MHAL - January 2005 Access Newsletter

State Librarian Christie Pearson Brandau Headed to Kansas for Top Librarian Job
By Sarah Lapshan, Department of History, Arts and Libraries

Dr. William Anderson, director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL), recently announced the resignation of State Librarian Christie Pearson Brandau, effective Jan. 28, 2005. Brandau, who has served as Michigan's state librarian since 2000, informed Anderson and Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that she has accepted the position as state librarian of Kansas, a job that will begin in February.

"Christie's dedication to providing excellent library and information services statewide has gone a long way in carrying out our mission of enriching the quality of life for Michigan residents," Anderson said. "It is because of Christie's resolute commitment to bridging the digital divide that many more Michiganians have free, public access to computers and the Internet."

Anderson went on to praise the Library of Michigan's many accomplishments during Brandau's tenure, including the enhancement and expansion of the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) to include more informational databases, employment tools such as Learn-a-Test, and virtual books; the creation of a user-authentication tool for MeL, making it the nation's first online library accessible from home, school, business or local library; and the growth of broadband Internet access through public libraries via the innovative combination of Reed Act, Gates Foundation and federal funding.

"I congratulate Christie on this newest chapter in her professional career and I know she will do great things for the state of Kansas," said Granholm. "Our state has been very fortunate to have someone with Christie's expertise and passion for service leading the way for our libraries. This is a great import for Governor Sebelius. I wish Christie well in this new endeavor."

"It seems inadequate to say that serving as this state's librarian has been a privilege," said Brandau. "It really has been so much more than that. Michigan has a powerhouse library community, bubbling over with creative ideas, technological innovations and good old-fashioned common sense.

"With the support of Governor Granholm and many others, the Library of Michigan is poised to continue its progress for many years to come. I am confident this state's library community will always be a thriving educational and economic force, opening new doors to opportunity for our residents in so many remarkable ways."

Until a new state librarian is found, the governor named current Deputy State Librarian Nancy R. Robertson to serve as acting state librarian.

I couldn't possibly fit the names of all those whom I want to thank, but I have to give it a try: I am grateful to the staff at the Library of Michigan and to our board; to Randy Dykhuis and his crew at MLC; to my good friends, the co-op directors; to Roger Ashley and the MAME members; to the MLA leadership; to Dr. Bill Anderson, Mark Hoffman and the staff at the Department of History, Arts and Libraries; and to all of you in the Michigan library community for your cooperation and support during my tenure. I especially want to say thanks for your hospitality as I traveled around the state visiting your libraries. I learned a great deal about the integrity, character and good humor of our state's librarians.

I'm proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the Library of Michigan over the past five years, including:

It is accomplishments like these that I hope will serve as a springboard for more innovation and cooperative projects by Michigan's libraries. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as Michigan's state librarian. It has been an honor, an adventure, and, most of all, a privilege.

The New Michigan eLibrary - Preview Launch
By Ruth Dukelow, Michigan Library Consortium

The Library of Michigan and Michigan Library Consortium are excited to announce the preview launch of the new and improved Michigan eLibrary (MeL). On January 10 MeL launched a preview version of its three new components:

The preview phase will run from Jan. 10 through April 8, 2005. To ensure a smooth transition to the new MeL, the old version of MeL will continue to be live during the preview phase. We encourage library staff to begin to use the new MeL as soon as possible, and we welcome your comments prior to March 16. We are interested in gathering input from staff and patrons on the new MeL's design, functionality and usability, as well as what promotional materials libraries need and any other input you wish to give us.

You will also see a change in MeL support, with the addition of Web-based forms for requesting help or reporting problems, troubleshooting tips and links to documentation.

During the preview phase, MeL staff will be available for presentations at library regional meetings (e.g., library cooperatives, REMCs and other regional group meetings). Please contact Ruth Dukelow (dukelow@mlcnet.org or 800-530-9019, ext. 121) to schedule a presentation on the new MeL, including the gateway, searching and how to participate in MeLCat.

