Quality Services Survey

Now is our chance to shine! In these tough economic times libraries and the System need to be sure they are working together to provide the best service to our communities. This month all MHLS Library Directors, Trustees and Staff that work with patrons are asked to fill out a Quality Services Survey. The results will help us pinpoint areas to focus services and will give us good information to customize future services at the System.

"Quality Service" has been defined as ensuring patrons have a positive experience at the library, being treated with respect and obtaining the information they requested in a timely manner.
Operationally this requires that:
· Libraries identify and promote services for their communities;
· Staff have the resources to fill the request of their patrons;
· Staff be skilled in customer service and understand all available resources and services;
· The library infrastructure function seamlessly and efficiently;
· Libraries be recognized as a valuable, cost-efficient resource in their communities; and
· Libraries continually review their programs for effectiveness and responsiveness.

There is a different form for each group.
· The URL for the Directors version was sent out on the MHLS Directors Listserv.
· The URL of the Trustee form and the Staff form is in the center of our homepage at http://midhudson.org.

Questions? Contact Merribeth Advocate, MHLS Outreach & Education Coordinator at madvocate@midhudson.org or x254. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Please respond to the survey by December 23, 2008.

Resource Sharing & Millennium
New Transit slips and Hold Shelf slips take off!
Thanks to the recent Millennium upgrade circulation staff at some member libraries are raving about the new transit and hold shelf slips. These slips print directly from your receipt printers in bold large print, saving staff the time of writing them out. Julie Johnson, Director of the Kinderhook Memorial Library estimates it now takes half the time for her staff to process holds. Information about getting this set up for your library is on the Resource Sharing page at
http://midhudson.org/resource/millennium/circulation/Instructions/graphictemplates.pdf or contact Laurie at x221.

Since all libraries now have the capability to print their own transit slips MHLS will suspend offering free delivery slips as of January 1st, 2009. A bulk order opportunity for delivery slips is included in the form of an action memo included with this week's Bulletin to help libraries bridge the time between now and getting their receipt printers up and running. The order form is due by Wednesday, December 31st.

2009 Closed Dates Needed Immediately: These include all scheduled closings for holidays, staff development, repairs, or any other time your circulation services are suspended. The dates should be submitted now in order for Millennium to calculate your due dates accurately. Submit the dates to Laurie Shedrick: email lshedrick@midhudson.org; Fax: 845.454.5940 or in the delivery to MHLS Attn: Laurie Shedrick.

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
ICMA Public Library Innovation Grants, made possible through a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are available to local governments that develop innovative ways to actively engage their public libraries in meeting specific community goals. The grants will be anchored by a partnership between the office of the chief administrative officer (city, county, or town manager) and the public library, recognizing the importance of the manager/librarian partnership in creating and sustaining change and innovation. A series of leadership workshops and project coaching will help grantees solidify the partnership, ensure the short-term success of the project, and secure new resources to support the long-term use of libraries in addressing community priorities and issues. ICMA will provide a total of $500,000 in Public Library Innovation Grants. Individual grants will range from $20,000 to $60,000. Only U.S. local governments and libraries are eligible to apply. Grant Deadline: January 9, 2009, 5:00pm Applications, guidelines, and a budget template are available at http://www.icma.org/publiclibrarygrants. Please contact Molly Donelan at mdonelan@icma.org for more information.

Reference & Collection Development
Ten Best Cookbooks of 2008: "If there's any unforeseen upside of the economic crisis, it's this: People are cooking again. This year's collection of cookbooks promises surprisingly delicious weeknight dinners that don't dirty every pot you own, made from ordinary ingredients." Check out NPR's Ten Best Cookbooks of 2008 at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97223384

MyBenefits: The NYS Office for Temporary and Disability Assistance has launched a helpful new web site called myBenefits: https://www.mybenefits.ny.gov/selfservice/.
The site provides a quick and easy way for people to find answers to questions about New York State's programs and services, like food stamps and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).

Programming
The next Big Read application deadline is February 3, 2009, for communities wishing to host a Big Read from September 2009-June 2010. For more information on the Big Read, including program FAQs, the complete list of Big Read novels, and application deadlines, please visit http://www.neabigread.org. More about the Big Read: The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. MHLS Libraries that have participated in the NEA Big Read Program: Heermance Memorial Library (Coxsackie) [The Adventures of Tom Sawyer]; Hudson Area Association Library [Fahrenheit 451 & The Call of the Wild]; Poughkeepsie Public Library District [To Kill a Mockingbird & The Great Gatsby]

Youth Services
Youth Services Meeting for Columbia, Greene & Ulster County Libraries, facilitated by Margaret Keefe, MHLS Coordinator of Youth Services, will be held on Monday, January 26th from 10:00 - noon at the Catskill Public Library (1 Franklin Street, Catskill). This meeting is open to all public library staff in Columbia, Greene and Ulster counties who provide library service to young people. The workshop will cover:
· Latest information from MHLS Youth Services Department
· Tying summer programs to NYS Quadricentennial
· Participants bringing ideas for programs, new books, crafts, performers, school collaboration and more
Register today at http://calendar.midhudson.org/
For the most up-to-date meeting schedule, check the MHLS web calendar. To find out if there is a cancellation, call x229.

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.