Meet the Candidates for the MLA 2026 Board Election

The MLA Board election will open on Tuesday, March 31, and close on Monday, April 20, at midnight. This year, MLA members will vote for an MLA President-elect and four Member-at-Large Board positions for terms beginning in July 2026 and ending in June 2029. Election results will be announced in MLA’s Primary Source newsletter on Thursday, April 23. Meet the candidates! 

Eligible members will receive an email on March 31 with instructions and a link to vote.

President-elect

John Clexton
Director, Gladwin County District Library

My name is John Clexton, and I am honored to put myself forward as a candidate for President-Elect of the Michigan Library Association. I currently serve as an MLA board member, and I recently completed my role as President of the Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).

I have always been passionate about MLA, from my days as a student working on my IMLS to now, in the 28th year of my official library career.  MLA helped serve me throughout my career and now it is time for me to give back. Having served in large urban to suburban libraries, with a mid-stop serving Caribbean libraries, to now leading a small and rural library, we all have the same values for our communities, with a unified mission.

Over the past 28 years, the profession of librarianship and the status of libraries have changed significantly. In fact, this year alone has been unprecedented and alarming in many ways. Our beloved libraries nationwide face considerable threats of censorship, defunding, and political attack. MLA, among other organizations, are a guiding light and tool to help depoliticize libraries and educate why we need libraries and how they are important for everyone!

For this very reason, I am running for President Elect. I believe it is critical, given the historical importance of the moment, that we continue to follow our MLA Strategic Plan to advocate for, elevate, and optimize our mission and goals as MLA and, in our professional roles, serve Michigan libraries. Now, more than ever, we must protect our libraries and your right to read. We cannot remain silent any longer. It’s time to have those difficult conversations with our legislators and fight for the survival of our critical institution. My role, as your MLA board representative, along with my role in fighting for small and rural libraries at a national level, is laser-focused on the urgency of this time to act forward. We can no longer be silent and must continue our endeavors of advocacy and unification of all Michigan Libraries. This includes all types, all sizes, and all locations. If we don’t, then I am afraid we will jeopardize all we have worked for.

My focus is to unite us as a single front, as Michigan libraries serve everyone and act as community centers, regardless of our size. Our libraries profoundly impact human lives. We must maintain our place in our communities and must be active in working with all political parties. I hope to continue the fight to make Michigan libraries resilient within the current challenges from the government, to be the catalyst for new readers, and to keep Michigan libraries in every community.

Join me in my pledge to better Michigan Libraries at such a critical and historic time, reminding our constituents of the vital role they play in our communities.

Michele P. Howard 
Director, Traverse Area District Library

As a professional librarian for over 30 years and an active MLA Board member for the last 3 years, I have the experience of working in libraries and the knowledge on the MLA Board, to successfully serve as the next President-Elect of the MLA.  

I have worked in many libraries and locations in our beautiful state. I understand how important all of our libraries are to our communities as I have worked in private, higher education, and public libraries in Detroit, East Lansing, and Traverse City.  While all those libraries have vastly different user groups and services, what unites us is a love of information and a desire to serve our communities. 

My experience on the MLA Board has grown with my years of service.  I went from a Board Member trying to learn everyone's name to being involved with the Strategic Plan, helping plan a conference, chairing the Advocacy and Legislative Committee, and being a part of the Executive Committee. I truly believe in the important work the MLA does. 

My top priority will be implementing the whole Strategic Plan, especially as it relates to Library Advocacy and Professional Growth Opportunities. While there was a time when advocacy wasn’t as important, with libraries being at the forefront of a culture war, we have to be diligent and persistent with reminding our communities of our worth. It’s hard and vulnerable work but with the right support provided by MLA, we can all do this important task.

Finally, one of my favorite parts of being a librarian is the opportunity to  learn every day. MLA supporting Professional Growth Opportunities as listed in the Strategic Plan are key to staying on top of issues and avoiding  burn out. Supporting each other is essential to our collective success.  

It has been an honor to serve on the MLA Board, and I would be humbled to serve as the next President-Elect.

Member-at-Large

Jaci Cooper
Director of Projects and Planning, Kent District Library

As AI changes how people seek and interpret information, political and policy pressures simultaneously shape the context in which libraries operate. As information professionals and stewards of civic institutions, we cannot opt out of these conversations; in fact, we must lead them. This requires a readiness to guide our communities through shifting perceptions of information so that libraries remain trusted, future-ready institutions. MLA is uniquely positioned to lead--amplifying our voice, strengthening advocacy, and fostering the peer learning libraries need to thrive. I am ready to contribute to that work. 

