Note From Dillon

The past month has been a busy time of transition for MLA. As our outgoing Executive Director prepares for retirement, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside her and the MLA team in my new role as Interim Executive Director. Many of you have been in touch with well wishes, to check in, and to ask how the transition is moving along. And as I’ve often stated in response – Debbie and everyone on staff at MLA has helped to plan the most organized onboarding journey that I’ve ever experienced. It’s helped bring me up to speed on MLA’s day-to-day operations quickly, allowing me to dive right into our important work on advocacy, programming and member engagement.

As a former MLA Board member, I knew that the organization’s exceptional work in service to Michigan libraries was a testament to their strong leadership, dedicated staff, and engaged ambassadors. After my first month “behind the scenes”, that picture is even more vibrant for me now. The scope of the work and the commitment and passion the MLA team brings to the table are inspiring for me, as I find my place in an organization that’s becoming more meaningful to me each day.

With Debbie’s retirement drawing closer, her legacy at MLA leaves us with a strong foundation and a clear path forward. Earlier this month, during Debbie’s last MLA Board meeting, the Board approved a new three-year strategic plan. Debbie’s leadership on the development of the new strategic plan has ensured we have a solid road map for the next few years, regardless of who is at the helm of the organization. Over the next couple of weeks, the MLA team will begin working on an implementation outline for the strategic plan, and I’m excited to see what new and ambitious directions this work will take MLA.

Every June, the MLA Board incorporates a professional development component to its board meeting. It’s a great opportunity for the Board to network, learn together, and focus in on their work in service to Michigan libraries. This month, the Board participated in a training on change management, an apt topic for an organization in transition like MLA. I want to leave you with a key takeaway from my notes in that meeting. In thinking about MLA’s change journey, this quote from one of our speakers really resonated with me: What do we have the capacity, appetite, and mental energy to do without overstuffing our ‘change’ portfolio? I’ve kept this question front of mind and find it to be a helpful reminder to balance our strong organizational stability with our ambition to serve and innovate. While I continue to focus on steering the ship straight during the interim period, I’m thrilled to work with the MLA staff, Board and membership on the execution of our strategic plan and the new initiatives it will create.   

Dillon Geshel
Interim Executive Director