Vol.07-04   1.23.07

Performers' Showcase

The annual MHLS Performers’ Showcase will be held on Friday, February 16th in the MHLS Auditorium from 9:30am – 1:00pm.

Presented by the MHLS Youth Services Department, this event allows all library staff who are responsible for hiring performers for youth and family programming - throughout the year - the opportunity to preview performers and assess their suitability for your library.

The event features brief performances by performers appealing to a variety of ages, from preschool to teens/families and adults. Flyers from performers not attending the Showcase will be made available to increase exposure to possible performers.

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

NOTE: Bring brown bag lunch, if you wish. Coffee and tea will be provided.


MHLS Announcements
2007 Advisory Committee Meeting Dates Set:
Central Library / Collection Development:
Meeting Dates: Thursday, February 22nd; Tuesday, April 10th; Thursday, July 19th; Wednesday, October 31st
2007 Committee Roster:
Columbia County: Sally Alderdice (Claverack) ('09)
Dutchess County: Greg Callahan (Hyde Park) ('07) & Gloria Goverman (East Fishkill) ('09)
Greene County: Jessica Maisano (Catskill) ('07)
Putnam County: Patti Haar (Patterson) ('07) [chair] & Pat Kaufman (Mahopac) ('09)
Ulster County: Jim Cosgrove (Marlboro) ('07) &
John Georghiou ('09)
Vice Chairperson: Josh Cohen (MHLS)
Also: Tom Lawrence (PPLD), Lauren Muffs (PPLD)

Continuing Education / Professional Development:
Meeting Dates: Wednesday, June 13th & Thursday, October 25th
2007 Committee Roster:
Columbia County: Wendy Fuller (Chatham) ('09) &
Sally Alderdice (Claverack) ('09)
Dutchess County: Joanne Meyer (Rhinecliff) ('07) &
Phyllis Keaton (Beacon) ('09)
Greene County: Linda Deubert (Coxsackie) ('07) [chair]
Putnam County: Carol Donick (Garrison) ('09)
Ulster County: Bruce George (Kingston) ('07) &
Kelly Tomaseski (Esopus) ('09)
Vice Chairperson: Merribeth Advocate (MHLS)
Also: Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (MHLS)

Marketing & Programs:
Meeting Dates: Tuesday, March 20th; Wednesday, June 20th; Tuesday, September 18th; Thursday, December 13th
2007 Committee Roster:
Columbia County: Carol Corrigan (New Lebanon) ('07)
Dutchess County: Anne Jordan (Staatsburg) ('07) & Midge Quick (NorthEast-Millerton) ('09) [co-chair]
Greene County: Barbara Flach (Greenville) ('09) [chair]
Putnam County: Maria Steinberg (Brewster) ('07)
Ulster County: Kara Lustiber (West Hurley) ('07) & Jody Ford (Stoneridge) ('09)
Vice Chairperson: Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (MHLS)
Also: Margaret Keefe (MHLS) & Merribeth Advocate (MHLS)

Resource Sharing:
Meeting Dates: Monday, March 19th; Tuesday, May 22nd; Friday, July 20th; Wednesday, September 19th; Thursday, November 15th
2007 Committee Roster:
Columbia County: Julie Johnson (Kinderhook) ('09)
Dutchess County: Daniela Pulice (Pleasant Valley) ('07) & Lisa Karim (LaGrange) ('09)
Greene County: Candace Begley (Windham) ('07)
Putnam County: Gillian Thorpe (Cold Spring) ('09)
Ulster County: Amy Raff (Woodstock) ('07) &
Julie Kelsall-Dempsey (Highland) ('09) [chair]
Vice Chairperson - Laurie Shedrick (MHLS)
Also: Karen O'Brien (MHLS), Merribeth Advocate (MHLS)

Thanks to all advisory committee members for their dedication to helping make MHLS as useful as it can be. Committee rosters and past minutes for each committee are posted at: http://midhudson.org/MHLS/committee/advisory.htm


MHLS Libraries
Two Putnam County libraries will benefit from Putnam Arts Council grants. These public funds are provided by the Putnam County Legislature. Each year, a volunteer panel recommends funding for the applicants it feels reach the broadest audiences and provide the greatest benefit to county residents.

-Julia L. Butterfield Library (Cold Spring): $600 to host a poetry reading by award-winning Poet Franny Lindsay and another nationally recognized poet.

-Nowodworski Foundation for their SITE Art Project: $1600 for a series of art workshops and two resulting exhibits for middle school aged children at the Mahopac Library. The program stresses outreach to immigrant populations and multicultural projects.


Professional Development
SEAL ILL System Training Workshops: When a MHLS library receives a request from a patron for material it does not own, library staff first check the local database (i.e. Millennium). If it cannot be found, the next place for library staff to check is the regional database (i.e. SEAL: http://othello.senylrc.org/vdx/). SEAL is the combined catalog of the holdings of the public, academic, special, public, and school libraries in the eight counties of the Mid-Hudson Valley including Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster. SEAL ILL System Training Workshops are available in Highland at SENYLRC on February 14 or 27 from 9:30am-3:30pm. Registration is required. Details and registration at http://www.senylrc.org/ce/.


Trustee Resources
Save the Date: New York State Association of Library Boards 2007 Trustee Institute - Friday, May 4 th & Saturday, May 5 th, 2007, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Queens, NY. Program topics to be included this year:

Cost for the Institute is still being finalized but will be around $40 for dinner on Friday evening and in the $100 range for Saturday's program. Rooms are expected to book quickly and fill their block of 125 rooms reserved per night. To guarantee the room rate secured by NYSALB of $129 (plus taxes) per night, reservations must be made by March 31. After this date the regular room rate of $399 will be charged. At anytime you may call for hotel reservations: 800.692.5424. Please indicate you are with the NYSALB group or group code NYS. The Institute also earns attendees credit toward becoming a Certified Trustee. This program announced at the 2006 Institute, recognizes trustees who make the effort to educate themselves about libraries, library issues, and responsibilities of trustees. As details of Institute speakers and sessions are confirmed, NYSALB's website [http://www.nysalb.org/] will be updated.


Job Openings
Patterson Library Part-Time Positions Available:
Administrative Assistant: Responsible person needed for business office. Ideal candidate will possess well-developed organizational skills, and be reliable and mature. Part-time Monday through Friday, 10:00am – 3:00pm plus occasional evening hours. Associate’s Degree preferred, excellent computer skills necessary. $13.50/hour
Adult Services Assistant: Part-time Monday through Thursday 10:00am – 4:00pm plus occasional evening and weekend hours. Creative person needed to organize and host adult programs, and to provide community information. Ideal candidate will possess well-developed communication and desktop publishing skills. Associate’s Degree preferred, public relations experience a plus. Must be reliable and mature.$12.50/hour
Library Clerk: Part-time position includes two to three evenings a week, plus three Saturdays a month. Will be responsible for learning clerical tasks and working with the public. Must be reliable, flexible and mature with computer experience; college or related experience a plus. $9.50/hour Additional information and applications available at the library. Drop off or send to: Patterson Library, PO Box 418, Patterson, NY 12563.

The East Fishkill Community Library has an immediate opening for part-time Circulation clerk. The job includes nights and Saturdays. The ideal candidate is friendly, professional, and hard working. Computer skills and effective communication skills are a must. Knowledge of Millennium, although not required, is a plus. The East Fishkill Community Library has a strong customer-oriented philosophy and is a busy and wonderful place to work. Submit resume either by mail, fax or email to: East Fishkill Community Library, 348 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, New York 12533; 845.226.1404 (fax); Staff1@frontiernet.net.

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.