Happy Spring!

Spring is officially here, and I am thrilled. Hopefully I'm not alone - this winter seemed to drag on and on with its cold and dismal days. I'm looking forward to watching the crocuses bloom and getting more time to play outside, even if that means dodging April showers!

Another positive thing about the weather change? It's safer to get out and about. Maybe it's just me, but sometimes it feels like anything planned between late November and now always has the caveat of "weather depending." I'm going to be scheduling times to get out and visit with member libraries all over the cooperative. Watch your email for an invitation or a Doodle poll. We'll grab lunch of a snack and catch up on what's happening in your corner of the world. If you have a specific meeting or event you'd like me to attend, please be sure to get in touch so I can get it on the calendar.

I can't make it to D.C. in May - how can I participate in National Library Legislative Day?

Join us remotely and register for Virtual Library Legislative Day! We'll send you a reminder to take action, along with a link to the live webcast of our keynote and issue briefing on the morning of May 1st. We'll also send you the talking points, give you access to email templates, and other resources to help you take action.

[From the District Dispatch, newsletter from the ALA Washington Office]

The February 2017 meeting was Skyped live - two member libraries took advantage of this option. The April 2017 meeting will be broadcast using RingCentral. The link and connection information will be sent out ahead of the meeting so you can download the software. If you can't join us in person, consider logging in remotely, and then offer feedback afterward so we can choose the best tool.

Registration is open for It's All About the Story, our full-day marketing workshop with Ben Bizzle. You don't want to miss this one! Register soon - space are filling up!

A full-day workshop on Human Resources and related staff concerns will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Location/cost TBA. Our speaker is the ever-popular Brian Mortimore from the Kent District Library.

Mark your calendar: the Woodlands Bus Trip to the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago will be Saturday, June 24. We'll have pick up/drop offs in Charlotte, Marshall and Coldwater. The bus will take us to the exhibit hall at the McCormick Conference Center in Chicago. From there, you can attend conference programs, wander the exhibits or take in the big city - as long as you return to the conference center in time to catch the bus back to Michigan.

Webinars Worth a Watch

WebJunction offers some excellent webinars that are often timely. Build Your Political Literacy Skills for Advocacy is no exception. In this webinar, presented in collaboration with ARSL, learn how to successfully engage and activate library advocates to sustain funding. It's on April 25, 2017 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

Civility Goes Viral: A New Approach for a New Era is another free WebJunction webinar that promises to be interesting, especially post-election. This webinar presents Choose Civility, a community-wide initiative inviting respect, empathy, and consideration at every opportunity, and made available to libraries to implement locally. It's on April 18, 2017 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

Beginning Workshop

The Library of Michigan’s Beginning Workshop is a yearly 3-day (May 17-19, 2017 at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, MI) event geared for library staff members that have not had the opportunity for formal library coursework. Its aim is to introduce library staff to a variety of topics and offer them practical skills that they can use working in a Michigan public library. Anyone new to the profession or just hired at a library, no matter what their academic credentials, is welcome to attend the event.

For those seeking an initial Level 3 or Level 4 certificate from the Library of Michigan attendance at the entire Beginning Workshop is obligatory. For more information on Library of Michigan’s certification program visit the Library Certification page. Register now!

Guest Speaker for April 2017 Advisory Council meeting

We will have a guest speaker at the April 20, 2017 Advisory Council meeting (being held at the Grand Ledge Area District Library). Brian Mitchell and his colleagues from National Insurance Services will be joining us. WLC members who are also members of MLA may have received a letter from MLA and NIS about a possible group insurance program. It's true - the letter was not spam or a scam. NIS is partnering with MLA to hopefully offer group health benefits to libraries of all sizes.I have talked with many of you in the past about how frustrating (or downright impossible) it can be to seek out insurance options for small library staffs. Right now, NIS is trying to build capacity. If the project comes to fruition, Michigan's public libraries would all be in one large insurance pool, and having lots of people (library staff members plus families) in a pool gives a group many choices and options, ideally at a better price than you would see if you sought out insurance on your own. Brian will explain the process, where things stand, how you and your library and help, and answer any other questions you may have. Hope to see you there!

Mobile Lab & Device Purchasing

Just in case you haven't heard the news, Woodlands updated our mobile lab and it is ready for you to use! Software specs: Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 2016 Pro. Hardware specs: 11 Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, corded external mice for those of us who dislike touch pads, 3 power strips and 3 drop cords. The mobile lab comes in 2 hard-sided Pelican cases and the accessories are packed in a separate box. I wrote an article about how we obtained the lab for the LM Dispatch - a great newsletter that you can subscribe to by following the link. You can check the lab calendar and make reservations by visiting the Mobile Lab page on the WLC web page.

In early April, Library of Michigan should have a list of the preliminary options available along with prices, so you can begin planning! It's a great way to buy excellent equipment at even better prices.