Category: Membership

Posted in Academic Libraries, Board, Conference, Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

Manitoba Libraries Conference 2025 has opened registration for librarians, library workers, library board members and trustees, authors, publishers, business professionals, educators and students – anyone who is passionate about books, libraries, and eager to learn and shape the future of this incredible profession and service.

It’s our first in-person conference in years and we are excited to reconnect, revisit, and reinspire. We can’t wait to see you!

Early bird registration is now open!

Are you an institutional member? Your institution will need to register for you in bulk. For bulk registration by institutions or for invoicing please contact us.
Are you interested in attending but have barriers?
Check out information about our Conference Bursary. You can apply for a bursary here: here.

Keynotes have been announced!

We are thrilled to have award-winning writer, editor and professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, Niigaan Sinclair as our opening keynote on Tuesday, May 6 at 1:00 pm
Fresh from being named Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Chimwemwe Undi will join us at our Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, May 7 at 12:00 pm
And how lucky are we? We will be entertained by Anne-Marie Williott and Ian Cherry as our wandering minstrels during our Wine & Cheese event in our Exhibitor Hall on Tuesday, May 6 at 4:30 pm

Stay tuned for more updates about the programming, special events, and our popular Exhibit Hall!
Our conference website is updated regularly: conference.mla.mb.ca/

November 26, 2024

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Manitoba Libraries Conference – Call for Program Proposals!

Posted in Academic Libraries, Conference, Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

What Have You Been Up To? Let’s Reconnect!

The Manitoba Libraries Conference will take place May 6-7, 2025 at the RBC Convention Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

We are inviting a Call For Proposals until December 20, 2024

We are excited for our first in-person conference in 6 years and we want to invite you to join us as we reconnect, revisit, and reinspire.

We are all responding to rapid technological changes (Hello AI), and social challenges. This is our opportunity to share our experiences, thoughts, knowledge, and (sometimes hard-earned) wisdom with colleagues.

Please consider putting forward a proposal using this Google Form .

We have many colleagues in a variety of professional settings throughout our province and they’d love to see you and hear from you. We encourage you to submit session proposals in the public, academic and special library stream. We need everyone represented.

In challenging times, we are better together.

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Proposals can include: Lightning Talks (7-8 minutes); Presentations, Panels and Workshops; (20, 50 or 110 minutes)

Still can’t decide? A little unsure about what (and how) to present?

Here are some tips from the BCLA:

Conference Presentation: Better Practices

(Note the PDF slides in the first video are super helpful.

Submit your proposal today!

Questions? Please reach out to Kirsten Wurmann, MLA Program Coordinator: kirsten.w@mla.mb.ca

November 25, 2024

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Are you the jam to KC’s peanut butter??

Posted in Board, Conference, and Membership

We are still looking for a vice-president! Join in the fun, support Manitoba’s amazing library community, and create meaningful connections as you do it!

Contact us to submit your interest in the role of vice-president (or our advocacy or director-at-large positions here, and check out our conference committee needs too while you’re at it!)

June 27, 2024

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Manitoba Library Association awards its first Human Rights Book Award to Cathy Ching and the South Central Regional Library System!

Posted in Intellectual Freedom, Membership, and Scholarships & Awards

Manitoba libraries are upholding the fundamental values of intellectual freedom, inclusion, and diversity despite recent calls for censorship and the harassment of library workers.

Appreciating this important and yet often unrecognised work, the Manitoba Library Association (MLA) alongside the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers (AMBP) are pleased to announce the inaugural Human Rights Book Award to Cathy Ching and the South Central Regional Library System (SCRL). This award is presented in recognition of their “strong resolve in upholding human rights, inclusivity and equity in library access for their library or in the library community at a local, regional, provincial or national level.”

Ching and her team at SCRL have remained passionately steadfast, and according to their nominator, “remarkably positive throughout their censorship ordeals.” SCRL’s experiences have been shared in the media over the past couple of years and have inspired not only their own community but the entire province with their determination “to uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression and the unrestricted pursuit of knowledge for all individuals, regardless of background or belief.”

The glowing nomination letter also describes Cathy Ching’s willingness to educate and inspire their library peers through conferences and workshops helping to foster a culture of continuous improvement within our professional community.

MLA is proud to celebrate this deserving recipient:

“Cathy is an amazing example of the type of people we need in our communities and libraries now more than ever. Her work and perseverance in the face of adversity is not only inspiring, it’s a loud and bold statement that libraries will always be a safe space and will help echo the voices that need to be heard.”

– KC Bateman, MLA Vice-president

AMBP is awarding Cathy Ching and SCRL, whose service, passion, and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is outstanding among their peers with 15 books from Manitoba publishers.

“The AMBP is proud to support the instatement of the MLA’s Human Rights Book Award. Cathy Ching and the South Central Regional Library System demonstrate an unwavering commitment to keeping our libraries a welcoming, safe space for all.”

– Chelsey Young, AMBP

Both MLA and AMBP send heartfelt congratulations to our very first and very deserving award winner.

