Close up of Education Muse painted on the interior of the Capitol dome in Lansing, Mi

MLA Advocacy News

MLA Advocacy - January 25, 2018

Interior image of the Michigan State Capitol Dome

Net Neutrality Fight is Far From Over

The FCC voted to gut the net neutrality protections that limit the power of Internet Service Providers - like Verizon and Comcast - to slow websites, block mobile apps, or in any way control the information we access. This 3-2 vote to roll back strong, enforceable net neutrality protections was made amid widespread protests, millions of public comments and overwhelming opposition from across the political spectrum.

Modern libraries rely on the internet to collect, create and disseminate essential online information and services to the public. Strong, enforceable net neutrality rules, like the ones Chairman Pai just rushed to dismantle, are critical to keeping the internet working the way it does now.

MLA Advocacy - November 30, 2017

Net Neutrality Rules Impact Us All

Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) must enable access to all legal content and applications regardless of the source and without favoring or blocking specific services or websites. Strong, enforceable rules are critical to the functioning of modern libraries because we rely on the internet to collect, create and disseminate essential online information and services to the public. Libraries and our patrons cannot afford to be relegated to "slow lanes" on the internet. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Pai publicly shared his plan to dismantle network neutrality protections approved by the FCC in 2015 and affirmed by the federal appeals court in 2016.

MLA Advocacy - October 26, 2017

NIS Insurance Start Date Pushed Back to February 2018 Due to Executive Order

President Trump's recent executive order targeting the Affordable Care Act has prompted some adjustments in the product offerings by the National Insurance Services (NIS) partnership with MLA. The group will now develop a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) as part of their program. This change will ensure that any libraries who wish to join the program after the initial startup will be able to do so without requiring that the entire group and its rates be re-evaluated. We sincerely regret the delay in getting the program underway. This response to the President's order is necessary to ensure a reliable and useful insurance product for our members. If renewal with your current carrier is due prior to February 1, 2018, it is recommended that you renew and NIS will follow up with you to help determine the best time to transfer to NIS.

MLA Advocacy - September 28, 2017

Libraries See Reduction in Penal Fines

Many libraries are reporting a significant reduction in their penal fines. MLA has initiated a survey to help gather data on the trend. Information obtained from the Michigan State Police indicates that the decrease in the library fine revenue is a product of fewer citations being written. Apparently the MSP has been looking into the situation. They report a reduction in the total number of police officers, so departments with the ability to dedicate officers to traffic enforcement is reduced. Additionally, MSP attributes the decline to their working heavily in the Secure Cities Partnership, which is mostly disadvantaged communities. They indicate they are there for a larger purpose of reducing violent crime, and increasing community engagement so they don't emphasize writing citations in these areas.

MLA Advocacy - August 24, 2017

Who needs advocacy?

An even more compelling question: Whose responsibility is advocacy? The simple answer to both questions is everyone. It gets a little more complicated when we try to sift down to our day to day lives, embrace the fact that we need to practice advocacy every day in our libraries, in our communities and in our personal lives and then try to determine how best to achieve it.

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