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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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MHLS Annual Membership Meeting
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Please join us for our 61st Mid-Hudson Library System Annual Membership Meeting on Friday, October 23rd. This event is online and free to attend!
During the business meeting we will report to the membership on the health of the organization, conduct board elections, and hear from MHLS' Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich. Following the business meeting we will hear from Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association (ALA) who is our keynote speaker for the year!
- 10:00 am | Business Meeting
- 11:00 am | Keynote Speaker
 In February 2020, Tracie D. Hall was appointed the American Library Association's 10th executive director in its 143-year history. In her new role, Hall oversees the oldest and largest library association in the world, made up of 57,000 members and more than 200 staffers. Hall is the first female African American executive director in ALA's history. Over the years she has worked at the Seattle Public Library, the New Haven Free Library, Queens Public Library and Hartford Free Public Library. In 1998, she was among the first cohort of ALA's Spectrum Scholars, a grant program to diversify librarianship, and she served as the director of ALA's Office for Diversity in the early 2000s and has served on advisory councils for the Institute of Museum and Library Services and written for the field's major publications. She was highlighted as a "Mover and Shaker" in the field by Library Journal early in her career. Most recently, Hall directed the culture portfolio at the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation, developing new grant programs designed to foster greater equity and diversity in arts administration, catalyze and scale neighborhood-based arts venues, cultural programming and creative entrepreneurship. Prior to that she worked as Deputy Commissioner of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. A civic leader in Chicago, Hall was appointed to serve on the City of Chicago's Cultural Advisory Council at the beginning of 2020. Hall has also served in multiple roles in academia, including as assistant dean of Dominican's Graduate School of Library and Information Science in River Forest, IL and as visiting professor at Wesleyan and Catholic Universities among others. In addition to her MLIS from the Information School at the University of Washington, Hall holds an MA in International and Area studies with an emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa from Yale University and dual bachelor's degrees in Law and Society and Black Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Hall has also studied at the Universities of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in East Africa. Hall was born and raised in Los Angeles.
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MHLS Announcements
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The Division of Library Development recently released the questions for the 2020 Summer Reading Program Final Report. Though there are changes to the report this year the most significant changes are in the Programming section. For your convenience we have provided a copy of the questions so you can view them before opening the online report form. Please note if your library did not hold a Summer Reading Program this year you will still need to fill out the first portion of the report.
Report Deadline: Friday, October 2nd
A message from the Division of Library Development: The State Library realizes that COVID-19, library closures, limited public access, Internet connectivity issues, dealing with reopening plans and safety protocols have all had an impact on libraries' ability to offer traditional Summer Reading programs and events. This survey is asking libraries to report applicable statistics for Summer Reading in 2020 to help us understand the extent to which libraries were able to continue providing needed services to communities and users during this unusual time. A second survey asking for more qualitative information, feedback and specific examples for Summer Reading 2020 will be sent out later to help us learn more about how libraries adapted in this new environment.
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Amenia Free Library recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the library's future expansion.
 Saugerties Public Library welcomes Jennifer Russell as the new Library Director! Jennifer most recently worked as the Assistant Director at the Town of Esopus Library. Jennifer began working at Saugerties Public Library at the end of August.
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Professional Development
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REMINDER: September 30th is the Early Bird Registration deadline for the New York Library Association (NYLA) 2020 Conference & Trade Show. This two-day event will be a mix of broadcasted and on-demand programs. Broadcasted programs will only be available to view during their allotted time slot so please plan accordingly. On-Demand programs will be available to view during the duration of the conference and will also be available for viewing after the conference. The Virtual Trade Show will be available on Thursday, November 5th from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Friday, November 6th from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. To access registration pricing, program schedule, Trade Show info and to register, visit https://www.nyla.org.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Join MHLS ILP Operations Supervisor, Thomas O'Connell for an upcoming Sierra Lunchtime webinar. All events begin at noon. Please register through the MHLS calendar.
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There is still time to register for the Sierra Circulation Workshop - Understanding Patron Records. Choose from Tuesday, September 29th or Wednesday, September 30th. Both 90-minute sessions start at 10:00 am. This workshop will be beneficial for any circulation staff responsible for creating and/or managing patron records in Sierra. Basic Create Lists knowledge will be helpful but is not required. In this workshop, attendees will learn not just the "what" of their patron records, but the "why" as well - why certain fields are important for circulation. Special emphasis will be placed on developing best practices and workflows for maintaining and retrieving accurate patron information so that you will know who is visiting your library. Please register for your preferred session through the MHLS calendar.
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Sustainable Libraries
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 September 30th is the deadline for all U.S. households to respond to the 2020 Census! Residents can respond online or by phone. Mailed forms should be postmarked no later than September 30th. Census-takers have also been visiting households that have not yet responded. Congress and the courts continue to discuss possible extensions of that deadline - but for now, the deadline remains September 30th. Libraries can support a complete count by reminding their users about the importance of responding before the deadline. A complete count determines fair funding for your community's libraries, schools, healthcare, emergency relief, and other crucial resources.
The American Library Association (ALA) has partnered with actress Auli'i Cravalho, star of Disney's animated film "Moana," for a special Census storytime video to remind families of the importance of completing the 2020 Census. Find the new ALA Census video and other resources on the ALA website.
