Contents:  Executive Director | News | Training | Special Offers | Resource Webinars | MeL

NOTES FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SCOTT GARRISON

Staff from Ypsilanti District Library (YDL) and MCLS will promote Text and Learn for Kindergarten (TALK) at the Public Library Association (PLA) 2024 conference April 2-5 in Columbus, OH. Based on Every Child Ready to Read, TALK is a text messaging service that prompts parents and caregivers to talk, sing, read, write, and play with their children ages birth to 5, fostering early learning and Kindergarten readiness.   

If you’ll be at PLA and want to learn more about TALK, I encourage you to attend Lisa Hoenig, Jodi Krahnke, and Cathy Lancaster’s presentation Reaching Underserved Families with TALK: Text and Learn for Kindergarten on Friday, April 5 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern (GCCC A120-125). To learn about MCLS’s TALK service, come see us at exhibit booth #1418. Please contact us anytime with questions about TALK at talkhelp@mcls.org.

Read on for more about TALK and its transition from Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant-funded project to MCLS service offering in 2024. 

NEWS

MCLS Group Purchasing is now eLicensing and Collection Resources (eLCR)

For more than 20 years, the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) has provided libraries access to eResource product discounts through the Group Purchasing Department. Because the landscape of eResources has evolved, we are renaming this department eLicensing and Collection Resources (eLCR) to better align with our work.

Beginning April 1, 2024, you will see the new department name reflected on our website and in our correspondences. Rest assured, this change only affects the department name—the staff you currently work with are still here to assist you with product purchases and renewals.

If you have any questions, please contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

MCLS has a new lockbox address for check remittance

MCLS is dedicated to ensuring all accounting and payment interactions you have with us are secure and processed with care. For better security, MCLS has opened a new lockbox location with Bank of America. Please send any future checks to the following address:

Midwest Collaborative For Library Services Inc.
P.O. Box 7411172
Chicago, IL 60674-1172

Please note this address ONLY APPLIES TO CHECKS SENT BY MAIL. Our Lansing address is still appropriate for packages and other types of correspondence that do not include check payments. If you have recently sent a check to our previous remittance address, we will still receive it. The former remittance address will still be operational for several more weeks while we make the transition to the new Bank of America lockbox.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact MCLS Accounts Receivable at accounting@mcls.org or 800-530-9019, options 6 or 7. The new check remittance address will also be added to Consortia Manager and Member Build for your convenience.

K-12 Libraries: take the scheduling survey for a Vendor and Product Lightning Round

Do you work in a K-12 school? We know your availability is limited, so we need your help to determine a date and time for your Vendor and Product Lightning Round. Please take a few moments to fill out our scheduling survey. The meeting will also be recorded and shared.

What is a Lightning Round? It is a quick and easy way for members to learn about eResource products available through MCLS. Attendees hear from five vendors who are allotted 15 minutes each to present the best of their products plus updates and information. In 2024, MCLS is hosting four Lightning Round vendor events on Zoom, each focused on a different library type!

Additional Vendor Lightning Rounds take place third quarter for medical library members, and fourth quarter for academic library members. Be sure to watch future newsletters for date announcements.

Have a suggestion for future vendor Lightning Rounds? We want to hear from you! Contact us at services@mcls.org 517-939-1382.

Access the Public Libraries Lightning Round recording

Thank you to the vendors and members who participated in our first Lightning Round for Public Library Members. If you missed it, you can watch the recording. Passcode: 5AAM!g4!

Register for the MCLS Spring eResources Meeting for academic and medical libraries

It is time to “think spring” and that includes registering for the MCLS Spring eResources meeting for academic and medical libraries scheduled for Friday, April 12, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern (8-11:30 a.m. Central).

We’ll meet virtually again this year and hear from vendors with upcoming eJournal renewals including Oxford eJournals, Sage Premier, and Wiley Online Library. Conversations will focus on renewal information and determining interest in transformative agreements with these publishers. Along with this conversation, we’ll discuss the changing landscape of MCLS partnerships with vendors.

This year, we will also hold a free drawing at the meeting. Prizes are two free MCLS training courses and one free MCLS membership!

Join the annual LDUG Wikidata Edit-a-thon on Indiana and Michigan schools

Join the Linked Data Users Group of the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) the week of April 22-26 for a free, semi-synchronous, virtual event that explores Wikidata. No prior experience is necessary! Project staff will provide you with everything you need to create and edit Wikidata entities including instructions, tools, data sources, and an optional Slack channel for chat.

An opening event on Monday will include an introduction to editing Wikidata. A Slack channel will be available to communicate with fellow Wikidata editors throughout the week. On Friday, a closing event will review and celebrate what we achieved together.  

