Getting to Know Us, Getting to Know All About Us

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

Did you know that the Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs (MFWC) was instrumental in the establishment of the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) and 75% of the public libraries in the state? The organization was so important to libraries in the state that, when MLC was officially formed by the state legislature in 1926, Senator Belle Kearney--the first woman elected to the Mississippi State Senate only four years earlier--and her committee ensured that the President of MFWC was a permanent fixture on MLC's Board of Commissioners. MFWC has continued its interest in literacy and libraries over the years. The President's Special Project, which changes with each club president, is "Get Back to Your Roots by Promoting Public Libraries, Education and Literacy". Current President Theresa Buntyn chose this theme because of her close involvement with libraries, both within her family and her local club.

 

Women's Club members across the state are answering Buntyn's call to "get back to their roots" by getting even more involved in their local libraries. The Women's Club of Poplarville partnered with the Pearl River County Library System to hold a sewing club for area children. The Fine Arts Club of Bruce volunteered during the Summer Library Program at the Jesse Yancy Memorial Library in Bruce. Another group of Club Women led a special storytime at the Lee County Library in Tupelo. The list goes on and on, and we are absolutely delighted.

Several months ago, MFWC asked MLC's Public Relations Coordinator Kristina Kelly to create a BINGO card about MLC and MLC's services. A fun game all about us? No problem: Kristina delivered in spades. She created a beautiful card that highlights many of MLC's features: ways that we serve libraries and you, our adoring library public. The BINGO squares are listed below to give you the fun of scoring a BINGO too.

• Like the MLC Facebook or Instagram page
• Try MLC's Bookmatch 
• Read On the Same Page - MLC's newsletter
• Share info about Talking Book Services
• Invite local officials to experience an SLP program
• Check a Book Club in a Box kit out
• Share info about Patents and Trademark Resource Center
• Read the FY22 Annual Report
• Use the MLC catalog to search for a book
• Sign up for a hoopla account
• List your favorite online database
• Search a topic on MAGNOLIA
• Explore a tutorial on LearningExpress
• Write an article for your local newspaper about the importance of libraries
• Help someone sign up for a library card
• Watch a webinar on the MLC YouTube channel

This Saturday, the MFWC holds their annual Summer Institute here at MLC. We look forward to this event and many, many more in the years to come. What a beautiful partnership!

You can download your own copy of the BINGO card here: