Library Development staff offers consultation to public library system directors, staff, library trustees, Friends groups, governing authorities, and others on a variety of public library policy and management issues.

Library Development staff provide training and continuing education opportunities to assist in increasing library staff competencies in both traditional library services and in new and emerging technologies.

Consulting Services

Each library system has an assigned consultant who serves as a liaison to the services provided by the Library Commission. Public libraries are encouraged to contact their consultants for advice on library management, personnel, boards and trustees, building maintenance/construction, programming, as well as assistance with policies and LSTA grant applications. Click here for consulting designations.

Online Resources

• Directors’ Guide
• Mississippi Public Library Policy Development Guide (July 2021 Update)
• Mississippi Trustee Handbook

Continuing Education

The continuing education program is an important part of MLC’s services to the public library community. Each year the Mississippi Library Commission provides a skills development program with training opportunities in both traditional and emerging library services.

FY22 Continuing Education Catalog (July-December 2021)

Need specific training for your library staff? Use our form to get the training you need:

• Request Form for Staff Development Training (PDF)
• Request Form for Staff Development Training(Printable Word Document)

MLC Webinars

The Continuing Education Calendar includes webinars produced by MLC. These are located on MLC’s YouTube channel. Previously archived webinars, along with accompanying presentation materials and handouts, are located here.

In some cases, Mississippi library staff may receive continuing education credit for viewing a webinar. If CEU’s are available for a particular webinar, the amount will be shown beside its listing on the archived webinars web page linked above. Registration in advance of viewing is required for CEU credit. For an application and registration link to a CE credit-eligible webinar, please contact MLC’s Continuing Education Coordinator, Kayla Martin-Gant, at kmartin-gant@mlc.lib.ms.us or 601-432-4057.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs):

• Individuals or organizations wishing to offer CEU credits for workshops they present must complete the CEU credit form and submit it to Lorietha Myers, Library Development, Mississippi Library Commission, 3881 Eastwood Drive, Jackson, MS 39211.
• Participants wishing to receive CEU credits for a workshop they attend may request them from the individual or organization presenting the workshop, provided the presenter has made the above arrangements with MLC.
• Complete information on CEUs, including guidelines and instructions, can be found on the second page of the CEU credit form.

WebJunction

WebJunction’s library-specific courses are available for free to all library workers and volunteers across the nation. Simply create an account at learn.webjunction.org, and then explore the catalog of library-focused courses and webinars. Certificates of completion will be available to you after you have completed any course or webinar that you enroll in from the catalog.

Statistics

In keeping with Mississippi law, Section 39-3-107, Mississippi Code, 1972, public libraries submit annual statistics to the Mississippi Library Commission. The State Data Coordinator, Mac Buntin, then proofs the data and submits it to the Institute for Museums and Library Services for the Public Library Survey. For previous years’ statistical reports and links to related data, click here.

Summer Library Program

MLC is a member of the Collaborative Summer Library Program, a consortium of libraries nationwide that work together to provide summer library program materials at a low cost to public libraries. MLC pays for the annual membership of all public libraries in the state, provides public librarians with summer reading manuals for early literacy, children’s, teen, and adult programming, provides promotional materials to public libraries for use in programming, and arranges multiple summer reading trainings each spring. The 2019 theme was “A Universe of Stories”; the 2020 theme will be “Imagine Your Story.” Over 119,118 people attended 2019 Summer Library programming!

Friends of Mississippi Libraries, Inc.

As charitable organizations in Mississippi, local Friends chapters can choose to share the Friends of Mississippi Libraries, Inc.’s U.S. Internal Revenue Service 501 (c)(3) non-profit designation. It is also important for all Friends chapters to register as tax-exempt charitable organizations with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office: http://www.sos.ms.gov/Charities/Pages/default.aspx

Starting a Friends Group in Mississippi:

• Forming a Friends Chapter in Mississippi (PDF)
• Bylaws Sample (PDF)

Maintaining a Friends Group in Mississippi:

• 2021 Friends Membership Renewal (PDF)
• File IRS Form 990 e-Postcard
• First time filing? Follow the IRS User Guide

Tools to Help Friends of the Library

• Power Guide for Successful Advocacy

• United for Libraries: With its mission to motivate and support citizens who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries, the United for Libraries website features many resources that can enhance a chapter’s program.
• Libraries Need Friends: Starting a Friends Group or Revitalizing the One You Have by Sally Gardener Reed: This free toolkit is geared mostly toward public library Friends groups, but has good tips on membership and outreach for Friends groups of any type.
• Understanding Roles: The Separate But Complementary Roles of Friends, Trustees, and Library Directors will help you define the roles of the Friends, Trustees, and library staff in working together to support the library.

The Margaret Murray Grant

The purpose of the Margaret Murray grant is to advance library programming and literacy for Mississippi public libraries through activities sponsored by the local Friends of Mississippi Libraries chapters.

Funds are earmarked for programming, collection development, and literacy activities. Funds are not intended for administrative or operational use.

Margaret Murray Grant Application 2021
Application deadline: February 26th, 2021

Margaret Murray Grant Evaluation for 2020
Evaluation deadline: December 28th, 2020