In 1961, the Flint Public Library served as the headquarters for a State Library project involving
the libraries in Shiawassee County and Genesee County. The Flint Public Library offered book
processing and selection services to these libraries, and the Genesee County Library offered
bookmobile services to the Shiawassee County libraries. In 1964, encouraged by the availability of
federal funds to establish and support library systems, dismayed by the end of funds to support the
State Library project, and influenced by the fact that it would no longer qualify as a "system library"
by itself, the Flint Public Library initiated a proposal that would form a library system to improve
library services. In cooperation with one or more neighboring libraries, the Flint Public Library
could again qualify for federal funds by entering into a "cooperative library system" under the State
Aid to Public Libraries Act of 1965.

In 1965, the library boards of Durand Memorial Library, Lapeer City Public Library, Edna C.
Bentley Memorial Library, Owosso Public Library, and the Laingsburg Free Public Library passed
resolutions expressing an interest in joining such a system, with the Flint Public Library serving as
Headquarters.

In December 1965, an agreement was signed between the Genesee County Library Board and the
Flint Board of Education (which serves as the library board for the Flint Public Library),
establishing the Flint and Genesee County Public Library Cooperative. The purpose of the
agreement was to "provide the means for improving library services in Genesee County and the City
of Flint". The Genesee County Library Board was empowered to serve as the Cooperative Board,
and the Flint Public Library was designated as the Headquarters Library for the Cooperative; the
Flint Public Library director was also designated the director of the Cooperative. An area library
consultant was hired to administer the services offered to its members: a Universal Borrowers Card
Service, a Young Adult Services Program, In-service Training Programs, Inter-library Loan and
Delivery Service, the Flint Journal Indexing Project, State Library Greenaway Book Service, State
Library Catalog Card Service, and Consultant Service on Cooperative Development.
In April 1967, the name of the Cooperative was changed to the Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative, and the area library consultant became the executive director. In 1968, Lapeer County
Library and the Edna C. Bentley Library formally joined the Cooperative. Owosso Public joined in
1971, followed by Lapeer City Library in 1973. In 1975, Corunna Public Library and North Branch
Township Library joined, and in 1976, the Shiawassee County Library joined as well.
In the late 1970’s, the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative facilitated the establishment of
the Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation (MMROC). This organization provided service to
the academic, public, school and special libraries of the region. Federal LSCA (Library Services and
Construction Act) Title III grant funds were used to support the activities of the Region of
Cooperation.

In 1977, when the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative was reorganized under the State Aid
to Public Libraries Act 89, the library boards from Lapeer County Library, Holly Township Library,

Genesee County Library, Flint Public Library, Edna C. Bentley Memorial Library, Durand
Memorial Library, and Shiawassee County Library passed formal motions to join, followed in 1978
by Owosso Public Library, North Branch Township Public Library, and Corunna Public Library.
In 1978, under the reorganization, a new nine member Cooperative Library Board was formed as
outlined in the Plan of Service. Two permanent seats each were allotted to representatives appointed
by the Genesee District Library Board ( formerly known as the Genesee County Library Board) and
the Flint Public Library Board (the Flint Board of Education), with the remaining five seats rotated
among the other member libraries. At the same time, the then-executive director became the director
of the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative, and no longer reported organizationally to the
Director of the Flint Public Library, but rather, directly to the Cooperative Library Board.
In 1980, Imlay Township and Vernon District libraries joined the Cooperative. Although there
were some changes in services and technology during the 1980's, there were no further structural
changes made to the organization nor its membership.

In March, 1992, Eugene Griffel retired as Director of the Cooperative after twenty-six years of
service. Sara Behrman was hired as the new Director and began work on March 16, 1992. In June
1993, upon a thorough re-examination of the Board's employment policies and procedures, the
informal arrangement for the leasing of space, payroll and administrative services with the Flint
Community Schools was terminated. The Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative moved to new
office space in the Northbank Center Building in downtown Flint, and new employment policies and
procedures were established by the Cooperative Board.

In 1994, the Shiawassee County Library failed to qualify for state aid and full membership status;
however, their full membership status was restored in 1995. In the fall of 1994, the two independent
libraries of Owosso and Durand Memorial merged to form the Shiawassee District Library. In 1995,
the Ruth Hughes Memorial Library became a district library. In October 1996, the Almont District
Library and the Dryden Township Library, as a result of the dissolution of the Blue Water Library
Federation, joined the Cooperative as full members, thus completing service to Lapeer County.
In the late 1990’s Federal LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grant funds were used to
support the activities of the Region of Cooperation and the Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative. Funds were used to convert library collection MARC records into machine-readable
format, to assist in the purchase of computers and automated circulation systems, as well as, to
provide funding to enhance collections. The funding also assisted in helping to foster
communication and cooperation among the various types of libraries. A decision by the Library of
Michigan to eliminate the LSTA grants funding the Regions of Cooperation, prompted the MMROC
to begin the process of looking at alternative methods for continuation of the association of multitype
libraries. A strategic planning session was held in December 1997, and a report was issued in
early 1998, indicating that a merged organization between the Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative and the Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation should be established, keeping in
mind the requirements of Public Act 89 of 1977 which governs Cooperative libraries in the State of
Michigan.

