<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Candara;
panose-1:2 14 5 2 3 3 3 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Candara",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:none;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1541354575;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:645956338 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Hello Everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">As I mentioned during the monthly Library Directors meeting last week Friday, the Michigan High Speed Internet Office (MiHI) is asking all public libraries to make a printed
copy as well as a link to the draft Digital Equity Plan available to the public. The Library of Michigan has been involved in various roundtable discussions and individual meetings about the need for affordable access to high-quality broadband internet along
with appropriate digital literacy skills for over 2 years now. The team at MiHI is well aware of and appreciative of the role libraries have and continue to play in their respective communities. Public libraries are mentioned throughout the draft plan and
are considered to be a vital asset to achieving the vision of having a state in which all people have access to affordable internet, devices, and the ability to utilize those tools to ensure a better life for themselves and their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Here’s how you can continue partnering with MIHI on reaching out to your respective communities to ensure digital inclusion and equity in Michigan:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Print off a copy of the draft Digital Equity Plan found
<a href="https://www.michigan.gov/leo/-/media/Project/Websites/leo/Documents/MIHI/DE-Plan---DRAFT.pdf?rev=6aedaea1570b4d21921ad1958045aa0c&hash=42BE834EE45E2354DC8C9D317D7D52CD">
here</a>. Make it available for public viewing within the library and encourage people to read & comment.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Post the link of the draft Digital Equity Plan on your website and your social media accounts asking for people to offer
public comment. The URL to use is here </span><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/leo/-/media/Project/Websites/leo/Documents/MIHI/DE-Plan---DRAFT.pdf?rev=6aedaea1570b4d21921ad1958045aa0c&hash=42BE834EE45E2354DC8C9D317D7D52CD">Digital Equity Plan (Draft) (michigan.gov)</a>.<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">The public comment period is being held from now until 5:00 pm on August 15, 2023. Public comment can be submitted
<a href="https://forms.leo.state.mi.us/miosha/mihi-public-comment-form/">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Take some time as a library staff and read through the draft plan and submit comments based on your experiences working
with those who don’t have reliable or affordable access to broadband internet or have limited digital literacy skills.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I will be attending another larger meeting tomorrow as well as a partnership roundtable next week.
If there is something I cannot answer, I can always ask at those times.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Thanks everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif">Heather<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Candara",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Heather Wood-Gramza<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Michigan eLibrary Coordinator
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="mso-ligatures:none">she l her l hers<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="50" height="54" style="width:.5208in;height:.5625in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D9B8A9.77913890"></span><i><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Library of Michigan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">702 West Kalamazoo Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">PO Box 30007<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Lansing, MI 48909-7507<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Office: 517.335.1497<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Michigan’s </span><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/mde/resources/michigan-top-10-strategic-education-plan"><span style="color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none">Top 10 Strategic Education Plan</span></a><span style="mso-ligatures:none">
provides focused direction to drive educational achievement in support of all learners.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="142" height="63" style="width:1.4791in;height:.6597in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D9B8A9.77913890" alt="Logo, company name
Description automatically generated"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>