Rochester Public Library Wins 2017 Shubert Award: The New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries is pleased to announce that the 2017 Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award has been awarded to the Rochester Public Library for its fines elimination pilot program
Blog Archives
The New York Library Association (NYLA) has announced a one-of-a-kind opportunity for New York’s public libraries to step up as sustainability leaders in their communities: The Sustainable Library Certification Program.
The NYLA Sustainable Library Certification Program’s benchmarking system is designed to help libraries improve their “triple bottom line” as environmental stewards, economically feasible institutions and as community leaders that place great stock in social equity.
To learn more visit the NYLA Sustainability Initiative web site.
To sign up for an introductory webinar, register here.
The MHLS Annual Membership Meeting & Women in Politics Symposium (featuring Assemblymember Didi Barrett!) is scheduled for Friday, October 27, 2017, at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home, Hyde Park, NY. The registration deadline is Monday, October 16th. To register visit: http://bit.ly/2xQGI5r
New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has named Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D – Columbia, Dutchess) to chair the Assembly Committee on Libraries and Education Technology.
Assemblymember Barrett has been a longtime advocate of libraries, including working to secure funding in the state budget, and has also worked with the Mid-Hudson Library System to create an annual Women’s History booklet.
“Assemblymember Barrett has provided outstanding support for libraries,” said Tom Sloan, Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System. “She promotes libraries as essential educational services which advance the importance of reading and learning. Libraries in the Hudson Valley will greatly benefit from her position as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Libraries & Education Technology.”
New Service from MHLS: Ever wonder if you are using the best process for regular tasks in Sierra? Ever wonder if there is a better way? When it comes to Sierra, we think we can help.
If you are a new director looking to make sense of it all, or a seasoned pro looking for a reboot, this service can help to realign processes, so staff make the most of their time and Sierra.
MHLS’ Workflow Consultations are designed to provide an evaluation of your Sierra-related procedures as well as the provision of best practice guidance for library directors and their staff.
Disaster & Business Continuity Planning: Recently, hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico caused flooding and other damage to public libraries and the communities that they serve. These recent events serve as an important reminder that all libraries should regularly review their disaster preparedness and/or business continuity plans. The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association (ALA) has developed a list of resources to help libraries prepare for and deal with the consequences of natural disasters.
Strengthening Communities Through Libraries Minigrants applications are due October 20, 2017. These $5,000 grants are made possible through a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Proposals should include programming that strengthens community opportunities for STEAM learning during school breaks. For more information and to apply: http://bit.ly/2vPZ0ma
High School Battle of the Books Winners:
- 1st place: Howland Public Library (Beacon)
- 2nd place: Beekman Library
- 3rd place: Kingston Library
Middle School Battle of the Books Winners:
- 1st place: Patterson Library
- 2nd place: Staatsburg Library
- 3rd place: Howland Public Library (Beacon)
Read the full report in this week’s MHLS Bulletin!
The Southeastern NY Library Resources Council has recently made some changes to their bylaws that will positively impact staff from MHLS member libraries. Individual public libraries that are members of a public library system are considered an affiliate and their employees are eligible for certain Southeastern benefits under this membership category. You can now become involved in Southeastern committees or other networking programs and special interest groups (a benefit previously reserved for governing members only), and you will no longer pay a higher cost for professional development programs as there is now one price, regardless of member, or library type. Additional benefits are outlined on the benefit chart on their website.
The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, September 13, in the 2nd Floor Community Room of the Kingston Library. After the tour many trustees went on a tour of the library’s new children’s room and teen space! Read the full report from the board meeting in this week’s MHLS Bulletin.
