The second portion of 2022 OLA Super Conference Highlights is provided by Megumi Ishibashi from the MLA Communications Committee.
Manitoba Library Association Posts
Several members of the MLA Board and Committees participated in the 2022 OLA Superconference through their workplaces this year. Megumi Ishibashi, a member of our Communications Committee, attended on behalf of Manitoba Library Association through the conference pass provided generously through The Partnership.
AGM Registration and Package
Posted in Uncategorized
The Board of the Manitoba Library Association is excited to welcome you to the 86th Annual General Meeting being held virtually on March 1, 2022.
The Board is looking forward to welcoming new members for the upcoming year. The following volunteer opportunities are available:
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Director at Large (Website)
- Director at Large (Professional Development)
- Chair, Library Technician Division
More information on positions can be found on our website or by contacting Melanie Sucha, President, at melanie.s@mla.mb.ca.
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering for the Manitoba Library Association (MLA) is a wonderful and effective way to connect with colleagues and peers across Manitoba and in other provinces. It allows you to build up your professional skills and add to your Resume or Curriculum Vitae. Volunteering provides us all with an opportunity to use our skills and give back to our community in rich and valuable ways.
There has never been a better time to join the Board of the Manitoba Library Association. We have recently applied for significant grant funding to create staffed positions in the Association. We will require assistance on the Board to bring these staffing plans to fruition. It would be an excellent experience for those looking to develop role descriptions, recruit applicants, conduct interviews, provide guidance and direction to a team, and to otherwise build their leadership experience.
The Board of the Manitoba Library Association is looking forward to hosting you at the Association’s 86th Annual General Meeting.
This year’s meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Further details on registering and accompanying documents are forthcoming and will be posted here on our website and on social media.
This past December, representatives from the MLA Board spoke with representatives from the CFLA Board to address concerns about the lack of consultation regarding the CFLA Intellectual Freedom Statements. After stating concerns, a verbal agreement in principle was made by the meeting attendees that greater consultation should be undertaken. A tentative and high-level plan was discussed whereby CFLA and MLA would jointly consult with MLA members. Meeting attendees agreed to bring this high-level plan back to their respective Boards to obtain commitment on next steps.
Following our organizations’ Board meetings in December and January, CFLA has provided the following response:
“The CFLA board understands that there are divergent opinions on the topic of intellectual freedom in libraries, especially as it relates to the goal of supporting social justice and inclusion. We thank MLA for their commitment to engaging in a consultation process with their members to inform future directions, but feel that at this point CFLA does not have the capacity to develop a consultation process with the robustness and attention it deserves, so this issue is being deferred until after a new Board takes office in February. We are also committed to facilitating a National Forum on this topic, as was planned for the canceled MLA conference in 2020, but this event continues to be deferred due to the pandemic.”
– Todd Kyle, Chair, CFLA
The MLA Board will continue to engage CFLA on this matter, and will keep our membership informed of new developments as they arise.
The Manitoba Government issued a news release announcing a public engagement online survey is now live. Please go to https://engagemb.ca/budget-2022 to find additional information and to complete the survey.
Letter of Support for the Librarians, Archivists, Professors, and Instructors represented by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA)
Posted in Advocacy
MLA has sent this letter in support of the Librarians, Archivists, Professors, and Instructors represented by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA), dated November 17, 2021.
Letter to CFLA
Posted in Advocacy
MLA wrote this letter to CFLA outlining concerns over CFLA’s lack of consultation with members regarding their support/lack of support for CFLA’s position, dated November 21, 2021.
Kirsten Wurmann and Ashley Huot of the Prison Libraries Committee will be discussing their work with the correctional facilities in Manitoba at the Burlington Literary Festival. Please tune in on November 25, 2021 via Zoom. More information is available here.
On October 22, 2021, the Government of Manitoba announced it will be investing $769,000 to support rural public libraries and library services across the province. Please read the news release here.