MLC is also offering a three-hour overview, hands-on training session. Please contact Suzanne Robinson (robinson@mlcnet.org or 800-530-9019, ext. 134) for information on scheduling the overview training session or other MeL database training sessions.

Please feel free to contact the following MeL staff at MLC if you have any questions.

MeL Databases Full-text List Updated Again
By Evelyn Freeman, Oakland Schools Information Center

The AccessMeL Periodical List-Full Text (AMPL-FT), brought to you by the Oakland Schools Information Center and created in order to provide a list of full-text articles from Michigan eLibrary (MeL) databases, has been updated to reflect the most recent changes to the MeL databases.

The Library of Michigan extends its thanks for this ongoing volunteer effort that has been so useful to all Michigan libraries.

MeL Databases and Copyright Issues
By Ruth Dukelow, Michigan Library Consortium Associate Director

The Library of Michigan licenses 33 commercial databases from six vendors for free use by Michigan residents through the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) databases project. MeL staff members at the Michigan Library Consortium (MLC) provide support and training for MeL databases to Michigan schools and libraries. At MLC, we frequently receive questions relating to allowable uses of the MeL databases under U.S. copyright law. This article addresses some of the copyright issues relating to usage of MeL databases.

Q: Can I use Gale or OCLC icons on my library's Web page?
A: Gale, OCLC and other MeL database vendors are usually willing to allow libraries to use their logo icons on library Web sites. You do, however, first need to obtain permission from the vendor. For assistance in obtaining permission to use vendor logos, please contact Ruth Dukelow (Dukelow@mlcnet.org) or Kelly Bayee (bayeek@mlcnet.org).

Q: Can I respond to interlibrary loan (ILL) requests by sending copies of full-text articles from MeL databases? Does it matter if the requesting library is in-state or out-of-state? Can I download books from MeL eBooks (netLibrary) and send out electronically in response to ILL requests?
A: No, you cannot send copies of full-text articles from MeL databases in response to ILL requests. For in-state library requests, you can respond by sending the requesting library the link to the full-text article, because all libraries in Michigan should be able to access content in the MeL databases. No, you cannot download MeL eBooks to send in response to ILL requests.

Q: Can I send full-text articles from MeL databases in response to virtual reference requests from my library patrons? From MeL eBooks? What amounts are acceptable for responding to virtual reference requests?
A: When responding to virtual reference requests with full-text articles, use the "email this article" function in the full-text MeL databases. When responding to virtual reference requests with text from MeL eBooks, use only small amounts that could be considered fair use. If large of amounts of text are necessary to respond to the question, direct the patron to netLibrary (or other MeL databases) with instructions on how to access the information from home.

Q: Can I link to full-text articles in MeL databases in my college e-reserves collection?
A: Yes, if the database containing the full text offers persistent URLs. For example, the Gale databases offer Infomarks. If your remote users have trouble authenticating to access full-text article links through your e-reserves page, you can provide information on how to access the articles through mel.org with Michigan drivers license or state ID authentication.

Q: Can I copy MeL databases full-text materials, or MeL eBooks excerpts, for my print reserves?
A: Depending on your local institution's policy on print reserve permissions, you might be able to copy for print reserves for the first semester that the material is used. For subsequent semesters, however, you should obtain permission.

Q: How do I get copyright permission to reproduce screen shots from MeL databases?
A: Contact the database vendor to request permission. If your purpose is nonprofit or educational, the vendor will usually give permission for screen shots. Note, however, that some of the material in the databases is not owned by the vendor, so vendors might not be able to give permission for screen shots that incorporate full text.

Q: Can students use materials from MeL databases in written reports? Multi-media school projects? On Web pages?
A: Yes, students can use materials from MeL databases in their written reports and in their multi-media projects, as long as the reports and projects are made available only to the class and teachers. If students wish to post their reports and projects on the Web and make them available globally, they will need to obtain permission from the copyright owners for any copyrighted materials used.

