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Michigan eLibrary

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Michigan eLibrary
Agency overview
Formed1995
HeadquartersLansing, Michigan
Agency executive
WebsiteMel Homepage

Michigan eLibrary or Michigan electronic library (shortened as MeL), is an online library service of the state of Michigan for users of libraries in the state. It combines a group of participating libraries together in their efforts and resources. It has two components; 1) a common statewide library of materials that can be borrowed and loaned through all libraries at no cost to the library patron, 2) online databases available as a virtual library. There is a considerable savings as all the participating libraries have access to these databases that the state of Michigan has paid for.

There are about 430 participating libraries in the state of Michigan. The 49 million loanable items (books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks) are centralized in one online catalog system called MelCat (Michigan electronic library catalog). Michigan eLibrary also has a set of practice exams that can be utilized to be able to get U.S. citizenship, civil service jobs, teaching jobs, law enforcement jobs, fire fighting jobs, real estate jobs, medical jobs, and a potential military career. There are also lessons and practice exams to learn Spanish and English as a second language. MeL also has a section geared to the entrepreneur that will furnish legal forms, demographic information, and mailing lists.

Statewide common library

Map of Michigan counties that have MeL participating libraries with a list of them.

Michigan eLibrary (MEL) is a Michigan statewide service of the Library of Michigan that combines a group of libraries together in their efforts and resources. The online service has a common statewide library of materials of the participating Michigan libraries and eResources, electronic online databases available as a virtual library through the system.[1] This library is the world's largest evaluated and organized Web based electronic library of online resources.[2][needs update] The selection of online databases and online resources is evaluated by a group of librarians to be an extensive and far-reaching information tool for patrons of Michigan libraries.[3] The state library pays about S3.6 million each year for access to the online databases to get that information. State officials estimate it would cost more than $250 million per year if every library in Michigan had to pay separately for those databases.[4][needs update]

A component of the Michigan eLibrary is the statewide borrowing system of some 430 participating libraries,[5] which include public libraries, academic libraries, and school libraries.[6] MeLCat (Michigan electronic library catalog) is the statewide catalog of the materials shared among all the participating libraries in the state of Michigan. Its an online searchable database that allows users to place their own interlibrary loan requests if they belong to a participating library.[7]

MeL provides Michigan statewide access from the participating libraries to over 40 subscription based electronic resources for children and adults who which to learn. The A to Z topics covered with these online databases include early reading and writing skills, test preparation for different jobs and college entrance, magazine articles, newspaper articles, encyclopedias, health information, workforce skills, and family genealogy.[8][9] In 2005, Mel provided access to 15,000 full-text books.[10] It contains librarian reviewed Web sites on topics such as careers, jobs, legal, health,[11] government, books and literacy.[1] It has a business online section that offers free resources to entrepreneurs that will provide legal forms, demographic information, and generate mailing lists.[12]

History

MeL is Michigan's 24/7 digital library and is one of the oldest online libraries on the Internet, beginning in 1992 with the gopher GoMLink program of electronic library of resources. In 1995 MLink joined with the Library of Michigan and merged their resources with the state's library internet access program and then served all Michigan libraries. The new Michigan electronic library (MeL) had three basic goals then:

  1. To provide a librarian assembled collection of electronic information resources that had a focus on local, state and federal government information
  2. To provide free access via the internet to as many of the state's libraries as resources would allow
  3. To provide a backbone of electronic information resources which would allow Michigan's libraries to focus on developing local electronic community information.

The state of Michigan reintroduced MeL to the public in 2002 in a simpler format that was easier to access. It no longer required multiple passwords for the various databases and only required one be associated with a Michigan library to access the online collection of readable books, 45 magazine subscriptions, and 100 different newspapers.[13] It cost the Library of Michigan millions of dollars for the online resources.[14] The Michigan electronic library is supported by the state government as well as by federal funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.[3]

InterLibrary Loan (ILL) books

A book borrowed under the MeL inter-library loan program

MeLCat (Michigan electronic Library Catalog) is the state of Michigan inter-library loan program (ILL) of the participating Michigan libraries. The cataloged 49,346,993 items loaned between the libraries are books, DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks. They are transported between the libraries through the Regional Interlibrary Delivery Service (RIDES), a commercial van delivery service. There are about 90,000 items circulated between libraries each month at no cost to the library patron. There are over 60,000 delivery stops for library items done each year between the statewide libraries with each stop containing several items.[15] During the fiscal year 2004-2005 there were about 20 million library items requested and delivered between Michigan libraries. If the library patron had to pay the average commercial fee of $15 per item it would have cost some $300,000,000 to have all them delivered.[16]

