Legal Issues for Boards

The 2006 MHLS Executive Committee / Directors Forum will focus on Legal Issues for Boards. Presented by Gerald Nichols, Director of Palmer Institute for Public Library Organization & Management at Long Island University and Jim Farrell Adjunct professor, Queens College and Long island University.

This workshop will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2006 from 10:00am - 1:00 pm at the Mid-Hudson Library System Auditorium. (Directions are available at http://midhudson.org/help/directions.htm)

Member library Board Executive Committee members are encouraged to attend with their Library Director, but all Board members, Library Directors and others involved are welcome. Important legal issues that you need to be prepared for will be discussed. Whether you are a small or large library, this workshop will benefit you. Topics include:
· Legal Basis for Libraries
· Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Trustees
· Conducting a Legal Board Meeting

Register either online or by phone:
· http://midhudson.org, then click on Calendar (get there directly at: http://www.midhudson.org/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp
· call 845.471.6060 x46

 

MHLS Announcements
If you have an older receipt printer and your new computer does not have a parallel port, you can purchase an adapter cable. MHLS has negotiated a group price on them from Dell. They have then from various manufactures:
· Logear $15.48
· Keyspan $19.85
· APC $25.70
There is no shipping charge, and they will be shipped directly to your library. Contact Merribeth at x54 or madvocate@midhudson.org if you would like to order. (Adapter cables can also be purchased from most computer supply or office supply stores.)

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
The Campaign With the Campaign: The side that gets the most votes out wins. This was the focus of the final Campaign Institute Workshop, Getting Out the Vote, held at MHLS on October 19th. During the session, presenter Libby Post discussed strategies for mobilizing library supporters on Election Day, explaining "a library's public relations efforts mean very little if they can't get enough supporters to the polls." Some of the strategies discussed for activating supporters include:

· Releasing a "bandwagon" piece the week before the vote, which lists a group of people who support the library's vote.
· Initiating a Friend-to-Friend Campaign 2- 3 weeks prior to the vote through postcards, palm cards, or email. Library supporters ask their friends to join them in supporting the library on Nov. 7th."
· Volunteers place reminders of the library's vote at supporters' doors early on the day of the vote.
· Reminding supporters several days before and on the actual day of the vote by phone.
· Utilizing poll watchers the day of the vote to increase turnout. Poll watchers identify which supporters have not shown up by 6pm so that they can be reminded one more time.
· Arranging rides to the polls for supporters who may need them.
Need help with last minute vote strategies? Contact Kirstin Litwin, Getting to Yes Project Coordinator, at 845.471.6060 x49 or klitwin@midhudson.org.

Getting to Yes is funded by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The Verizon Foundation, supports nonprofit organizations that benefit the customers, employees, and communities in the areas the company serves within the U.S. One of the grantmaking priorities of the Foundation is literacy programs. The Foundation also supports initiatives that promote access to wireline, wireless, and broadband technologies in order to address the issue of literacy. Requests are only accepted through the Foundation's online application process. Proposals are reviewed from January 1st through November 30th, annually. For more info visit http://foundation.verizon.com/08001.shtml. [Grant opportunities are posted regularly on the MHLS Friends & Fundraising List.To subscribe send your name, library and affiliation to rsmith@midhudson.org.]

 

Reference & Collection Development
Hudson River Valley Heritage Training: Several MHLS libraries are participating in a collective digital project called Hudson River Valley Heritage [http://www.hrvh.org/]. Attendees to the MHLS Annual Meeting CE Event saw vintage photos from Marlboro, Woodstock, Millbrook, New Paltz and Coxsackie online through HRVH. The project is spearheaded by the Southeastern New York Library Resource Council (SENYLRC). In this delivery you will find a brochure with information about their digitizing training for libraries: Training Basics for Hudson River Valley Heritage. The potential for participating organizations is enhanced visibility, exposure to their rich and specialized collections, and increased interest in their onsite offerings and the libraries themselves. If you are interested in having them come to your library to speak with the director and board about putting your special photos in HRVH contact Tessa Killian at killian@senylrc.org or call 845.883.9065.

 

Youth Services
Sharing Program Ideas that Work with Young People: Member library staff involved in programming with young people attended this roundtable-style workshop on October 10 to share successful program ideas. Included in those ideas were the following:

· There are over 100 programs for teens in the MHLS EZ Library Program Database like an American Idol program, Operation Facelift to create new covers for children's books and so much more! Go to http://midhudson.org, Programming or get there directly at: http://midhudson.org/resources/ezprogram.htm
· Check out the other valuable programming resources on MHLS Programming site at http://midhudson.org/, Programming - including the 'Tweens and Teens page where you can find info about intergenerational knitting programs, CSI programs, Gaming programs, Locked in the Library and much more.
· Taking part in Battle of the Books brought young people into the library and created a core group for a book club and Teen Advisory Board
· Try a Reading Buddies program where older children read to younger ones struggling with reading. (Buddy contract will be added to the Reading Buddies information on the EZ Library Program database.)
· Over summer, pair teens with seniors to offer computer training
· When offering a writing workshop, contact the local school's English teachers to see if participants can be given extra credit
· Author visits, using local authors (See http://midhudson.org/program/authors.htm)
· Offer library space to mom/children to conduct their own play groups, sharing library books & supplies with them, if possible

The handout, with lots of good links and ideas is available on the MHLS Youth Services Department page under What's New? Get there directly at http://midhudson.org/department/youth/main.htm

Free Books! Now that we have your attention, MHLS is once again offering the publishers review copies received by MHLS to member libraries. Each library may choose 10 titles to add to their collections. Visiting MHLS for a workshop? Come to the MHLS Youth Services Department, check in with a MHLS staffer and we'll help get you started. This offer will continue until January 1st at which time we will divide up what's left and send them out to libraries who haven't come in-person to select titles. Questions? Contact Kerstin: kcruger@midhudson.org.

 

Job Openings
Youth Services/Reference Librarian: The Howland Public Library is seeking a part-time Librarian I. Responsibilities include youth programming, supervision of a busy homework center, general reference and reader's advisory for all ages. This is a part-time, Civil Service position, 14-18 hours per week, with scheduled evening and weekend hours. Qualifications: New York State Public Librarians Certificate. Starting salary for Librarian I is $15.25 per hour. Send resume to: Frank Rees, Assistant Director, Howland Public Library, 313 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508. FAX: 845.831.1165. Email: frank_rees@lycos.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.

Member Libraries are welcome to submit items of interest and job openings to the MHLS Bulletin: bulletin@midhudson.org. The MHLS Bulletin is available on line at http://midhudson.org/bulletins/main.htm.