Q: Can I post MeL databases passwords on my library's Web site, or can I use webscript with my passwords embedded on my library's Web site?
A: No, because this information can be seen globally and would allow access by people who are not Michigan residents. This would violate the MeL databases license agreements.

If you have questions relating to the MeL databases, or if you would like training on how to use the databases, please contact the MeL staff at MLC: Kelly Bayee (bayeek@mlcnet.org) for support, Suzanne Robinson (robinson@mlcnet.org) for training or Ruth Dukelow (dukelow@mlcnet.org) for copyright questions.

Funds Available to Support Newspaper Microfilming
By Kevin Dreidger, Michigan Newspaper Project, Library of Michigan

The Michigan Newspaper Project is offering funding to support community-based projects to microfilm local newspapers. Funded through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the project will subsidize the filming of approximately 100,000 pages of Michigan newspapers. Community groups interested in having their local newspaper microfilmed will be required to pay the first $100 of costs for each reel of film, and NEH funds will pay the balance of the costs. Typically, a reel of microfilm contains 850 to 1,000 newspaper pages.

Organizations interested in taking advantage of this program are requested to complete and submit a short application form by Feb. 15, 2005. The form requests basic information about the applicant, the title (or titles) of the newspaper to be filmed and the approximate number of pages to be filmed. In addition the applicant will be asked to write a brief explanation regarding the historical importance of the newspaper. The form and additional information can be found on the Clarke Historical Library Web site or by writing to Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859.

After receipt of the application, the Michigan Newspaper Project Steering Committee will review the forms, and if necessary, select from among competing applications. Sponsors of projects selected for microfilming will be notified within 30 days of the application deadline. Successful applicants will, in turn, be asked to submit a cash deposit equal to approximately half of the anticipated community contribution or make other satisfactory financial arrangements within 30 days of notification.

It is also worth noting that a separate grant application has been submitted to the National Endowment for the Humanities by the Library of Michigan, in collaboration with several members of the Michigan Library Digitization Task Force, to begin digitizing selected, previously microfilmed newspapers. Word regarding the success of this proposal will not be received until May 2005; however, this proposal represents an important next step in making local newspapers available to users around the state and the nation.

Upcoming Continuing Education Opportunities from the Library of Michigan
By Deb Bacon-Ziegler, Continuing Education Coordinator, Library of Michigan

Summer Reading Workshops 2005
Join the Library of Michigan and the Michigan Library Association for a great day of presentations designed to help your library create a winning summer reading program. Sessions about marketing, crafts, book talks and more will focus on this year's themes for children and teens: "Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds" and "Joust Read."

Registration and CEUs will be handled by MLA.
Fee: $50 (includes a lunch, a snack, and a great packet of info)

2005 Loleta Fyan Rural Libraries Conference
Rural Libraries: Gateway to Information
The 2005 Rural Libraries Conference will be May 2-4, 2005, at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan. The conference planning committee is hard at work putting together this premiere event for our small and rural libraries. Full conference details will be posted on the conference Web site, which will go live in late January.

Remember - nominations are now being accepted for RLC Awards! Nomination forms and award details are available from Deb Bacon-Ziegler at bacon-zieglerd@michigan.gov.

Save the Date! Beginning Workshop 2005
The 2005 Beginning Workshop will be held the week of June 6, 2005, at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey. Based on feedback from 2004 attendees, the workshop will be newly updated for 2005. Watch for full details in the coming weeks!

Don't forget to check the Statewide Workshops and Events Calendar, your one-stop source for workshops, training events, conferences, and other library-land happenings!

