Thank you to all who advocated for state library and construction aid this budget season! Your efforts turned the tide! The final number for library aid is +$5 million over the Governor’s proposal and construction aid is +$20 million over the Governor’s proposal! Take a moment to say thanks to our representatives in Albany who heard our message and did something about it!
Thanks to the efforts of thousands of library advocates from across New York State, our voices were heard! The NYS Legislature has released their “one house” budget proposals for this year’s budget – and those bills include the single largest increase in funding to the Library Construction Aid Program EVER – a $50M addition to the program, for a total of $64M!! This is in addition to both houses restoring the Governor’s proposed $4M cut to Library Aid.
Click HERE to send your message of support for Library Funding NOW!
National Television and Radio Campaign Promoting FREE Talking Book and Braille Library Services Launched: The Library of Congress National Library Service (NLS) has kicked off a national television and radio campaign launched on outlets including National Public Radio, the History Channel, and the Hallmark Channel. The commercials will run at three-week intervals through late 2019. New York State libraries public may receive questions from their community members about how they, a family member or a friend would apply for access to free talking book and braille library program services. Information on eligibility and application for these FREE services are available from the New York State Library Talking Book and Braille Library
Library Advocacy Day is this week! Dozens of library supporters from our region will travel to Albany to speak with legislators about state library aid and the State Aid for Library Construction program. We know that not everyone can join us in person so find out how you can help from your home or office in this week’s MHLS Bulletin!
Thanks to a Holiday Book Drive conducted by the Poughkeepsie Barnes & Noble on behalf of the Empire State Center for the Book libraries are being tapped to help get more than 4,000 BRAND NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS into the hands of local kids! Typically the majority of the books available are for young children (including Golden Books) through middle-school age, and a smaller number of YA titles. The books are being stored in the MHLS Auditorium, if your library would like to pick up books to distribute to kids in your community please sign up for one of the pick-up dates:
It’s easy to send a letter to your legislators and the Governor to speak up for library aid and the State Aid for Library Construction Program. The New York Library Association’s Online Advocacy Center provides you with draft letter you can use as is or make your own! Speak up today!
Help us tell the story of how libraries are a GREAT investment with photos and numbers! Participate in the Real People. Real Dollars. Campaign at your library! 
ALA is offering ‘Creating Early Literacy Programs: Connecting with Early Childhood Development’ as an asynchronous eCourse from February 26 to March 25, 2018. MHLS will reimburse the library the full $175 registration fee (based on my receipt of the form at https://tinyurl.com/MHLSearlylitPD2018 and a copy of the participant’s Certificate of Completion from ALA by April 10, 2018). For a complete course description and to register go to http://bit.ly/2qMspQH
Mango Languages Orientation/Refresher Webinar: Mango Languages is an e-resource available through all MHLS member libraries. Usage continues to rise – there wer over 11,500 uses by patrons in the past 12 months! In addition to over 70 languages that can be learned through Mango, there are English Language Learning courses in more than 17 languages. Sign up for one of three upcoming webinars to learn more through the MHLS Online Calendar
MHLS will be closed Monday, January 1st in observance of New Year’s Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.
