The American Library Association (ALA) has launched ALA eLearning, a new centralized web portal that brings together a comprehensive digital collection of on-demand and live professional development for library professionals from ALA divisions and sections. Many courses are free for ALA members, while some require a registration fee. Topics include EDI training, Collection Management, Marketing & Outreach, Administration & Leadership, and more.
The MHLS Knowledge Base (KB) was recently updated! The KB website has been indexed for easier navigation, and you can view the index at https://kb.midhudson.org/page-list/ or simply click the Site Index link from the top menu. The MHLS Knowledge Base (KB) supports library administrators and staff in using the Integrated Library System (ILS) and other software and applications to manage circulation transactions and patron information, and access data for collection and library development. The KB includes references to Resource Sharing Standards and how-to guides and walkthroughs for performing common library tasks and generating reports. For questions about the KB, contact MHLS Tech Support.
REMINDER: MHLS needs to know your library’s Closed Dates for 2022. This information is necessary to edit the Sierra closed dates table. The easiest way to let us know the dates your library will be closed is to complete the Days Closed Form for 2022, which you can find in the Library Administrator’s Toolbox in the MHLS Knowledge Base.
WebJunction presents The Myth of the Work/Life Balance for Small Library Directors on December 9th at 3:00 pm. This one-hour webinar explores how to find balance between your personal and professional life, in service of yourself and your community. Being the director of a small library means that you often can, and do, do it all! It can be a challenge to find the balance between your personal and professional life, but organization, planning and creativity can all help make time for what’s important to you. But so can flexing the muscles that allow us to let go of what we can’t control, manage expectations (including our own), and appreciate that ‘less than perfect’ can be the secret to a balanced life. Join us to explore ideas to better delegate, cross train, and collaborate, and how to live with a job done well-enough, in service of yourself and your community.
This webinar is free to attend but registration is required.
OPEN MEETINGS LAW UPDATE. Governor Hochul recently signed into law Chapter 587 of the Laws of 2021 which amends the Open Meetings Law to require agencies that maintain a website and use a high-speed internet connection to post meeting minutes on its website within two weeks of the date of the date of the meeting, or within one week of an executive session. It further states: “unabridged video recordings or unabridged audio recordings or unabridged written transcripts may be deemed to be meeting minutes. Nothing in this section shall require the creation of minutes if the public body would not otherwise take them.” This requirement took effect November 10th, 2021.
The Fall 2021 online MHLS Trustee Education Series has ended but you can still view all the workshops using the links below. Each session features information for library trustees that will help support their library in reaching organizational goals and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations presented by MHLS Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, or MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin.
These sessions provide an opportunity to learn more about your role as a library trustee and attendance at live online events allows participants to ask questions relevant to their work on the board. Library directors are always welcome as well. Keep a look out for the announcement in the MHS Bulletin for the 2022 MHLS Trustee Education Series spring schedule! Trustees are always welcome to contact Rebekkah or Casey with questions at any time.
