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MeL History
The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) has evolved over many years from a number of statewide initiatives.
The first ventures were Go MLink, later the Michigan Electronic Library (1996), a collection of Internet resources selected by librarians (now called MeL Best of the Web, just one component of MeL), and AccessMichigan (1997), a project whose primary goal was to provide access to licensed commercial databases and training to Michigan's libraries.
ATLAS, the Action Team for Advancement of Libraries Statewide (1999-2002), planned the design for a statewide catalog and interlibrary loan (ILL) delivery service. The Making of Modern Michigan, a statewide digitization effort to empower a wide range of Michigan libraries to preserve Michigan history, was a project proposal from the ATLAS Digitization Committee.
MeL lept forward in 2005 with the addition of MeLCat, the statewide patron-initiated interlibrary loan service envisioned by ATLAS, and MeL Advanced Search, the ability to search across all of MeL's resources at once. A new interface was developed to bring MeL's components together seemlessly.
MeL's future will include children's and teens sites, Spanish language MeL, an Arabic MeL and expanded digital resources.
Explore the historical documents below to learn more about MeL as it grew and changed. |
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AccessMichigan and Michigan Electronic Library
• Original Vision Statement of AccessMichigan
The goal of AccessMichigan was to create a digital information environment that would offer every Michigan resident equitable and easy-to-use access to a rich assortment of online databases, a common user interface, and training for Michigan librarians and the general public in effective use of the electronic resources.
| • Kellogg Grant Proposal - 1997 
Leveling the Playing Field: A Proposal to Enhance the Electronic Delivery of Information to All Michigan Residents. A proposal from then-State Librarian George Needham and the Library of Michigan Foundation to support AccessMichigan.
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Action Team for Library Advancement Statewide
• Final Report of the Action Team for Library Advancement Statewide (ATLAS)
Leveling the Playing Field: Creating a Statewide Resource-Sharing Service.
The goal of ATLAS was to link all Michigan residents to the information they need, when they need it, where they need it and in the format they desire.
| • ATLAS FAQ
Information for libraries about ATLAS as the team readied its final report: history, goals, plans, funding resources and explanations of various facets of the proposed statewide resource-sharing program that became MeLCat.
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