Category Archives: Director-Home Page

Between now and May 31, 2020, tell OCLC about a current project, or one completed within the past year, that impacts and extends your public library’s reach by engaging with your community. How do you build stronger relationships? How do you partner to meet local needs? How do you encourage better conversations? How do you

On April 21st, MHLS Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich issued a call to action for all member library advocates to help raise the profile of public libraries with the agency tasked with producing guidance related to COVID-19 Executive Orders. Please use this form to request specific guidance, for all types of libraries (association and public

On Tuesday May 5th the Directors Association – Workshop Meeting will be held online from 10:00am-12:00pm. The topic will be Decision Center for Directors, presented by Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director / Technology Operations Manager. Decision Center offers the opportunity to review data to inform decisions on collection management and even policies and procedure development. 

Civil Service 101 presented by Geoff Kirkpatrick will be held online Friday, April 24th from 10:00am-12:00pm. This workshop is appropriate for library directors, managers and human resources staff in municipal public libraries, special district public libraries and school district public libraries. Civil Service 101 is designed to introduce administering human resources in a public library in a civil service environment. Please

The Division of Library Development (DLD) has provided guidance for reporting statistics for the 2020 Annual Report, which will be completed in February 2021, that notes the current state of the annual report instructions as they relate to counting programs and hours open. This is not reflective of the reality of delivering library services in the COVID-19

Last week the Directors Association (DA) passed a policy to allow for business continuity in the face of the declared pandemic. This policy allows for the DA to meet online for their regularly scheduled meeting on April 7th as well as enables special meetings and online voting as necessary. Directors will need to register online

MHLS staff has compiled a list of ways to engage with your patrons online. This includes information on virtual storytime and copyright, online learning, live cameras and events, virtual visits, and ideas for online interactive programs. For instance, Red Hook Public Library has started an online community-wide craft project. You can view the list at https://midhudson.org/covid19. This resource page will be updated

Libraries across the region are taking the unprecedented step to close their library facilities in the face of the declaration of national, state, and in some cases, county states of emergencies due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). To facilitate an orderly closure you will need our help, check out our recommended “Extended Library Closing Strategies.”

With lots of misinformation around COVID-19, libraries and library staff should regularly check for trustworthy and up-to-date information from the New York State and county health departments, as well as information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Columbia County Health Department Dutchess County Health Department Greene County Health Department Putnam County Health Department

There is still time to register for 2020 Census Webinar taking place on Monday, March 16th from 10:00am-12:00pm. As part of the New York Community Trust Census Equity Fund grant program, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin will be presenting an overview of the upcoming Census, tools and strategies for promoting the Census, and best practices