Monthly Archives: February 2017

Letters to the Editor Needed

The New York Library Association is challenging library trustees write letters to the editor in support of state library aid over the next week. They have even drafted a letter to help you get started: http://bit.ly/2lCTobmPlease feel free to edit the letter as much or as little as you see fit. (Local details increase the value to local readers.) The time to act is NOW – please submit your letter today, tomorrow or anytime within the next week. This effort matters – the Governor has regional representatives that monitor all local publications – and report back. Let’s make sure that libraries appear in every one of the next round of regional reports. Should your letter be published – please be sure to let us know: rsmith@midhudson.org

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Drafting a Basic Facility Plan

MHLS Webinar: Drafting a Basic Facility Plan
Wednesday, March 15th | 10:00 – 11:00am
A board-approved, prioritized facility plan is required to apply for the State Aid for Public Library Construction program in the Mid-Hudson Library System. This webinar, presented by MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, is designed to introduce a basic outline for your own facility plan that can help you keep track of on-going and long-term facility issues. Please register online for this event

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Got 10 Minutes?

Do you have 10 minutes this week to devote to speaking up for state aid for libraries? Dozens of your fellow library advocates are traveling to Albany this week to speak with legislators and help them help us fight the Governor’s proposed cuts to library aid, but EVERYONE can help this week. Carve out 10 minutes to do “One Act of Advocacy” to support the statewide effort this week:

  • Call your state representatives’ Albany office and let them know how you feel about the Governor’s proposed cut to library aid. Contact info for legislators is available at midhudson.org
  • Send a letter via email through the New York Library Association’s Online Advocacy Center
  • Help someone else send a letter through the Online Advocacy Center
  • Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, NYLA has drafted one to help get you started
  • Participate in Virtual Advocacy Day: http://bit.ly/2lKjtaw Use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the word out about #NYLALAD17 Don’t forget to tag your legislators so they can see the level of interest among their constituents when it comes to supporting libraries!
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One week away…

We’re one week away from Library Advocacy Day in Albany!

  • Advocacy Day Briefing: Didn’t have a chance to attend last Friday’s Advocacy Briefing? No worries! We recorded the event so you can watch it at your convenience!
  • Don’t miss the bus! If you are traveling to Albany by bus and haven’t registered yet please do! The deadline is this Thursday, February 23rd
  • Can’t come to Albany with us on March 1? You can still be a part of the action! Participate in Virtual Advocacy Day! Save 10 minutes of your day to send an online message and make two phone calls! Watch next week’s Bulletin for more information!
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Greene County Directors Donate $5,000

Thank you Greene County Library Directors for a $5,000 donation to purchase eBooks & eAudiobooks to be shared by all 66 MHLS member libraries! Pictured above (left-right): Candace Begley, Windham; Debra Kamecke, Cairo, Regina Johnson, Hunter; Janet Dymond, Athens; Sue Ray, Catskill; Barbara Flach, Greenville; Maureen Garcia, MountainTop; and Linda Deubert, Coxsackie.

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Trustee Essentials Workshops

Trustee Duties and Responsibilities, presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability and Merribeth Advocate, MHLS Assistant Director

Especially for new board members, but open to all. Library board members looking for essential, baseline information to increase their effectiveness in serving on a library board will benefit from attending this session.

Attendees will learn effective ways to carry out the nine essential library trustee duties and responsibilities (everything the library board does either falls within one of these duties or is done in support of them).

What people are saying about the MHLS Trustee Essentials workshop:

  • I expected this to be very dry and frankly a bit boring. Not so. It was absolutely enlightening. Enjoyed it and learned a lot. Thanks so much! 
  • Excellent program that inspired action steps to introduce to my own library. 
  • This was great! Although I have been a board member for a long time, I needed this.

Multiple dates and locations to choose from:

Saturday, March 4 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
North Chatham Free Library | 4287 Route 203, North Chatham 12132

Thursday, April 6 | 10:00am – 12:15pm
Kingston Library | 55 Franklin Street, Kingston 12401

Saturday, April 8 | 9:30am – 11:45am
Mid-Hudson Library System Auditorium | 105 Market Street, Poughkeepsie 12601

Please register online for the session of your choice: http://calendar.midhudson.org

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February 20

MHLS will be closed on Monday, February 20th in observance of Presidents Day. There will be no MHLS Delivery Services. MHLS technology staff will be available via the MHLS ticket system (techsupport@midhudson.org) from 8:30am to 4:30pm to support system-wide Sierra Encore issues. During these hours, MHLS staff will be checking the ticket system periodically each hour and will address system-wide Sierra Encore issues, sending tickets as necessary to Innovative, and posting to MHLS-Alerts. Please note, phone and general technology support will not be available during this time.

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Be a Sustainability Leader!

New Collaboration Offers Leadership Opportunity for Public Libraries in New York State: The New York Library Association (NYLA), and Westchester Green Business have announced a new collaboration that will strengthen libraries and their communities for decades to come by providing a clear path forward toward environmental sustainability for participating libraries. Just like the award-winning Hendrick Hudson Free Library! Learn more here about how your library can be a sustainability leader in your community!

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Get Ready to Show your Love of Libraries!

Online Advocacy Day Briefing: Friday, February 17 from 10:00 – 11:00am. This event is designed for all library advocates – library directors, staff, trustees, Friends Groups, volunteers and patrons – who are interested in speaking up for libraries during the New York budget negotiation season. Between now and April 1st library advocates have the opportunity to influence a number of key issues such as the Governor’s proposed cut to library aid and state aid for library construction. During this live online webinar we will discuss:
• Budget timeline and pressure points
• Budget & legislative priorities
• Effective talking points
• How, when and where you can speak up for libraries!
Please register online

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Sierra Lunchtime Webinar

Sierra Lunchtime Webinar: MHLS Automation Coordinator Thomas O’Connell will offer his monthly lunchtime webinar of training and Q&A on Wednesday, February 22 from noon – 1:00pm. The topic will be patron data entry. The session will take place online. Seats fill up fast for this session so sign up soon! Registration is required. Log-in information for the webinar will be sent to your email address in advance of the event. Register today

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Upcoming Events