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Beginning on February 1^st MHLS will implement the new delivery schedule approved by the MHLS Directors Association (DA) in October. This new schedule was recommended to the DA by the MHLS System Services Advisory Committee (SSAC), made up of member library directors, to meet two goals:

• To align delivery routes with data trends related to the volume of items being transported through the delivery service, while retaining Saturday deliveries and
• To gain efficiencies that would reduce the cost of the delivery services contract to keep this service affordable.

Prior to the SSAC recommendation to the DA, the SSAC requested MHLS staff provide options to the SSAC for changes to current MHLS Delivery Services based on reducing the cost of the contract with Hudson River Transport, which had increased by $21,997 in 2015 to a yearly amount of $365,716.

Thanks to this analysis by the SSAC, the consensus reached by the DA and negotiations conducted by MHLS staff, in November 2015, MHLS and delivery vendor Hudson River Transport signed an amended contract to implement the new DA approved delivery schedule as of February 1, 2016 resulting in a savings of over $23,000.

A list of the new MHLS Daily Delivery Services Routes, by library and by day, which will be in effect as of February 1, 2016 are available at:

https://midhudson.org/topics/resource-sharing/delivery/

If you have any questions please contact Tom Finnigan, MHLS Shipping & Receiving Manager.

MHLS Friends Support Group will meet on Thursday, February 18th from 5:00 – 7:00pm at the new Boardman Road Branch of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District.

At this workshop attendees will be treated to a Backstage Tour of the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District’s brand new book store!

The new 4,000 square feet bookstore replaces the Giant Annual Booksale the Friends have conducted for almost two decades. With close to 25,000 volumes for sale the book store is open 3 days a week and is completely staffed by volunteers. All sorting and storing of donations takes place in the adjacent but separate 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse area.

The event will also include:
• News from the Friends of Libraries Section of the New York Library Association
• State Funding Update and
• Unveiling and discussion of the 2015 MHLS Friends Group Survey Results

A light dinner will be provided. Registration is required: http://calendar.midhudson.org

Did you know?… At this point the three highest circulating days ever by MHLS patrons using OverDrive occurred:
• December 28th, 2015: 714 circs
• December 30th, 2015: 689 circs
• January 3, 2016: 696 circs

Check out the total annual circulation by MHLS patrons using OverDrive for eBooks and eAudiobooks:

eMagazines are now available to all Mid-Hudson Library System member library cardholders!

• Click here to browse available titles and familiarize yourself with the interface
• Check out the product videos provided by the vendor.

Promotional materials, including bookmarks, fliers, posters, web buttons and more are available on the RBdigital web site

Take Your Child to the Library Day:
February 4, 2017

Regardless of population or economic status, your library serves children in your community. Take advantage of the positive PR this nation-wide celebration provides as you do more of what you already do so well!

What can you do to celebrate TYCttLD?
The possibilities are pretty much endless. Many libraries opt to have a special event, but you can simply highlight a program that you already do – or even just show off your library space. No matter your budget or staffing, there are many ways for your library to participate.

For ideas and promotional materials visit the New York Library Association’s TYCttLD page!

The MHLS Directors Association have voted to launch eMagazines for all member libraries beginning January 1, 2016! With the increasing popularity of library materials in downloadable format the MHLS Central Library/Collection Development Advisory Committee was tasked with exploring the possibility of offering eMagazines System-wide.

Based on the availability of funds, feedback to the subcommittee exploring this issue from product testers and the desire for member libraries to begin providing this service sooner rather than later, the Committee recommended that MHLS contract with Recorded Books to provide their “Zinio” for Libraries product System-wide. This proposal, along with the purchase of 90 initial magazine titles, was approved at the December 4th Directors Association Meeting.

Staff at member libraries have time to get a first look at this new product:

• Click here to browse available titles and familiarize yourself with the interface

Promotional materials, including bookmarks, fliers, posters, web buttons and more are available on the RBdigital web site

At their December 5th meeting, the MHLS Board was very busy! They started off the meeting by recognizing retiring board members by passing resolutions recognizing Roland Patterson, Carolyn Profera, and Janet Schnitzer for 10 years of outstanding service on the MHLS Board of Trustees

They also elected the 2016 slate of officers:
o President: Camilla von Bergen
o Vice President: Mark Wilson
o Treasurer: Regina Morini
o Secretary: Lisa Baker Brill
o Board Member: John Dax

For a full report of the December 2015 MHLS Board meeting check out this week’s issue of the MHLS Bulletin.

Putting Books into the Hands of Kids: Books make an important and lasting difference in the lives of children by shaping and expanding their imaginations and values. However, many kids have never owned a book to call their own. Your library has the chance to change that thanks to a collaboration between the Mid-Hudson Library System and the Empire State Center for the Book in January 2016.

Research shows that children achieve superior outcomes in school and in life when they have books of their own. This consistently results in:
• faster rates of literacy acquisition;
• higher grades and test scores;
• better adaptation to school and more regular attendance;
• higher graduation rates;
• increased participation in higher education; and
• improved quality of life.

Brand new books are collected through the Holiday Book Drive at Poughkeepsie Barnes & Noble. Last year over 6,000 books were collected. The book drive calls attention to the importance of books to every child in our area, ages 1-18. In January 2016 MHLS will serve as a distribution hub for brand new books that can be picked up by your library to distribute to the children of your community. Public libraries, schools (and school libraries) and social service agencies/organizations are all eligible to sign-up for one of the distribution dates in the MHLS Auditorium: January 20, 21, 26, 27, 28. Registration is required through the MHLS online calendar

MHLS Automation Coordinator Thomas O’Connell will offer his monthly lunchtime webinar of training and Q&A on Thursday, December 10^th at noon. The topic will be using the MHLS Knowledgebase. The session will take place online and last about 45 minutes. There are a limited number of slots available for this session so register soon through the MHLS online calendar if you’d like to attend. If you have ideas for topics to be addressed at future lunchtime webinars with Thomas just let Thomas know: toconnell@midhudson.org or 845.471.6060 x 221.

Library Journal, the premier professional journal for libraries, has released the eighth edition of their Index of Public Library Service, also known as “America’s Star Libraries, 2015: Top Rated Libraries.” Six of this year’s Star Libraries are right here in the Mid-Hudson Library System! That accounts for 15% of all of the Star Libraries in