Our focus is descriptions of local community schools and educational organizations in Indiana and Michigan. Participants may create Wikidata entries for their local organizations or create and edit entries for organizations provided by the edit-a-thon staff. 

These events are free to all and will take place via Zoom; however, you must register in advance. Join us for either event and edit during the week as much as you'd like.

Before the event, please do the following:

1. If you don’t already have a Wikimedia account, please create one.
2. Register for the opening and/or closing events held on Zoom:
   Opening Event: Monday, April 22, 2024, 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern (12-1:30 p.m. Central).
   Closing Event: Friday, April 26, 2023, 1-2 p.m. Eastern (2-3 p.m. Central).
3. Complete this Google form to be added to the Wikidata Event Dashboard (required) and MCLS LDUG Slack channel (optional); (Returning MCLS Slack users can log in here: https://mclsldugwikidata.slack.com).
4. (Recommended) Complete these three Wikidata Training Modules: Introduction to Wikidata; Databases and Linked Data; and Adding to Wikidata.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Linked Data Users Group page. If you have questions, please contact LDUG steering committee chair Marianne Swierenga:  marianne.swierenga@wmich.edu.

MCLS membership renewal time is approaching

MCLS will be sending out a membership renewal email reminder to key contacts (directors, billing contacts, and primary contacts) in early May for schools and early June for all other libraries. This email offers an opportunity to respond with any changes to your membership and to provide updated contact information ahead of our July 1 renewal date. Invoices will be generated and emailed to your MCLS billing contact in mid-May for schools and mid-June for all other libraries.

If your library has had a recent change in director or your billing contact has changed, please contact us at membership@mcls.org.

Key library staff can view your library’s Member Account Online (MAO) through our MCLS portal. To request an online account, email membership@mcls.org. If you already have an account but have forgotten your password, you can click the “Forget your User ID or password” button on the login page to receive updated information via email.

If you are from a library in Michigan or Indiana that would like to become an MCLS member, please fill out the membership application on our website. Not sure if your library is an MCLS member? You can check out our list of 648 members here!

Cataloging and Tech Services staff: you’re invited to our next Virtual Dialogue   

We hope that cataloging and technical services staff from libraries of all types and sizes throughout Indiana and Michigan will join MCLS’s Engagement, Consulting, and Training Team on Thursday, May 16, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Eastern (9:30-11 a.m. Central) on Zoom. Please plan to have your microphone enabled and camera on to participate.

MCLS Virtual Dialogues are free. These guided conversations are designed for us to learn from and support each other across our two-state membership region. This year, our dialogues are geared toward specific library groups to maximize relevant support and building community.

TRAINING

New semester of trainings now available for registration! The workshop schedule for January-June 2024 is now available at the MCLS Store.

The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.

SPECIAL OFFERS

The MCLS website has a full list of vendor partners and a searchable product list. 

Wiley announces spring savings for MCLS members through April 20

Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Wiley's online scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, combined with their digital learning, assessment, and certification solutions help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments, and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, Wiley has delivered consistent performance to stakeholders.

Through April 20, 2024, MCLS members enjoy significant savings on a variety of Wiley resources: 

• e-MRW (25-50% discount) collection of reference books.
• eText Collections (75% discount) including Psychology/Counseling, Humanities, and Social Sciences providing affordability.
• Journal Backfiles (25-50% discount), offering titles that extend back to Volume 1, Issue 1, and date back to the 18th century.
• Online Books (25-50% discount), 22,000+ titles from celebrated scientists, award-winning authors, and renowned researchers in life, health, and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
• Usage Based Collection Management (80% discount), 12-month access to entire 22,000+ Wiley Online books for one low price. At the end of 12 months select the content that you want. UBCM is a flexible approach to building your digital library.
• Wiley Digital Archives (15-35% discount), unique primary-source content seamlessly accessed via an advanced digital platform.

For product information and a quote, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

Reveal Digital collections expand

Reveal Digital develops Open Access primary source collections from under-represented 20th-century voices of dissent, crowdfunded by libraries. Digitized primary source materials from the 20th and 21st centuries are important resources for learning and research, but they can be difficult to find. Reveal Digital’s Open Access collections, hosted on JSTOR, help fill that need while also elevating the voices of marginalized and hidden communities.

In 2022, MCLS invested in the work of Reveal Digital, contributing funds to support the development of their Behind the Scenes of the Civil Rights Movement and Documenting White Supremacy and its Opponents in the 1920s. Through Reveal Digital’s collections, users can see first-hand key information resources (photos, newsletters, documents, and more) on the topics. The content is curated and sourced from a wide array of libraries, museums, historical societies, and individual collectors. The results are diverse thematic collections of scholarly value available to everyone everywhere.

