Barnes & Noble Bookfair

All area Barnes & Noble Stores are joining forces to raise money for MHLS member libraries during National Library Week (NLW), April 12-18. A "bookfair" will be held, earning libraries 10% of all purchases made by customers who present the vouchers you will receive with the Bulletin today.

Our job is to
1. Distribute the vouchers* to as many library supporters as possible and

2. Help to encourage people to visit participating stores* during NLW, April 12-18, 2009.

*New this year: The vouchers MUST be presented at the time of purchase or the store will not count the purchase towards our total.

Each library will receive a pack of vouchers to distribute to patrons. Distribution ideas:
· At library programs
· At the circulation desk
· Electronically: on your web site, included in your email newsletter
· The week before and during the event please give one to everyone who checks out items at your library
· Don't forget friends & family!
· Vouchers are available online at http://midhudson.org/3vouchers.pdf

To help attract people to the stores during NLW there are many planned events - from author visits and signings, to behind-the-scenes tours of the stores. For a full listing of events taking place at participating stores visit http://midhudson.org

Special Event for MHLS Member Libraries:
How to Market Your Library Like a Bookstore
- Monday, April 13th, 6:00 - 7:00pm
@Kingston Barnes & Noble or
- Wednesday, April 15th, 5:00 - 6:00pm
@Poughkeepsie Barnes & Noble
[Registration Required: http://calendar.midhudson.org/.]

Selected Events:
@Poughkeepsie Barnes & Noble Store
· Thursday, 4/16 @ 6:30pm: Jammy Jamboree, Silly songs and stories and funny rhymes at bedtime w/Librarian Janet Battistoni, Hyde Park Library
· Thursday, April 16 @ 8:00pm: MondoRAJ jazz quartet (singer is Grinnell staffer Audrey Willis!!)
· Friday, 4/17 @6:30pm: Battle of the Books mini-Battle! Come cheer them on!
· Saturday, 4/18 @noon: Educator Appreciation Week Reception - Store Tours until 3:00pm
· Saturday, 4/18 @1:00pm: Local Author Day, Featuring:
o Joanne Rendell "The Professors' Wives' Club"
o Renee Weisman "Winning In A Man's World"
o Owen Palmiotti "Benjamin Manry and the Curse Of The Blood Bones"
o Lucinda Franks "My Father's Secret War: A Memoir"
o Elena Tait "The Twisted Fairy Tale"
@Kingston Barnes & Noble Store
· Tuesday, 4/14 @10:30am: Town of Esopus Library Storytime w/ Miss Lisa
· Tuesday, 4/14 @4:30pm: Across the Generations Storytelling with Actor, College Professor (& Saugerties Library trustee!) Janet Carter
· Thursday, 4/16 @ 7:00pm: Lomax & Biggs Series author, Marshall Karp [http://www.lomaxandbiggs.com/]
· Friday, 4/17 @ 6:30pm: Twilight Trivia Contest
· Friday, 4/17 @7:00pm: "Black Smoke" author, Margaret De Wys
· Saturday, 4/18 @10:00am: Children's Author Hudson Talbott will introduce his new book, "River of Dreams" (perfect for the Hudson Quadricentennial)
· Saturday, 4/18: Store Tours for Librarians @ 10:00am, 11:00am & noon (Sign-up: 845.336.4691)
· Saturday, 4/18 @1:30pm: The J. Watson Bailey Jazz Band
· Saturday, 4/18 @3:30pm: Food historian Peter G. Pose reads from his new book, "Food, Drink and Celebrations of the Hudson Valley Dutch"

The funds raised this year will support the MHLS Battle of the Books Event: http://midhudson.org/battle/.

MHLS Libraries
Congratulations to four MHLS member libraries have been named in the new "Library Journal Index of Public Library Service":

· Julia L. Butterfield Library of Cold Spring (3 stars)
· Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library of Milton (3 stars)
· Philmont Public Library (4 stars)
· Tivoli Free Library (4 stars)

The LJ Index is a new assessment tool for public libraries. It is based on 2006 data reported by local libraries to the State Library and compiled by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
"This is an index of public library service output only and as such as determined equally by four related per capita output indicators: visits, circulation, program attendance, and public Internet computer use." The top libraries are organized into star tiers, much like the Michelin guide, for example, with five, four or three stars. Read more about the Index at http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6629180.html

Models You Can Use: To help all public libraries benefit from the good work of the top libraries rated in the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service 2009 the editors of LJ invited the five-star libraries to submit their ideas on what particular strategies work at their libraries. The responses, organized by expenditure range, offer many tips to put to work in libraries of all sizes. Read case studies with titles like:
· Be Responsive, Avoid "No"
· Act Bigger than You Are
· Be the Cornerstone of Your Community
· Spend Taxpayers' Money Wisely
Check them all out at http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6636894.html

Reference & Collection Development
New Offerings in HOMEACCESS as of April 1st: As of April 1st there will be some changes to how HOMEACCESS looks, as the database package funded for every library by the state NOVELny program is changing. Complete information about the changes (including what NOVELny databases are ending, what are continuing and the new ones being added) is available at http://midhudson.org/collection/databases.htm.
The new databases coming from NOVELny are:
· Grolier Encyclopedia Americana
· Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia
· Grolier New Book of Knowledge
· ProQuest Platinum

Youth Services
MHLS Youth Services Department Open House:
If you have been wondering what the Youth Services Department can do for your library or would like a refresher, please plan to join us on Wednesday, April 15th from 10:00am - 12:00pm for the semi-annual Youth Services Department Open House. This workshop will cover:
· Tour of the Youth Services website
· Discussion of consultations and services available to all libraries in the area of youth services
· An introduction (and time to browse!) through the Youth Services collection (book kits, puppets, flannelboard materials, story aprons, die cuts, musical instruments, adaptive equipment, Big Books, Kamishibai stories, professional collection materials, and more)
· Meet the youth services staff and ask questions about services, resources and other relevant issues
Registration online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/.

Administration & Management
The Small Libraries Roundtable will meet on Wednesday, April 15th from 10:00am - 12:00pm at the Clinton Community Library located at 1215 Centre Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (http://clinton.lib.ny.us/). Our topic this session will be Facilities - Maintenance & Planning for the Future. This users group is designed for the administrators of small libraries (3FTE or less). The purpose of the group is to discuss the issues surrounding running a small library. The workshop will cover:
· Maintenance,
· Space planning,
· Space savers, and
· Expansion planning
Registration online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/.

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.