Before the Dragon Takes Flight
By Julia Meredith, Youth Services Specialist, Library of Michigan

The wind may blow and the snow may drift, but librarians across the state are having dreams of dragons and daring deeds as they plan summer reading programs for 2005. The themes are fun, the graphics are vibrant, the creative juices are flowing ... but before you're swept away, I'd like to take you back in time for just a moment. Not to the time of knights and jousting. Just a few months back to summer reading 2004.

I'd like to call to your mind that time in August when you were thanking your lucky stars that you'd made it through another summer program. Perhaps you squeezed in a much-deserved vacation. And you received a form to evaluate the 2004 Summer Reading Program. Many of you took the time to fill out this form even though you were ready to leave summer programs behind. I thank you for this favor and in return would like to share some information with you. Here is a short summary.

I received 306 children's program evaluations and 218 teen program evaluations. WOW! When I tallied up the numbers, there were 127,221 children and 20,589 teens registered for these programs across the state. I read all the comments (good and bad), made notes and listed theme suggestions to take to the Collaborative Summer Library Program meeting in April.

What should you take away from my short summary? First, that there are a LOT of hard-working, dedicated librarians in Michigan ... but you knew that. Second, that there are a LOT of children and teens enjoying your hard work ... but you knew that, too. Third, Michigan has the third-highest participation in the Collaborative Summer Library Program, which means your opinions carry that much more weight when decisions are made about themes, graphics, etc. ... perhaps you didn't know that.

So, thank you for the hard work and for the input. And when Summer Reading Program 2005 is a mere memory, I look forward to hearing about how it went.

Fran Pletz Award Nominations Sought
Submitted by Anne Heidemann, Chippewa River District Library System

Have you noticed someone who provides outstanding library service to teens? Help recognize that person by nominating them for the Frances H. Pletz Award.

Named for former Michigan Library Association (MLA) Executive Director Frances H. Pletz because of her exemplary library service to teens in our state, the award was established in 1978 by MLA's Young Adult Division (now the Teen Services Division). It is given annually to that Michigan public library staff person who exhibits the same outstanding quality of service to teens during the past year or years as the award's namesake.

Anyone who is a current member of the Teen Services Division (TSD) may be nominated, except for members of the nominating committee and members of the TSD board. The award will be presented at MLA Spring Institute Workshop, April 20-22 in Big Rapids, by the person who nominated the winner.

This is your chance to nominate a librarian, colleague, friend, or staff member you believe deserves recognition for service to teens. To nominate someone for the Frances H. Pletz Award, please complete the nomination form available on the MLA Web site and return it by February 11, 2005 to:

For additional information or if you have questions, please call Anne at (989) 773-3242, extension 14.

Detroit Librarian Honored With New York Times Librarian Award
Submitted by Detroit Public Library staff

Elma M. Natt of the Detroit Public Library recently received the prestigious New York Times 2004 Librarian Award. Natt is one of 27 total award recipients nationwide and one of two winners from the Midwest and Great Lakes Region.

The New York Times held a reception in honor of the award recipients on Dec. 15, during which each winner was given $2,500 and a commemorative plaque. A separate plaque featuring the winner's name and title will be sent to the library where each works.

Natt works for the Detroit Public Library as a librarian at the Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, located in the Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services. She began her career at the Franklin and Grey branches of the Detroit Public Library, and was an associate professor at the Eastern Michigan University Library in Ypsilanti. From there she traveled to Africa as associate professor, chief law librarian at the University of Liberia Law Library. Following her return to Michigan, Natt joined McGregor Public Library in Highland Park, where she held the position of director. She returned to the Detroit Public Library in 2002.

Now in its fourth year, the New York Times Librarian Award program honors librarians from around the country who have provided outstanding public service. Criteria for receiving the coveted award include quality of service provided to the public, knowledge of the library and its resources, and commitment to helping the public. Nearly 1,500 award nominations, from 47 states, came in from the general public.

