Postcard Campaign

The "Don't Cut the Heart out of Our Community" campaign continues with a Postcard Campaign beginning this week.

Each library will receive two packets of pre-addressed postcards, one set for their NYS senator and another for their assemblyperson. All they need is a signature and a stamp.

Treat these like gold - try thinking of getting all of yours filled out as a challenge, here are some tips:

· Invite all staff, trustees and Friends to sign postcards.
· Invite all staff, trustees and Friends to take postcards home for their spouses and kids.
· Let your patrons know about the postcards at the circ desk - the postcard graphic matches the poster each library received last week. The poster has talking points for staff on the back.
· During your "welcome to the library" bit before library programs mention the proposed cut and have the postcards with you for those interested in speaking up to their legislators.

Remember - each person can sign two postcards - one for their Senator and another for their assemblyperson!

Kids can get further into the act by sending a Valentine to their legislators - a new addition to the MHLS Advocacy Toolkit [http://midhudson.org/funding/advocacy/toolkit.htm] are two downloadable and reproducible coloring sheets for kids to decorate and color. There's a spot to sign their name and state their age. A starter packet of coloring sheets is in the delivery with this week's Bulletin. Send or fax them to your local legislators [http://midhudson.org/funding/advocacy/legislators_adv.htm] or send them to Rebekkah @MHLS to have them delivered on Library Lobby Day in Albany (March 10th).

MHLS Announcements
Last week MHLS launched an Online Petition as part of the "Don't Cut the Heart out of Our Community" Campaign. Here are some of the comments submitted in just the past week:
· "Please support fair funding for libraries so they can maintain the vital services your constituents rely on."
· "Good public libraries, like good public schools, are the foundation of democracy, because anyone can use them and learn and grow regardless of age, sex, nationality, socio-economic status, religion or anything else. Now more than ever, when so many people have so few resources, libraries must be supported fully."
· "Libraries level the playing field across socioeconomic fault lines. They are indispensable for an informed citizenry."
· "In Woodstock, we are busier than ever. Please help us preserve good library service."
· "Our libraries are becoming the "whipping boys" for all of the budget problems. Please do something to help us."
Let's keep up the good work! Email your family, friends and patrons and ask them to sign today: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/mhls/

Resource Sharing & Millennium
Forgot Your PIN? A new feature to make patrons' lives easier, "Forgot Your PIN?", has been added to the Millennium OPAC. Patrons who cannot remember their PIN will be able to click the link "Forgot Your PIN?" and a form will open that requests that they enter their barcode. Once they enter their barcode and submit the form they will receive an email with the following text. The From address is "Mid-Hudson Library System" and the subject is "The library received a request to allow you to reset your Personal Identification Number (PIN) used to log in. If you did not place that request, please ignore this message. Your PIN has not changed. Otherwise, please click the link below to choose a new PIN. [A web link to click to reset the PIN.] This link is valid for 3 hours from the time of your request." If the patron does not have a valid email, the following text appears in red on the screen: "Sorry, Your library record does not have a valid email address. Please, contact your library to have it updated."

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
Check out this great article from the Howland Public Library's first eNewsletter of 2009: "7 E-Z Ways to Save in 2009: When times are bad, it pays to use your public good: the Howland Public Library.
1. Borrow first. Buy later. Borrow a best seller from the library. If you find that you like it enough to own it, you can buy it at a bookstore or online. But don't waste $20.00 on a book you don't need to own. Save a tree. Read a library book.
2. Entertainment beyond price. Save $7.50. Watch a movie at the library. Our foreign film series features HPL's Ai-Ping Ma's homemade international desserts. You can't buy that at the multiplex.
3. Tuition-free education. Public libraries are the "People's University". Last year, HPL offered 7,000 free educational opportunities for everyone -- from "Mommy and Me" for infants to estate planning for seniors. Live and learn at the library.
4. Public computers = savings. It's estimated that a family can save over $700 each year using library computers. HPL has seven new PCs thanks to Gates Foundation & Friends of HPL grants. HPL also offers free one-on-one computer classes.
5. Find a job. HPL helps people with online resumes & applications. We have Civil Service & other job listings and helpful books on many topics. HPL provides access to practice exams. And HPL has public copier & fax machines.
6. Save at tax time and any time. HPL offers library space for AARP volunteers who help seniors and others prepare their taxes at no cost. Other nonprofits use our space to offer free services to the community.
7. A cheap date. Buy a cup of coffee and meet a friend at the Howland Public Library. Buy two cups and make a friend.
How has the Howland Public Library helped you save money lately? We'd really like to know! EMAIL US"

Youth Services
Summer is coming! How creative do you feel? Join us for one of the annual MHLS Summer Reading Workshops coming up soon and get your creative juices flowing to help plan a spectacular summer event for local kids. On Tuesday, March 25, we will meet in the MHLS Auditorium from 9:00am - 1:00pm to share ideas about programs, crafts, books, prizes and much more. For those libraries in the northern area of MHLS, the second workshop will be on Thursday, April 9 from 10:00am - 1:00pm at the Germantown Library.

We will expect each of you to bring a craft or two that will work with this year's themes: Be Creative @ Your Library (for younger children) and Express Yourself @ Your Library (for teens). Also come prepared to share what ideas you have for your own summer activities.

Register for either workshop: March 25 or April 9 at http://calendar.midhudson.org/

Check out the schedule for the 2009 Performers' Showcase on the Youth Services Department Site:
http://midhudson.org/department/youth/performers_schedule.htm
Performers will offer 10 minutes of their acts so libraries may make hiring decisions for local programming. Performances are suitable for children, teens and families. This is event is coming up soon: Friday, February 20th in the MHLS Auditorium. Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/

Job Openings
Part-time Tech Services Clerk: 15-23 hours a week (Wednesday 1-8pm, Thursday 9-5, alternate Saturdays 9-5) Responsibilities include material processing, repair and data entry, as well as circulation. We're seeking candidates who are neat, organized, detail-oriented, can multi-task and enjoy working with the public. Computer skills are also essential. Experience with Millennium is a plus. Apply to LaGrange Library, 488 Freedom Plains Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 or via email to lkarim@laglib.org.

Executive Director: Albany Public Library seeks a dynamic and skilled leader to oversee the operations of a growing urban library serving 95,000 people in Albany and 350,000 more as the central library for the Upper Hudson Library System. It has a publicly funded budget of $6.4 million and a staff of 79 employees. APL's $29.1 million Branch Improvement Plan will see the opening of two new and three renovated branch libraries by early 2010. The Executive Director reports to a 9-member elected Board of Trustees and manages the main library, six branches, a bookmobile, and staff. Candidates should have strong management, budgetary, and communications skills. A detailed job description is available on the Albany Public Library website at http://albanypubliclibrary.org Minimum qualifications: Graduation from a college or university registered by the NYS Education Department to grant degrees with a Master's Degree or higher and eight (8) years of fulltime paid professional library experience in a library of recognized standing, three (3) years of which must have been in an administrative capacity over a complex operation. Salary: $95,000-$105,000 with an excellent benefits package. This is a Civil Service appointment. To apply submit a letter of interest and a resume to Jon Allen at pmi123@nycap.rr.com by February 20, 2009.

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.