Category Archives: Director-Home Page

• Magazine Record Clean-Up Due: April 8
• Property Tax Freeze Efficiency Plan Due: April 10
• Construction Needs Update & Intent to Apply in the next Construction Grant Cycle Due: May 8

The State budget includes a temporary (2014-2016) state financed property tax freeze rebate. Libraries that fall under the tax cap are potentially eligible to trigger a rebate for their taxpayers if they meet certain criteria*

Property Tax Freeze Criteria: An eligible library (meaning one that falls under the tax cap) is able to trigger a rebate for taxpayers if:

• Year 1: Fiscal Year (FY) starting in 2015
  • Library must not exceed the tax cap.
• Year 2: Fiscal Year (FY) starting in 2016
  • Library must not exceed the tax cap AND
  • Library must develop a Government Efficiency Plan or Shared Services Plan that must be approved by the NYS Division of Budget

For more information about developing a Government Efficiency Plan please visit the NYS Division of Budget’s web site.

Registration for Outside the Lines 2015 (September 13-19, 2015) is now open. Time to get people thinking – and talking – about libraries in a whole new way! Outside the Lines is a weeklong celebration demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Whether your library is large or small you can participate by hosting at least one event or campaign that:
1. Gets people thinking – and talking – about libraries in a different way
2. Showcases the library out in the community as well as in the library
3. Highlights how your library is relevant to people’s lives
4. Represents your local community
5. Is active versus passive – gets people engaged
6. Is extraordinary and unexpected
7. Most importantly, is fun!

To register, learn more and to connect with others thinking about this visit http://getoutsidethelines.org.

The MHLS Leadership Circle will meet on Wednesday, April 8th from 12:30 – 2:30pm (after the DA meeting) Topic: Understanding Your Leadership Style. This event is designed for MHLS member library directors to provide an opportunity to discuss the opportunities and challenges of being a library leader.

At this event, our second meeting of this group, we will discuss:
• Leadership style self-assessment
• Understanding how your style impacts your team
• “Stories from the Frontlines” related to developing a higher understanding of how your leadership style impacts your library’s culture

This session will be facilitated by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability.

Please register online.

Teleforms Action Memo Due March 20: All member libraries are asked to respond to MHLS Action Memo #15-01 regarding your library’s plans to use the Teleforms. Teleforms, also called “TNS,” is an automatic phone messaging system for hold pickup and overdue notices. The actual price charged will depend on the number of libraries that would like to participate. If your library does not respond, even if you are a current subscriber, we will assume you no longer wish to use this service.

Building Community Support through Summer Reading & Year-Round Collaboration – Programming for All Ages Workshop: Wednesday, March 25 from 10:00am – 12:00pm @MHLS.

Libraries have long been committed to building healthy, thriving communities, but they are now seeing an increased need to create and build strategic partnerships and expand relationships with the larger community.

Family programming is a great way to reach people in your community. Hear from a panel of practitioners about programming events they designed with community partners, which brought families in to enjoy the library together, and resulted in year-round collaborations.

Guest presenters are:

• Jeanne Bogino (New Lebanon Library partnering with Flying Deer Nature Center)
• Nicole Guenkel (Poughkeepsie Public Library District partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension)
• Lucille Merry (Desmond-Fish Library partnering with Garrison Art Center)
• Katie Scott-Childress (Olive Free Library partnering with Town of Olive Recreation Program & Camp)

Please register online for this event

New Deadline for the 2014 Annual Report to New York State: February 26. Contacts for Annual Report support:

• General questions, user names & passwords, software functionality issues: Merribeth Advocate (x254)
• Sierra information provided by MHLS: techsupport@midhudson.org
• Financial information provided by MHLS Business Office: Joan Kay (x214)
• Summer Reading Report questions: Kerstin Cruger (x250)
• On the MHLS web site you will find tips and information to help making the process of completing your 2014 annual report easier.

Join Automation Coordinator Thomas O’Connell on February 19^th for a Sierra Questions Webinar. This lunchtime webinar will include a 20 minute presentation in which Thomas will cover running end of the month statistics in Web Management Reports and then the floor will be open to any Sierra questions you might have. Please register online for this live online event: http://bit.ly/1uf1cSt

Will your library find AT LEAST 21 people to speak up for 21st Century funding for libraries? Now is the time! Please personally use (and encourage others to use!) the NYLA Online Advocacy Center to send a custom message to your NYS Senator and Assemblyperson to advocate for an increase to state library aid.

Through this link you can use a pre-drafted message or edit the message to make it more locally, either way it just takes a few minutes to make a big impression!

Get the word out to your stakeholders through word-of-mouth both in-person and online! NYLA has provided a “Virtual Advocacy” Toolkit to help you get the word out through your library’s web site, Facebook page and Twitter account.

Arts + Culture + Transmission: MHLS has partnered with non-profit media arts organization Wave Farm (who operates WGXC 90.7-FM in Greene and Columbia counties) who was recently awarded a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council Workforce Investment Program.

The funded proposal will facilitate a project called Arts + Culture + Transmission. Working in partnership with MHLS, there will be a workshop series and the establishment of participating libraries as remote broadcast and online streaming venues. Current participating libraries include Cairo, Catskill, Hudson, and New Lebanon, with others to be confirmed.

Libraries who would like to become involved are encouraged to contact WGXC Station Manager, Lynn Sloneker (lynn@wgxc.org).