MHLS Board Meets @Germantown

The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, May 20th, in the Meeting Room of the Germantown Library and:
- Approved the implementation of member fees at the same rate for 2010 and 2011;
- Reviewed and approved the Central Library Development Aid Budget for the remainder of 2009 and for 2010;
- Authenticated the System's application for the Gates Online Opportunity Hardware Grant Program;
- Authorized the System to amend its Flexible Health Benefit Plan to include the 2009 Children's Health Insurance program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA).
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at 10:00am in the MHLS Auditorium.

MHLS Announcements
MTA Tax: Libraries in Dutchess and Putnam County must pay the new MTA tax of 0.34% of you payroll expenses. This is retroactive to March 1. For more information:
http://www.tax.state.ny.us/sbc/mta.htm

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo unveiled his Local Government Consolidation bill last week and we learned that it does include library districts. The New York Library Association will be monitoring the progress of the legislation and informing state policymakers of our concerns and impact on libraries if this proposal becomes law. MHLS Coordinator of Member Information Rebekkah Smith Aldrich is a member of NYLA's Legislative Committee, a group that will be looking at the details of this legislation and reporting back on its impact. To see the bill and support memo: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/may/may21b_09.html

Reminder: Training for New Library Staff @MHLS on Monday, June 15th in the MHLS Auditorium:
- 10:00:am-12:00pm: Orientation for New Library Staff
- 1:00 - 3:00pm: Circulation Essentials
Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org

Resource Sharing & Millennium
A new date for Millennium Statistics training: June 10th @Mahopac Public Library from 10:00 - 11:30am. Space is limited so register soon! We will discuss the uses of Millennium Statistics. Millennium statistics can be used to evaluate the shared properties of a collection of records. It can also track trends in for collection development planning. Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
Two Grant Opportunities from the New York State Library [Deadline: June 19th, 2009]:
1) Adult Literacy Library Services grants help libraries offer services which will improve adult literacy on the job and in the home. The grants encourage libraries to become community literacy leaders and to strengthen partnerships among local literacy providers. For more information, the online application and guidelines:
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/literacy/index.html

2) The Family Literacy Library Services Program helps libraries provide family literacy services to children and their parents or caregivers. The program theme for 2009-2011 projects is early literacy. Early literacy projects in libraries teach parents and caregivers how to nurture literacy skills in very young children. Libraries that focus on early literacy provide instructional workshops and literacy-rich environments for use by children and their caregivers. For more information, the online application and guidelines: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/familylit/index.html

To apply for a user name and password for either grant:
http://eservices.nysed.gov/LDGrants/ldgext/litRegistration.do

Reference & Collection Development
In HOMEACCESS http://midhudson.org/databases/ the Grolier products now have a traditional link for access and no longer require a username and password. Grolier, funded through NOVELny, provides through HOMEACCESS the following:
- Encyclopedia Americana: In depth information for older students and adults
- Multimedia Encyclopedia: Quick reference with rich media for middle school and higher
- New Book of Knowledge: Reference and current events for elementary school and higher. Includes projects and experiments
- Online Atlas
- Roget's II: The New Thesaurus
- American Heritage Children's Thesaurus
- American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
- American Heritage Student Dictionary
- American Heritage Children's Dictionary
- American Heritage English to Spanish Dictionary
- American Heritage Spanish to English Dictionary

The MHLS Central Reference Library, the Adriance Memorial Library, has added the Graphic Novels Core Collection to Wilson Catalogs Online, available for your use through the Mid-Hudson Library System Reference and Collection Development page at http://midhudson.org/collection/main.htm.
Whether you are building your graphic novels collection from scratch, or have a well-established collection, the Graphic Novels Core Collection module can help you select your fantasy, horror, superhero and humorous graphic novels and manga, for adults and children. Not sure where to begin? Limit your search to Starred Reviews or Best Lists. If you are interested in scheduling staff training on Wilson Catalogs Online or need the password, please contact Sue Hermans, Coordinator of Central Reference Library Services: 845.485.3445 x 3321; shermans@poklib.org

Programming
Connecting Military Families: The Harford County Public Library in Belcamp, MD is connecting people with relatives who are serving in the military overseas through the use of video webcams. The service is called "FACE TIME @Your Library." It is designed to offer face-to-face contact for families who otherwise would not have access to high-speed Internet and video webcam software (Skype). No fee or library card is necessary, although the program is currently limited to military families. [Library Hotline, 5.11.09]

Youth Services
Free Family Program for Libraries Available: Together-Book Talk for Kids and Parents is the New York Council for the Humanities' exciting reading and discussion program for families. Parents and their 9-to-11 year old children come together at their local library to discuss important humanities themes through shared reading. This program is available to all New York State public libraries and has been successfully implemented at a wide range of sites throughout the state. The six 90-minute Together sessions are co-facilitated by a librarian (often the children's librarian) and a local humanities scholar. Each session promotes lively intergeneration discussion focused on themes of American identity related to picture books and novels. The Council provides copies of the books and a stipend to cover all costs of the Together program. Applications to host a Together series for Fall 2009 are due June 15, 2009 and are available at http://www.nyhumanities.org/discussion_groups/kids_and_parents/together//. The website guides you through the application process with forms, common questions, and follow-up documents. If you have further questions about the Together program, contact the Council by phone at 212.233.1131 or email at ehalstead@nyhumanities.org

Administration & Management
"What I Wish I Kew On My First Day…" Directors who have been in their position for 3 years or less are invited to the next meeting of the Roundtable for New Directors after the June 5th Directors Association Meeting. At this session we will be soliciting input for a "New Director Handbook" that is being produced for New York State by MHLS. Register 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.