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Larry,
<br />
<br />Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Ditto from me.
<br />
<br />
<br /><font size="2">
<br />Sandra Wilson
<br />
Lakeland Library Cooperative Director
<br />
sandra@llcoop.org
<br />
616-559-5253 x201
<br />
616-559-4329 FAX
<br />
4138 Three Mile Rd. NW
<br />
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
<br />
<br /><b>---------- Original Message
-----------</b>
<br />
From: Larry Neal <lneal@cmpl.org>
<br />
To: Stacy Nowicki <Stacy.Nowicki@kzoo.edu>,
"mi-acad-dirs@mcls.org" <mi-acad-dirs@mcls.org>,
"michlib-l@mail.mcls.org" <michlib-l@mail.mcls.org>
<br />
Cc: "cwolford@wayne.edu" <cwolford@wayne.edu>, "Asante Cain
\(acain@grpl.org\)" <acain@grpl.org>
<br />
Sent: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 15:03:18 +0000
<br />
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] MI-ALA discussion
<br />
<br />> Hi
Stacy,<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> It’s nice to hear from someone from the academic community
regarding MI-ALA. Frankly I've been extremely disappointed by what I’m
reading about MI-ALA on several
levels:<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <u>Process</u>
<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MI-ALA indicates this issue has been around for
the past 5+ years. An issue of this seriousness should have been brought
forth at one of the association’s annual meetings; it was not. A special
meeting of the membership is
another
option; I’m not aware of any attempts to call such a
meeting.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->As a former member of the Restructuring Task
Force that was formed after MLA nearly went bankrupt, as a past MLA president
(2008-elect; 2009-president; 2010-past-president) who was heavily involved in
the revision of the
dues
structure to ensure MLA’s long-term financial stability, I can assure you
that there was good representation from the academic community during all of the
discussions and decision-making. Ultimately our members voted to implement both
of these major
changes.
<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I can also attest to the fact that the issues
referenced by MI-ALA were never brought to my attention as MLA
president.
<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
<u>Collaboration</u><o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The absence of many academic colleagues involved
in MLA in the future could be a serious detriment to the Michigan library
community. One simple example is MLA’s Leadership Academies, which over
the years have created
long-term
networking and friendships between academic and public library
professionals.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I have personally found more opportunities to
come to know and collaborate with my academic colleagues at the state level
through MLA over the national
level.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
<u>Advocacy</u><o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Advocacy is every library professional’s
job, from page to director to dean, whether it’s legislative,
administrative or in a social
setting.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Every library in Michigan has MLA to thank for
MeL funding at the very least. Just 5 years ago the legislature went on a
library funding cutting spree and we fought back (publics and academics) and
have succeeded far beyond
most
people’s
expectations.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The current legislative power in Lansing is not
based in East Lansing or Detroit. In many instances it comes from small
communities in towns many of us have never heard of. While most of those
communities don’t have an
academic
library, they most likely have a public library and a natural advocate that MLA
can work with to influence a potentially powerful
legislator.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->MI-ALA makes a brief reference to donating to
MLA’s advocacy efforts. Advocacy is a full-time job, important in a crisis
and even more important when there’s not a crisis and can’t be
funded on a
whim.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If MI-ALA forms as a 501(C)(3) there could be
serious limitations on how much may be contributed to
advocacy.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <u>MLA
Operations</u><o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->As the chair and a member of MLA’s
Legislative Committee I’ve worked closely with Gail Madziar and found her
to be extremely organized, professional and receptive of constructive feedback.
We are lucky to have her as our
Executive
Director.<o:p />
<br />>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="">·<span style="">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I’m not familiar with the details
surrounding the move of MLA’s offices, but this was an item that had been
under discussion even when I worked with Gretchen Couraud as president back in
2009. This isn’t the first time the
office
has moved and I find the spinoff of MI-ALA to be a far more serious challenge
to communication than separating the offices from
MCLS.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> Last, I am very disappointed about the example MI-ALA leaders are
setting to newer professionals about how to constructively resolve conflict. I
encourage my academic colleagues to continue their support, membership and
active
involvement
in MLA and to build on our success
together.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
Thanks.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
--Larry<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
-----------------------------------------------<o:p />
<br />> Larry P. Neal, Library
Director<o:p />
<br />> Clinton-Macomb Public
Library<o:p />
<br />> 40900 Romeo Plank
Road<o:p />
<br />> Clinton Township, MI 48038-2955
USA<o:p />
<br />> (586) 226-5011 | (586) 226-5008 –
fax |
lneal@cmpl.org<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> Library millage proposal – please vote August 5 -
http://www.cmpl.org/millage/<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> President-Elect, Public Library
Association<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> -----Original Message-----
<br />>
From: michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org] On Behalf
Of Stacy Nowicki
<br />>
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:37 PM
<br />>
To: mi-acad-dirs@mcls.org; michlib-l@mail.mcls.org
<br />>
Subject: [Michlib-l] MI-ALA
discussion
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> I haven't seen much discussion on these listservs about MI-ALA, which I
find curious. Since it wasn't widely disseminated, I would just like to
point out Veronica Bielat's open letter to the steering committee
here:<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <a href="http://www.miala.org/updates/minkinr/mi-ala-purposes-organization-are-now-open-your-review-and-input/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">http://www.miala.org/updates/minkinr/mi-ala-purposes-organization-are-now-open-your-review-and-input/</span></a><o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> I remain concerned about starting a new organization without the
infrastructure MLA can provide. If we want more opportunities for academics
within MLA, then we have to participate -- not withdraw. Further, MLA's
efforts to
support
public libraries also support academics -- the kids who use public libraries
become our students, after
all.<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
Stacy<o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p />
<br />> Dr. Stacy Nowicki, Ph.D.,
J.D.<o:p />
<br />> Library Director and Title IX Coordinator Information Services
Kalamazoo
College<o:p />
<br />> 1200 Academy
Street<o:p />
<br />> Kalamazoo, MI
49006<o:p />
<br />> voice:
269.337.5750<o:p />
<br />> fax:
269.337.7143<o:p />
<br />> email: <a href="mailto:Stacy.Nowicki@kzoo.edu"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Stacy.Nowicki@kzoo.edu</span></a><o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> green dot: a single choice in one moment that makes our college
safer
<a href="http://www.livethegreendot.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">http://www.livethegreendot.com/</span></a><o:p />
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />> <o:p>
</o:p>
<br />>
_______________________________________________<o:p />
<br />> Michlib-l mailing
list<o:p />
<br />> <a href="mailto:Michlib-l@mcls.org"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Michlib-l@mcls.org</span></a><o:p />
<br />> <a href="http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l</span></a><o:p />
<br /><b>------- End of Original Message
-------</b>
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