Announcement from the MALF Board of Directors.

In the interest of more effectively offering services to Friends of the Libraries, MALF has changed to a membership year equal to the calendar year. (Previously, the membership year for each member began on the date payment was made.) 

Note that, as we transition, every individual or group signing up or renewing after September 1, 2012 will be given membership for the rest of 2012, as well as for all of 2013. 

The Walker Library in Uptown is closing its doors Saturday, September 22 for major remodeling. When it reopens in 2014, it will be with an entirely new layout better suited to filling patron needs. Read further to hear about this and several other exciting building renovation projects taking place (or soon to take place) in Hennepin County, and about how you can support your favorite branch during transitional periods.

Minitex, the Minnesota-based network of Midwestern public and academic library systems, last week announced the name of its new Director. Valerie Horton, currently Executive Director of the Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC), will assume the role in December.

Earlier this year, the voting member base of ALTAFF – the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations – elected to change the organization’s formal title to “United for Libraries: the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations.”

Library advocates could point to a wide variety of statistics and metrics to show that Minnesotans use, appreciate and support their local library. But few are as fun or illustrative as a novel straw poll conducted this year at the Minnesota State Fair by Cities Matter (an ongoing project of the League of Minnesota Cities). 

Election season is upon us once again. In the run-up to the November elections and in recognition of the local library’s continued - and increasingly diversified - role as a public informational resource, the American Library Association (ALA) is hosting a webinar on how librarians and Library Friends can promote civic engagement. Mark your calendars for 3-4 p.m. Wednesday, September 26. 

By David Katz

Update: The deadline is fast approaching to pre-register for “Minnesota Libraries: A Capitol Idea,” the dynamic annual conference of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA). This year’s event is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 3 - Friday, Oct. 5 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Blvd.

Today's blog post comes courtesy of Board Members Joan Larson and Janet Urbanowicz.