Newsletters & eNewsletters Workshop

How-to, Best Practices, Tips & Shortcuts for Newsletters and eNewsletters on Friday, July 31st from 1:00 - 3:00pm in the MHLS Auditorium.

This event is appropriate for any staff, trustees or Friends interested in improving the library's communication with the community. It will be useful to you whether your library already has a newsletter or you are just thinking about starting one. The workshop will cover:
- Why print newsletters are still a good idea
- How to streamline newsletter production
- eNewsletter basics (Constant Contact will be featured)
- Content tips

This workshop will be presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator of Member Information and feature Julie Johnson, Director of the Kinderhook Memorial Library who was an early adopter of the Constant Contact eNewsletter product.

Register online through the MHLS calendar at http://calendar.midhudson.org

MHLS Announcements
MHLS will be closed Friday, July 3rd, there will be deliveries on this day. There will be no deliveries on Saturday, July 4th.

MHLS Libraries
Congratulations to the Sarah Hull Hallock Library (Milton) director Laurel Coccio and the Milton Board of Trustees - they are the second member library to score 100% on the MHLS Essential Documents Inventory! The Essential Docs Inventory touches on the basics each library should have in place to meet NYS Minimum Standards for Public Libraries including a current long-range plan, report to the community and a full complement of both internal and external policies.

Professional Development
Book Repair Workshop: August 7th from 1:00 - 4:00pm @Southeastern NY Library Resources Council, 21 S. Elting Corners Rd., Highland, NY 12528. This workshop is designed to demonstrate quick and easy techniques for extending shelf life on general circulating materials. Prevention is the key, but we will be addressing specific, common repairs: tipping in loose pages, broken spines, torn header caps, ripped and torn pages. The presenter, Kary Barth, regional sales manager for Kapco Library Products, has asked that each participant bring the following:
- two paperback books, preferably new or new-like, to demonstrate covering techniques,
- a hardbound book with a book jacket to demonstrate application of book jacket covers,
- a stapled book or magazine,
- a book that needs to have a loose page tipped in and
- one hardbound book that needs repair.
- Please also bring a pair of scissors.
Each participant will be provided with a free sample packet of materials. Registration is required (space is limited!): http://www.senylrc.org/reg/

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services brief released from the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study: "U.S. public libraries are on the front lines of connecting people with essential government resources - including unemployment benefits, federal and state emergency assistance, tax filing and more. "U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services" describes the increased use of online government information and services, the critical role of public libraries in helping provide access and assistance using these resources and the challenges that must be addressed to improve e-government at the local, state and federal level." Read the brief at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ors/plftas/Issues_Briefs.cfm

Libraries Using Constant Contact's eNewsletter product [http://www.constantcontact.com]:
- Howland Public Library (Beacon)
- Heermance Memorial Library (Coxsackie)
- East Fishkill Community Library
- Roeliff-Jansen Community Library (Hillsdale)
- Kinderhook Memorial Library
- Kent Public Library
- LaGrange Association Library
- Mahopac Public Library
- Marlboro Free Library
- NorthEast-Millerton Library
- Pleasant Valley Free Library
- Stone Ridge Public Library
- Woodstock Public Library District
If your library is using Constant Contact and is not on this list please let us know! [rsmith@midhudson.org]

Reference & Collection Development
61% = The percentage of adults who look online for health information according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study. This is a good indication that many of your patrons would be interested in online resources you provide like:
- Quick Answers' Healthy Living section [http://midhudson.org/answers/]
- Gales' Health & Wellness Resource Center available through HOMEACCESS
Learn more about how "e-patients" engage with health information online on Pew's site: The Social Life of Health Information [http://pewinternet.org/]

Youth Services
YA Titles Among 2009 Audie Awards for best audio books [http://www.theaudies.com]:
- The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (Ages 8-10)
- Curse of the Blue Tattoo, L.A. Meyer (Teens)

Administration & Management
New Start Time for Directors Association Meetings: 10:00am. At their last meeting the DA voted to move their start time from 9:30am to 10:00am. This will start with the next meeting: Wednesday, July 1st.

Volunteer Management: At the June Director's Association meeting MHLS Outreach & Education Coordinator Merribeth Advocate shared that area nonprofit and service agencies serving on the System's Outreach Advisory Committee are reporting an increase in volunteers showing up at their doors. One of the keys to volunteer management is being ready when someone shows up at your library and says they want to volunteer. For help in preparing for volunteers and volunteer management check out the MHLS Volunteer Management resources site: http://midhudson.org/funding/fundraising/volunteers.htm

Code Adam Procedures: The Town of Esopus Library has a board approved Code Adam Procedure that staff is trained to follow when a patron reports a missing child in the facility. Code Adam is an internationally-recognized "missing child" safety program. Companies that implement the program generally place a Code Adam decal at the front of the business. Employees at these businesses are trained to do the following six steps according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children [http://www.missingkids.com]:
1. Obtain a detailed description of the child and what he or she is wearing.
2. Go to the nearest in-house telephone and page "Code Adam," describing the child's physical features and clothing. Designated employees immediately stop working and look for the child. Designated employees monitor front entrances to ensure the child does not leave the premises.
3. If the child is not found within 10 minutes, call law enforcement.
4. If the child is found and appears to have been lost and unharmed, reunite the child with the searching family member.
5. If the child is found accompanied by someone other than a parent or legal guardian, make reasonable efforts to delay their departure without putting the child, staff, or visitors at risk. Immediately notify law enforcement and give details about the person accompanying the child.
6. Cancel the Code Adam page after the child is found or law enforcement arrives.

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.