"We are very happy to have the opportunity to celebrate public librarians from across the country, whose enormous contributions sometimes go unrecognized," said Alyse Myers, vice president, marketing services, The New York Times. "This program demonstrates, year after year, how crucial libraries and librarians are to people in every part of the nation. From big cities to small towns, people look to their local libraries for information, education, entertainment, culture and community, and the librarians are there to help them find it all. The Times is proud to honor the work of these librarians who bring people together over books around the common belief that access to information is part of the bedrock of our society."

Public Library Funding Initiative Group (PLFIG) Accomplishments, 1999-2004
By Bob Raz, PLFIG steering committee

The Public Library Funding Initiative Group (PLFIG) has come a long way since its creation in 1999. We have raised over $200,000 from public libraries and related library organizations and individuals. This support - unprecedented for an effort to determine the funding needs of public libraries! - has come from nearly 200 public libraries located all across both peninsulas of the state of Michigan. The money has been spent carefully and wisely by the PLFIG steering committee.

In 2000 PLFIG engaged Charles McClure from Florida State University to complete a funding study of Michigan's Public Libraries. The full report can be found at http://www.plfig.org/final_report.htm.

Following that study, the PLFIG group used the information gathered and developed a list of funding needs. The result was a draft document, "Helping People to Live, Work and Play: Building 21st Century Public Libraries for Michigan". It was issued for public comment in April of 2003. PLFIG did not make a modest proposal. We recommended state funding of nearly $140 million in various areas (see the appendix of this report on pp. 8-10 for the financial recommendations).

PLFIG then hired Traverse Management Resources, Inc. to hold a series of meetings with public librarians and trustees to get feedback, the result of which is the report, "Feedback from the Field, September 2003."

In early 2004 PLFIG and the Michigan Library Consortium commissioned EPIC-MRA, a highly respected survey firm, to administer interviews with 600 registered voters in Michigan. Respondents were included in the sample if they were registered to vote and had voted in either/both of the general elections of 2000 and 2002. The sample was stratified so that every area of the state was represented according to its contribution to a general election.

This survey provided some interesting insight into how Michigan residents view public libraries. We discovered that:

Of course, not all news is good. We found that, although people love libraries, they do not understand how we are funded or that libraries have funding problems. But we also learned that the more people know about our funding problems, the more likely they are to be supportive of efforts to improve library funding.

Based on this information, PLFIG is also working with The Rossman Group, a Lansing public relations firm, on the next stages of this important effort. It is time to take our case to the people and try to build support for real change. In October and November of this year, a new and expanded steering committee met to map out a strategy. We know that the state's financial situation is still a difficult one, but that just means that we are challenged to present our plans for Michigan library service in such a way that the public understands the strong link between quality library service and education, the economy and our quality of life. Look for us to be working on the following:

On that last point, PLFIG and MLA have recently proved that we can work together to succeed on behalf of the state's libraries. Senate Bill 1202 (creating historical districts TIFAs) was recently passed by the House and the Senate. Thanks to intensive work on the part of the library community and support from Representatives Nofs, Lajoie and Dennis, an amendment was included allowing city libraries with separately voted millages to choose to be exempt from the tax capture. Exempting libraries from tax capture/abatement programs is an important part of the PLFIG agenda.

Look for more in the near future from a revitalized PLFIG group. We have an active group of 35 individuals from all parts of the state working together. If you are interested in getting more involved, please contact Robert Raz (braz@libraryjobs.net) or Eileen Palmer (empalmer@tln.lib.mi.us).

For Your Information About the Freedom of Information Act
By Lance M. Werner, Library Law Specialist, Library of Michigan

What would you do if you received a written Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the names and contact information of the people who utilize your library? How would you handle it? Would you contact your library's legal counsel? Would you send the information? Would you ask the requesting party to explain why they need the information? Would you refuse to respond? What if the FOIA request contained terminology that intimated possible legal action for non-compliance? It is a disturbing scenario, to be sure, and as some public libraries in Michigan already know, the question is not purely hypothetical.

