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Volume 19-42 | 10.15.19 
Universal Class is Here!
Starting today, MHLS patrons will have access to Universal Class! Universal Class offers lifelong learning courses online in over 30 subject areas, many of which offer continuing education units (CEUs) authorized by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training. More than 500 courses are available, and all are designed and led by professional instructors to build deeper understanding and mastery of subject matter. Universal Class includes videos, assignments, quizzes, tests and options for social media interaction with other learners. Patrons can take multiple classes and learn at their own pace.

From technical courses on computer software to digital photography to babysitting 101, a huge range of topics is available. Universal Class offers courses in Exercise and Fitness, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Music, Home and Garden Care, Cooking, Computers and Technology, Health and Medicine, Homeschooling, Job Assistance, Law and Legal, Parenting and Family, Pet and Animal Care, plus hundreds more.

Informational flier

Libraries can find training and promotional materials including social media graphics and videos, bookmarks, newsletter articles, fliers (sample shown above), and more at https://kb.midhudson.org/universal-class/
MHLS Announcements
Don't miss out! Registration for the MHLS 60th Annual Membership Meeting closes on October 21st . Please join us on Friday, October 25th at The Henry A. Wallace Center @ FDR Presidential Library and Home in Hyde Park, New York. Register for this event online: 
https://mhls_membership_meeting_2019.eventbrite.com
MHLS Libraries
The 2019 Mid-Hudson Library System Battle of the Books High School and Middle School competitions were held this August at the Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, NY. This year, the tournament featured 23 middle school and 12 high school teams. This year's winners were:
  • High School Competition
    • 1st place: Patterson Six Cool Bros. 
    • 2nd place: Beacon Buzzers
    • 3rd place: New Paltz/Elting Literary Warrior
Teens smiling
(pictured above)  Patterson Library celebrates first  place in the high school Battle of the Books competition.
  • Middle School Competition
    • 1st place: Clinton Chapter Raptors
    • 2nd place: Wappingers/Grinnell G.O.A.T.s
    • 3rd place: Coxsackie/Heermance Moaning Stones 
Teens smiling
(pictured above)  Clinton Community Library celebrates first place in the middle school Battle of the Books competition.

Battle of the Books helps kids beat the summer slide and build literacy skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives AND have fun and make friends while they're doing it. Many thanks to this year's participants and their families, as well as to the coaches and volunteers that made this year's battle a success. Congratulations to all of the library teams that participated in the 2019 Battle of the Books! To learn more about the MHLS Battle of the Books program please visit https://mhbattleofbooks.org/
Professional Development
Southeastern NY Library Resources Council offers a monthly Library Support Staff Special Interest Group open to staff from all library types. This month's topic is How to Foster Conflict Resolution in the Workplace. This free event takes place on Tuesday, November 5th from 9:30am-12:30pm at Southeastern NY Library Resources Council headquarters in Highland, NY. To register please visit http://bit.ly/3110GsD
Resource Sharing & Sierra
In September the Directors Association voted to include catalog records for individually owned items, including streaming content and other online resources. To make those materials easier to find and identify we have added three new material types: eComics, eMusic and eCourses. These will be available in the facets of both Sierra and Encore.
Sustainable Libraries
Libraries interested in applying for the 2020 Turning Outward Program should register for the one-hour introductory webinar on Tuesday, October 29th at 10:00am. This event will outline the value of "turning outward" to seek public knowledge about community aspirations to better guide the future design of library services, programs, partnerships and resource allocation.  "Turning Outward" is a process developed by the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. It entails taking steps to better understand communities; changing processes and thinking to make conversations more community-focused; being proactive to community issues; and putting community aspirations first. Each year, MHLS works with a cohort of libraries to use the tools in Turning Outward to gather input from their community, which can transform their communities and inform strategic and long-range plans for the library.
 
Please register for this webinar through the MHLS online calendar http://calendar.midhudson.org
Reference & Collection Development
Logo The New York State Library Digital Collections has been upgraded to support a responsive design for viewing on all screen sizes, faster loading, a new landing page with more graphics to highlight collections, and improved indexing for more effective searching. The New York State Library began digitizing New York State government documents in 1995. The Digital Collections include some historical materials from the 18th through the early 20th century in many subject areas, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Native American materials, New York State laws and natural history. While books make up the core collection, Digital Collections also include primary source materials such as letters, diaries and rare manuscripts as well as maps, music scores, and other visual materials. Access the collection: https://nysl.ptfs.com/knowvation/app/consolidatedSearch/
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