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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:

• Tuesday, March 13
  • 1:30pm-3:00pm
  • 3:30pm-5:00pm

• Wednesday, March 14
  • 1:30pm-3:00pm
  • 3:30pm-5:00pm

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 1^st in observance of New Year’s Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.

MHLS will be closed Monday, December 25^th in observance of Christmas Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.

MHLS will be closed Monday, January 1^st in observance of New Year’s Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.

2017 demonstrated, once again, that Hudson Valley residents value their libraries. Twenty-five communities voted on tax levies for their public libraries and one community voted on a building referendum. 96% of those votes were successful! You can review the full results of votes this year in the MHLS Public Library Vote Toolbox

Did you know that more than half of Hudson Valley students in the third grade are not proficient in the English Language Arts learning standards (i.e. not demonstrating an understanding of the content expected in the subject at that grade level).

The MHLS Early Literacy Project is a great opportunity if your library would like to focus on building long-term capacity to provide early literacy services in your community based on the best practices of this parent education initiative.

Information & applications are now available for the MHLS Early Literacy Cohort II Program. Applications are due on February 2, 2018.

ALA strenuously opposes FCC proposed order on net neutrality: American Library Association President Jim Neal released the following statement regarding the proposed order on net neutrality released by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai: “Preserving net neutrality is essential for equitable access to online information and services and thus a vital concern for our nation’s libraries. Now that the internet has become the primary mechanism for delivering information, services and applications to the general public, it is especially important that commercial Internet Service Providers are not able to control or manipulate the content of these communications. Libraries, our patrons and America’s communities will be at risk if the FCC repeals all protections contained in its 2015 Open Internet Order with no plans to replace with any enforceable rules. We strenuously disagree with the FCC’s actions and will continue to advocate for essential net neutrality protections.” The FCC Commission will vote on the proposed order at the December open Commission meeting on Thursday, December 14, 2017.

Concerned about the fate of net neutrality? EveryLibrary has provided a form to help you communicate with your federal elected officials: http://action.everylibrary.org/netneutrality