The purpose of MeLCat is as a centralized resource sharing service that is patron initiated for borrowing an item from a distant Michigan library. A library patron usually sees their requested item about a week later at their local library. The first book ordered through the system was on January 10, 2005. The majority statewide library type participation break down for most of the interlibrary loans are from 354 public libraries (out of about 400 public libraries) and 52 academic libraries (out of about 100 academic libraries). Since its existence, MeLCat has fulfilled over 10 million requests for interlibrary loan items.[17]

LearningExpress

LearningExpress is an online part of MeL that has to do with jobs, careers, and education.[18] It has over 700 tutorials and lessons, eBooks, and flash cards. It has practice tests for high school equivalency, college entrance, civil service, U.S. citizenship, and trade certification. It includes a resume builder where library customers can edit it for changes and print it when finished. It prepares a person for a job interview, how to write job letters, and where to find internships and scholarships.[19][20]

Jobs and Careers

Education

The three platforms of Public Library, College Library, and High School Library have to do with getting high school equivalent credentials and preparation for college admission.[21] Each of the three libraries have up to nine centers of content of interest unique to them. They have study guides, flash cards, online books, and practice tests. The sections have tutorials for vocabulary, grammar, and spelling skills. They have tutorials on getting General Educational Development (GED) certification.[22] They have sections on improving skills in mathematics, science, technology, and reasoning.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b LibraryofMichigan 2022, p. WWW.Michigan.gov/MEL.
  2. ^ Davidsen 1997, pp. 101–106.
  3. ^ a b Lee 1998, p. 96.
  4. ^ Durbin 2002.
  5. ^ Part_Counties 2022.
  6. ^ MCfLS 2022.
  7. ^ MCLS 2022, p. FAQ.
  8. ^ OnlineResources 2022.
  9. ^ A_Z_List 2022.
  10. ^ PalMel 2005.
  11. ^ LSJ2_2 2014.
  12. ^ Economic_Gardening 2013, p. B2.
  13. ^ Sagon 2002, p. 9.
  14. ^ Kynast 2009, p. B5.
  15. ^ Newsletter 2018, p. MelCat Milestone.
  16. ^ Leach 2007, p. 23.
  17. ^ MCLS2 2022.
  18. ^ LearningExprfess_Welcome 2022, p. Webpage.
  19. ^ LearningExpress_Library 2022.
  20. ^ Internship 2022.
  21. ^ GED 2022.
  22. ^ GED_test 2022.
  23. ^ LearningExprfess_Welcome 2022, p. Public Library / High School Students.

Sources

  • "FAQ". Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  • "Michigan eLibrary (MeL) Information". Library of Michigan. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Mel Team (March 2018). "MelCat Milestone". Newsletter. Library of Michigan. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Career and College Ready Skills Curriculum Resources". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Hobbies". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Shelby area district library". Shelby Library. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Resource Sharing Policies". Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Welcome to LearningExpress". LearningExpress. Library of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "LearningExpress Library / Career Preparation". LearningExpress Library. Library of Michigan. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "High School Equivalency Center". Library of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "MeLCat Statewide Catalog". Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. Library of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Participating MeLCat Libraries". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Prepare for the GED test". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Capitalize on Test-Prep Resources in LearningExpress Library". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "A to Z List". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "LearningExpress Library". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022.
  • "Library Staff". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Davidsen, Susanna L. (1997). "The Michigan Electronic Library". Library Hi Tech. 15 (3/4): 101–106. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Search for jobs and Internships". Michigan eLibrary. State of Michigan. 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Lee, Tamera (1998). "The Michigan Electronic Library". The role of ARL libraries in extension/outreach (233): 96. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Sagon, Erica (June 28, 2002). "State to reintroduce electronic library / Single password will made navigating eLibrary easier". The South Bend Tribune. South Bend, Indiana. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Librarian supports funding measure". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Nichigan. May 25, 2003. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Bath Library Center announces events". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. February 2, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Michigan eLibrary add LearnATest". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. December 3, 2002. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Durbin, Dee-Ann (June 25, 2002). "State library expands residents' online access". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Libraries". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. February 5, 2005. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Leach, Hugh (May 6, 2007). "MeL knows, just ask away". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • "Michigan eLibrary offers resources to business". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. June 16, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  • Kynast, Mary (September 13, 2009). "Libraries are vital to Michigan's future". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
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