Camp Kudzu: Libraries Rock!

Welcome back campers! It’s year three at Camp Kudzu and we’re promoting the Collaborative Summer Library Program theme Libraries Rock! MLC staffers Lacy, Ally, Mac, Lorietha, Margaret, Elisabeth, Katie, and our favorite volunteer Melvin celebrated our Mississippi musical heritage this year. We hope that your local Summer Library Program is just as much fun.

We had so many fun activities as the pics prove. Our band practiced diligently, and we even had an outdoor concert. Lacy provided some great guitar solos and Lorietha was outstanding as lead vocalist. Margaret and Melvin performed a special duet that everyone raved about.

We had such fun wearing our camp shirts and having fun with music. We never seemed to stop. Everyone was excited and couldn’t wait for the next camp activity. We had karaoke and it’s true – Mac can’t carry a tune in a bucket. A favorite this year was “Strike an Elvis Pose.” We can’t decide who had the better sneer, Katie or Elisabeth?

 Traditional camp activities were crafts (we made our own instruments) and a campfire sing-along.

 Ally taught us a new song but we all ended up doing different animal poses somehow! Oops!

Our merry band is already talking about going back to Camp Kudzu next year!

Mac Buntin
Senior Library Consultant

MLC at the IMLS Grants to States Conference

The Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS) recently held its annual Grants to States conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Representatives from each state were invited to attend to learn and discuss what is happening with Library Service Technology Act (LSTA) funds. Grant Programs Director David Collins and I attended this year for Mississippi. The theme this year was the Olympics and we were excited to win two medals, a gold and silver, for excellent reporting. This is a big win when you serve in an administrative role.

The focus this year was on a look back over the past five years and the various trends as each state moves toward the start of their new Five Year Plan. (View Mississippi's Grants to States profile here.) Focusing on better ways to nationally report what projects are being accomplished with LSTA money was a priority. By recognizing where the federal money comes from, our legislators can be more informed of how these funds help both statewide and locally in your communities. Without these federal funds, our state would be at a huge disadvantage.

One of the big takeaways this year was to remember to acknowledge IMLS whenever LSTA funds are used for projects. IMLS is active on social media in many platforms and can be recognized.
I appreciate these annual meetings and the opportunity to network with other LSTA Coordinators to share ideas and discuss issues.

Jennifer Peacock
Administrative Services Director

Margaret Murray - In Memoriam

Margaret Anne Murray
July 12, 1948 – April 24, 2018

Before coming to Mississippi, Margaret had been a Collection Development Librarian in Texas, and a Consultant in both Alabama and Missouri. She was the first Development Services Director employed by MLC. She retired from the Mississippi Library Commission on January 3, 2014 with twenty years of service.

Margaret received her MLS from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in May 1972. Although she lived most of her adult life in the South she remained faithful to her school. Go Badgers!

Here are a few highlights from her career in Mississippi Libraries:

As part of her work with the Friends of Mississippi Libraries, she began an all-time favorite program at MLA called “Afternoon Tea with Authors.” Margaret was so good at using her carefully cultivated contacts to promote recently published Mississippi authors at this annual event.

Margaret was instrumental in pushing for Literary Landmark recognition of Mississippi authors while she was involved with the executive board of FOLUSA (now United for Libraries). Nine different recognitions can be traced to her involvement in the national and state level of the “Friends.” Among those honored were Stephen E. Ambrose, Tennessee Williams, William Johnson, Willie Morris, Eudora Welty, Stark Young, and Larry Brown.

In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, Margaret formed a coalition between the Mississippi Library Commission, the Mississippi Library Association, and the Friends of Mississippi Libraries. This effort came to be known as Rebuild Mississippi Libraries. Thanks to Margaret’s leadership, the Mississippi Library Commission was honored with a Special Recognition Award by the Mississippi Humanities Council in February 2006 for Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts. This effort was also recognized by the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service in the Art and Humanities in 2007 with a GIVE Award presented by Governor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour.

One of Margaret’s first accomplishments upon her arrival in Mississippi was the implementation of a statewide Summer Library Program supported by the Mississippi Library Commission. Thanks to Margaret every public library in the state had access to a manual and publicity materials. Who can forget that she even had the Mississippi Catfish Council as official sponsors of the program with “Reada the Catfish” as the Mascot.

But most of all she was a friend. Ginny Holtcamp, the director of Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System had this to say about Margaret.

She was our consultant for many years, but more than that, she was a dear friend. Whenever we came to Jackson, Margaret always had something special planned for us to do – whether it was dining somewhere special and fun or going somewhere interesting. I always treasure the time that Mary Helen (then director of Tombigbee) and Margaret and I went to the Every Day Gourmet Cooking School and the featured presenter was “Nick” from Nick’s wonderful restaurant in Jackson. We had a super fun time and I still have and use those recipes!! Margaret was a genius too with grants by suggesting some excellent wording for the particular grant – she was absolutely on top of how to present a grant so that it was really exceptional. Margaret saw our library system through our largest building addition. I have missed her as a friend and as a truly excellent resource for helping us write grants so that we got the grant award. Thank you again for letting me know.

Margaret Murray passed from this life after a brief illness and hospitalization. She will be missed by her many friends.

Mac Buntin
Senior Library Consultant