Category Archives: General News-Home Page

A new patron-friendly feature was introduced on April 1 – Courtesy Notices! These notices are emails sent to library patrons alerting them to upcoming due dates on items they currently have checked out. This feature is helpful to patrons and can increase circulation figures through patron renewal of items they would like to keep a bit longer.

This new feature, approved by the MHLS Directors Association, was recommended by the MHLS Resource Sharing Advisory Council. Notices will be sent out daily, system-wide, to patrons who have items due in three days.

Now is the time for us to keep the pressure on!
The state budget negotiations are about to heat up, we need to ensure these numbers make it into the final budget. Please take a moment to speak up once again, even if you already have this legislative season. The New York Library Association has provided a new message to THANK legislators for listening to their constituents and to urge them to keep their eye on funding for libraries as the final budget takes shape. We need these numbers to appear in the final budget once negotiations are done.

Act now! Use the NYLA Online Advocacy Center to send a quick message to your legislators. Please share this link with everyone you can. This is our last chance to be heard!

From March 17 – 31, American Sniper will be available for every patron that wishes to read it—no holds, no wait lists! The title will be available for unlimited access on the MHLS Digital Download page between midday March 17 and midday March 31 for the duration of the lending period.

By participating in the Big Library Read, your patrons can join a global movement of passionate readers and library patrons who support the availability of eBooks at libraries, and it’s a great way to increase circulation!

Get the word out! There will also be a promotional spotlight at the top of the MHLS Digital Download page. To promote the Big Library Read in your community there is a poster available and additional marketing materials (including Facebook and website graphics).
See also:

• Discussion Guide
• Reader Discussion Forum

Advocacy Day in Albany may have come and gone but that doesn’t mean our work is done! Between now and April 1 intensive discussions are going on to decide the fate of library aid in the State budget. Don’t let up now! Speak up and encourage others to do so as well!

Step 1: Get up to speed on the issues:

• Budget Talking Points (includes information on the push for more construction aid for our region!)
• Advocacy Day Briefing from MHLS (video)

Step 2: Get the word out and help others do the same!:

• By Phone – call the local office of your State Senator and Assemblyperson and drive home the need for:
  • Full formula funding for Library Aid, absent that, the same increase proposed for Education (4.3%)
  • Increase the State Aid for Public Library Construction Program to $30 million
• Through Social Media – use the New York Library Association’s Virtual Advocacy Day Activities support page to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the word out. Don’t forget to tag your legislators so they can see the level of interest among their constituents when it comes to supporting libraries!

Traveling to Albany today?

• Directions & Logistics
• Bus Schedule (buses leave Albany @3:30pm)
• MHLS Meeting Schedule

Advocating from home today?

• Call the Albany Office of your State Senator and Assemblyperson and lend your support to the advocates in Albany on March 2
  • Full formula funding for Library Aid, absent that, the same increase proposed for Education (4.3%)
  • Increase the State Aid for Public Library Construction Program to $30 million
• Through Social Media – use the New York Library Association’s Virtual Advocacy Day Activities support page to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the word out about #NYLALAD16 Don’t forget to tag your legislators so they can see the level of interest among their constituents when it comes to supporting libraries!

With Advocacy Day coming up fast now is the time to get ready to talk to legislators, even if you’re not making the trip to Albany!

Participate in “Virtual Advocacy Day” by planning to speak up by phone and through social media on Wednesday, March 2 – Library Advocacy Day in Albany.

Step 1: Get up to speed on the issues:

• Budget Talking Points (includes information on the push for more construction aid for our region!)
• Advocacy Day Briefing from MHLS (video)

Step 2: Get the word out on March 2 and help others do the same!:

• By Phone – call the Albany Office of your State Senator and Assemblyperson and lend your support to the advocates in Albany on March 2
• Through Social Media – use the New York Library Association’s Virtual Advocacy Day Activities support page to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the word out about #NYLALAD16 Don’t forget to tag your legislators so they can see the level of interest among their constituents when it comes to supporting libraries!

We are just one week away from Library Advocacy Day in Albany! Have you used the NYLA Online Advocacy Center to send a message to your legislators? Now is the time! If you’ve already done this can you find two more library advocates to do the same? Let’s make some noise!

What are we advocating for? Check out the Budgetary and Legislative Priorities for 2016.

Town of Union Vale Residents May Borrow Non-print Library Materials. Based on a three-year signed agreement between MHLS and the Union Vale Town Board, MHLS has removed a restriction on loaning non-print library materials to Town of Union Vale residents. The Town of Union Vale has no chartered public library.

“The MHLS Board of Trustees is very pleased to reach agreement with the Union Vale Town Board for providing public library services to Town residents,” stated Camilla von Bergen, MHLS Board President.

MHLS will be closed on Monday, February 15th. 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.

Your Voice Matters! Registration is now open for Library Advocacy Day in Albany! Will you join the Library Advocacy Army in Albany on Wednesday, March 2^nd this year?

MHLS Member Library staff, trustees, Friends and patrons of all ages are encouraged to attend Library Advocacy Day in Albany sponsored by the New York Library Association (NYLA). The goal of this event is to help legislators understand how much people care about libraries by packing the offices at every appointment. With 15 legislators to meet with we need lots of people to come and show their support.

Your attendance can make a BIG impact. Join us for meetings with your NYS representatives in Albany to make the case that Libraries ARE Education! and should receive funding increases and infrastructure investments that respect our role in the community.

We have two big items to advocate for this year:

• Increase State Library Aid Proportionally with Increases in Education Funding. Library funding is being held flat by the Governor. The Legislature has the opportunity to do the right thing for their constituents and increase library aid to match the Governor’s proposed 4.3% increase to Education Aid. For more information: http://bit.ly/1TVxHgz
• An increase in State Aid for Public Library Construction. Held flat for 10 years, now is the time to increase the investment in New York’s library facilities. With more than half of MHLS member library facilities unable to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act stipulations and seriously aging infrastructure (56% of libraries in MHLS are over 50 years old and 38% are over 100 years old!) NOW is the time for an increase. For more information: http://bit.ly/1IZXDSa

MHLS makes the day easier!

• Online Advocacy Day Briefing: February 19^th, 10:00 – 11:00am. Register at http://calendar.midhudson.org
• Coordinated bus transportation along the NYS Thruway. Thanks to the generosity of our Friends Groups who donated to support the buses to Albany last year the ticket price this year is 25% lower! (Bus registration info can be found below)
• All appointments with legislators are made centrally through MHLS. Appointment schedule is emailed out to those who register and posted at https://midhudson.org. Meetings are scheduled between 10:00am – 3:00pm.

Registration Details for Advocacy Day