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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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MHLS is a cooperative of 66 member libraries and communication is key to cooperation. With hundreds of library staff and thousands of library trustees and Friends to keep up to date we offer a variety of ways to learn about MHLS news and exchange ideas with your peers. We also use online communication tools to facilitate tech and cataloging support. The "eCommunications" page under the "About Us" area of the website pulls together all of our channels including subscription information and posting policies. Here is a sample of what you will find on the eCommunications page:
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MHLS Notice List: This email list is for the distribution of MHLS original content/information notifying MHLS member libraries of an action(s) to be taken and/or preparation to be made and/or information to be shared which may not require immediate action or attention. Member library directors may add staff email addresses to this list by contacting techsupport@midhudson.org.
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MHLS Alerts List: This email list is for the distribution of MHLS original information alerting MHLS member libraries of a pressing problem or concern regarding member libraries and/or MHLS operations, which may require immediate attention and/or action. Member library directors may add staff email addresses to this list by contacting techsupport@midhudson.org.
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MHLS Bulletin: You can have the Bulletin delivered directly to your inbox every Tuesday! Already subscribed? Help spread the word to your peers!
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MHLS Ticket System [Tech & Cataloging Support]: For all technology and Sierra related questions, or to report downtime and outages, please email our ticket system: techsupport@midhudson.org. For questions related to records in the online catalog, please email: cataloging@midhudson.org.
Follow us on Facebook for shareable content for your library!
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MHLS Discussion Lists for Member Library Directors, Staff, Trustees and Friends Groups
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MHLS Main: A communication forum for MHLS libraries and members of other regional library organizations on general library topics of common interest including news and training opportunities relevant to the audience. You can find Learn From Your Desk here! A monthly
posting of upcoming free webinars.
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MHLS Programming: A communication forum for MHLS libraries on all aspects of library programming for patrons from birth to adult, including programming for families, communities, summer reading, early literacy, family literacy, digital literacy, outreach to the community through programming, piggy-back presenter opportunities and training opportunities relevant to the audience.
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MHLS Sierra: A communication forum for MHLS libraries on the topics of circulation, cataloging (data entry), acquisitions, regional loans of materials, statistics, Create Lists, Web Management Reports, lost books, book club requests, other discussions related to circulation of materials among libraries and training opportunities relevant to the audience. This list is not consistently monitored by tech support staff. Sierra downtime, disruptions, and problems should be sent to techsupport@midhudson.org.
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MHLS Friends & Fundraising: This electronic discussion group is devoted to helping Friends Groups, trustees and library staff learn about fundraising trends, ideas and best practices for Friends Groups and training opportunities relevant to the audience. This electronic discussion group is also a place to connect with others in the area working to raise funds and awareness for libraries.
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MHLS Directors: This is a communication forum for current member library directors to raise issues, discuss and receive information exclusively of common concern and interest to library directors including the Directors Association meeting packet.
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MHLS Announcements
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MHLS will be closed on Monday, January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.
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Marketing Research Survey for MHLS Stakeholders: In 2020, New York State withheld more than 20% of state aid for libraries because the state's response to the pandemic resulted in a decrease in revenue. This significantly affected MHLS' operating budget and created challenges for the delivery of core services on which libraries in the system depend.
The Board of the Mid-Hudson Library System is responsible for the financial health of the system. Faced with the potential of multiple years of severe cuts in state aid due to the pandemic, the board has, and will continue to undertake efforts to immediately bolster relationships with existing funding sources as well as to seek alternative funds which will include grant writing and raising the profile of the system to attract new funding streams. This work will be done with transparency and a strong eye towards avoiding competition with member libraries. The success of this effort will be determined in large part by how well potential funders know and understand MHLS and its importance to local libraries. The message we bring them must be clear and compelling. Your voice is critical to crafting this message that we will bring to funders and legislators.
To this end, all MHLS member library directors, staff, trustees and Friends will be invited to participate in a marketing research survey which will be sent out via email this week. We thank you in advance for your help with this survey and ask that you submit your responses no later than Monday, January 25th.
