Note From Dillon

I won't sugarcoat it, this one hurts. After nearly two years of work by Michigan Library Association staff, volunteers, and partners, the Freedom to Read bills died in the Senate at the end of 2024. Their introduction during lame duck was a last-ditch effort to cross the finish line and solidify First Amendment protections and civil rights law for Michiganders at public libraries. Unfortunately, the chaos and implosion of the House and the Senate left the Freedom to Read bills to die alongside hundreds of others in both chambers. With the makeup of Michigan's legislature now having shifted, any opportunity to pass these bills is now behind us.

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks New Episode Drops February 13

Subscribe to Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks and tune in on February 13! Our February episode will be hosted by Steven K. Bowers, Executive Director of The Library Network Cooperative serving libraries in Southeast Michigan and feature Azita Frattarelli, Director/Youth Librarian at the Riverview Veterans Memorial Library in Riverview.

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks New Episode Drops January 9

Subscribe to Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks and tune in on January 9! Our January episode will be hosted by Carol Dawe Director of the Lakeland Library Cooperative and feature Virginia DeMumbrum, Director of the White Lake Community Library in Whitehall.

MLA Update

Last Friday, MLA was feeling like the holidays came a bit early, and as the Grinch would say “It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.” MLA leadership felt a small spark of hope, a tiny flicker of optimism, despite the things we have no control over. And that optimism was rewarded on Friday, December 13 around 7:30 PM when the democratic House Members voted unanimously to move the Freedom to Read bills to the Senate.

Dark Store and OMA Legislation Die in Lame Duck

Legislation aimed at closing the dark store tax loophole has died in committee. House Bills 5865-5868 received a hearing in the House Tax Policy Committee on December 11. Andrea Ingmire, from the Peter White Public Library, provided testimony on how the tax loophole is impacting libraries and MLA submitted cards of support and testimony. The legislation did not move out of committee. Stating that they had run out of time for the day, Committee Chair, Representative Cynthia Neeley called the committee to ease and later adjourned. It is now too late in the legislative session for any further action.

House Bill 4693, introduced by Representative John Fitzgerald to amend the Open Meetings Act has also run out of time. Our work continues.

MLA Strategic Planning Survey

We need to hear from you! This fall, MLA is working with Alliance for Library Impact to develop a new strategic direction and 3-year plan for our work to educate, advocate, and engage libraries and library workers throughout Michigan.