 Libraries Ready to Code opens call for applications: Virtual Learning and Enhancement Grants. The American Library Association (ALA) has opened applications for Virtual Learning and Enhancement Grants of $1,000 available for 90 school, tribal, public, and academic libraries. In response to increased demand for technical skills to lead and participate in virtual education during the COVID-19 health emergency, the Virtual Learning and Enhancement Grants focus on digital skill development of library staff and patrons. Applications are due Thursday, Sept. 17th, 2020. Access the application and more information at http://www.ala.org/tools/readytocode/minigrant.
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Register now for the next workshop in the MHLS Reimagining Library Services Series, Innovative Programming. Library staff who work on programming for all ages are welcome to attend this program on Tuesday, October 6th at 10:00 am where we will hear from libraries that have found new ways to safely provide programming in the face of the pandemic and recovery, and how libraries can continue to provide experiences and opportunities for people to learn and grow and build connections with their neighbors. We will also hear from libraries that have built partnerships to reach more community members and maximize use of library resources.
 As part of the official 2020 4-H STEM Challenge - Mars Base Camp, the national 4-H Council is offering free Mars Base Camp kits (normally $23.95 + S&H) with four activities that explore Mars and space to libraries. Supplies are limited, so be sure to sign up for kits using this form. Kits will be distributed on a first come, first served basis until supplies run out. Kits can be used any time, but it's suggested they be used during the month of October as part of 4-H's annual initiative to increase youth access to high-quality STEM activities that help kids build confidence and spark interest and to share experiences and photos using the hashtag #4HSTEMChallenge. This is not required but will align you with hundreds of thousands of others across the country who will be doing the same thing during the month of October. If you receive a free kit through this program, you will be asked to fill out a very short survey at the end of the year asking about how you used, or plan to use, the kit. You can learn more about Mars Base Camp and the 4-H STEM Challenge at
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There are still seats left in these upcoming MHLS Trustee Education Series events!
Core Values & Ethics (aka Policies 101) | Thursday, September 17th | 10:00-11:30 am | Register
Presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director & Casey Conlin, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator
Trustees have enormous influence in creating libraries that are relevant and responsive to community needs. From policymaking and fiduciary responsibility to strategic planning and advocacy work, the board needs a strong sense of the core values of librarianship and a commitment to ethical governance to support patrons' rights to access to information and resources while creating a viable, vital and visible library that their community is proud of. 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."
Legal Issues: New Minimum Library Standards | Tuesday, September 22nd | 5:30-7:00 pm | Register
Presented by Casey Conlin, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator
This intermediate-level course is for trustees who have been on the board for at least a year. There are a number of laws and regulations that directly and indirectly apply to and impact libraries in New York State. This program provides a primer on what you need to know about how libraries are governed in NYS. This workshop will provide an overview of new minimum standards for public and association libraries that will go into effect on January 1st, 2021. All MHLS member libraries will be required to meet these standards, which include updated requirements around library planning, staff training, library services, and community engagement.
Trustee Essentials | Tuesday, October 13th | 10:00-11:30 am | Register
Presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director
Particularly for new board members, but open to all. Library board members looking for essential, basic information to increase their effectiveness in serving on a library board will benefit from attending this session. Attendees will develop a working knowledge of library funding and organization in New York State; receive a clear overview of stakeholder roles and responsibilities and receive an introduction to Open Meetings Law and best practices for effective board meetings. This webinar provides a foundation of knowledge that other workshops in the MHLS Trustee Education Series will build on.
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Administration & Management
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 REALM Update - Test 4 Results Announced: Five items were selected for the fourth round of Battelle lab testing to examine the length of time the COVID-19 virus may live on materials commonly used in archives, libraries and museums. In response to feedback from the library community and discussion among REALM working groups, four of the five items in test 4 were similar book materials as were studied in test 1, with test 4 storing materials in a stacked configuration similar to real world conditions. While it is unknown how many virus cells a person with COVID-19 will leave on an object, how many virus cells a person could pick up from an object, or how many virus cells are needed to cause an infection, results show that after six days of quarantine the SARS-CoV-2 virus was still detected on all five materials tested. When compared to Test 1, which resulted in nondetectable virus after three days on an unstacked hardcover book, softcover book, plastic protective cover, and DVD case, the results of Test 4 highlight the effect of stacking and its ability to prolong the survivability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In test 1, the items were laid flat and exposed to air; for test 4 they will be stacked to simulate their common storage configuration in bins, book drops, and on shelves. A fifth item, expanded polyethylene foam, has not been tested previously; the foam material will be exposed and open to air for this test, to simulate its more common configuration when used in archives and museums. The book and DVD case materials were provided to Battelle by Columbus Metropolitan Library, and the foam by the National Archives and Records Administration. Results from this round of testing are expected to be released in mid-September.
Test 4 items:
- DVD/CD case (polypropylene)
- Hardcover book cover (buckram cloth)
- Softcover (trade paperback) book cover
- Plastic protective cover (biaxially oriented polyester film)
- Expanded polyethylene foam (1-in. thickness)
Test 5 Announced: Five items were selected for the Fifth round of Battelle lab testing to examine the length of time the COVID-19 virus may live on materials commonly used in archives, libraries and museums.
Test 5 items:
- Polyolefin fabric (upholstery)
- Polyvinyl chloride "vinyl" (upholstery)
- 100% cotton (upholstery, draperies, toys)
- Nylon webbing (stanchion belts and bags)
- Leather bookbinding
Visit the REALM Project Update page for the latest news and more info.
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