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Volume 17-12 | 3.21.17
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Web Literacy Training
Web Literacy Training is coming to our region! 
Library staff are key to promoting information literacy as a vital 21st Century skill and helping to develop critical thinkers. In this class, we will discuss key information literacy concepts, share the teaching activities already at play in your library, and create new activities to help reinforce  the concepts for your users and patrons. This training will help you meet the growing need of the diverse audience using today's online resources.
 
This class will also introduce Mozilla's Web Literacy Framework, which was designed "To help people become good citizens of the web,...[focusing] on the following goals:
 
1) develop more educators, advocates and community leaders who can leverage and advance the web as an open and public resource, and
2) impact policies and practices to ensure the web remains a healthy open and public resource for all.
 
Two dates to choose from!
● Tuesday, April 4th from 1:30-4:30pm @SENYLRC
● Tuesday, June 13 from 1:30-4:30pm @MHLS Auditorium
 
For more information and to register: http://www.senylrc.org/WebLiteracyTraining
MHLS Announcements
NYS Budget Update & Call to Action! The "One-House Budget Bills" are out and libraries have a fighting chance! We need to act now as these bills signal the final stretch before adoption of the state budget!  

Senate
State Library Aid:                         +$8M ($99.6M total)
State Library Construction Aid:   +$15M ($29M total)

Assembly
State Library Aid:                           +$4M ($95.6M total)
State Library Construction Aid:     +$11M ($25M total)

+over Governor's Executive Budget

These numbers are just proposals, and nothing is assured . Unless we convince the legislature to dig in and defend library funding, we still face the cuts proposed by Governor Cuomo. So....

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT! Use the brand-new pre-drafted letter to voice your support for fully funding NYS Library Aid in the FY 2017-2018 Budget: http://bit.ly/2mtigBP

We are saddened to report that Jean Ehnebuske , long-time Hudson Valley library advocate and former trustee of the Mid-Hudson Library System (2008-2012), has passed away after a gracefully fought, extended battle with cancer. Jean was a champion for libraries. She was a cheerleader for librarians. She was a superb educator and advocate at the Putnam County, MHLS and New York State levels. Did you know? Jean is the reason that NYLA Advocacy Day is called Advocacy Day and not Lobby Day. Jean made an eloquent case to the NYLA Legislative Committee to change it because the word "lobby" was a barrier to Friends Groups' participation. She was right and the Committee listened. Jean was kind, funny, warm and an excellent editor. She saved many a library advocate in Putnam County, here at MHLS and at the New York Library Association from public embarrassment with her superior editing skills. She was a truly good person and we were lucky that she saw the value in libraries and that she chose to use her skills to help benefit libraries. We are stronger as a library community for her efforts. She will be missed.
 
OverDrive Big Library Read, March 16th-30th
The eBook 'Art of the Pie' by Kate McDermott is available for every patron that wishes to read it-no holds, no wait lists. Available for download at http://mhls.lib.overdrive.com/.  By participating in the 12th worldwide Big Library Read, we are joining 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. Posters, handouts, press release, web and Facebook graphics are available at http://biglibraryread.com/libraries-schools/
MHLS Libraries
The Friends of the Woodstock Public Library got creative last week and made this social media graphic to help people prepare for the blizzard! They credit the Anne Arundel County Public Library for the idea and thank Hudson Valley Weather for the great work they do and for letting them borrow their map.
 
 


The Howland Public Library in Beacon, Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library in Cold Spring and Desmond-Fish Library in Garrison have partnered to bring a Small Business workshop series to their region. Workshops include how to start a business, business plan writing, marketing strategies and expanding your business through Government Contracts. The instructor for the courses is an Economic Development Specialist and project manager from the U.S. Small Business Administration's NY District Office which serves Dutchess, Putnam and Ulster counties. 
Sustainable Libraries
Winning at the polls is something you can never take for granted. Be sure your library's bid for an increase to operating aid through a public vote is well thought out and communicated. Join MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, for a refresher (or an introduction!) to the MHLS Public Library Vote Toolbox.

This webinar is appropriate for library directors and trustees who are involved with proposing a public vote on a budget increase this year. We will discuss the tips and strategies developed through the MHLS Public Library Vote Toolbox [ http://vote.midhudson.org/] and share best practices of libraries who have recently held votes.
 
Online: Friday, April 7th from 10:00 - 11:30am. For more information and to register: http://calendar.midhudson.org
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