Mini-Grant Winners Announced

Congratulations to the following libraries who are winners of $200 mini-grants to hire performers to enhance their summer reading programs:

Columbia County
Chatham Library
Kinderhook Memorial Library
Valatie Free Library

Dutchess County
Beekman Library
Clinton Community Library
East Fishkill Community Library
Millbrook Free Library
Northeast-Millerton Library
Pawling Free Library
Pine Plains Free Library
Pleasant Valley Library
Stanford Free Library
Grinnell Library (Wappingers Falls)

Greene
D. R. Evarts (Athens)
Catskill/Palenville Library
Windham Library

Putnam
Brewster Library
Reed Memorial Library (Carmel)
Butterfield Library (Cold Spring)
Kent Library
Mahopac Library
Patterson Library

Ulster
Hurley Library
Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library (Milton)
Plattekill Library
Town of Esopus Library
Town of Ulster Library

Each of these libraries will use these funds to expand their summer programs and hopefully entice new families to their libraries. These grants were made possible through funds awarded to MHLS through the NYS Department of Library Development based on 2005 SRP attendance in member libraries.

Professional Development
Has Your Library Registered? There is an important training session on Sustaining Public Access Computing in your Public Library, being held on Wednesday, May 3 from 9:00am - 4:30pm in the MHLS Auditorium. This workshop offers a practical approach to sustaining technology in your library, and will help your library develop a unique community-specific action plan to sustain and upgrade your public access computing.

All MHLS libraries that serve populations under 25,000 are asked to send a representative from their library to this training. This means every MHLS library except for Beacon, East Fishkill, PPLD, Mahopac and Wappingers Falls.

This program is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Attendance at this workshop is crucial in order to favorably position your library and the Mid-Hudson Library System to receive future technology funding and support.

Register online through the Rural Library Sustainability web calendar at http://host.evanced.info/nys_rls/evanced/eventcalendar.asp

Your library may already be involved in efforts to reach out to Spanish speakers in your community, or it may just be starting outreach. In either case, WebJunction's Spanish Language Outreach Online Course will provide useful resources and tools for reaching out to Spanish speakers in your community in order to define and better meet their needs and, ultimately, to help them bridge the digital divide that separates many Spanish speakers from the benefits of information technology. This online course is free and self-paced. Learn more at http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=13194.

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
Partner with Better World Books to sell your surplus books online: Better World Books (http://www.betterworldbooks.com) provides an innovative and free method for consigning discarded and donated books on 14 online marketplaces. BWB provides all shipping supplies, covers all shipping costs, and returns a portion of the proceeds to the library and a non-profit literacy partner. Since the program's inception in August of 2004, over 400 libraries across the United States are turning their unwanted books into a new stream of revenue. To find out how the Library Discards & Donations Program of Better World Books can help your library, send an email with your contact information to Library@betterworldbooks.com. For more ideas of what do to with book sale discards visit the MHLS Book Sale page: visit http://midhudson.org, then Marketing, Advocacy & Funding, click on Fundraising and then Book Sales - or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/funding/fundraising/book_sales.htm.

Programming
Internet Safety for Kids: Mark Hoops, the Consumer Frauds Representative from the Poughkeepsie office of the NYS State Attorney General, presented a discussion about Internet safety on April 18th at MHLS and indicated that he is available to do programs at your library, speaking to parents to make them aware of the issues their children face on the Web. His email is mark.Hoops@oag.state.ny.us. We have added a new page of resources about Internet Safety at
http://midhudson.org/program/ideas/Web_safety_kids.htm. Some of them are resources you could share with parents (flyers, handout, etc.) and the rest would help you in preparing a workshop for parents in your community to help them understand safety issues for their children using the Web.

Youth Services
The 3 Apples Book Award: A New York State Children's Choice Award - 15 finalists announced! Children across New York State have nominated the following titles:
1. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
2. The BFG by Roald Dahl
3. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
4. Double Fudge by Judy Blume
5. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
6. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
12. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
13. Holes by Louis Sachar
14. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
15. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
All New York State children in grades 3-6 (ages 8-12) are encouraged to read or listen to at least 3 of these nominated titles before the voting begins January 1, 2007. For more information including ideas for sharing the books with children visit: http://www.3applesbookaward.org.

Administration & Management
"TechAtlas is a suite of web-based technology planning tools that your library can use to assess current technology use and receive recommendations on how to better implement technological solutions to achieve your institutional mission. TechAtlas outlines a timeline and action plan your library can edit and refine over time as you create and update your technology plan." http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=1001.

Job Openings
Part-time Outreach Coordinator - $11.00/hour; 17-25 hours a week, including some evenings and alternate Saturdays. Responsibilities include planning, developing, marketing and administering adult and teen library programs, as well as seeking and facilitating outside funding for projects such as grant opportunities and collaborative efforts with local agencies. We are seeking a self-motivated, flexible, creative, enthusiastic, organized and detail oriented person who enjoys working with people. Those with experience working with teens and/or the developmentally disabled are encouraged to apply. Computer skills are also essential. Resumes to LaGrange Library 488 Freedom Plains Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603, via fax to 845-452-1974 or via e-mail to lagrangelib@hotmail.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.