Manitoba Library Consortium Inc. to Dissolve
February 2, 2026
Following several years of reduced activity, the members of the Manitoba Library Consortium Inc. (MLCI) have voted to dissolve the organization. This decision took place at MLCI’s annual general meeting, held November 24, 2025.
MLCI members had decided in 2024 that before making a decision about the organization’s future, it would be helpful to hire a consulting firm to study the Manitoba library community’s needs and capacity, and to outline the risks and benefits of various paths forward for the organization. Nordicity’s final report, presented at the AGM, presents MLCI’s organization context, an overview of the library sector, needs and priorities of the community identified through a survey and focus groups, future scenarios, and a recommended path forward. Recognizing the vastly reduced level of activity at MLCI in recent years and the limited capacity of the library community to support multiple associations and consortia, Nordicity’s recommendation was “that MLCI formally dissolve as a standalone incorporated entity and that its core mandate be transitioned into a new division within MLA [Manitoba Library Association].”
During its 34 years of activity, MLCI made a number of valued contributions to the province’s library sector, including negotiating group licensing agreements, overseeing the Manitobia.net and Manitoba Local Histories digitization projects, professional development opportunities including Library Innovation Day, networking and access initiatives such as Linking Libraries, and the Library Express coordinated interlibrary loan and delivery system.
In the coming months, the MLCI Board will take steps to dissolve the corporation, while working with MLA to identify a path toward integrating MLCI’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration and advocacy into its activities and to addressing the findings of the Nordicity study regarding needs.
Please contact manitobalibraryconsortium@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.
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