MHLS Trustee Education Series Spring Sessions |
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The MHLS Trustee Education Series Spring Sessions begins in May! This spring, MHLS will be offering both in-person and online events for trustee education. For complete program descriptions and to register for any of these online workshops please visit the MHLS calendar. All trustees attending the events live will receive a certificate of attendance.
Trustee Essentials
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.
- Online - Tuesday, May 17th | 5:30pm-7:00pm | Register
- Mid-Hudson Library System Auditorium - Friday, May 20th | 10:00am-12:00pm | Register
Core Values & Ethics
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.”
- Online - Thursday, June 2nd | 10:00am-11:30am | Register
Pathways to Sustainable Funding
One of the primary responsibilities of a library trustee is to secure adequate funding for the library. This requires both an honest assessment of the true costs to run a viable, vital, and visible library as well as a strong understanding of the legal funding mechanisms for libraries in New York State. At this session we will provide an overview of key areas impacting library budgets as well as introduce the new toolkit released this year from the New York State Library, the Public Library District Toolkit: Strategies to Assure Your Library’s Legal and Financial Stability.
- Online - Thursday, June 16th | 5:30pm-7:00pm | Register
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Don’t miss Trustee Handbook Book Club! Join co-authors of the Handbook for Library Trustees of New York State Jerry Nichols and Rebekkah Smith Aldrich for this fun and informative series! Each month trustees are encouraged to read a chapter of the Trustee Handbook and send in questions that the authors will address at live events later this year.
- Ethics & Conflicts of Interest + Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy | Tuesday, April 19th 5:00pm-6:30pm | Register
- Planning & Evaluation | Tuesday, May 3rd 5:00pm-6:30pm | Register
- PR & Advocacy | Tuesday, June 14th 5:00pm-6:30pm | Register
The live events will include a brief introduction to the chapter topic, tackle questions sent in advance by attendees, as well as address questions that come in live during the event.
To learn more about the program, register, and to send in your questions visit,
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Let’s Get Connected! The Town of Esopus Library and Town of Ulster Public Library are now home to the Digital Navigators of the Hudson Valley program. From securing devices to navigating the internet, these trained and trusted guides are here to help patrons with all their technology needs.
Digital Navigators are now working across 24 MHLS member libraries to connect local residents to affordable internet and devices and free computer skills training. For a full list of Digital Navigator locations visit https://hvconnected.org/. |
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Public libraries across the country are experiencing an increase in encounters of patrons conducting “First Amendment audits”. The asserted purpose of these “audits” is to record alleged civil rights violations in places open to the public, but the recording can impact patron privacy, workforce conditions, and library operations.
This session will cover:
- how libraries can prepare their policies and staff for these types of interactions,
- tips for training staff for in-the-moment response, and
- public relations techniques to foster respect for all people involved, willfully or circumstantially, in these types of encounters.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra |
REMINDER: Please clear your holdshelf every day the library is open. Clearing the holdshelf purges the holds table of more than the items on your physical holdshelf it also removes cancelled and expired holds. Please do your part in keeping this very critical process running smoothly by making this a priority task every morning.
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Please join us for the Mid-Hudson Library System EDI in Libraries Series - NYS Talking Book and Braille Library Informational Session on Thursday April 28th at 2:00 pm. In this one-hour online program New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) Director, Shawn Lemieux. will provide an overview of available services, share recent updates to the program and discuss why it is important to register your organization with the TBBL. There will be plenty of time for your questions. If you would like to send a question in advance of the event, please send your question in an email to kcruger@midhudson.org with TBBL in the subject line by April 22 nd.
This session is open to all member library directors and staff no matter your organizational registration status with TBBL.
The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) is a free lending library available to individuals living in New York who have difficulty reading standard print due to a visual impairment, a physical disability, or a reading disability.
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Tell Congress to Invest in Libraries! On March 28 th, the President r eleased his proposed budget spending requests for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, which includes federal funding amounts for libraries. Libraries need your help starting NOW until the final budget is signed in order to ensure that libraries are fully funded in the next fiscal year.
Will you contact your members of Congress and ask them to sign onto the Dear Appropriator letters?
