Philmont is HIP!

MHLS Health Information Project Programs Kick-Off at Five Member Libraries! Congratulations to Philmont Public Library, the latest addition to the Health Information Project's five 2009 funded Centers! Philmont joins the Desmond-Fish Library in Garrison, the Greenville Public Library and the Town of Esopus Library in hosting the summer Teen Intern Program where a half dozen teens will be busy this summer reviewing DVDs, books and Web sites that address health and substance abuse prevention issues. In addition to the Teen Intern Program, the Project hosts Class Action, a research-based underage drinking program for twelve teens at the Howland Public Library in Beacon.

Philmont, the newest Project Center in Columbia County, joins 17 other centers throughout the System in providing materials that will help teens make better-informed life decisions. All materials and Web sites selected by participants in the Teen Intern Program are available through the MHLS catalog for System-wide use. For easy access to materials with the teen seal of approval, point your teen patrons to http://hip.midhudson.org. Teens will find summaries of high-interest fiction titles, a blog of intern book reviews, a listing of nonfiction titles, and peer-reviewed DVDs and Web sites. Project bookmarks for teens are available through the Online Material Request Form: http://midhudson.org/forms/material_request.htm

MHLS Announcements
MHLS has signed a new three-year delivery contract with Hudson River Transport. We have added many new stops, based on Delivery Supervisor, Tom Finnigan's analysis of volume. These new stops should help provide better service and improve sorting procedures. The new delivery schedule has been loaded to the website and is available at http://midhudson.org then Contacts then Delivery Schedule or get there directly at http://midhudson.org/department/delivery/delivery_schedule.htm Contact Tom Finnigan with any questions: x244 or tfinnigan@midhudson.org

Christina Ryan-Linder, our new Youth Services & Community Connections Coordinator, spent her first week learning about MHLS and member libraries, meeting the MHLS Board of Trustees and receiving status updates on Youth Services projects and programs like Battle of the Books and the Summer Reading Program. "Each day this week has been filled with introductions to some wonderful programs that are already in place," said Christina on Friday, "I hope to carry on these programs and help to provide creative and innovative ideas for the future. Thanks to everyone here at MHLS for giving me such a warm welcome."

The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, July 8, in the MHLS Auditorium and:
- Discussed the purpose and relevance of the September Directors Retreat on System Funding;
- Reviewed the Finance Committee's report on the 2009 year-end budget and the proposed 2010 budget;
- Reviewed the System's new delivery contract with Hudson River Transports
- Requested that an Executive Committee meeting be held to move items requiring Board authorization.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, at 10:00am in the MHLS Auditorium.

Reminder: July 15th is the deadline to send in claims under the MHLS Incentive Program for payment in the next round of incentive checks. Those libraries which had submitted a letter of intent to attend this year's CIL or ALA conference (package C Libraries), will receive payment in this upcoming reimbursement check providing that Doris Formby in the MHLS Business Office has received your proof of attendance. Please contact Doris Formby at x210 or dformby@midhudson.org if you have any questions. More information and printable claim sheets can be found at http://midhudson.org/admin/budgeting/main.php

MHLS Libraries
MHLS welcomes Corey Fleming as the new director at the Hudson Area Association Library.

Autism Resource Center opens at Mahopac Library: Putnam ARC recently announced the creation of what it calls the region's largest, comprehensive library collection dedicated to autism. With more than 200 books, DVDs, magazines and periodicals, the Autism Resource Center Library is open to the public at the Mahopac Public Library. The library collection marks the successful completion of phase two of the Regional Autism Resource Center. Phase one, the center's Web site, http://www.AutismResourceCenter.info, a one-stop clearinghouse of information related to autism spectrum disorders, including autism, pervasive developmental disabilities and Asperger's syndrome, launched in March. The center received startup funding from Provident Bank, The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, NYS Senator Vincent Leibell and the Gannett Foundation.

Professional Development
2009 NYLA Annual Conference - Libraries: Peace, Love & Freedom: October 14 - 17, 2009, Conference Center Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls, NY. Early Bird Registration Deadline (July 21st) is rapidly approaching! To register online, reserve a hotel room or download the conference catalog visit http://www.nyla.org.

NYLA Conference Transportation: MHLS is exploring the possibility of chartering a bus up to the conference in Niagara Falls. The bus would cost approximately $120 per seat. Please indicate your interest by July 31st by emailing Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator of Member Information: rsmith@midhudson.org.

Youth Services
Learn more about Bilingual Storytimes and how they can build early literacy in a free online webinar: June 29th from 2:00-3:00pm. This WebJunction online training session may be viewed for free from your computer. Registration is required. Visit http://www.webjunction.org/events/webinars for more information.

Marketing, Advocacy & Funding
The Newsletter & eNewsletter workshop: How-to, Best Practices, Tips & Shortcuts is coming up later this month (Friday, July 31st from 1:00-3:00pm). [Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org]. Here's a "preview tip": People are drawn to personalized picks - they can get the New York Times bestsellers list anywhere, so give them something unique. We are book specialists after all! Here's an example from the NorthEast-Millerton Library's latest newsletter ("Midge" is library director Midge Quick):
Midge's Quick Picks: There are some terrific books that have been published recently. Here are some that I enthusiastically recommend:
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- The Girl She Used To Be by David Christofano
- The Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
- Honolulu by Alan Brennert
- Sima's Undergarments For Women by Ilana Stanger-Ross
- Asta In The Wings by Jan Elizabeth Watson
- Mudbound by Hilary Jordan
- Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas
- Sworn To Silence by Linda Castillo

Administration & Management
A Competency Index for the Library Field: "Competencies are foundational for aligning the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) of your library staff with the goals and objectives of the organization." The purpose of this compilation of competency statements for library practice is to help libraries of all sizes and types build the foundation of competencies that will help them to develop staff skills and knowledge and ultimately to help meet the needs of the community. There are sections on core technology skills, public service, youth services, and library management. Check it out at http://www.webjunction.org/competencies/

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.