You remember last summer, right? Members of two pretty main-stream groups, genealogists and librarians protested in support of the Library of Michigan when funding was threatened.
The Department of History, Arts and Libraries was abolished, the Library of Michigan and the services it provides were moved to the Michigan Department of Education. Some subtle changes in the website indicate this, although every “History, Arts and Libraries” banner has not been replaced on the websites.
Today’s topic is: Electronic services provided through the Library of Michigan (and Archives of Michigan) to the citizens of Michigan. The Michigan Electronic Library (MeL) is a large collection of digital resources provided to the citizens of Michigan. A grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services helps fund this group of electronic services.
They are as follows:
- The Michigan Electronic Catalog MeLCat is a database of resources in participating Michigan Libraries which allows patrons of those libraries to borrow, books, CD’s movies and other resources, and have delivered to their home library.
- MeL Databases containing databases and full-text resources in these categories:
- Books and Reading
- Business and Jobs
- Genealogy
- Health and Wellness
- Kids
- Reference Desk
- Teens
- Mel Michigan – A large collection of on-line resources. This category includes Seeking Michigan which contains the new death record collection and much more, Michigan Histories and Atlases, and many more full-text electronic resources available from home.
- Online resources for Educators, including lesson plans and curriculum aids.
- Featured resources, a list of current and highlighted topics.
Why am I writing this? If you are a library user, you have may get great benefit from these services. Even if you never leave your home, you can use electronic resources like Seeking Michigan, or Heritage Quest, or the on-line newspaper collection if you have a library card or a Michigan Driver’s license.
According to the Michigan Electronic Library Website:
“The MeL Study is here! In an effort to continue improving MeL and MeLCat so libraries and Michigan residents get the most benefit from the program, the Library of Michigan has contracted with EPIC MRA to study the program. See here for more information or take the survey that applies to you below. “
Please follow drop over to the Library site, check out the resources, read about the survey and take it.
Thanks to Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore, MGC Corresponding Secretary Tom Koselka, and Pam Epple for pointing out this opportunity to me.
