Internet Safety Workshop

Internet Safety: Access Issues at the Library Presented by Mark Hoops, Regional Office of the NYS Attorney General

Tuesday, April 18th from 10:00am - 12:00pm in the
MHLS Auditorium (105 Market Street, Poughkeepsie).

Because of the increased concern that young people are putting themselves in danger by divulging personal information on Internet sites like MySpace.com, librarians are in a difficult position, trying to balance Web access with the safety of young people in their communities. All library staff who are involved with these issues at their library should attend.

The workshop will cover:
· Websites like MySpace.com, Xanga, etc.
· Concerns about child predators accessing information from such sites
· Ways to help young people be responsible online
· Privacy issues--cell phones with cameras and the Internet
· Q & A covering associated issues

Register online through the MHLS calendar by going to http://midhudson.org and clicking on Calendar or get there directly at http://www.midhudson.org/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp

MHLS Announcements
The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Saturday, March 18, in the MHLS Auditorium and:
· Agreed to invite Gerald Nichols, Director of Long Island University's Palmer Institute for Public Library Organization and Management to speak at this year's Annual Meeting, and discussed how to facilitate the attendance of trustees from each county;
· Dialogued with System retirees regarding the newly instituted health benefit contribution plan, and agreed to have Board and retiree representatives arrange a meeting to continue to address concerns;
· Reviewed the System's Annual Report.
· In addition, The Constitutional Oath of Office for 2006 was administered to trustees absent at the January meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, at 10:00 a.m. at the Beekman Library.

Legislative Day Report: Last Tuesday's almost 40 MHLS-area supporters arrived in Albany to speak up for library and system funding. Library funding for the next year is on the negotiating table:
· The Senate has proposed:
  > $2.7 million for the Census money
  > $3 million for systems
  > $14 million for construction
· The Assembly has proposed:
  > $2.6 million for the Census money
Negotiations are currently taking place in Albany in committee, please take the time to call or write to your legislators from now until at least the end of the month. This is a crucial time to keep libraries on the minds of legislators, we don't want to "fall off" the negotiating table!

A BIG THANK YOU to all the MHLS-area supporters who took the time to travel to Albany for Library Legislative Day on Tuesday, March 14th. We had a great turn out and packed many offices to the max - just what we were hoping for:
Jean Hyatt, trustee, Howland Public Library (Beacon)
Marcia Frahman, trustee, Howland Public Library (Beacon)
Phyllis Keaton, director, Howland Public Library (Beacon)
Steve Prioletti, trustee, Beekman Library
Luisa Sabin-Kildiss, director, Catskill Public Library
Linda Deubert, director, Heermance Memorial Library
Cindy Dubinski, staff, East Fishkill Community Library
Kelly Tomaseski, director, Town of Esopus Library
Carol Donick, director, Desmond/Fish Library (Garrison)
Betsy Hamilton, trustee, Hudson Area Association Library
Kathy Stott, trustee, Hurley Library
Jaime Thompson, director, Hurley Library
Patty Easton, trustee, Kinderhook Memorial Library
Julie Johnson, director, Kinderhook Memorial Library
Albert Ahlstrom, trustee, Kingston Library
Jessica Barry, trustee, Kingston Library
Martin Laforse, trustee, Kingston Library
Bruce George, director, Kingston Library
Pat Kaufman, director, Mahopac Library
Jim Cosgrove, director, Marlboro Library
Helen Burton, trustee, New Lebanon Library
Carol Corrigan, director, New Lebanon Library
Martin Miller, trustee, Patterson Library
Patti Haar, director, Patterson Library
Judith Singer, trustee, Phoenicia Library
Sal Weir, Friend, Phoenicia Library
Regina Johnson, director, Phoenicia Library
Lynne Ridgeway, trustee, Plattekill Library
Valerie Smith, trustee, Plattekill Library
John Georghiou, director, Plattekill Library
Janet Carter, trustee, Saugerties Public Library
Myrna Sameth, trustee, Saugerties Public Library
David Lund, trustee, Staatsburg Library Society
Jim Hoover, trustee, Stone Ridge Library & MHLS
Matt Pfisterer, director, Grinnell Library Association

MHLS Libraries
Welcome to…
· Katherine Mustello, the new director of the Clinton Community Library
· Sue Critchell, the new director at the Livingston Free Library
· Linda LaPolla, the acting director at the Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library in Milton.
· Larry Rogers, the new director at the Town of Ulster Public Library.

The Kent Public Library and Westchester Community College are partnering to offer non-credit classes to residents of the Town of Kent and the surrounding community at the library. Classes will begin in fall 2006, and they are currently seeking instructors with ideas for classes they would like to teach. If you hold a Bachelor's degree, and have an idea for a non-credit class, please bring your resume and join a New Faculty Workshop on Wednesday, March 29, 2006, 6:30 - 8:00pm, at the Kent Public Library. The workshop is free, but advance registration is required. For more information, or to register, please call 914.606.6985 (Course number: WJ-D677).

Trustee Resources
"Four Commandments For Writing Policies For Public-Access Wireless Networks"
[Computers in Libraries, March 2006: full-text of the article is available through HomeACCESS]:
   I.     Introduce the Service
   II.    List Technical Requirements
   III.   Spell Out Disclaimers on Access, Assistance, and Liability
   IV. Alert Users to Security Concerns
For sample wireless policies visit the MHLS web page, http://midhudson.org and click on Trustee Resources, in the center of the second row of resources, under Library Policies, you'll see a link to Sample Public Library Policies & Policy Development Help or access this page directly at: http://midhudson.org/department/member_information/library_policies.htm#wireless.

Youth Services
Clip art for Books: A Treasure!, New York State's Summer Reading Program for 2006 has been added to the planners section of the website.
http://www.summerreadingnys.org/planners.html

Administration & Management
"Libraries Work Because We Do." Tell Everyone About the Stars in Your Library for National Library Workers Day: National Library Workers Day is Tuesday, April 4th. Tell everyone what makes a library employee special in your library by submitting your favorite worker to the NLWD Stars Web site - http://www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwdstarsform.html. NLWD Stars will be featured on the National Library Workers Day site from March until the end of June. Stars will also be honored at the ALA Annual Conference. Download the free NLWD poster from http://www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwd_poster.pdf, which tells your patrons, trustees, and colleagues how to submit a Star. Self-nominations are accepted. The deadline for submission in April 4th.

Job Openings
Two Director Searches Re-opened:
· Hudson Area Association Library is seeking a full-time Library Director. Salary $40,000+, depending on experience, plus benefits. Supervise small staff and volunteers in historic building in the City of Hudson, a mecca for the arts in the Hudson Valley. Send resume to Sharon Almstead, HAAL, 400 State St., Hudson, NY, 12534. E-mail applications or questions may be addressed to sharonalmstead@peoplepc.com

· The Trustees of the Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library of Milton, NY (Ulster County) are accepting applications for the position of Library Director. This full-time position requires a MLS degree from an ALA accredited program. The individual must have good communication skills and be able to work effectively with the public, staff and Board of Trustees. Salary commensurate with experience. Recent MLS graduates are encouraged to apply. Review of applications to begin immediately. Previous applicants need not apply. Please send resume and cover letter to: Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library, PO Box 802 Milton, NY. Or e-mail to mltsearch@gmail.com.

MHLS recommends that the minimum starting salary of a full or part-time librarian with an MLS degree be at least equal to that of a teacher with a master's degree in the same community.

The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries at bulletin@midhudson.org. The MHLS Bulletin is available on line at http://midhudson.org/bulletins/main.htm.