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DONATIONS

You can make an important contribution to support our work and the values we hold dear; uniting Michigan libraries, advocating for ALL libraries and advancing the library profession by supporting library staff in their careers through education and professional development opportunities.

MLA has special funds addressing vital issues such as education, advocacy and intellectual freedom that are integral to the values and mission of the organization. All contributions are tax-deductible! With your support, MLA can empower the library leaders of today and tomorrow and continue to enrich the lives of the people that we serve.

• Education Fund: Helps underwrite such things as our prestigious Leadership Academy and provides scholarships for library staff to attend workshops and conferences at discounted rates.

• Advocacy Fund: This fund enables MLA to advocate for library interests at the state level.

• Intellectual Freedom Defense Fund: Helps MLA assist libraries and patrons with specific intellectual freedom challenges.

• Equity Fund: This fund is used as an individual grant opportunity created to reduce financial barriers and uplift the professional development of individuals currently underrepresented in the library profession.

Learn more about MLA Funds.

Click the donate button below to log in with your user credentials and your donation will be connected to your member record. You can also fill out this form to donate, no login required. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.

Donate

Join MLA’s Legacy Society

Consider leaving a legacy…so your cherished values live on.

When you establish a bequest or other planned gift, you become part of the select group of community-minded individuals that make up MLA’s Legacy Society. As a beneficiary of your deferred gift, MLA is charged with the trust and responsibility of carrying out your wishes. As you know, we have a 128-year commitment to recognize and address Library needs. Your gift helps us achieve that.

Planned giving integrates charitable giving with your overall financial and estate planning, potentially reducing your estate taxes while supporting the values that libraries hold dear. There are a number of ways you can give:

• Bequests: Make a charitable gift from your estate with a simple bequest, as noted in your will or trust.

• Retirement assets: By making MLA the beneficiary of the most-taxed asset, your retirement account, you can leave more favorably-taxed property to your heirs.

• Charitable lead trust: Place cash or property into a trust that pays a fixed amount to MLA for a specified number of years. Once this period ends, the assets held by the trust are transferred to the beneficiaries you name.

• Charitable remainder trusts: These gifts allow you to receive income for the rest of your life, knowing that whatever remains will benefit your community.

• Charitable gift annuities: Receive an income for life, while making an immediate, significant gift.

• Life insurance: Simply make MLA the beneficiary of your policy. You give a significant gift to charity and receive tax benefits during your lifetime.

Becoming a Legacy Society member is simple: include the Michigan Library Association in your estate plan through your will or trust, or make a contribution via a charitable gift annuity, life insurance, retirement fund assets or a charitable remainder or lead trust. Then, notify us of your plan so that we can include you on our membership rolls. And you’re done.

If you have questions, please contact Executive Director, Deborah E. Mikula at [email protected]

Thank you to our Donors!

Thank you to the following individuals for their generous donations in FY 2019-2020.

Amber Alexander, Presque Isle District Library

Katie Ames, Muskegon Area District Library

Shauna Anderson, Taylor Community Library

Kate Andrade, Woodlands Library Cooperative

Margaret Auer, University of Detroit Mercy Libraries

Jill Baker, Harrison Township Public Library

Peter Blackshear, Bookbound

Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, Kent District Library

Steven Bowers, Wayne State University

Jessica Anne Bratt, Grand Rapids Public Library

Shirley Bruursema, Kent District Library

Megan Buck, Dickinson County Library

Christan Bulin, ITHAKA

Trisha Burns, Bay County Library System

Brice Bush, East Lansing Public Library

Anita Chouinard, Traverse Area District Library

Pamela Christensen, West End Health Foundation

Harmony Crocker, Brandon Township Public Library

Jennifer Dean, University of Detroit Mercy McNichols Campus Library

Lindsey Dorfman, Kent District Library

Erin Durrett, Clinton - Macomb Public Library

Damon Dye, The Library Network

Julia Eisenstein, University of Detroit Mercy

Kristy Eklund, Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET)

Jessica Enget, Lincoln Township Public Library

Katie Ester, Shelby Township Library

Julie Farkas, Novi Public Library

Brigette Felix, The Library Network

Romy Fitschen, Michigan Library Association

Mollie Freier, Northern Michigan University

Barbara Garbutt, Commerce Township Community Library

Corporate Giving, Amazon Smile

Devan Green, Pontiac Public Library

Cathy Harmon, Saline District Library

Darlene Hellenberg, Ferndale Area District Library

Peggy Hemerling, Hastings Public Library

Holly Hentz, Hamburg Township Library

Rebecca Higgerson, Brandon Township Public Library

Kristi Jackowski, Traverse Area District Library

Amber Johnson, Chesterfield Township Library

Tara Kanon, Brandon Township Public Library

Jessica Keyser, Grosse Pointe Public Central Library

Kevin King, Kalamazoo Public Library

Karen Knox, Orion Township Public Library

Tiffany Kortman, Presque Isle District Library

Judith Kozakowski, The Library Network

Sue LaBenne, The Library Network

Terri Lancaster, Chelsea District Library

Jessica Lash, Saline District Library

Lisa Lawson, Wayne State University - SIS

Claire Lopiccolo, Romeo District Library

Linda Lyshol

Melissa Malcolm, Lapeer District Library

Maria McCarville, Public Libraries of Saginaw

Patricia McGee, Ypsilanti District Library

Roger Mendel, Northland Library Cooperative

Valerie L. Meyerson, Petoskey District Library

Deborah E. Mikula, Michigan Library Association

Nannette Miller, Elk Rapids District Library

Julie Moore, West Bloomfield Township Public Library

Juliane Morian, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

Celia Morse, The Library Network

Meghan Mott, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

Mary Ellen Mulcrone, Saline District Library

Celia Mulder, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

Catherine Mulla, Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, PLC Library

Lisa Mulvenna, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

Teresa Natzke, Franklin Public Library

Ann Neff-Rohs, Jackson District Library

Jasmine Parker, Ferndale Public Library

Harry Philo, The Harry Philo Foundation

Kim Poma, Garden City Public Library

Marcia Preston, Bloomfield Township Public Library

Shauna Quick, Brandon Township Library

Kristina Reynolds, Bath Township Public Library

Kelly Richards, Muskegon Area District Library

Sarah Rick, Michigan Department of Corrections

Ellen Robinette, Oakland Community College

Florence Rouquet, Franklin Public Library

Cathleen Russ, Troy Public Library

Joann Rutkowski, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone P.L.C.

