Michigan Library Association

Professional association for librarians in Michigan

The Michigan Library Association is a United States professional association headquartered in Lansing, Michigan that advocates for libraries in Michigan on behalf of the state's residents. Founded in 1891 its members are more than 2,700 individuals and organizations from public, school, academic, cooperative, private and special libraries.^[1]

With a mission to lead the advancement of all Michigan libraries through advocacy, education and engagement, the Michigan Library Association (MLA) is Michigan's oldest and largest library association and has advocated for libraries on behalf of the state's residents for more than 130 years.

MLA has influenced the course of Michigan's libraries since its inception in 1891, when Mary A. Eddy, the librarian at Coldwater Free Public Library, wrote to Henry M. Utley of the Detroit Public Library about organizing a state library association. They had discussed this matter at the 1890 meeting of the American Library Association in New Hampshire, believing a state association would be helpful to Michigan librarians unable to attend national conferences. Working closely with Lucy Ball, Grand Rapids Public Library, they awakened statewide interest and arranged the first Michigan meeting in Detroit, September 1, 1891. Thirty-seven members attended, elected a slate of five officers and printed their original 40-line constitution on a 3-inch by 6-inch card. Mr. Utley became the association's first president.

Activities

Conferences and events

MLA sponsors an annual statewide conference each fall, rotating between locations in Michigan. This professional development and networking event draws hundreds of Michigan library staff yearly.^[2] A Spring Institute for Youth Services is held each spring.

Programs

MLA sponsors library awards, literary awards, mentor programs and scholarship programs, and the annual Michigan Library Appreciation Month. The Michigan Library Awards are awarded annually to members of the library community in Michigan, and are awarded jointly with Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME), the Michigan Academic Library Association (MiALA), the Library of Michigan and the Library of Michigan Foundation.^[3]

Publication

From 2002 to 2009, the association published the MLA Forum ISSN 1539-4123, an open access electronic peer-reviewed academic journal covering library and information science published by the Michigan Library Association. It was indexed by Library Literature and Library and Information Science Abstracts. The journal was initially published on a quarterly schedule. In 2008, it switched to an annual publication format. The successive editors-in-chief were Lothar Spang (Wayne State University, 2002–2005), Susann deVries (Eastern Michigan University, 2005–2007), and Michael Lorenzen (Central Michigan University, 2007–2009).

Current and past presidents

The following persons have been president of the association:^[4]