As Director of Projects and Planning at Kent District Library, I oversee our project management office that I built from the ground up, strategic planning, performance metrics, and internal communication for a 20-branch district serving more than 400,000 residents. Almost a decade of library experience and over five years in this role has given me experience in translating vision into measurable outcomes and building systems that sustain excellence over time. I also served on the MLA Strategic Planning Committee, contributing to the association’s new plan and gaining firsthand familiarity with its four strategic directions. Serving on the board represents a chance to move from vision to action. 

Both my personal and professional experience shape my commitment to advocacy. Growing up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, I saw firsthand how geographic isolation and resource gaps affect opportunity. Today, leading within the state’s busiest system, I see those disparities from another perspective. Together, these experiences reinforce my belief that libraries are powerful equalizers. On the MLA Board, I would work to ensure advocacy is not only led from the top but also rooted in the realities of Michigan’s diverse communities. 

Professional growth has been central to my career. Having recently completed a dual MPA and MLIS while working full time, I now have greater capacity to contribute outwardly. At KDL, I have built systems that improve learning and communication, and I see opportunities to extend this to the wider profession to help foster peer-to-peer, less formal, and more relationship-based learning that strengthens the field as a whole. I am also keenly aware that today’s leaders must be politically and policy savvy. 

I also bring strengths in communication and organizational excellence. My work centers on optimizing transparency and trust and helping organizations tell their story more effectively, as evidenced by drafting award-winning applications for the IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service and the Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize. I was also named a 2024 Crain’s Grand Rapids 40 Under 40 leader and received the Urban Library Council’s Top Innovator Award in 2021 for developing KDL’s Project Management Office dashboard. These recognitions reflect my ability to connect vision and instill trust with measurable impact. 

What excites me most about serving on the MLA Board is the opportunity to bridge strategy with connection. With the new strategic plan as our guide, I am eager to help sustain and grow a statewide library community that is bold, collaborative, and future-ready.

Eva Davis
Director, Canton Public Library

I last served on the MLA Board more than 20 years ago. Much has changed since that time, and at this point in my career and with the support of my Board of Trustees and my coworkers, I am honored to be nominated to serve the association again. I find myself among a fabulous slate of candidates nominated for this election. No matter which of us makes it to a Board seat, I am confident that each of us will do our best to serve our membership with excellence.

Mary Higginbottom-Johnson
Associate Director of Operations, Muskegon Area District Library

I am Mary Higginbottom-Johnson, and I’m honored to announce my candidacy for the Michigan Library Association Board of Directors for another 3 years. My career in public libraries spans over two decades, the majority of which I spent at Genesee District Library (GDL), where I served with dedication and pride for 19 years. After retiring and relocating to Muskegon, I planned to enjoy a quieter chapter—until I was invited by my mentor and former director, Kelly Richards, to join the Muskegon Area District Library (MADL) as Branch Operations Manager. Transitioning from overseeing 19 GDL locations to managing Muskegon Area District Library’s 11 branches and Outreach felt like natural progression.

Now I am currently working with Muskegon Areal District Library.  We were all excited that our millage passed for the next 10 years, which included an increase.  Beyond my professional roles, I’ve contributed to Michigan’s library community through board service in both Davison and Fenton, and as Chair of the Genesee District Library Foundation. These experiences have deepened my commitment to library advocacy and leadership.  Here at MADL, I am proud to serve on the MLA Board as Treasurer and Secretary, in addition to the Chair of the Finance Committee. Everyone has been so supportive.  I truly consider myself lucky to work with such an awesome group of trustees.   I am also on the Lakeland Library Cooperative Continuing Education Committee.  

If re-elected to the MLA Board of Directors, I will continue to focus on expanding professional development opportunities for our members and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion across all library systems. I believe my extensive background and passion for public service positions me to support MLA’s mission and collaborate with fellow board members, staff, and volunteers to strengthen Michigan libraries and the communities they serve.

I have also increased my knowledge base by attending and receiving certificates through Muskegon Community College for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) including the Civil Rights 101 Training I received through MLA Board.  But most importantly, I draw heavily on my own personal life experience as an African American woman. I believe that placing an emphasis on DEI in libraries can provide real benefits such as increased productivity, more creativity and innovation, a decrease in employee turnover, and a change in workplace culture that will hopefully improve employee well-being overall.  I collaborated with the Lakeland Library Co-op Director to offer a DEI introductory presentation to the libraries across Allegan County.  I also participated in MLA Mentoring program. Personally, it’s about making the leap from raising awareness to taking meaningful action and driving sustainable organizational change.

If I am re-elected to the board, I will continue to promote DEI as a core value of MLA and encourage our libraries and individual members to embrace it as a means of creating opportunities for positive outcomes. As an organization, we need to adopt a collective mindset to become more aware of systemic inequities that currently exist in our libraries. From this perspective, we need to work with our members to assist them in becoming more equitable and inclusive; especially by encouraging them to provide DEI training for staff members, increasing diversity in hiring, and becoming more mindful about providing communities with collections and programming that reflect the diverse society in which we live. Whether re-elected or not, I will continue to speak about DEI and how it can benefit our libraries.  

