The Philmont Library is set to defend their title as the MHLS Thanksgiving Challenge Champ! Library Director Karen Garafalo revealed her “Grateful/Thankful Tree” on Facebook last week, “…can’t remember a challenge I didn’t want to win!” said Karen!
Category Archives: Director-Home Page
MHLS will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th. There will be no deliveries. Technology staff will be available via the MHLS ticket system (techsupport@midhudson.org) from 8:30am – 4:30pm to support system-wide Sierra Encore problems only. During these hours, tech support staff will be checking the ticket system periodically each hour and will address system-wide Innovative issues, sending tickets as necessary to Innovative, and posting to MHLS lists. Please note, phone and general issue support will not be available during this time.
On Wednesday, November 18th from 10:00am – 1:00pm MHLS will hold the Removing Barriers Mini-Conference in the MHLS Auditorium. This program is part of the MHLS Increasing Circulation Incubator Project.
For the past 10 months a dedicated group of member library directors and System staff have been using 10 member libraries as a laboratory to discover the secrets behind increasing circulation in our libraries. This mini-conference is the opportunity to hear about their triumphs and discoveries! The event will also feature a keynote speech by an international expert on User Experience – all with the goal to get you thinking about how to help your library thrive during these changing times.
The MHLS Resource Sharing Advisory Committee recommends that at least 1 person per library attend this data entry training session to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of the shared Sierra database. This workshop will be beneficial for any staff responsible for entering brief bibliographic records in Sierra:
New Location Added for Data Entry: How Brief is Too Brief Workshop: This workshop is being held in five locations this month, now including a session at the Philmont Library.
- Wednesday, November 4 from 10:00am-12:00pm in the MHLS Auditorium (105 Market St., Poughkeepsie 12601)
- Friday, November 6 from 10:15am-12:15pm at the Saugerties Public Library (91 Washington Ave., Saugerties 12477)
- Thursday, November 12 from 10:00am-12:00pm in the MHLS Auditorium (105 Market St., Poughkeepsie 12601)
- Tuesday, November 17 from 10:15am-12:15pm at the Philmont Public Library (101 Main St., Philmont 12565)
- Friday, November 20 from 10:15am-12:15pm at the Kent Public Library (17 Sybil’s Crossing, Kent Lakes 10512).
Learning Objectives: In this workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to see the whole cataloging process – from brief bib record through item record creation. Special emphasis will be placed on the requirements and best practices for staff adding records to Sierra.
The workshop will cover:
- What the MHLS Cataloging Department does –step-by-step
- What information you need to provide in the brief record
- Best practices for ensuring an accurate catalog for everyone
All sessions will be presented by Nina Acosta, MHLS Cataloging Specialist II. Please register online for the session of your choice: http://calendar.midhudson.org
Sierra Q&A Webinar: MHLS Automation Coordinator Thomas O’Connell will offer his usual lunchtime webinar of training and Q&A on Tuesday October 27th at noon. The topic will be setting up printers within the Sierra client (it is not on setting up printers!) The session will take place online and last for about 45 minutes. There is a 15 person attendance limit, so register soon!
The OverDrive Big Library Read is back! As we have done several times before, all MHLS libraries will be participating in the next worldwide OverDrive Big Library Read, and for the first time ever there are two titles to enjoy! This global event will run from October 7th through the 21st, enabling readers from around the world to enjoy the same eBook titles at the same time, creating a worldwide book club.
Both of these titles will be available for unlimited access in the MHLS Digital Download collection at https://mhls.overdrive.com between October 7 (midday EDT) and October 21 (midday EDT) for the duration of the lending period. During this period the eBooks will be available for every patron that wishes to read them—no holds, no waitlists.
By participating in the Big Library Read, we are joining a global movement of passionate readers and library patrons who support the availability of eBooks at libraries. For more information and available marketing materials, please visit
https://resources.overdrive.com/library/marketing-outreach-community/
Public Library Administrator’s Certificate Program in Westchester: The Westchester Library System is partnering with the Palmer Institute of Public Library Organization and Management to once again make this certificate program available through WLS and to customize the offering to address regional library realities and the needs of busy library administrators.
