Category Archives: Director-Home Page

The New York State Education Department, Office of High School Equivalency, announces the availability of a new brochure regarding the Test Accessing Secondary Completion (TASC) writing subtest. The TASC writing subtest is one of five subject area tests required for a high school diploma in New York State. The new brochure helps students prepare for the writing subject area test by providing a guideline to key subject areas as well as tips and strategies for the exam. The New York State High School Equivalency Office is providing this document for distribution to any interested persons through public libraries in the state. Public libraries are asked to contact the office at 518.474.5906 or hse@nysed.gov to request free bulk copies of the brochure for distribution.

The next meeting of the Roundtable for New Directors will be on Wednesday, September 2nd from 12:30 – 2:30pm (after the Directors Association meeting) in the MHLS Conference Room. Our topic will address the role of the library director as “the face” of the library. This roundtable is designed for those who have been directors for 3 years or less.

At this workshop we will cover:
• The importance of the perception of the director in the community
• Best practices for being visible and making connections
• How to balance the need to be visible outside of the library with the work that needs to get done “inside” of the library.

We are very pleased that our special guest speaker at this instance of the roundtable will be Margie Menard, Director of the Kingston Library.

Directors should register online

All member library Summer Reading Program final reports are due Wednesday, September 9th. Your library can access the online form through the MHLS calendar under the due date September 9 or get there directly http://svy.mk/1eATWcd

The Summer Reading Program final report contains information needed for member library Annual Reports as well as to provide New York State (NYS) with important data about public library summer reading programs. All MHLS member libraries are required to submit an online Summer Reading Program final report. Questions about the report should be directed to Kerstin Cruger, MHLS Marketing & Program Assistant

Reminder: NYS considers any program that takes place during the summer months to be a “Summer Reading Program.”

The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) Board of Trustees has accepted the official claims of serious inequities and hardships from the public library boards of the Beekman Library, the LaGrange Library, and the Millbrook Library. The claims were based on the Town of Union Vale providing less than median or average funding for public library services, and Town residents use of neighboring libraries representing 5% or more of the libraries’ total circulation of materials. The Town of Union Vale has no chartered public library.

MHLS and its 66 member libraries will implement a restriction, as authorized in the state approved MHLS Direct Access Plan, on loaning non-print (DVD’s, CD’s, Audiobooks, Video Games) library materials to the residents of the Town of Union Vale.

RESTRICTION SCHEDULE:
July 27, 2015 – Stop placements of holds on non-print materials by Union Vale residents.
August 3, 2015 – Stop loaning non-print materials to Union Vale residents.

We are pleased to share that three MHLS member library directors have been chosen for the New York Library Association’s ground-breaking Sustainability Initiative Retreat!

• Casey Conlin, Pawling Free Library
• Erica Freudenberger, Red Hook Public Library
• Sarah Potwin, LaGrange Association Library

This group of library leaders join 20 other forward-thinking NYLA members to discuss how libraries will adapt to the changing world and become co-creators in shaping strategies that ensure libraries remain vital, are able to rebound from disruption and provide on-going value to the communities they serve.

Data from the 2014 Annual Report to the State is now available on the MHLS web site.

Libraries that Lend “Things” Webinar: If your library can lend books, why not: • Telescopes and microscopes? • Synthesizers or spinning wheels? • Or even replica dinosaur bones? A chief strength of libraries is making knowledge accessible through the lending of physical objects. Join us for an interactive discussion on building a circulating collection of objects for your library. Together we will explore how to select the tools needed by your community. We will also examine how partnerships with local organizations and events can help raise awareness of your tools collection. At the end of this webinar, participants will: • Identify a starting point for developing a circulating tools collection. • Define community needs and potential partners. • Recognize ways to promote user interaction with your new collection through local and library events. When: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 from 3:00 – 4:00pm. To register for this free webinar or for more information If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar.

Promotional Videos to Promote the Summer Reading Program are available for your library’s web site! Summer Reading at New York Libraries “Every Hero Has a Story” promotional videos are now available for viewing and download

July 15 is the first 2015 deadline to take advantage of the MHLS Member Library Mileage Equalization Grant Program. Reimbursement is contingent on member libraries providing their staff reimbursement at the IRS rate for travel to attend training or to participate in meeting sponsored by and located at MHLS headquarters in Poughkeepsie. For more information and to access the claim form directors should visit https://da.midhudson.org/