March 27, 2024

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New Award announcement! Human Rights Book Award

Posted in Membership, and Scholarships & Awards

MLA and the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers are pleased to announce a new award in support and recognition of Manitoba libraries hard work to uphold library values of intellectual freedom while at the same time reflecting their community’s need for inclusive and diverse library spaces.

This annual award will give 15 books from Manitoba publishers to an individual or library whose service, passion, and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is outstanding among their peers.

This individual or library will have demonstrated strong resolve in upholding human rights, inclusivity and equity in library access for their library or in the library community at a local, regional, provincial or national level.

The Award will recognize ongoing work or an outstanding accomplishment at a point in time.

How to Make a Nomination

Nominations should be submitted using the MLA Award Nomination Form.
A letter of nomination must accompany the form and should illustrate why the nominee should be considered for the award.
Members can self-nominate.
All submissions need to be received via email to awards@mla.mb.ca

All nominators should be members of the Manitoba Library Association.

The deadline for the 2024 award is May 1, 2024.

February 16, 2024

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Value Statement and Code of Conduct approved by the MLA Board of Directors

Posted in Board, and Membership

At the February 15, 2024 meeting of the Manitoba Library Association board of directors, there was a motion to approve a value statement and code of conduct for membership. The motion was approved unanimously.

When applying for or renewing MLA membership, members will now need to accept the value statement and agree to the code of conduct.

You can read the value statement and code of conduct here.

February 2, 2024

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Still looking! Prairie Rep for the CFLA-FCAB Board of Directors

Posted in CFLA-FCAB, and Membership

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations/Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) still needs Manitoba Library Association’s nomination for our Prairie Representative for the 2024 CFLA-FCAB Board of Directors.

Please consider putting your name forward or encouraging a colleague to stand for the nomination!

WHO MAY BE NOMINATED
Article 32 of The Federation’s By-laws specify the Board composition. In order to be nominated, a candidate must be a member in good standing of a member organization of the Corporation. Because the Federation represents associations it is important that nominees effectively represent and are connected with the association(s) they represent.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD
The CFLA-FCAB Board is responsible for the strategic and professional direction of the Federation. It establishes strategic priorities and maintains oversight over the activities, finances and governance of the organization.

Board members are expected to make themselves available for regular teleconference meetings (currently held monthly). Business will be conducted in between meetings by email and teleconference.

HOW DO I NOMINATE A CANDIDATE?
An authorized signatory or designate of the Member organization will nominate in writing the candidate to the CFLA-FCAB Nominations Committee. Please complete the form on page 5 found in the full document found here: Nomination Form (page 5)

Send your nomination to Michael/Michelle Rogowski, Executive Director (mrogowski@cfla-fcab.ca) for CFLA-FCAB.

Download and read the full Call for Nominations document here: MB-SK-2024-FederationNominationCalls.docx (1) (1)

January 22, 2024

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Manitoba Libraries: Supporting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training Workshop Series

Posted in Board, Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, and Trustees

Attention members! Another great training opportunity for you!

These workshop sessions will be presented by Laurelle Harris, Equitable Solutions

March 4, 2024 (10 am – 12 pm via Zoom) Introduction to +Anti-racism and Equity

March 18, 2024 (10 am – 12 pm via Zoom) The Library as a Site for Social Justice – Putting It All Together: Supporting Equity

Training is FREE for MLA members – there is an option to sign up for membership to get the training for free – otherwise it is $20 per person/per session.

Attendance at both sessions is *strongly* encouraged.
Register here: https://forms.gle/Z9tGaetXKVo5QnH78

*Financially Supported by:

December 19, 2023

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Accessible Information & Communication Legislation Information Workshop and Q&A

Posted in Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, and Trustees

This upcoming workshop and Q&A will be held on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 (10:30-11:30am)

The session is free of charge and will be presented/recorded on Zoom

As we get closer to the Accessible Information & Communication Deadline for Libraries, are you slowly freaking out? Need some helpful guidance and tips to let you know it’s all going to be alright? Need someone to answer your questions like, right now?

You’re in luck!
Join Monika Bonsor (Manitoba Accessibility Compliance Secretariat), Meagan Richards (Public Library Services), and Clint Curle (South Interlake Regional Library) for an informative session to help you and your library be compliant and ready come May 1, 2024.

This will be a useful session for library staff, library board members, and library trustees.

Please submit questions ahead of time when you sign up using this Google Form.

Contact Kirsten Wurmann, Program Coordinator, Manitoba Library Association (kirsten.w@mla.mb.ca) for more information.

December 8, 2023

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – CFLA-FCAB Board of Directors

Posted in CFLA-FCAB, and Membership

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations/Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques Nomination Committee (NC) is currently seeking Manitoba Library Association’s nomination for the 2024 CFLA-FCAB Board of Directors elections.

The deadline for nominations to be included in the NC’s slate is December 15, 2023.

Board members are expected to make themselves available for regular teleconference meetings (currently held monthly). Business will be conducted in between meetings by email and teleconference.

Send your nomination to Michael/Michelle Rogowski, Executive Director (mrogowski@cfla-fcab.ca) for CFLA-FCAB by December 15, 2023.

Download and read the full Call for Nominations document here: MB-SK-2024-FederationNominationCalls