Page Content
The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is a statewide service of the Library of Michigan, an agency of the Michigan Department of Education. The Library of Michigan works with the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS) to provide MeL services.
Mission Statement
Administered by the Library of Michigan in partnership with Michigan's libraries of all types, the Michigan eLibrary will provide all Michigan residents with free access to online full-text articles, full-text books, digital images, and other valuable research information at any time via the Internet; and provide an easy-to-use interlibrary loan system to allow Michigan residents to borrow books and other library materials for free from participating Michigan libraries.
History of MeLCat
Information about the history of MeLCat is available on the MCLS website.
eResources Disclaimer
Inclusion of any digital resource is not an endorsement of a particular point of view or philosophy by the Library of Michigan.
Additionally, the Library of Michigan does not act in loco parentis for children accessing MeL content.
Reproduction of items found on MeL beyond fair use requires the permission of the copyright owners. It is the user's responsibility to determine and follow all restrictions based upon the intended use of the materials.
Google Analytics Privacy
We use Google Analytics to analyze the audience of the website and improve our content. Google Analytics does not collect personal information. For further information on the privacy policy, please visit the Google Analytics website.
Program Data
Participating Libraries
A current list of participating MeLCat libraries is available.
Program Research
MeL eResource Usage Data
MeL Usage Data is tracked by Fiscal Years (Oct-Sept). Click to see current year, plus historical data.
Usability Testing
The Library of Michigan and MCLS collaborate on usability testing. These results contribute to site updates and other interface enhancements.
2016 MeL Study
We routinely survey both users and non-users, including library staff. You can find the 2016 survey results at Michigan.gov.
The 2016 surveys included a random phone survey of the general public and an online survey of library patrons and of library staff. Libraries may request detailed reports from Karren Reish at 517-241-0021 or reishk@michigan.gov.
2017 eResource RFP survey results
In the summer of 2017, the Michigan eLibrary team surveyed 426 people about the MeL eResource offerings. These included 169 in-person surveys 257 online surveys. We asked a series of questions about eResource usage at their library, eResource wish lists, and training.
Respondents listed their most popular topic areas as
- auto repair
- test preparation and training
- pro/con resources on divisive topics
- academic, full-text articles
- a multi-level encyclopedia
Respondents were also provided a free space to list their eResource wish list. We collected over 604 requests across 148 databases and 20 subject areas. We incorporated both the most used and requested topic areas into the 2018 RFP decision-making.
