If you don't find what you're looking for in CPL's International Language Collection, use this handy list to check out what other area libraries have.

International language books can also be found on MeLCat. This system lets CPL cardholders search for books all over Michigan and have them delivered right to the Checkout Desk.

If you want more details, give us a call or stop by the Help Desk.

Our Databases page has a fresh new look!  We have streamlined our subject categories and added a new "Best Bets" category. Due to changes made by MeL, OCLC FirstSearch and its components are no longer part of our collection. As always if you can't find what you are looking for, do ask a librarian for help.

Michigan eLibrary, or MeL for short, is a great site for students that features many sources of information like full text articles, genealogy, reading advice and online resources, just to name a few. Or check out a YouTube video tutorial which gives a good overview of MeL resources that targets middle/high school students through freshman/sophomores in college.

The Michican eLibrary Catalog (MelCat) will be down beginning at 11:30 AM on Wednesday, Sept. 14 for a software upgrade. It is expected to be down the rest of the day. Patrons will still be able to check out and return MeL loans. However, requests for renewals may receive the message "server unavailable." Patrons and library staff will not be able to search or place new interloan requests using MeLCat. Databases may also be affected. Patrons may not be able to do a remote login (via an account at a MeLCat library).

If you are already using online resources and/or are an avid borrower of materials sent here for your use from other libraries, take the MeL survey and tell the people in Lansing who make it possible how they're doing. If not, why not find out about this service!

Yesterday, the Michigan legislature's budget conference committee proposed another 40% cut to funding for joint library services, from $10 million to $6 million. A minimum funding level of $10 million is required to receive federal matching grant dollars of $5 million. These federal matching funds for MeLCat interlibrary loan and 25 MeL databases are at stake; due to the local economy and cuts to local funding associated with the recession, the Canton Public Library does not have the revenue to pay for interlibrary loan or online genealogical, historical, or reference products if the state legislature does not act to maintain statewide library services — Canton residents would lose access to these resources.

On September 10, library supporters will rally at the State Capitol in Lansing to encourage legislators to save the Library of Michigan and the important shared statewide resources, such as MeL databases and MeLCat interlibrary loan, that Canton Public Library users value. The rally will start at 9:30AM and supporters are asked to wear red shirts to show their support for statewide joint services.

The Governor's Executive Order dismantles the Department of History, Arts & Libraries and places the services of the Library of Michigan — both physical and online collections — in jeopardy. State funding and federal matching funds for MeLCat interlibrary loan and 25 MeL databases are at stake; due to the local economy and cuts to local funding associated with the recession, the Canton Public Library does not have the funds to pay for interlibrary loan or online genealogical, historical, or reference products if the state legislature does not act to maintain statewide library services — Canton residents would lose access to these resources.

The Governor's Executive Order No. 2009-36 abolishes the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries as of October 1, 2009, and public libraries across the state of Michigan are concerned about how this will impact our services to you. These statewide cuts are in addition to the local cuts being made due to the recession, and are a double hit for Canton. The Michigan Library Association has issued a press release outlining the concerns public libraries throughout Michigan have with the Governor's plan as well as a position paper outlining the chilling effect the dissolution will have on statewide resource sharing, including interlibrary loan and research materials. A fact sheet is available that explains how these joint services are funded through state appropriations and federal matching funds. The Executive Order takes effect October 1, 2009, unless the legislature acts to create an alternative plan. Our hope is that our elected representatives in Michigan will recognize the importance of statewide library services and resource sharing that public libraries provide, and how we help our communities with job seeking, information gathering, computer access, and cultural activities.

In addition to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest, the library has another database that historians and genealogists may find helpful with their research. Mel Michigana, which has over 50,000 digitized items including photos, books, atlases, scrapbooks and oral histories, is just waiting to be discovered.  This database was the result of the collaborated efforts