The Mississippi Library Commission is committed – through leadership, advocacy, and service – to strengthening and enhancing libraries and library services for all Mississippians.
As February rolls in, the world is already gearing up for Valentine's Day, a holiday that's all about celebrating romantic love. But what if we shifted our focus just a little and made this month about something just as important--self-love and self-care?
Welcome to February and the second month of the 2025 Read with MLC Reading Challenge! This month's goal is to read a book by or about someone you admire. The book industry produces an astounding number of biographies and memoirs each year. According to the Library and Book Trade Almanac, there were 4,887 biographies published in the first year of this millennium. Just over 20 years later, in 2022, that number remained just as high, at 4,949. Why do we enjoy reading about other people so much? A quote often misattributed to C.S.Lewis says that "we read to know we are not alone". Even though the quote comes from screenwriter William Nicholson instead of Lewis, it still rings true. Biographies and memoirs humanize the people we admire, showing us their foibles and faults as well as their heady accomplishments. They show that we are all out here in the world, living our lives and doing our best. Which biographies and memoirs have staff members of the Mississippi Library Commission enjoyed? Scroll down to find out!
Hello, I’m Zach Burton, the current Cataloging Librarian for the Mississippi Library Commission. I began working with MLC in the fall of 2022 as the Patron Access Coordinator for the Talking Books Services department after working as an archaeologist for a few years. My bachelor’s degree in Anthropology led me into archaeological work, but I found myself dissatisfied with the field and was soon enrolled in a master’s program for Library and Information Sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi.
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Happy New Year, everyone!
We're excited to start another year of reading packed to the brim with both learning and fun. We've come up with a brand-new year of reading prompts designed to help you step out of your comfort zone and find something new, all while celebrating the joy of reading with our Read with MLC 2025 Reading Challenge.
Hi, I’m McKenzie Haggard, a recent graduate of Belhaven University, and currently serving as the Social Media Coordinator for MLC. Coming from a creative background, I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career in media. Whether it was writing, content creation, or social media management, I felt a strong pull toward the world of communication and storytelling. After graduating, I was eager to dive into my career and find a role that would help me hone my skills and bring my passions to life. That’s when I stumbled upon MLC.
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Welcome to December, and the last month of the 2024 Read with MLC reading challenge! This month's prompt is to read a book that has been adapted for television or the movies and then watch the adaptation. Finding a book you truly love can be a magical experience. It's always exciting when a TV or movie adaptation is announced, but there's always the niggling worry that the lead won't look how you imagine... Or that they'll leave out your favorite scene from the book... Or --worst yet-- plot will be drastically changed. Hollywood depends heavily upon the already published written word: Forbes reported a while back that movies based on books draw in 53% of that almighty cash than those written without the benefit of a previously published work. TV and streaming networks also have a field day each year (field year?) with adaptations; there were dozens and dozens in 2023 and 2024, and that's just the past few years. What do librarians think of the trend? Those here at the Mississippi Library Commission have quite a few favorites, which you can check out below!
We've rushed through the first months of the year at breakneck speed and now 2024's last days are dwindling away. With shorter, cooler days ahead and the holidays around the corner, it's the perfect time to focus on the important things in life, like the people we love and the things that bring us joy. While libraries might not necessarily be at the top of your "thankful for" list, they're wholesome, community-driven institutions that provide loads of enriching and educational services for nearly everyone. Back in 2013, a PEW report found that 94% of those polled believed that public libraries "improved the quality of life in a community". Moreover, 81% said that public libraries provided "many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere". What's more to be grateful for? Check out what Mississippi Library Commission staff had to say below.
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