As Michigan libraries gear up for winter programming, the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) offers a wealth of resources to support your seasonal efforts, whether you're planning storytimes, crafting sessions, or helping patrons navigate holiday stress and snow days.
TIP ALERT! Have you seen the Programming Booklets curated for YOU on MeL eResources? These booklets are jam packed with instruction guides, ideas, and even a template to construct your own MeL program… maybe even for one of the suggestions below!
Cozy Up with Content for All Ages
Encourage patrons to explore MeL’s Explora for Public Libraries for winter-themed reads, craft guides, and cookbooks. This resource includes titles on holiday baking, DIY decorations/crafts and activities. For younger readers, Britannica School and World Book Kids offer engaging articles and images to support winter-themed storytimes or classroom visits.
Passive Programming Made Easy
Looking for low-effort, high-impact programming? Create a “Winter with MeL” display featuring QR codes to databases, printable activity sheets, or curated reading lists from Novelist K-8 Plus or Novelist Plus. You could also host a “MeL Minute” 😉 during programs to introduce a new resource each week.
Help Patrons Navigate the Holidays
The holidays can be joyful and stressful. MeL’s Consumer Reports database is a go-to for patrons researching gifts, appliances, or travel gear. It’s also a great tool for budgeting and comparison shopping. For those looking to improve their well-being, Consumer Health Complete provides reliable information on managing seasonal affective disorder, staying healthy during flu season, and more!
Articles from Nov/Dec 2025 Consumer Reports
Let MeL Resources lighten your load this winter. With free, high-quality content for every age and interest, it’s a powerful partner in your seasonal programming toolkit.
DID YOU KNOW?
When you share a link from MeL with your patrons, they might first see a page that says, “Connecting you to content on EBSCOhost.”
This page shows basic information about the article or resource. To move forward, patrons should click the magenta button near the top that says, “Access through your institution.”
That button will take them to MeL.org, where they can log in using either: their library card number, or their Michigan driver’s license number.
Want to see what your patrons see? Try opening one of the links from this newsletter in a Chrome Incognito Window or a Private Window in Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact melerhelp@mcls.org for help.
Author/editor: Hi! I'm Shauna Quick, the Technology Access Consultant at the Library of Michigan. In an effort to understand how AI can help libraries, I've been practicing different use scenarios such as brainstorming ideas for this MeLMinute. I had help from Microsoft Copilot to brainstorm and outline this month's theme (it was pretty clever with the title, right?). I asked it to work with me like a programming librarian looking for ideas for programming in the next three months. I hope you enjoy these wonderful, wintertime activities with your patrons!
Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First.
Want more information on MeL?  Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks.
MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only.
The MeL project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.
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