MLA News | Michigan Library Association
News - MLA
Friday, July 18, 2025 02:08 PM

Michigan Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Book Bans, Show Stronger Support for Libraries in New Statewide Poll

*846-sample live operator statewide survey conducted June 6-15, 2025. Included 80% cell phone only respondents - Margin of Error 3.5 points.

LANSING, MI – A new statewide poll reveals Michigan voters increasingly oppose book bans and strongly support their local public libraries. The new poll follows a similar statewide survey on library issues conducted in March 2023, both commissioned by the Michigan Library Association (MLA) and conducted by the public opinion survey and research firm EPIC-MRA. Results confirm a growing statewide resistance to censorship efforts targeting library collections and a significant increase in strong support for public libraries since 2023. 

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News - MLA
Friday, June 27, 2025 12:00 AM

Strategic Plan

On Friday, June 13, the MLA Board voted to approve MLA’s new three-year Strategic Plan.

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News - MLA
Friday, June 27, 2025 12:00 AM

MLA Ambassadors

MLA is lucky to have so many dedicated professionals step up to serve on our Board, workgroups, and committees and be ambassadors of the association. They show commitment to their communities, their libraries, their patrons, the library profession, and the Michigan Library Association every day.

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News - MLA
Friday, June 27, 2025 12:00 AM

MLA 2025 Youth Literary Awards

MLA's Youth Literary Awards recognize outstanding contributions to youth literature and celebrate the best titles for children and teens. For the past year, MLA Youth Literary Award workgroups have spent thousands of hours reading, reviewing, and discussing hundreds of books to choose the very best titles published in 2024 for Michigan kids. It's our pleasure to share the winners of the 2025 Mitten, YouPer, and Thumbs Up! Awards.

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News - MLA
Friday, June 27, 2025 12:00 AM

Chapter & Verse: Storytime from the Stacks New Episode

Check out the latest episode of Chapter & Verse, From Small Town Roots to Library Leadership: Defending Access and Inspiring Community.

In this episode, Debbie Mikula, Executive Director of the Michigan Library Association, and Jennifer Balcom, Director of the Mid-Michigan Library League, talk with Tracy Logan-Walker, Director of Cadillac Wexford Public Library in Cadillac, Michigan.

Tracy reflects on her journey from small-town beginnings to a career in librarianship, sharing the early influences that shaped her path. She highlights the vital role libraries play in their communities, recalls meaningful moments from her career, and addresses current challenges—including the spread of misinformation and the fight for intellectual freedom. Tracy also shares her hopes and excitement for the evolving future of libraries.

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IMLS Funding Alert
Thursday, June 26, 2025 08:32 AM

IMLS Update: Timeline of Key Events and Status

Since March of this year, libraries across the country have wrestled with federal funding uncertainty and the prospect of losing widely used programs and services funded by those dollars. An Executive Order seeking to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) - the only dedicated source of federal funding for public libraries - was followed by the firing and replacement of key staff, federal lawsuits, court injunctions, and calls to action. With so many updates to this story over the last few months, we thought it would be helpful to summarize the timeline so far and the latest updates on securing IMLS funding.

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News - MLA
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 12:00 AM

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.

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