Merger News

Press Release: MLC AND INCOLSA Members Approve Merger

Lansing, MI – December 22, 2009 – The members of the Michigan Library Consortium (MLC) and INCOLSA, Inc., approved the merger of the two organizations at special meetings held on December 16, 2009 (MLC) and December 17, 2009 (INCOLSA). Effective February 15, 2010, Randy Dykhuis, MLC Executive Director, will become the Executive Director of the new organization, Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS).

“As we move forward as a combined organization, I look forward to continuing the good work that both organizations have done and expanding services in both states,” Dykhuis said. “With our combined membership we expect to deliver enhanced savings on services such as group licenses and to expand resource sharing options for residents of both states.”

Marnie Maxwell, INCOLSA Interim Director, said, “We are gratified by the overwhelmingly positive vote from Indiana libraries.  MCLS will be a dynamic partnership that will ensure Indiana and Michigan libraries continue to move forward, serving the most people with the best possible library services.”


About Midwest Collaborative for Library Services

The new organization will be authorized to begin operations on February 15, 2010. MCLS will have a combined membership of over 1,300 institutions of all types and sizes. MCLS will be governed by an interim board made up of eight Indiana librarians and eight Michigan librarians until the governing board is elected in Fall 2010.  The non-profit membership organization will provide Michigan and Indiana libraries with a convenient, single point of contact for training, group purchasing and technical support for electronic resources. More information is available at http://mlcnet.org/cms/sitem.cfm/about/mlc-incolsa_merger/.

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[22 Dec 2009]