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
Blog Archives
Members of the Kingston Library’s Teen Advisory Group have calculated that they saved a combined $52,923 by using the library! The teens did the math to help get the word out about the Governor’s proposed cut to library aid this year for the MHLS Real People. Real Dollars. campaign.
Storytimes have long been a beloved staple of library programming but their design and purpose have dramatically changed in recent years. Research has demonstrated that the first five years of a child’s life are critical for brain and early literacy development.
Participants will learn about the early literacy practices, techniques and skills on how to incorporate early literacy asides into intentionally planned thematic storytimes. This workshop is intended for library staff that work with children who are birth to school entry.
Two sessions to choose from:
• Tuesday, March 7, 1:00-3:00pm, Mid-Hudson Library System Auditorium
• Wednesday, March 8, 1:00 – 3:00pm, Kingston Library
This workshop is offered as part of the Ready to Read at New York Libraries initiative developed by the New York State Education Department. This program supports the impact public libraries can have as early literacy professionals through NYS Family Literacy Funds.
Join hundreds of library advocates from around the state on Wednesday, March 1st in Albany for Library Advocacy day. It’s an experience every library supporter should have at least once in their life. March through the halls of the Legislative Office Building with like-minded community members, speak face-to-face with legislators and their staff, join the Rally at noon to make some noise and cheer on those legislators who are actively supporting libraries.
MHLS makes the day easy. We make the appointments with legislators for you. We organize bus transportation to Albany. We just ask that you join us in fighting to restore library aid. Your voice matters.
To learn more about Library Advocacy Day, to register, and to sign-up for the bus please visit: https://midhudson.org/library-advocacy-day/
In light of the Governor’s proposed cuts to library aid now is the time to contact our State legislators to help them understand why this is bad for New Yorkers. As the library director you have significant influence to inspire others to speak out against the cuts. Help connect legislators with their constituents:
- Write to them. The New York Library Association (NYLA) makes this easy through their Online Advocacy Center, they’ve even drafted a message for you! Take five minutes to send a quick message.
- Call them. Taking the time to call in the age of email and Tweets makes a big impression. Contact info for all MHLS area legislators
- Visit them. Face-to-face communication is the most effective thing we can do to help legislators understand how underfunded library aid and construction aid is. They need to hear your story, put a face with a name and get a real sense of what is going on in their district. Visit them in their local office, invite them to your library, come to Albany with us in March – any or all three of these activities will go a long way!
Governor Cuomo has cut library aid in his budget proposal for the coming year. From the Governor’s Executive Budget Proposal:
Library Aid – $91.6 million (4% CUT)
The proposed funding is $4 million less than what was in last year’s enacted state budget. This proposed cut fails to acknowledge the crucial role libraries serve in our communities, and the contributions they make to our state’s education system. Libraries ARE Education! State Education Law requires that Library Aid should be $102.6 million for FY2017-18. Libraries should be fully funded under the law. Absent of that, library aid must at least increase each year in parity with increases in education funding.
Library Construction Aid – $14 million ($5 million CUT) After a decade of stagnation, the State Library Construction Aid program received a $5 million increase in last year’s enacted budget. Governor Cuomo has proposed eliminating that additional funding.
Read this week’s MHLS Bulletin to find out how you can help combat the cuts!
Writing an Effective Technology Plan, a MHLS workshop presented by Robert Drake, MHLS Technology Operations Manager on Tuesday, February 7th (after the Directors Association meeting) from 12:15-2:15pm in the MHLS Auditorium (105 Market Street, Poughkeepsie). Learn best practices for writing a multi-year technology plan that will guide library directors and trustees as decisions are made in these fast paced yet economically challenged times. This is a local presentation of the standing-room-only presentation at the 2016 New York Library Association Conference. This is a 1-hour presentation followed by a 1-hour planning assistance session. Please register for this workshop online at http://calendar.midhudson.org
Create a visual message with impact! We’re calling on at least two libraries per state legislative district (more would be awesome!) to help us tell the story of what a good investment libraries are leading up to Advocacy Day in Albany on March 1st.
Are you in? You can help us by following the four easy steps found here: http://bit.ly/2iL8YPU
Governor Cuomo is finalizing his Executive Budget proposal, and NOW is the time to SPEAK UP FOR LIBRARY FUNDING!
A message from the New York Library Association: “We have not gotten any assurances that library funding is secure. In 2014, the last legislative election year, Governor Cuomo cut $4M in library aid as a negotiating tactic with the legislature. Library aid is again subject to these same negotiating tactics. The $4M in extra funding we worked so hard to get during last year’s budget is uncertain at best. This is unacceptable.”
TAKE ACTION NOW and tell the Governor that library aid should be INCREASED, not CUT. State Education Law mandates Library Aid be $102.6M for the upcoming year – current funding of $95.6M is inadequate, let alone a cut back.