The challenges faced by today’s public library administrators require a solid foundation of training and experience. The Palmer School’s post-Master’s Advanced Certificate program in Public Library Administration is designed to develop and enhance the management skills and credentials of professional librarians working within the public library sector and to train the leaders of tomorrow. This certificate program is a five-course, fifteen-credit graduate-level public library management training program. This program is recognized by the New York State Education Department. You will receive an Advanced Certificate in Public Library Administration from Long Island University upon completion of the full program.
Each course will be offered in seven (7) half-day sessions. Classes will meet at the Westchester Library System, 540 White Plains Road-Suite 200, Tarrytown, NY 10591 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on Wednesdays. The first course is expected to begin in the Spring 2016, with classes held March through early May. Exact dates will be determined once sufficient enrollment is confirmed.
Instructor: The primary instructors of the program will be Dr. Terry Kirchner, Executive Director of the Westchester Library System, and Jerry Nichols, Director of the Palmer Institute for Public Library Organization and Management, and former Director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.
Cost: The Westchester Library System / Palmer Institute for Public Library Administration and Management partnership make this program available to library administrators at a group institutional discount rate. With the minimum number of participants (20), the tuition for each class will average $1,300 ($1,250 for 2015-16 academic year to $1,350 for 2017-18 academic year).
Here are some comments from previous participants:
• “This class has been invaluable to me. Every week I come away with ideas for improving my library or resolving current problems. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable! I’ve often wondered why they didn’t include a class like this in the MLS curriculum, but feel it is much more useful when you have some experience dealing with specific library management issues.”
• “I think the class is great! I’m learning a lot of background library things that I never knew/understood and the conversation is fabulous. I think professionally it is helping me for information (obviously), new ideas (or better ways), professional contacts and just knowing that someone else has faced or is facing whatever project I am is very reassuring.”
Interested participating? Please contact Elise Burke at the Westchester Library System (eburke@wlsmail.org) by November 15, 2015.
Every library employee encounters difficult patrons and users from time to time. Whether it’s a troublesome group of teenagers, a loud patron, an angry or even dangerous person, the experience of dealing with someone unpleasant is common for staff in libraries of just about all sizes and types.
Please join us for Dealing with Difficult Patrons, a group viewing of the ALA webinar by Dr. Steve Albrecht. Wednesday, October 14 from 2:30 – 4:00pm.
Register through the MHLS online calendar to attend this live webinar at one of the following locations:
●MHLS Auditorium
(105 Market St., Poughkeepsie 12601)
●Saugerties Public Library
(91 Washington Ave., Saugerties 12477)
●Mahopac Public Library
(668 Route Six, Mahopac 10541)
Orientation for New Staff: Wednesday, October 7th from 10:00am – 12:00pm in the MHLS Auditorium. Presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability and Merribeth Advocate, MHLS Assistant Director, this program is designed for new library staff and volunteers, but open to all who would like to attend.
This workshop provides introductory, baseline information about working effectively in a public library and in the Mid-Hudson Library System.
The workshop will cover:
• The role of the public library in our communities;
• How your library fits into the library structure of New York State;
• Your role as a library representative;
• Helping patrons find what they want;
• Overview of the online catalog, HOMEACCESS database and interlibrary loan; and
• System-wide resource sharing concepts and issues.
Please register online for this event through the MHLS online calendar
On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 from 10:00 – 11:00am please join MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability Rebekkah Smith Aldrich for a webinar designed for library directors and trustees who would like a refresher, or an introduction, to the New York State Property Tax Cap law and regulations. This law impacts all libraries that a) have their own board of trustees and b) have ever had a public vote on their budget (yes, even 414 libraries who have not recently had a vote). Please register online for this event through the MHLS online calendar