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A message from MHLS Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich: The events that unfolded at the Capitol last week have caused a multitude of emotional responses from members of the MHLS community. I have found comfort this past week in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope." As you work through your own response my wish for you is that you find hope in the work we do through our libraries for our communities. For me, the Core Values of Librarianship from the American Library Association, provide the compass setting for the work that may lie ahead: democracy, diversity, education and lifelong learning, preservation, professionalism, social responsibility, and sustainability.
I urge all library leaders in our system to "hold fast and stay true" to our core values and work to promote all types of literacy - from early childhood literacy to information literacy to digital literacy. The commitment to ensure access to factual information, promote a love of reading and learning, strengthen social cohesion, and co-create community resilience is where our energy will have the greatest return on investment.
Thank you for all that you do, and continue to do, under increasingly challenging circumstances.
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MHLS Libraries
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Red Hook Public Library collaborated with the Bard Office for Sustainability and Red Hook Equity Diversity and Inclusion to collect working desktops, laptops and Chromebooks on Sunday, January 10th, Rehoming Tech Collection Day. The donated devices will get a new life with a Red Hook student.
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Professional Development
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You are invited to join the free webinar on eResource Marketing & Programming on Wednesday, January 20th at 2:00 pm hosted by Niche Academy. Having a marketing plan for eResources gives you space to reflect on your goals for eResource integration in your library. Following that plan keeps you connected with your audience. Learn about the three elements of a successful marketing plan with a special focus on content marketing. Sonya
Schryer Norris and Liz Breed will share eResource content marketing strategies and the tools they use - from simple spreadsheets to custom graphics produced for all 398 Michigan public libraries. LSTA-funded, these tools are yours to use as well! If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, register and Niche Academy will send a recording to all registrants after the event. For more information and to sign up visit
https://www.nicheacademy.com/.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Join Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director / Technology Operations Manager for Circulation 101 on Thursday, January 21st at noon to become acquainted with the necessary skills and workflows needed to manage the primary tasks of circulation desk work. Circulation 101 is intended for any new staff, or perhaps experienced staff wondering if there are more efficient ways to do things while covering the circ desk. Please register for this event through the MHLS Calendar.
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REMINDER: When you are checking in your 2021 magazine issues under the new serials process, please be sure to select your own library's check-in record first. When you first open the check-in record, the first library listed will be checked off by default, making it very easy to accidentally check in another member's issue by mistake. If you realize that you have accidentally used the wrong check-in card, or if you notice that someone else may have used your check-in card, please send a message to cataloging@midhudson.org.
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Sustainable Libraries
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The American Library Association (ALA) announced the first 200 libraries to receive grants through the Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small & Rural Libraries grants, and three recipients are in the Mid-Hudson Library System. Congratulations to Marlboro Free Library, New Lebanon Library and Roeliff Jansen Community Library!
The second round of applications are open through March 4th, 2021.
Through these two round grant cycles up to 650 U.S. libraries in small and rural communities will receive $3,000 to tackle issues ranging from media literacy to COVID-19 safety to unemployment. The initiative is part of ALA's longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries. Library workers may apply online. Read the full project guidelines.
The opportunity is open to libraries serving small and/or rural communities in the U.S. and U.S. territories. The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) defines small communities as those with a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and rural communities as those more than, or equal to, five miles from an urbanized area.
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Programming
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 MHLS member library staff and trustees are invited to join bestselling, critically acclaimed author, editor of New York Times Book Review and New York Times Book Review podcast host, Pamela Paul for a conversation with
DeLauné Michel about her new children's book Rectangle Time and her indispensable, change your child's life at any age book, How to Raise a Reader.
Register now for this session, which will take place online on Thursday, January 28th from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. This session is part of the Library Author Talk Series from the Westchester Library System, Westchester Library Association & Book Ya Ya.
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Administration & Management
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The Board of Regents and the State Education Department will convene three Digital Equity Summits to establish a shared understanding of digital inequity in the state and create a joint vision for achieving digital equity.
Each summit will have multiple discussion sessions and facilitated breakout groups. The department is reaching out to leaders in education, government, community, and business with expertise in digital equity to participate in the summits to develop recommended next steps in the short-term and long-term involving business, industry, community organizations and all levels of government to benefit students and their families. The summits will take place on Thursday, January 28th, Monday, March 8th and a third date to be announced in June 2021. The opening (starting at 10:00 am) and closing sessions will be streamed live on the State Education Department's website.
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