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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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eCollection Development Webinar Series
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A 2020 survey of member library directors indicated that eCollection Development in OverDrive "and beyond" was the top training topic of interest. Once COVID-19 stay-at-home orders hit our eCollections became more important than ever, revealing opportunities for re-thinking collection development, budgeting, and marketing of these online collections. In response, the MHLS Central Library/Collection Development Committee and MHLS Staff have put together this series to highlight industry trends, peer expertise, and technical know-how to enhance member libraries' ability to meet the needs of their community in this area.
Monday, October 5th | 2:00-3:30pm | Introduction to eCollection Development in OverDrive and Best Practices | Register
At this webinar Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director & Technology Operations Manager will be joined by a panel of member library directors to discuss strategic approaches to developing a collection in OverDrive that meet community needs - from analysis of usage to selection and funding to promotion. Laurie will also provide an overview of industry trends shaping the market.
Wednesday, October 14th | 2:00-3:00pm | Introduction to OverDrive Marketplace | Register
Presented by MHLS OverDrive Coordinator Nina Acosta, this webinar will provide an orientation to the OverDrive Marketplace for library staff who are cultivating collections. Nina will review basic reports and features that are available and provide an overview of where to find policies, statistics, and additional support and training materials.
Monday, October 19th | 2:00-3:30pm | A Deeper Dive: OverDrive Reports & Marketing | Register
For those member library staff who want to take a deeper dive into what is possible within OverDrive to create and promote collections that meet community needs, MHLS OverDrive Coordinator Nina Acosta will delve into reports such as Title Status and Usage and Purchased Titles Summary and marketing options such as Advantage Curation, Lucky Day Collections, and weeding to enhance the desirability of your library's OverDrive collection.
Monday, October 26th | 2:00-3:30pm | Beyond OverDrive in eCollection Development | Register
Hear from a panel of member library directors who have worked to expand their e-collection with locally funded products. Each director will share their philosophy of eCollection development, their tips for selection and working with vendors as well as reveal their "best" and "worst" eCollection development decisions over the years.
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MHLS Announcements
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 The 2020 Mid-Hudson Library System Annual Membership Meeting will be held online Friday, October 23rd starting at 10:00am. Our keynote speaker will be Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association. More information to come!
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The Columbia County Library Association recently received a $20,000 Empire State Development grant from Columbia County to conduct Census Complete Count efforts through targeted outreach campaigns including dedicated computer equipment to help people complete the Census questionnaire online and publicity to reach hard-to-count populations. The funding and complete count efforts are critical as the deadline to complete the Census was recently moved up to September 30th, 2020.
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Professional Development
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The NYS Library and the NYS Education Department, in partnership with the METRO Library Council and the Northern New York Library Network, will sponsor a series of webinars on Digital Equity beginning Thursday, September 10th. Digital equity means that every New Yorker has access to affordable broadband, adequate devices, necessary software, digital literacy skills, and a community of support. Unfortunately, persistent digital divides exist in communities across the State, affecting more than 25% of New York's students and making it difficult, if not impossible, for them to participate in the online learning programs that have become essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. Intended for educators, librarians, and other stakeholders with an interest in digital equity, this webinar series attempts to establish a shared understanding of the challenges to digital equity so we can begin to develop a shared vision of how we can work together to achieve digital equity in New York.
The first webinar in the series will be Understanding Digital Inclusion and Digital Equity presented by Francella Ochillo, the Executive Director of Next Century Cities on September 10th. The second session, scheduled for September 24th, will focus on the Digital Bridge K-12 Initiative, with Grace Ting and Ellen Goldich introducing the Home Access Needs Assessment Playbook. Please see the State Library's Digital Equity Webinar Series page for more information and to register for the first two webinars in the series.
The Public Libraries Section (PLS) and Ethnic Services Round Table (ESRT) of the New York Library Association (NYLA) together value diversity, equity, inclusion, and stand against racism, hatred, and violence. They have collaborated to curate a webinar series, Combating Racism in Libraries: Creating Spaces to Educate and Inform Our Communities. The goal of the series is for libraries and library staff to learn, share, and discuss the historical and present-day barriers that communities are facing regarding racism against the Black community, and learn how to combat racism and create spaces for our communities to listen, learn, and grow. This webinar series runs from September 16th - October 21st.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Join MHLS Assistant ILP Operations Supervisor Nina Acosta on Friday, October 30th at 2:00pm for Serials Training. This webinar is for library staff who manage the catalog records for your library's magazines. With the recent addition of Sierra's Serials functions, the process for adding magazine issues is going to change. This session will introduce you to Sierra's new Serials features and show you how to work with them to provide a better experience for patrons to request magazines through the online catalog. Please register for this webinar through the MHLS calendar.
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Check out the latest Sierra Lunchtime webinars:
Register for any of these sessions through the MHLS calendar.
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Join us for our next MHLS Programmers Forum on September 24th at 10:00am. The topic will be Serving Homeschoolers and Families Schooling at Home. This event is designed for MHLS member library staff involved in programming for children and teens who are interested in learning about the creative programs and services their peers have developed to meet the needs and interests of families choosing to homeschool, as well as, families opting for remote learning while remaining in their districts. At this workshop we will cover:
- Popular programs for homeschoolers offered by MHLS libraries.
- How some MHLS member library staff have shifted some of their programming model to reflect how many families are doing school from home/ have children home during the day given current hybrid models of public schooling.
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Reference & Collection Development
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The New York State Museum has launched the Portal to Online Educational Resources & Activities that brings together many of the museum's resources, including links to the popular virtual "Fieldtrips," digital collections, online resources, and many fun activities for kids derived from the museum's research and collections. The Portal provides opportunities for educators, caregivers, and students looking for engaging and educational activities that can be done from home. "As we all continue to look for new and exciting ways to engage students in learning amidst this pandemic, these online resources provide wonderful options for educators and parents alike whether from home or in the classroom," said Interim Commissioner Betty A. Rosa. "For many students across the state, a field trip to the State Museum is a thrilling part of their school year. Thanks to these virtual field trips and learning resources, we are able to allow teachers to keep the Museum's vast collections and resources in their lesson plans even while the Museum is closed to visitors."
Throughout the school year, educational resources for library staff, educators and caregivers including NYS Learning Standards supporting online lessons, content-created publications, and virtual activities will be added. These resources will support the work of educators, engage students in the research and collections of the New York State Museum, and connect the real-world work of scientists and historians with the NYS Learning Standards.
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 The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) partnered with Netflix in support of Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices, a collection of 12 episodes featuring prominent Black celebrities and artists reading children's books from Black authors. Visit: https://www.netflixbookmarks.com/ to view the episodes and to access links to additional resources. The videos are also available for free without subscription on the Netflix Jr. YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/NetflixJr/
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There is still time to register for Core Values & Ethics (aka Policies 101) on Thursday, September 17th starting at 10:00am. Presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director & Casey Conlin, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator attendees will develop a working knowledge of the Core Values of Librarianship and how those values translate to the work of the board, particularly in the area of policy making. This webinar will also review board ethics and use case studies to illustrate "values and ethics in action." Register:
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Administration & Management
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Adjustments to Open Meetings Law are extended until October 4th. This has been confirmed with the Committee on Open Government. Please remember online meetings must be recorded and transcribed and that the public has a right to attend. Minutes will still need to be taken even with the recording.
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REMINDER: The New York Library Association (NYLA) is looking for your input! Please fill out this short member survey to help NYLA quantify the financial impact of adjusting operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This information is a critical piece in advocating for the future of libraries and their funding as the data collected will put into perspective the impact of COVID-19 on library operations across the state.
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