Advocates are also encouraged to start the momentum on social media and urge your elected officials to support strong funding for libraries. On ALA's #FundLibraries Campaign page, you’ll find downloadable graphics to use with posts to better increase their overall visibility. |
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Reference & Collection Development |
MHLS Data Operations Supervisor, Nina Acosta has put together a curated collection of eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive to focus on Earth Day. The collection is pinned to the front page of https://mhls.overdrive.com/ and will be up throughout April to help celebrate this important event throughout the month. |
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While many MHLS member libraries are already a part of Hudson River Valley Heritage (HRVH), there is a growing number of online platforms and technology that can help your library’s local history collection reach new audiences, educate patrons, and contextualize your collection while adding to the historical record. -
Clio is a free local history platform made by historians that allows libraries to create points of interest on an online map and even link them together into tours.
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TheirStory is a remote interviewing platform, like Zoom for oral historians that allows for the creation of high quality and compressed audio files that can be easily shared and downloaded.
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Historypin is a free website and mapping tool that allows individuals and organizations to archive historical photographs, videos, and audio recordings, including grouping items together into theme collections.
For more info on these services view In Your Neighborhood from American Libraries Magazine. Not familiar with Hudson River Valley Heritage (HRVH)? Check it out! It is a great resource to surface and share your library’s local history collection with your community and the world. Libraries interested in making their local history materials more accessible through HRVH should contact Jennifer Palmentiero at the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council. |
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Trustee Tip of the Month: Policies should be reviewed no less than every five years, or sooner if required by law, as per Education Commissioner’s Regulations. A handy spreadsheet to help libraries keep track of their policy review and development is available on MHLS’ web site: Download the MHLS Essential Documents Inventory Workbook (Excel) Updated 2021
Trustee responsibilities are small in number but broad in scope. This monthly Bulletin feature, Trustee Tips is designed to remind, reinforce, or introduce tips that are helpful to member library trustees.
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Administration & Management |
The American Library Association (ALA) will make available $1.55M in emergency relief grants to more than 75 libraries this year that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund invites public, school, academic, tribal, and correctional libraries across the United States and US Territories to apply for grants of $20,000.
These funds are intended to bolster library operations and services including broadening technology access, developing collections, providing digital instruction, staffing, and expanding outreach, as well as maintaining and amplifying existing service strategies or adding new ones to extend impact through the end of 2022.
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Bookkeeper (part-time), Mid-Hudson Library System
MHLS seeks an experienced and well-organized professional for the position for the Part-time Bookkeeper. This position provides support and assistance to and acts in the absence of the Finance Manager through all stages of the accounting cycle, along with overall budget support. Applies principles of accounting in compiling, preparing, and processing financial data. Prepares and processes payroll data, purchases, and invoices. Provides support to MHLS staff, Correctional Facility Librarians, and Member Library staff. Performs general office and other duties.
Salary: $28 – $30 / hour
Requirements:
- At a minimum, an Associate degree in accounting or related field and at least two years of accounting and payroll experience
- Must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily
- Be able to work independently
- Be detailed oriented
- Knowledge of municipal accounting.
MHLS offers a strong benefits package including PTO, paid holidays, 403B plan, professional development opportunities, access to the NYS Local Retirement System and an Employee Assistance Program.
To apply: Please email your résumé and a cover letter specific to the position you are applying for to the MHLS Finance Manager & Personnel Officer, Saran Camara at jobs@midhudson.org.
Administrative Assistant (part-time), Mid-Hudson Library System
This position provides assistance to the executive director and business office by coordinating activities related to the MHLS Board of Trustees and Directors Association; supports finance operations; special events planning; maintenance of member information; and assistance with general office duties. Strong candidates for this position are committed to good customer service, have a strong background with Microsoft Office products, are good writers and communicators, are highly organized, and enjoy working in a team environment.
Salary: $25/hour
- Critical skills: customer service, MS Office products, strong written and verbal communication, detail oriented
- Key qualities: organized, team player, problem solver, able to manage time and tasks in a fast-paced environment
- Educational Requirements: Two (2) years of experience as an administrative assistant or four (4) years of office administration experience
MHLS offers a strong benefits package including PTO, paid holidays, 403B plan, professional development opportunities, access to the NYS Local Retirement System and an Employee Assistance Program.
To apply: Please email your résumé and a cover letter specific to the position you are applying for to the MHLS Finance Manager & Personnel Officer, Saran Camara at jobs@midhudson.org.
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