Reveal Digital's work continues. One of the most exciting additions in recent months are two iconic newspapers in the American Prison Newspapers (APN) collection. The San Quinten News is an award-winning monthly newspaper that has been in publication intermittently since 1940. It provides an insider’s perspective on events within San Quinten and topics related to crime and punishment more generally. On the opposite end of the date spectrum is The Summary, which began publishing in 1883 in the Elmyra New York Penitentiary. It became the model for all prison journalism that followed.

Find out more about how your library can support the ongoing efforts of Reveal Digital. Contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

Clarivate and MCLS partner to offer EndNote™ discounted pricing for MCLS members

Today’s research is characterized by the need for collaboration, a higher prediction of the research outcome, process efficiency, and changes in research ecosystems–all possible with EndNote™ which supports students, faculty, and staff on all stages of research and writing, streamlines systematic reviews, encourages collaboration, allows multitasking, and increases your efficiency and effectivity. Several enhancements to EndNote™ are ahead as Clarivate invests in this top reference management system. Auto reference creation, plagiarism checker, RefWorks integration, and Cite While You Write are some of the improvements coming for EndNote™.

MCLS members receive advantageous pricing (one-time fee and subscription options) for group, lab, department, and sitewide licensing. For more information about EndNote™ and a quote, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

Explore Kanopy's "awe-inspiring" catalog

We are excited to introduce Kanopy BASE (KBASE), a dynamic collection of approximately 12,000 captivating films. As described by The New York Times, KBASE is truly "awe-inspiring," offering a diverse range of content spanning documentaries, foundational cinema, career technical education videos, essential DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) videos, and much more.

KBASE provides seamless, unlimited access to thousands of titles, including many with public screening rights, all for one annual FTE-based fee with the exclusive MCLS discount. Designed with budgetary considerations in mind, KBASE empowers intellectual growth, fosters critical analysis, encourages dialogue, and sparks curiosity.

Take advantage of a free trial to explore the platform and check out the videos from drama to action, fantasy to crime, comedy to documentary. Discover why Kanopy is the right choice for you and your institution. Act now to secure your subscription before prices increase in July!

For more information, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

New offers from ProQuest: genealogy and newspaper products and O’Reilly workforce resources  

If your library is looking to add new resources this year, particularly in genealogy or newspapers (historical or recent, national, or state collections) or considering a workforce development platform for your patrons, consider these resource offers from ProQuest:

1. If you have access or an active subscription to any genealogy databases (Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, and Fold3), you can add Newspapers.com World at 45% off. You can also add any one of those three databases for 35% off if you have at least one as an active subscription.
2. Receive a 25-35% discount on ProQuest state, regional, and national collections—either historical or recent—including US Major Dailies, US and Global Newsstream, and Historical Newspapers MI and IN state packages.
3. Offer your patrons O’Reilly for Public Libraries workforce development product for 15-20% off with additional 60-day free access prior to committing to subscription. O’Reilly for Public Libraries contains over 50,000 eBook titles and over 30,000 video and course learning content focused on business and technology. You can learn more by watching this O'Reilly for Public Libraries overview video.

Free trials are available. For more information or to request a quote or trial, contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

RESOURCE WEBINARS

Visit the eResources page of the MCLS website for a full list of vendor partners and a searchable product list. 

Stay up-to-date on Third Iron’s LibKey at an April 16 webinar

LibKey Nomad++ builds on the functionality of the standard LibKey Nomad, which provides linking capabilities across hundreds of different domains and thousands of publishers when a user is viewing the article page on the publisher's site. LibKey Nomad++ offers domain-specific messaging, LibChat integration, bibliographic management integration, and customized branding.

Discover the newest features and updates of Third Iron’s LibKey Nomad ++ at a free webinar on Tuesday, April 16 from 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. Eastern (10-11 a.m. Central).

Discounted pricing is available to MCLS members. Contact eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382 for more information and a quote.

What’s new with Scopus? Learn the latest at an April 24 webinar

Elsevier’s Scopus combines a comprehensive, expertly curated abstract and citation database with enriched data and linked scholarly literature across a wide variety of disciplines. Scopus indexes content from more than 25,000 active titles and 7,000 publishers—all rigorously vetted and selected by an independent review board. AI integration is now part of Scopus. The AI-powered academic search tool uses top-notch peer-reviewed research to provide you with focused and easy-to-understand insights on new terms, concepts, and disciplines.

Learn more at the webinar on Wednesday, April 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern (9:30-10:30 a.m. Central). The presenters are Elsevier staff, Kevin Weaver and Bryan Finley.

Discounted pricing for new Scopus subscriptions is available for MCLS members. Elsevier has also rolled out special pricing for smaller education-focused institutions. Attend the upcoming webinar to find out more or contact MCLS eLicensing and Collection Resources at services@mcls.org or 517-939-1382.

The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.