Registration for the annual conference will open on March 15, 2017.

Keep an eye out for more announcements and check the conference webpage for updates!

Interested in exploring or sharing how user experience is incorporated with inter-library loan? Please join the "UX in ILL" conversation underway on the "Web Development, Design, and User Experience IG" discussion board, or let us know on our Slack Channel! Please express interest in the topic or share ways in which members of your institution have collaborated to help promotion of ILL services, improve integration of ILL services within web discovery layers, or anything related to enhancing the user experience as they interact with your ILL services and staff.  Don’t have access to the discussion board or Slack Channel?  No problem!  Sign up by emailing Brian Holda @ bholda@davenport.edu or send your thoughts directly to Brian Merry @ merrybr@gvsu.edu.

Welcome to Spring! At least with the unseasonably warm temperatures throughout the state in mid-February, we had what I hope is a nice preview of what is to come.
 
On February 6th, MiALA held a virtual meeting to reach out to current and prospective members. Our section leaders, Conference Committee Chair, and I gave updates on the state of our association, recapped events that have taken place this year, and promoted the 2017 Annual Conference. More than 40 people around the state participated, and we had a great discussion after the speakers finished. My thanks go to Board members Barb Bolek, Paul Gallagher, Rachel Minkin, and Jill Morningstar for planning the meeting. I also thank Julie Garrison, Mike Hawthorne, Christina Radisauskas, and Christine Tobias for presenting along with me.
 
I’m happy to announce that the MiALA Policy and Procedures Manual has been completed and reviewed and is now available on the MiALA website. I acknowledge former Board member Stephanie Davis and MiALA’s administrative assistant Heather Ladiski for having started work on the manual in the very first days of our Association. Board member Sandy McCarthy led the effort to complete that project this year with assistance from Stephanie, Heather, President-elect Jessica Sender, and me.
 
The last thing I have to mention is the Annual Conference registration will open March 15th. Watch the conference webpage for updates! I am looking forward to seeing you in Grand Rapids.
 
--Stephanie 

Members of the Outreach/Liaison and Community Engagement Interest Groups are invited to join us for a discussion about the possible merge of these two IG’s.
 
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
3:00-4:00 pm
Join us via Zoom: https://msu.zoom.us/j/472887490
 
If you are unable to attend, please feel free to send your thoughts, questions, and concerns to Christine Tobias @ tobiasc@msu.edu or Brenna Wade @ bwade@hillsdale.edu.

Are you looking for a fun professional service opportunity? The conference planning committee is seeking volunteers for the upcoming MiALA annual conference. Registration table and room coordinator volunteers needed. Table volunteer help needed Thursday and Friday mornings, May 18th  and 19th. Room Coordinators needed to introduce speakers and note attendance.
 
Thursday 5/18  Morning – 5 session                            
Early Afternoon – 5 sessions                                      
Mid Afternoon – 5 sessions

Friday 5/19   Morning – 5 sessions
Late Morning – 5 sessions

Please contact Gayle Schaub at schaubg@gvsu.edu if interested.