New HOMEACCESS Brochure

Promoting the electronic databases available through HOMEACCESS can be tricky so the MHLS Marketing & Program Advisory Committee helped MHLS staff come up with a new look for the HOMEACCESS brochure and accompanying bookmarks.

The new design is bright and eye-catching - featuring the word “FREE*” prominently at the top. The “*” leads patrons to a statement about how these resources are funded. Space has been left on the back of the brochure for libraries to stamp their contact information and hours. Inside is a breakdown of some the “hidden gems”:
· Full text for nearly 800 general reference publications
· 170 full text newspapers – including 15 from NYS and the latest 365 days of the New York Times
· 70 popular kids’ magazines
· A listing of the full-test history books that can help with homework

In today’s delivery your library will receive a starter packet of HOMEACCESS brochures, and the newest related bookmarks:
· Auto Repair: Chilton Manuals
· Fiction Connection
· Health Information
· Price It!
· The New York Times

The bookmarks are designed to help patrons login to HOMEACCESS and get started with each resource. At the bottom of each bookmark is the text:
“Didn’t find what you were looking for? Ask us, your library is here to help.”

When it’s time to restock these items at your library request them through the online Materials Request Form at http://midhudson.org - it’s linked at the bottom of the homepage. Or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/forms/material_request.htm

MHLS Announcements
Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Automated Systems Manager and Karen O’Brien, Cataloging & Database Maintenance Supervisor will be in San Jose, California for the Innovative Users Group (IUG) this week. Learn more about the IUG at http://www.innopacusers.org/.

MHLS Libraries
Staatsburg Library director Anne Jordan is featured in Marshall Karp’s newest “comic police thriller,” Bloodthirsty. This is a follow-up to his first book, The Rabbit Factory. “Widely-loathed producer Barry Gerber misses a red-carpet premiere and later turns up dead in a trash can, all blood drained from him. Gerber’s biggest rival is found dead two days later, in the same way. Lomax and Biggs scramble to find the next victim before the killer does.” Find Anne later on in the book as a no-nonsense, half-glasses-wearing, stern-look-giving character.

Resource Sharing & Millennium
At the May Director’s Association meeting Laurie Shedrick reviewed the importance of and how-to for Viewing Outstanding Holds. The handout from her presentation is included with the Bulletin in today’s delivery and available online at http://midhudson.org then Resource Sharing & Millennium then Holds then View Holds or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/resource/Millennium/Holds/Instructions/Viewing_Holds.pdf

Reminder: Register now for Millennium Cataloging & Entry Essentials: Thursday, May 24th from 10:00am- 12:00pm at Kingston Library (55 Franklin Street, Kingston). Presented by Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Automated Systems Manager. Register through the MHLS web calendar at
http://www.midhudson.org/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp

404 Error - Help for Patrons: Some patrons report receiving a “404 Error” when they try to request a hold in the online catalog. Laurie has added instruction to the OPAC section of Resource Sharing & Millennium page of midhudson.org that may help them get through it. Keep in mind that these instructions were based on Internet Explorer and without regard to other security software that the patron has running on their local PC or router:
http://midhudson.org/resource/Millennium/OPAC/Instructions/pcsecurity.pdf

Professional Development
Online Learning Opportunity: Reading Groups—New Angles Make Them Work “Book groups: they're hot, they're multiplying, and they're not just 12 readers with a battered copy of Pride and Prejudice. Reading Group Discussions, Parts I, II, and III outlines the future of America's favorite new pastime. Key topics covered:
· Author Phone Calls
· Video Conferencing/ Webcasts
· Podcasting
· Alternative Book Group Ideas
· Reading Guides
Visit http://www.libraryjournal.com/learn to watch and learn.

June webinars from the Council of Community Services of NYS (CCSNYS):
· You Too Can Use Web 2.0 – Thursday, June 14th from 10:00am – 12:00pm. $30 for CCSNYS members/$40 for nonmembers
· An Introduction to Microsoft Excel – Thursday, June 21st from 10:00am – 12:00pm. $30 for CCSNYS members/$40 for nonmembers
Stay at your desk to listen to the audio portion of the webinar while viewing a hard-copy of the presentation on your computer to follow along with the trainer’s live presentation. For more information and to register: http://www.ccsnys.org then Calendar.

Youth Services
Did you miss the 2007 YSS Spring Conference -Bring on the Books, Bring on the Joy? Here are the highlights: Two hundred NYS youth services librarians met in White Plains April 20-21 to recharge their batteries attending workshops and hearing great speakers, like Jill and Daniel Pinkwater and Libba Bray, teen author. We learned how you can pull together people in the community and library staff with no quilting experience to work with kids who make beautiful quilt squares which are sewn together and given to seniors in local retirement places. In addition, we came away with a great Title Trekking booklist to use with teens over the summer. Teens accept the challenge of reading these stories that increase in complexity as they “trek” up the list. Contents of some of the workshops can be found on the MHLS Youth Services website at http://midhudson.org/department/youth/main.htm, in the What’s New section. Others will be added as they become available.

The Collaborative Summer Library Program website [http://www.cslpreads.org/ppt.htm] contains PowerPoint templates you can use during presentations to educators and parents to promote your library’ summer reading program – if you’re participating in the NYS themes:
Children's Theme: Get a Clue @ Your Library
Teen Theme: You Never Know @ Your Library

Young People & Social Networking Issues Toolkit: A new toolkit from YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association of ALA) has been added to the MHLS Youth Services web site, http://midhudson.org then Youth Services then What’s New column or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/department/youth/main.htm, as well as on the MHLS Internet Safety for Young People site at http://midhudson.org/program/ideas/Web_safety_kids.htm. Below is the Table of Contents from this useful document:

Information to share with community members:
· How Online Social Networking Facilitates Learning in Schools & Libraries
Resources for librarians & library workers:
· Tips for Talking with Legislators About Social Networking
· Educating the Community about Online Social Networking
· Educating Teens about Online Social Networking
· Additional Resources about Online Social Networking

Administration & Management
TechSoup.org's MaintainIT Project: What's your story? Librarians want to know! The MaintainIT Project is gathering practical solutions for how libraries maintain their public computers. Techniques and tips will be shared in free guides tailored to specific types of libraries and distributed in print and online. The MaintainIT Project is a part of TechSoup, a nonprofit serving fellow nonprofits and public libraries with technology information, resources, and product donations. The MaintainIT Project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Visit http://www.maintainitproject.org for more information.

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.