees' Tuesday, October 10, 2 p.m. Eastern FREE for library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, Friends, Foundations, and MLIS students in Michigan Registration required for live and/or on-demand access: Register<https://airtable.com/apphf4sCdaVrFi9dH/shrXca38ncol9yU5f> This year, the Anne Arundel (Md.) Public Library Board of Trustees welcomed its first student member, Linda Gayle, a senior at Annapolis High School. Linda's position is for a one-year term with full voting rights. She aims to contribute to the library's expansion and engage the youth demographic. As a student library Trustee, she hopes to "learn how to work with other people, take care of legislation, push things forward and get better at being connected to the community and then mobilizing that connection to make change happen." Join Anne Arundel Public Library CEO Skip Auld and new Trustee Linda Gayle to learn how the student Trustee program originated, how it fits into the board and library's strategic vision, and tips for starting a similar program at your library. Skip Auld, MLS, has been working in public and academic libraries across the East Coast for more than 40 years. Auld is Chief Executive Officer of the Anne Arundel County Public Library, a position he has held since 2010. Prior to his tenure in Anne Arundel County, Auld served as director of the Durham County Library in Durham, North Carolina, assistant director of the Chesterfield County (VA) Public Library and branch manager of the Carroll County Public Library (MD). Linda Gayle is the inaugural student member of the Anne Arundel County Public Library Board of Trustees and a senior at Annapolis High School in the International Baccalaureate program. Linda currently serves as a member of the Teen Advisory Board to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education and the Maryland Sierra Club Youth Leadership Council, as well as working with the Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights. ________________________________ United for Libraries eLearning series: 'Fighting Censorship: Creating Connections to Protect Intellectual Freedom' FREE for library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, Friends, Foundations, and MLIS students in Michigan Registration required for live and/or on-demand access; choose the option below that best meets your needs: Option 1: If you are registered in the Michigan Statewide Course at https://elearning.ala.org<https://elearning.ala.org/>: * Click here<https://elearning.ala.org/mod/subcourse/view.php?id=31336> to register for 'Fighting Censorship' OR * Complete the alternate registration form<https://airtable.com/apphf4sCdaVrFi9dH/shrY7KxRlPHEFktcd> Option 2: If you are *not* registered in the Michigan Statewide Course at https://elearning.ala.org<https://elearning.ala.org/>: * Complete the alternate registration form<https://airtable.com/apphf4sCdaVrFi9dH/shrY7KxRlPHEFktcd> United for Libraries will present this four-part series for library Trustees, advocates, Friends, Foundations, and those who work with them as they help support the fight against censorship. Part one, "Be Fierce: How to Harness Your Power for Your Libraries," will feature tips on overcoming obstacles to harness your power, expertise, knowledge, and passion to successfully advocate for your library, and develop strategic relationships to counter censorship attempts. Part two, "Get Ready, Stay Ready: Supporting Proactive Community Advocacy for Library Professionals," will focus on maintaining inclusive libraries in partnership with community organizations. Parts three and four will be announced soon (the fourth session will be an interactive workshop). * Part 1: Be Fierce: How to Harness Your Power for Your Libraries Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | 2 p.m. Eastern This panel will feature "boots on the ground" experts who serve as Trustees, Library Staff, and Foundation members. Hear their first-person accounts of overcoming obstacles to harness their power, expertise, knowledge, and passion to successfully advocate for their libraries, confidently counter book challenges, strategically develop relationships to counter censorship attempts. Experts will also candidly share their missteps as learning opportunities for attendees. Be ready to engage with the speakers and other attendees! Leave more confident in your abilities to advocate. Leave with more connections to continue after the session has concluded. And leave ready to "speak truth to power." * Part 2: Get Ready, Stay Ready: Supporting Proactive Community Advocacy for Library Professionals Wednesday, November 8, 2023 | 2 p.m. Eastern Join us as we discuss ways to proactively advocate for inclusive libraries in partnership with community organizations. Explore the Get Ready Stay Ready toolkit, a collection of resources that intentionally focus on educating trustees, friends of the library groups, foundation members, community members, and caregivers on the power of inclusive library collections and programming. Then learn how to apply the resources shared to organize effective social media campaigns and organizational responses to material and programming challenges. * Part 3: To Be Announced * Part 4: Advocacy Workshop (January 2024) ________________________________ United for Libraries webinar: 'Just the "T": Duty, Authority, Responsibility and Liability - Library Trustees as Public Officials' Tues., Oct. 31, 2 p.m. Eastern FREE for library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, Friends, Foundations, and MLIS students in Michigan Registration required for live and/or on-demand access; choose the option below that best meets your needs: Option 1: If you are registered in the Michigan Statewide Course at https://elearning.ala.org<https://elearning.ala.org/>: * Click here<https://elearning.ala.org/mod/subcourse/view.php?id=31331> to register for 'Just the "T"' OR * Complete the alternate registration form<https://airtable.com/apphf4sCdaVrFi9dH/shrwtxlFq0zQIjUf5> Option 2: If you are *not* registered in the Michigan Statewide Course at https://elearning.ala.org<https://elearning.ala.org/>: * Complete the alternate registration form<https://airtable.com/apphf4sCdaVrFi9dH/shrwtxlFq0zQIjUf5> Library trustees and directors have difficult jobs at the best of times, and unfortunately, now is arguably not the best of times. The issues currently faced by libraries include materials challenges, community conflicts, funding struggles and difficult municipal relationships. Managing one of these situations is difficult and stressful, but library boards now find themselves juggling multiple complex situations. This presentation will provide clear information on how understanding their official duties, authority and responsibility (and potential liabilities) can help trustees and directors create policies and strategies for facing complex situations in a unified, organized, legal and community inclusive manner. Presenter Clare Membiela is the Library Law Consultant for the Library of Michigan. She helps public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, she was the associate director for library and instructional support for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Libraries. Before moving to Michigan, she worked at the University of Miami Law Library as the head of reference services. Prior to her academic library work, she worked for two major law firms as a librarian in their Miami offices. She has an MLS. from Southern Connecticut State University, a JD from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience. She is excited about helping public libraries by connecting them to the legal information they need. United for Libraries The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations A division of the American Library Association 312-280-2161 Email: united@ala.org<mailto:united@ala.org> Website: www.ala.org/united<http://www.ala.org/united> News & Updates: united.ala.org<http://united.ala.org/>