As one of the state's first "sunshine" laws, Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 442 of 1976, was adopted to enable the citizens of Michigan to have access to certain public records kept by public bodies. Under FOIA, a public record is defined as "a writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a public body in the performance of an official function, from the time it is created." Michigan's public libraries are considered public bodies under FOIA. If a public library in Michigan receives a FOIA request in writing for a copy of specifically described public record(s), the library must respond within five business days.

So does this mean the library is legally obligated to send the copies requested under FOIA? The answer is that it depends. Generally, most records are not granted any protection from disclosure. However, there are no absolutes, and certain types of records have been granted exempt status under FOIA. Some examples of exempt records were given in a Trustee's Corner article in the January 2003 issue of Access on the Freedom of Information Act Amendment. The examples listed in this article provide guidance in the situation where a FOIA request has been received for public records containing information regarding building design, etc., whose disclosure could potentially pose a security hazard.

But what about the situation where someone has sent the library a written FOIA request for library user information? A legal answer for this scenario can be found within the act as well. Section 13 of FOIA (MCL 15.243 et seq.) not only provides protection to certain records regarding building designs and the like, but also to records and information specifically described and exempted from disclosure by statute.

Under Michigan's Library Privacy Act (the Privacy Act), Public Act 455 of 1982, section 2, a library record is defined as "a document, record, or other method of storing information retained by a library that contains information that personally identifies a library patron, including the patron's name, address, or telephone number, or that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials from a library." Clearly the patron information requested in our example falls squarely within the definition of "library record" under the Privacy Act. Moreover, library records are specifically exempted from the disclosure requirements of FOIA under section 3 of the Privacy Act. The answer to the question of disclosure in this scenario is that it would be a violation of both FOIA and the Privacy Act to disclose the requested information.

Whenever librarians are faced with a situation where they are unsure of the correct course of action under the law, they should not hesitate to contact their legal counsel. Even though some veiled legal threat may accompany a request, a library can protect itself by complying with the statutes. It is important to keep in mind that when a library is refuses a request, it still must respond within five business days of receiving the request. The response must be issued in compliance with the requirements set forth in FOIA and must either grant, deny, grant in part or request an extension. The FOIA coordinator will most likely receive the request and will also be responsible for replying. Finally, it is not appropriate to ask why the information is being requested.

The above discussion is focused on one of the many different facets of FOIA. It is crucial that your library's FOIA coordinator is familiar with all of the implications of FOIA. Library employees should also have a general working knowledge of FOIA. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lance M. Werner, the library law specialist at the Library of Michigan, by phone at (517) 373-1299 or by e-mail at wernerl@michigan.gov.

Walkable Internet: An Opportunity for Public Libraries?
By Tim Watters, Special Materials Cataloger, Library of Michigan

SBC, Verizon, Microsoft, Time-Warner, Hewlett-Packard and others helped make possible the publication of The Digital Future Report: Surveying the Digital Future, Year Four (also bearing the distinctive title Ten Years, Ten Trends.) This online publication reports on a study by the USC Annenberg School's Center for the Digital Future and is available at http://www.digitalcenter.org.

According to the report, the project's objective is "to ensure that the Digital Future Project and its yearly reports study online technology and capitalize on the opportunity that was missed as television developed ... A principal goal of the Digital Future Project is to engage government and private industry decision makers who can create policy based on our findings." This document has been widely reported as an objective source of statistical information about Internet users.

From the textual part of the document, public librarians may glean a sense of where the digital divide is headed. For example, on page 20 the question is asked: "How will non-users cope with a national economy that increasingly functions online ... What will happen when other basic services go primarily online, such as banking, voting, and postal services?" It will certainly be good for the business of the report's sponsors when essential functions such as these are limited to their products, but will everyone have those products? On Election Day, I donned a sporty orange reflective vest and made my way through the roadside ditches to my polling location for lack of a motor vehicle or sidewalks. Will those who have not purchased the latest technology, secured it from the latest viruses, and paid the monthly fees be blocked from even that option in the future?

