Category Archives: Director-Home Page

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

A Reminder from Robert Drake, MHLS Technology Operations Manager: “All Sierra, website, “tech everything” queries should go to

techsupport@midhudson.org

This goes into our ticket system which is directly accessed by five different staff people including myself, Gerry Formby, and Thomas O’Connell. Unlike our individual emails, multiple people are tracking whether or not tickets are resolved in a timely fashion.

To this end, please remind your staff to use this as well. While we endeavor to get through every email they send, tickets receive a much faster resolution due to the number of people simultaneously working to solve them.”

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.”