Richard Schneider, Oakview Consulting

Kristin Shelley, East Lansing Public Library

Mary Ann Short, Grosse Pointe Public Library

Jill Spreitzer, University of Detroit Mercy Libraries

Corrine Stocker, Hazel Park Memorial District Library

Holly Teasdle, Lyon Township Public Library

Jana Thompkins, Michigan School of Psychology

Tammy Turgeon, Sterling Heights Public Library

Kate Van Auken, White Pine Library Cooperative

Janna VanHouten, The Library Network

Arlene Wall, Saline District Library

Tamara Ward, Wayne County Community College Library

Holly Ward-Lamb, Howell Carnegie Library

Lisa Waskin, Superior District Library

Penny Weller, Kent District Library

Ryan Wieber, Kalamazoo Public Library

Xiaoming Xu, Andrews University

Amy Young, Clinton-Macomb Public Library

MLA Scholarship Funds and Other Restricted Funds

The Michigan Library Association is committed to promoting and advancing the library profession. To demonstrate this commitment, MLA provides close to $10,000 annually for librarians and support staff at any Michigan library to attend MLA events. There are two specific funds that provide scholarships – the MLA Education Fund and the MLA/MALC Academic Library Fund.

We also have a number of specific funds that are for restricted use only and provide emergency help to libraries who experience challenges in a variety of ways. These funds are also used when special projects and revenues are needed for MLA to move a concept forward. Monies in each of the following funds will be carried over from year to year and will not revert to MLA’s operating fund. Direct fundraising by MLA continues to enhance these funds and provide libraries with needed support.

Being able to provide resources to those in the library field for scholarships and other challenges is one of MLA’s hallmarks. We hope that you will consider an overall gift to MLA or to any of these funds to help continue to support this valuable work.

Click the donate button below to log in with your user credentials and your donation will be connected to your member record. You can also fill out this form to donate, no login required. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.

Donate

MLA Education Fund

MLA has a scholarship fund to assist with defraying costs for attending MLA workshops, educational events and the annual conference. Eligibility Requirements to receive a scholarship from the MLA Education Fund to attend MLA workshops and/or educational events:

• Applicant must be an individual member of MLA to qualify for an “Individual Member Scholarship.”
• Organizational members may apply for a scholarship on behalf of any staff member if that person is an individual member of MLA.
• Applicant must demonstrate financial need and effectively articulate the value of the scholarship to their work.
• Members are eligible to receive one scholarship per lifetime.

MLA/MALC Academic Library Fund

When the Michigan Academic Library Council (MALC) ceased operation, their bylaws stipulated that any remaining assets must be transferred to another 501©3 organization. MALC graciously chose MLA to receive the funds. This academic scholarship fund will assist with defraying costs for attending MLA workshops, educational events and the annual conference. Eligibility Requirements for MLA/MALC Academic Library Fund:

• Applicant must be currently enrolled in an accredited MLS/MLIS program.
• Applicant must be a professional librarian working in an academic library (MLS/MLIS requirement.)

Advocacy Fund

The Advocacy Fund was created as an additional source of revenue, separate from dues income, for the purpose of increasing awareness of and enhancing the image of libraries and librarians to the general public and elected officials.

Funds may be allocated to the following areas:

• Support MLA’s commitment to lobbying,
• Support ongoing communications with legislators and their staffs.
• Any activity that heightens public awareness of libraries.

Intellectual Freedom Fund

The Intellectual Freedom Fund of the MLA is to be used to support Michigan libraries and librarians engaged in defending intellectual freedom. Direct donations provide funds for this account.

Funds may be allocated to the following areas:

• Legal fees to support intellectual freedom defenses

Library Technology Fund

The Library Technology Fund was established with funds given by the disbanded “Librarians Using Computers” group.

Fund may be allocated to the following areas:

• Support the activities by underwriting programs, projects, and awards
• Support scholarships for continuing education

MLA Equity Fund*

The MLA Equity Fund is an individual grant opportunity created to reduce financial barriers and uplift the professional development of individuals currently underrepresented in the library profession. Application Deadline: August 1, 2020

Funds may be allocated to the following areas:

• Reduce financial barriers and uplift the professional development for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, North African, and Middle Eastern individuals.
• Provide resources to be used for memberships, attendance at workshops, educational events or conferences of applicants’ choosing.
• Provide resources for other purposes that applicants believe increase their ability to impact and transform the library profession.

W.H. Kaiser Memorial Fund*

The Walter H. Kaiser Memorial Award honors Walter Kaiser, who served as the director of the Wayne County Federated Library System for 26 years and was a nationally known library consultant, authority in local government, and innovator in technical services.

Funds are allocated to the following:

• Each year, a small cash award from the Kaiser Memorial Fund is presented to the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a deserving librarian for their distinguished service to the library profession over the course of their career.

*Some funds have permanent donor restrictions for their use and are identified above.

Click the donate button below to log in with your user credentials and your donation will be connected to your member record. You can also fill out this form to donate, no login required. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.

Donate