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Michigan Broadband Development Authority are currently working together to establish broadband connectivity in all newly constructed low and moderate-income housing as well as retrofitting existing housing (see the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth's "Consumer's Corner" television program #2004-8.) These two financing authorities are physically located in the old state library building, but how will actual libraries serve the needs of those in search of the latest technology?

Most of the report explicitly compares the Internet to early television in terms of social acceptance. The implication is that it will be just as simple and unobtrusive for people to have a computer with Internet access as it is to own a television. But the supplementary article by Jeffrey Cole, creator of the Digital Future Project, begins with: "The Internet today is at about the same level of development as the automobile was in 1920." Mr. Cole predicts: "In 2014 most Americans will use the Internet to send letters, file tax returns, pay bills, and so forth. People who do not want to perform those chores online will find it increasingly difficult and expensive to avoid doing so." That's good news for the report's sponsors, but not so good news for those who would rather not be harnessed to keeping up with the latest technology. Perhaps libraries and other government agencies will help fill the gap as technology pulls away from those who cannot or choose not to purchase the frequently updated technologies that may become essential to daily life.

Following are just a few examples of recent projects allowing Michigan libraries to take advantage of technology resources and training available through library cooperatives.

The Suburban Library Cooperative (SLC) has worked with its member libraries on an exciting new resource for local history buffs - Hyperion, a digital media archive that provides users the ability to view historic photos online.

This archive includes photographs from the Fraser Public Library, MacDonald Public Library (New Baltimore), Mount Clemens Public Library, St. Clair Shores Public Library, Sterling Heights Public Library and the Troy Historical Museum. The collection covers local history, regional waterways, regional military affairs and regional transportation.

SLC purchased the software as a part of the shared automation system, and then the SLC's systems librarian trained member library staff on how to use the software. Library staff members have been busily scanning photographs and writing descriptions for the images. Users can browse a list of subjects or they can search for a specific subject.

In November, we will be expanding this archive to include the Roseville Public Library and the Lois Wagner Memorial Library (Richmond) historical photograph collections, as well as newspapers articles and even oral histories!

Other projects that the Suburban Library Cooperative member libraries have worked on together include the third One Book, One Community project and the Librarians are Reading brochure (http://www.libcoop.net/readinglist/index.html), and we are currently working on a cooperative-wide foreign language collection.

The Woodlands Library Cooperative mobile training lab has been used nine times since August, serving 183 librarians and patrons at four libraries. Using the lab, librarians were trained on installing Windows XP service pack II, computer security, AncestryPlus, Michigan Votes, FirstSearch, ebooks and the Michigan eLibrary (MeL). The lab was also used to train patrons on computer security and Windows Service pack II. Future classes include workshops on the new MeL gateway, electronic reference resources for kids grades k-7 and the Windows XP operating system.

The mobile training lab encouraged one library to expand its training through the use of a mobile lab. It will be used to provide Internet access during the Rural Library Conference. Several Woodlands libraries plan on purchasing a lab when funds are available.

The mobile wireless training lab received by Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative (MMLC) through a Reed Act grant has been a very significant addition to our cooperative. In August the lab was ready for use by members and was set up in our office area as a demo to show libraries how the system worked. Immediately the system was booked in October by the Genesee District Library for staff training. In November the Ruth Hughes Memorial Library in Imlay City used the lab to assist the unemployed in locating jobs and preparing resumes. Future uses include assisting low-income individuals with income tax preparation at the Flint Public Library and staff training at the Grace A. Dow Library in Midland.

This is a cooperative project between Flint Public Library and the local IRS office. An interesting by-product of this grant was the purchase by the Almont District Library of a similar lab that is available to businesses and agencies in the community. The lab has proved to be a valuable new resource, one that the MMLC staff will also be using to assist in training for MeLCat and the MeL databases later this year.

