Kids OPAC Wins Be Innovative! Award

The MHLS Kids OPAC has been selected as the First Place winner of the 2008 Be Innovative! Award for the Most Innovative WebPAC!

As the first place winner in the 2008 Be Innovative! Award program, sponsored by our ILS vendor, Innovative Interfaces Inc., the system will receive a cash award, complimentary registration to any of the Emeryville workshops offered by Innovative's Training Services Department for Laurie and a reportedly “beautiful” Starfire Crystal trophy as recognition of the accomplishment.

The Kids OPAC was launched in September 2007 thanks to a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Kids OPAC sub-committee of the Marketing & Program Advisory Committee:
Midge Quick, director, NorthEast-Millerton Library
Barbara Flach, director, Greenville Public Library
Regina Johnson, director, Phoenicia Library
Margaret Keefe, MHLS Youth Services Coordinator
Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Automated Systems Manager
Deb Begley, MHLS Print Services Manager.

MHLS Announcements
The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Saturday, January 26, in the MHLS Conference Room and:
· Were administered the 2008 Oath of Office;
· Appointed Steve Benson to serve as the fifth member of the Executive Committee;
· Were given committee assignments for 2008;
· Viewed a PowerPoint presentation of the progress made in 2007 on the Plan of Service goals;
· Reviewed the contents of the new Trustee Manual.
The next meeting of the Board is Saturday, March 15th at 10:00am in the MHLS Auditorium.

The Governor has released his proposed 2008-2009 State Budget and it contains the following:
· $5 million less than last year in library aid
· $14 million in public library construction aid remains the same
NYLA's ongoing advocacy efforts will be to work to restore the $5 million cut in Library Aid.

REMINDER: Tuesday, March 11th is Library Lobby Day. Please make every effort to attend and demonstrate to the Legislature the need to restore the $5 million. Transportation is being arranged with stops at five locations - Tarrytown, West Nyack, Newburgh, New Paltz, Kingston and Catskill. More info about the bus will be coming in the next week. In the meantime you can register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/ for Library Lobby Day.

Annual Report Software Open for Business –
To Library Directors and those inputting annual report data: The software is ready to be used. On the home page of midhudson.org there is a link to the login, as well as links to a print copy of the instructions and questions. In the delivery last week each library received a manila envelope labeled "Library Director: Important Annual Report Information" that contains the Millennium data and financial data generated by MHLS to use in compiling your annual report. Contacts for additional annual report information are as follows:
· Usernames & passwords, software functionality issues & general questions: Lena Smolon (lsmolon@midhudson.org or x36)
· Millennium information: Laurie Shedrick (lshedrick@midhudson.org or x21)
· Info provided by MHLS Business Office: Doris Formby (dformby@midhudson.org or x10)
· General questions: Merribeth Advocate (madvocate@midhudson.org or x54)
Contact us if we can be helpful with your report. Reports are due February 15th.

MHLS Libraries
Six libraries have received funds from the Twin Counties Cultural Fund Decentralization Program for Columbia and Greene Counties (DEC).
· Friends of the Chatham Public Library ($1,200) for The Pinocchio Project, a monoprinting, and figurative clay sculpture program.
· Hudson Area Association Library ($1,000) for a children’s theater workshop with Walking the Dog theater.
· Kinderhook Library ($1,300) for World Music performances and workshops.
· North Chatham Library ($1,400) for literature and arts workshops.
· Philmont Library ($1,600) for 6 evening music performances.
· Roeliff-Jansen Community Library and Neil Smith were awarded $1,200 for adult writing workshops and public reading.

Professional Development
Speaking with One Voice - Integrating your Library's Branding, Marketing, PR and Development: Thursday, March 20, 2008 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm at the Ramapo Catskill Library System in Middletown, NY. Presented by Libby Post, President of Communication Services and former consultant for the MHLS Getting to Yes Project. It is essential that the branding, marketing, public relations and development functions of any library speak with one voice. With shrinking resources and an ever-expanding demand to raise more funds, integrating these areas enables a library to maximize their marketing and public relations messages and enhance fund development. Learn key strategies to developing and implementing a basic marketing plan to promote your library and its services to the community. This workshop explores these four program areas and outlines how to best bring them together through the use of real-time case studies and interactive exercises. This full day workshop is $85 for NYLA members and $120 for non-members. Register online at http://www.nyla.org. Flyer for the workshop is enclosed with this week’s Bulletin. Contact the NYLA office with questions about this program 1.800.252.6952 x102

Resource Sharing & Millennium
“In Processing” Items: Our database contains 1500+ items that have "in processing" status for more than 2 weeks. The Resource Sharing Advisory Committee will be recommending that these records be regularly updated by MHLS staff to “on shelf” status when barcodes and call numbers exist and deleted when they do not. MHLS will be sending each library a record of their items fitting this description for the first round of clean up. If you have any questions or if your library has a valid reason why your records should not be updated please contact Karen O’Brien, MHLS Cataloging and Database Maintenance at x53.

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
The Love Your Library license plate is available from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. Your $25 annual fee supports the NYS Statewide Summer Reading Program at public libraries across the State. For more information: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/lylplate/index.html

Youth Services
MHLS Summer Reading Program Mini-Grant Applications are now available on the MHLS Youth Services Department page: http://midhudson.org/program/SRP/main.htm.
They are due April 7th.

Administration & Management
As we follow the recent story of the Mahopac Library patron arrested for allegedly viewing child pornography on the library's computers, now seems like a good time to remind all libraries to review your Internet & Computer Use Policies. Make sure your policy is up-to-date and that all staff and trustees are familiar with the document.
· Think about things like - Do staff know what to do if a patron complains about what another patron is looking at on the library's computers? Are trustees versed in the realities of balancing public access and protecting the public? Is your policy displayed where patrons can see it?

· Does the policy need an upgrade? Some policy development tips and sample policies are available on the MHLS web site: http://midhudson.org/department/member_information/library_policies.htm

· Multiple copies of Creating Policies for Results: From Chaos to Clarity by Sandra Nelson and June Garcia, (ALA, 2003), are available to through the MHLS Professional Collection: http://midhudson.org/mhls/professional_collection.htm

· Check out the Libraries and the Internet Toolkit from ALA, "Tips and Guidance for Managing and Communicating about the Internet." An invaluable resource for making decisions and talking about access to the Internet in a public library setting: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/iftoolkits/litoolkit/Default2338.htm

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.