Juliane Morian
Library Director, Rochester Hills Public Library

Greetings! My name is Juliane Morian and I am excited to stand for election to the Michigan Library Association Board of Directors. I am the Library Director at the Rochester Hills Public Library and during my tenure I have tackled challenges related to censorship, millage campaigns, trustee training, and change management.

If elected, this will be my second time fulfilling a full term on the MLA Board, the first time I was from 2016-2019. My initial term culminated with me serving as chair for the 2019 MLA Annual Conference. In 2025, I accepted an appointment to fulfill a one-year vacancy on the board and I chaired the MLA Search Committee for the next executive director. I have previously participated on the ThinkSpace planning committee and am currently appointed to the Advocacy and Legislative Committee.

As we look ahead to ushering in a new chapter for MLA, I would like to offer my 20+ years of experience to enhance the organization with vibrant senior leadership. My goals for the association are to develop a pipeline for strengthening relationships with state legislators, to elevate voices of real patrons – both young and old – affected by the threat of censorship and indoctrination, and to safeguard talent in our field despite bad actors who threaten the values of our vocation. 

I am inspired by MLA’s updated strategic plan in 2025. Themes of advocacy, transparency, excellence, optimization are more than just words on the page; they are goals that excite and challenge me. From vision to verb, I look forward to being a part of the MLA Board that creates Strong libraries, Strong Communities, and a Stronger Michigan. 

Jamie Morris
Associate Director, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

I am running for Member at Large for the MLA Board of Directors because I would like to get more involved in MLA and offer my experience and expertise as a communicator. For the last 22 years I have worked in communications at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library before transitioning to Associate Director earlier this year. Much of my experience involves engaging effectively with the community using multiple channels such as email, social media, video, e-newsletters, flyers, events, and more. I also have experience with internal communication conveying important information to library staff and creating connections between staff of all levels from pages to department heads. Optimizing communication is a strategic goal of MLA and I believe my background in public relations, as well as my experience of working in a public library, makes me uniquely qualified to assist MLA in this goal. At a time when libraries are under attack, it is important to make MLA members feel supported and to convey the value of their MLA memberships. A personal goal would be to bring exposure to library marketing and communication functions to encourage other PR and communication professionals to consider a career in library communications.

In addition to a communication focus, I would also like to increase my ability to advocate for libraries. I have started this work by attending MLA Advocacy Day and serving on the MLA Legislative and Advocacy Committee and the PLA Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Committee. I would like to continue these efforts by being a resource for legislators, locally and at a state level, through being a member of the MLA Board of Directors. Because of my communication background, coupled with years of experience working for and advocating for libraries, I believe I would be a strong addition to the MLA Board of Directors.

James Pugh 
Director, Cedar Springs Public Library

As a passionate advocate for libraries and all they offer their communities, I am honored to run for a seat on the MLA Board. Libraries are no longer simply places to find information—they have evolved into inclusive community centers where people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests come to learn, connect, and create. Today’s libraries are safe spaces for collaboration, discovery, and personal growth, and it’s essential that we continue to adapt to meet the diverse needs of those we serve.

Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand how libraries empower people by providing equitable access to knowledge and resources. My goal as an MLA Board member is to help safeguard this legacy by fostering libraries that are both vibrant and sustainable for the future. To achieve this, I am committed to supporting initiatives in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), which I believe are at the heart of a thriving library environment. By championing IDEA, we cultivate spaces that treat every person with dignity and respect, fueling creativity and innovation across our communities. This will be a priority for me as I work with the MLA and its members.

Libraries are also on the front lines in the fight for intellectual freedom. As a dedicated LIS professional, I strongly support our core values, which defend access to information and uphold First Amendment rights. We face ongoing challenges, including attempts to ban or censor materials, which directly impact our communities' right to information. I am committed to standing with librarians and library staff to ensure that every voice is protected and that our collections remain diverse, inclusive, and reflective of the needs of all patrons.

Strong, adaptive leadership is essential for libraries as they navigate political and cultural shifts. As a member of the MLA Board, I will work to ensure libraries across Michigan are prepared for the future by embracing technology, engaging with our communities, and remaining flexible in the face of new challenges. I believe that forward-thinking leadership will enable us to protect the core values of librarianship while preparing for what lies ahead.

I am inspired by the MLA’s mission to advance Michigan libraries through advocacy, education, and engagement. If elected, I will work diligently to uphold this mission, collaborating with libraries across the state to expand our impact and create positive change in Michigan. I am excited to work with you to build a sustainable future for libraries, where each of us can continue to make a difference