Time and Date.com - provides world time and date calendars and a calendar generator.
http://www.timeanddate.com

Holidays on the Net - provides useful information on various holidays celebrated in the U.S. as well as calendars of holiday dates for the next several years.
http://www.holidays.net

Michigan House of Representatives Calendar of Events - includes sessions and committee schedules, state holidays and more.
http://www.house.mi.gov/calendar.asp

Virtual Perpetual Calendars - best suited for finding dates in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
http://www.vpcalendar.net

East Lansing Public Library Receives Two Grants in Support of Early Childhood Programming

The children's services staff at the East Lansing Public Library is thrilled to have received grants from Target Corporation and from The Gerber Foundation that will be used to expand program offerings for young children and their families.

The grant from Target will support a new series of Community Cultures events designed to introduce library users to global cultural traditions and stories. The events will occur monthly in 2005, with each program focusing on a particular country or continent.

Local resident and trustee of The Gerber Foundation, Dr. William Weil, nominated the East Lansing Public Library for generous grant support of programming with an emphasis on preschool children. This gift will enable the library to expand literacy-based activities for its youngest library users.

These two grants follow a 2004 grant from the PBS Kids Cyberchase program that was used to develop family math skills programs and library collections.

There's treasure hidden in the basement of the St. Clair County Library System's Main Library. It isn't gold and jewels, but troves of local history. Tucked safely away in the lower level of the library is the Michigan Room, where you can find most anything pertaining to the area's past - Michigan Civil War records, county histories, the Michigan Archaeological Atlas, court records, directories, news clippings, even high school yearbooks or historical photos, among other things.

The collection is in the care of reference librarian Barb King, but it has had an interesting history itself. The collection was born in the old Carnegie Library, where the Port Huron Museum now resides. It was started by William Lee Jenks, who was an original library board member and local historian. Most of his collection is still at the library, but portions have been relocated to Central Michigan University. Many other historical resources have been collected from this area and are now housed in the Main Library, such as school records found in the Lynn Schoolhouse and tax records that had been held at the Michigan National Bank and the courthouse.

Much of the preservation work can be attributed to volunteers, specifically Lois Wedge and Helen Whiting. These two ladies have been working, since the late seventies, on many of the library's records and can be found in the Michigan Room every Monday night working hard to preserve local history.

Ten area teens participated in a Teen Poetry Slam at the Community House in Birmingham, co-sponsored by the Bloomfield Township Public Library, the Baldwin Public Library, and the Community House. M.L. Liebler, noted poet and Wayne State University professor, and the Magic Poetry Trio performed poetry pieces and led the slam competition.

State Librarian Presents Plaque to Munson Medical Center Department of Library Services

Munson Medical Center Department of Library Services accepts the NCLIS Award at the Michigan Library Association conference in Traverse City. Left to right: Library Services Manager Barbara Platts, Community Health Library Coordinator Chris Allen, NCLIS Chair Beth Fitzsimmons, Caregiver Resource Center and Library Coordinator Sherri Dittman, and library volunteer Pat Sheafor.

Traverse City's Munson Medical Center Department of Library Services was among outstanding libraries in 38 states - and the only library in Michigan - to receive a 2004 Blue Ribbon Consumer Health Information Recognition Award for Libraries from the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). The award distinguishes libraries' exemplary efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle.

State Librarian Christie Pearson Brandau, who nominated Munson for the award, presented a plaque to the medical center's Department of Library Services during the recent Michigan Library Association conference in Traverse City.

"Munson Medical richly deserves this prestigious award," said Brandau. "I know librarians throughout Michigan are - every day - fiercely proud of the work we do and the service we provide. It's an honor for all Michigan librarians to see our colleagues recognized at the national level for the great work being done in the Traverse City area."