In October, 1997 Sara Behrman tendered her resignation as Director of the Cooperative, effective
June 1998, after six years of service. In May 1998, the Board accepted a contractual agreement with
The Library Network for Eileen Palmer to serve as Interim Administrator of the Cooperative until
suc7h time as the Director's position was filled. In September, 1998 the Library of Michigan granted
District Library status to the Flint Public Library. Roger Mendel was hired as the new Director of
the Cooperative and began work on December 15, 1998.

In April, 1999 the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative moved to new office space in the
Mott Foundation Building in downtown Flint. Two new library systems were added during the latter
part of 1999 --- in August, 1999 Laingsburg Public Library became a member completing service to
Shiawassee County, and in October, 1999 Capital Area District Library became a member extending
our boundaries into Ingham County. The total population served by the cooperative increased from
591,183 to 827,249 (1990 census figures), making Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative the fourth largest cooperative in the State of Michigan.

In January 1999, the issue of merging the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative and the
Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation was revisited, whereupon a Merger Committee was
appointed. A series of interviews with the Director of the Southwest Michigan Library Cooperative
were held, which resulted in many discussions with the Region of Cooperation membership, the
Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative Advisory Council, and the Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative Board of Trustees. The Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation and the
Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative Advisory Council voted in the summer of 2000 to
recommend to the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative Board of Trustees approval of the
general plan for merging the MMROC with the Cooperative.  In September, 2000 the Mideastern
Michigan Library Cooperative Board of Trustees took formal action to approve the general plan for
merger of the Mideastern Michigan Region of Cooperation with the Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative. An Implementation Committee was appointed and charged with the responsibility of
completing the details involved with merging the two organizations.

In June, 2001 a new plan of service was approved by the Boards of the public library membership
setting the standards and guidelines for including non-public libraries and institutions as members of
the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative, beginning October 1, 2001.

On December 31, 2002 the Lapeer County Library ceased to exist and officially became the
Lapeer District Library January 1, 2003.  This event was the culmination of many years of discussion
and planning. A District Library Planning Committee was formed several years earlier to discuss the
issues related to changing the library from a county library to a district library.  Representatives from
municipalities served by the County Library were asked to participate, an attorney was hired and
along with County Library Board members and staff, a District Library agreement was hammered
out.  Final approval came in the fall of 2002 when the participating municipalities agreed to the
document and passed resolutions to form the District Library.

In October 2003, three new public library systems joined Mideastern Michigan Library
Cooperative --- Bay County Library System, Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in Midland, and
Public Libraries of Saginaw, extending our boundaries into three additional counties. The total
population served by the cooperative increased from 859,022 to 1,180,110 (2000 census figures),
making Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative the third largest cooperative in the State of
Michigan.

In November 2002, the Shiawassee County Library board was informed that the County would no
longer support the library as a county service. Several meetings occurred with the interested parties
and the County Board of Commissioners decided to support the County Library for one more year
with a reduced appropriation. At this time, the library board was in the process of interviewing
candidates for the open Library Director position.  The interviews were suspended and a search for
an interim director took its place. In February 2003, Jeff Johnson was hired to serve as the interim
director.  In November of 2003, with no plan yet in place to replace the present county library
arrangement, the library board took action to plan for the closing of all their library branches
effective December 23, 2003.  Soon after the notices were posted, a new series of meetings were held with interested townships and cities. In record time the townships and the City of Corunna
developed a plan to organize a new district library. The formation of the Community District Library
was approved by six townships and the City of Corunna, and the plan was approved by the Library
of Michigan on May 1, 2004.  On June 10, the first official meeting of the Board of Trustees of the
Community District Library was held.  A millage vote for .5 mil was approved by 58.7% of the
voters at the August 2004 primary.  The MMLC Board took action at the September 9, 2004 meeting to officially accept the withdrawal of the Corunna Public Library and the Shiawassee County
Library and accept the membership request of the Community District Library.  Holly Township
Library, in the spring of 2004 added the remaining 50% of Groveland Township to their service
area.  This brought the total service population of the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative to
1,184,261.