Construction Applications

Construction Applications: A memo is enclosed with this week’s Bulletin to all member library directors and board presidents outlining the MHLS procedure for applying for the new round of State Aid for Public Library Construction (FY2007-2008).

It is imperative that libraries applying for these funds follow the MHLS procedures in addition to all guidelines set by the Division of Library Development.

Access the memo online through the MHLS homepage: http://midhudson.org or get there directly: http://midhudson.org/admin/facilities_resources/0708memo.pdf

MHLS Announcements
MHLS will be closed Wednesday, July 4th. There will be no deliveries.

MHLS Libraries
Three MHLS member libraries have been awarded Youth Assets Mini-grants from Dutchess County. In the press release to announce these grants County Executive William Steinhaus said, “These grants offer our partners, local community organizations the opportunity to provide youth empowerment and show youth that they are valued by the community.”
· LaGrange Association Library: Teen Photo Essay: Diversity in Our Community, $1000
· Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District: Getting to Know You program, $1000
· Northeast-Millerton Library: Summer Theater program, $500


Professional Development
Find funders who will be interested in your project: The Adriance Memorial Library of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District is offering a workshop to learn to use Foundation Directory Professional On Line, the Foundation Center's complete searchable database of over 80,000 grant makers in the United States, and leave the workshop with a list of potential funders for your organization. Bring ideas for searches. You may save search results in a WORD document and email it to yourself or download the results onto a USB flash memory.
· Wednesday, June 27, 9:30 - 11:30am or
· Friday, August 10, 2:00 - 4:00pm
Where: Meeting Room, Adriance Memorial Library, 93 Market Street, Poughkeepsie. Cost: Free. Pre-registration is required: go to http://www.poklib.org then Programs & Events or contact Joy Matusiewicz at jmatusiewicz@poklib.org or 845.485.3445 x3324 for more information.

Margaret Keefe has supplied summaries from two workshops recently offered by SENYLRC: What's Google Done for Libraries Lately? and Free Blogging and Pseudo-blogging Tools for Libraries. The summaries are posted at http://midhudson.org then Administration & Management then Technology then Web 2.0. Or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/admin/tech/main.php.

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
At the April 2007 meeting of the Friends Support Group (FSG) we talked about Event Planning. To illustrate the components of a successful event Staatsburg Library Director Anne Jordan shared how her library pulls off their Murder Mystery Dinner - an event that has sold out the past two years they've held it. Tips from Anne, Rebekkah and those in attendance are incorporated in the notes which are available online http://midhudson.org then Marketing, Advocacy & Funding then Fundraising then Friends (or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/funding/fundraising/friends/main.php
Included in the notes from the session are links to the handouts that were provided:
· Fundraising Tips & Ideas [Libri Foundation]
· Event Planning Tips [Friends & Foundations of California Libraries]
· Sample Performer Contract [MHLS]
· Checklist for Planning Successful Programs [FOLUSA]
· Sample Programming Policy [MHLS]
· Planning a Book and Author Event [FOLUSA]
· Book Sales [MHLS]
· "How to Make Your "Nonevent" Event Eventful [Association of Fundraising Professionals]
Join us for our next Friends Support Group meeting - we're taking the show on the road this time. We'll meet at the Town of Esopus Library in Ulster County on Wednesday, July 18th from 6-8pm to talk about Book Sales. The Town of Esopus Library is in a brand new building that includes green design elements and a Friends Book Sale room. A tour of the facility will be offered. Dinner will be served. Registration is required: http://www.midhudson.org/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp

Newsletters in a Pop: "LetterPop [http://letterpop.com/] is a nifty free online website that lets you create great looking newsletters and announcements with a few clicks and drags of your mouse. The site itself is built upon an ajax platform -- I know, this is more info then you needed. But hey, it good to drop a new term into the mix every once in awhile -- that lets you freely drop and drag elements on the screen wherever you want and with over 90 templates (be sure to check out the multiple page layouts available with each template) there’s so much you can do." [Source: From Learning 2.1, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com/]

Looking for more help with your newsletter? Check out the Marketing & PR section of the MHLS web site at http://midhudson.org then Marketing, Advocacy & Funding then Marketing &PR.

Reference & Collection Development
Public libraries are each eligible to receive one free copy of the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit from the Office of Citizenship, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Toolkit can help libraries begin or enhance collections for immigrants. It includes immigration and civics publications, handbooks, ideas for use, and multimedia tools. These toolkits will be distributed on a first come-first served basis. Copies are limited--additional copies may be purchased through the Government Printing Office in the future. Libraries may order the Toolkit directly from the website: http://www.citizenshiptoolkit.gov

Youth Services
Last call for Reach Out Challenge forms: The Reach Out Challenge (R.O.C.) forms are due in the MHLS Youth Services Department by July 6. If you have done some creative outreach in your community (schools, daycares, PTAs, other child-friendly places) to promote your summer reading program, fill out the form found online at http://midhudson.org/program/SRP/SRP07_main.htm and drop it in the delivery box. Your library will be in the running for a very nice poster/announcement stand. We will be awarding several prizes so get into the competition.

Trustee Resources
With the 2006 Annual Report Data now available online many libraries are beginning to think about creating an Annual Report to the Community to publicize the library’s offerings, successes and plans for the future (Not to mention that it is one of the NYS Minimum Standards for Public Libraries!) Resources and samples of other library’s reports to their communities are available on the MHLS Web site at http://midhudson.org then Trustee Resources then Public Relations & Advocacy or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/trustee/report.htm [Access the Annual Report data at http://midhudson.org then Administration & Management then Budgeting & Finance]

Job Openings
New Lebanon Library seeks full time director for this small but rapidly growing library in northeastern Columbia County, NY. The Director is responsible for all aspects of Library operations including programs, collection development and facility management, and oversees part time paid staff and a corps of volunteers. Requirements include: educational background in library science (MLS preferred) and experience in library operations. Salary and benefits are competitive, consistent with MHLS guidelines and dependent on education and experience. For more information on the New Lebanon Library go to: http://newlebanon.lib.ny.us/. Send resumes to John Dax, Pres. Board of Trustees, New Lebanon Library, PO Box 630, New Lebanon, NY 12125, or by email to jdax@cohendax.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.