2021-23, Ryan Wieber [Kalamazoo Public Library]
2021-21, Kelly Richards [Muskegon Area District Library]
2020-21, Jennifer Dean, [University of Detroit Mercy Libraires]
2018-20, Kristin Shelley, East Lansing Public Library
2017-18, Steven Bowers, Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET)
2016-17, Kathleen Zaenger, Howell Carnegie District Library
2015-16, Leslie Warren, Northern Michigan University, Olson Library
2014-15, Asante Cain, Grand Rapids Public Library
2013-14, Cathy Wolford, Detroit Area Library Network
2012-13, Lance Werner, Kent District Library
2011-12, Richard Cochran, Central Michigan University
2010-11, Christine Berro, Portage District Library
2009-10, Larry Neal, Clinton-Macomb Public Library
2008-09, Kathy Irwin, Mardigian Library - University of Michigan-Dearborn
2007-08, Josie Parker, Ann Arbor District Library
2006-07, Leah Black, Michigan State University
2005-06, Michael McGuire, Traverse Area District Library
2004-05, Linda Farynk, Saginaw Valley State University
2003-04, Marcia Warner, Public Libraries of Saginaw
2002-03, Phyllis Jose, Oakland County Reference Library
2001-02, Elaine Didier, Oakland University Library
2000-01, Tom Genson, Grand Rapids Public Library
1999-2000, Denise Forro, Michigan State University
1998-99, Nancy Bujold, Rochester Hills Public Library
1997-98, Pamela Grudzien, Central Michigan University
1996-97, Beverly Papai, Farmington Community Library
1995-96, Martha Stilwell, Kellogg Community College-Battle Creek
1994-95, Sandra A. Scherba, Cromaine Library, Hartland
1993-94, Sandra Yee, Eastern Michigan University
1992-93, Francis J. Buckley,
1991-92, Jean Houghton, Saginaw Valley State University
1990-91, Jule Fosbender, Adrian Public Library
1989-90, Linda Heemstra, Bay County Library System, Bay City
1988-89, Colleen Hyslop, Michigan State University Libraries
1987-88, Clara N.Bohrer, Farmington Community Library
1986-87, Margaret Auer, University of Detroit Library
1985-86, A. Micheal Deller, Madison Heights/Livonia Public Libraries
1984-85, Robert Garen, Detroit Public Library
1983-84, Eleanor Pinkham, Kalamazoo College Library
1982-83, Margaret Thomas, Farmington Community Library
1981-82, Patricia Wilson, Rochester Hills (Avon Township) Public Library, Rochester
1980-81, Howard Lipton, St. Clair Shores
1979-80, Carolyn McMillen, Michigan State University Libraries
1978-79, Robert Raz, Grand Rapids Public Library
1977-78, Joan Wilcox, Oakland County Library Board, Pontiac
1976-77, Robert Gaylor, Kresge Library, Oakland University, Rochester
1975-76, Roberta Cheney, Powell Branch, Kalamazoo Public Library
1974-75, Bernard Oppeneer, Saginaw Public Library
1973-74, Mark Crum, Kalamazoo Public Library
1972-73, Mary Daume, Monroe County Library System
1971-72, Benard C. Rink, Northwestern Michigan College, Petoskey
1970-71, Mildred M. Winslow, Western Michigan University
1969-70, Robert E. Booth, Wayne State University
1968-69, James Sterling, Warren Public Library
1967-68, W. J. Kimbrough, Lansing Public Library
1966-67, Richard Chapin, Michigan State University Libraries
1965-66, Mary Mitchell, Detroit Public Library
1964-65, H. G. Johnston, Flint Public Library
1963-64, Madalyn M. Bradford, Webster Memorial Library, Decatur
1962-63, G. Flint Purdy, Wayne State University Library
1961-62, Ransom L Richardson, Flint Public Library
1960-61, Robert W. Armstrong, Detroit Public Library
1959-60, Frederick H. Wagman, University of Michigan Library
1958-59, Katharine Harris, Detroit Public Library
1957-58, Clifford B. Wightman, Hackley Public Library, Muskegon
1956-57, Clover Flanders, University of Michigan Extension Service
1955-56, William Chait, Kalamazoo Public Library
1954-55, Ethel Walker Yarbroff, Detroit School Librarian (retired)
1953-54, Ruth Warncke, Kent County Library
1952-53, Frances E. Burnside, Jackson Public Library
1951-52, Robert M. Orr, Grosse Pointe Public Library
1950-51, Marian C. Young, Detroit Public Library
1949-50, Alta Parks, Mason Public Library, Ingham County
1948-49, Alice Louise LeFevre, Western Michigan College, Department of Education
1947-48, Hobart R. Coffey, University of Michigan, Law Library
1946-47, Donald W. Kohlsedt, Grand Rapids Public Library
1945-46, Adeline Cooke, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham
1944-45, Ernest I. Miller, Detroit Public Library
1943-44, Cecil J. Mettale, University of Michigan, Department of Library Science
1942-43, Eudocia Stratton, Central Michigan College of Education Library, Mt. Pleasant
1941-42, Irene C. Hayner, University High School, Ann Arbor
1940-41, Dorothy T. Hagerman, West Side Branch, Grand Rapids Public Library
1939-40, Frances A. Hannum, Ann Arbor Public Library
1938-39, Ruth Rutzen, Detroit Public Library
1937-38, Ralph A. Ulveling, Detroit Public Library
1936-37, Maude E. Grill, Jackson County Library
1935-36, Samuel W. McAllister, University of Michigan Library
1934-35, Loleta D. Fyan, Wayne County Library, Detroit
1933-34, C. Tefft Hewitt, Hackley Public Library, Muskegon
1932-33, Nancy B. Thomas, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham
1931-32, C. B. Joeckel, University of Michigan Library School
1929-30, Elisabeth Knapp, Detroit Public Library
1928-29, William Webb, Flint Public Library
1927-28, William Bishop, University of Michigan Library
1926-27, Gail Curtis, State Library, Lansing
1925-26, Louis Bailey, Flint Public library
1924-25, Harold L. Wheeler, Hackley Public Library
1923-24, Constance Bement, State Library, Lansing
1922-23, Flora B. Roberts, Kalamazoo Public Library
1921-22, Alma A. Olson, Detroit Public Library
1920-21, Annie Pollard, Grand Rapids Public Library
1919-20, Adam Strohm, Detroit Public Library
1918-19, Francis L. D. Goodrich, University of Michigan Library
1917-18, Kathryn G. Sleneau, McGregor Public Library, Highland Park
1915-16, John S. Cleavinger, Jackson Public Library
1913-14, Theodore W. Koch, University of Michigan Library
1912-13, Annie F MacDonell, Bay City Public Library
1910-11, Nina K. Preston, University of Michigan Library
1908-09, G. M. Walton, State Normal College Library, Ypsilanti
1906-07, Samuel Ranck, Grand Rapids Public Library
1891-1905, H. M. Utley, Detroit Public Library

References

^ Kristine Condic (Fall 2001), "Library Dean Elected President of MLA", Kresge Library News, archived from the original on June 30, 2010, retrieved January 10, 2013
^ "MLA Annual Conference". Michigan Library Association. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
^ "Awards - MLA". Michigan Library Association. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
^ "Home". milibraries.org.