Vol.23-05 | 1.31.23

Creating Inclusive Collections Webinar

Mid-Hudson Library System welcomes back Kymberlee Powe, Children and Young Adult Consultant with the Connecticut State Library on Thursday, March 9 at 2:00 pm for Creating Inclusive Collections.


While it’s important to ensure our collections are diverse, how do we ensure they are truly inclusive? In this session, we’ll discuss why moving toward inclusive library collections is a crucial step in advancing equity and justice at our institutions. You’ll learn to assess your collections as they are now, and hear what considerations to make when ordering and weeding, and auditing your collection. We’ll also touch on how to address some of the challenges to materials in your collection and how to advocate for underrepresented voices that must be included. 

Kymberlee Powe (she/her) has been working in libraries for over fourteen years and specializes in youth services. Kym is currently the Children and Young Adult Consultant with the Connecticut State Library and was awarded the inaugural Judy Burroughs award by the Connecticut Crossroads Project, an award given to people whose skills and talents have a positive effect on the greater Connecticut Community. Kym has given presentations and participated in panel conversations at various conferences which include the Connected Learning Summit, Niche Academy, and School Library Journal/ Library Journal.


Kym presented From Diversity to Inclusion: How to Audit Your Collection and Why for MHLS in May 2022. 


MHLS EDI in Libraries Series: MHLS is committed to working with member libraries to create space for discussion, self-reflection, and resources to aid in the development of more inclusive collections, programs, and partnerships with an overarching goal to build empathy, respect and understanding among neighbors, to activate civic engagement, and to build community resilience that will authentically uphold our core values of diversity, democracy, and social responsibility.

MHLS Announcements

The Annual Report software is now open, and libraries can begin working on their annual reports. All member library directors should have received an email that includes information for logging in and accessing the annual report. Each library is required to complete the annual report by February 17th, 2023, at 5:00 pm. 

 

Each year, MHLS distributes a packet with information on your library’s circulation and holdings from the previous year to help in completing your annual report. Information for accessing this packet was emailed to library directors directly and via the MHLS Notice List.Please note: this year’s annual report packet will not be distributed through MHLS delivery as in previous years. You can download your library’s information packet from the provided URL and print it out if you prefer a hard copy of the information. 

 

Additional information for completing the report is available at https://midhudson.org/annualreporttips/. Libraries can contact MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Laura Crisci.

Professional Development

Join Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) and Library Futures on Thursday, February 23rd from 12:00 - 1:30 for Copyright and Fair Use for Libraries online session. 


Why does copyright and fair use matter for libraries and librarians? This event features lawyers and librarians who will share historic and legal frameworks for copyright, provide helpful information about our rights to fair use, and give an understanding for how these concepts have (and have not) evolved within our rapidly evolving technological environment. 60 minutes of presentations will be followed by a 30-minute forum. 

Resource Sharing & Sierra

The Economist has decided to change their digital lending model, which restricts access to the title in a couple of ways that OverDrive would not agree to. The result is that OverDrive has decided to drop the title. All editions of The Economist will be removed from OverDrive Magazine collections effective February 1st, 2023. The last issue available for readers to borrow will be January 28th, 2023. All back issues will also be removed from collections on February 1st. 

The change to Overdue Notices in Sierra began on January 10th. Patrons who check items out will be queued to receive an overdue notice 7 days from the date due if that item is not yet returned. Previously the notice was generated at 14 days. Bills will continue to be generated 14 days after the overdue notice has been sent. Since the bill depends on the processing and sending of the overdue notice, it will also be earlier. The library has an active role in moving the item to billed status by first sending the overdue notices and then the bills. For a more consistent billing experience, it is recommended that overdue notices and bills are sent each day that your library is open.


Questions about this change in processes should be directed to Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director & Technology Operations Manager.

Sustainable Libraries

In partnership with Dr. Kawanna Bright, Southeastern NY Library Resources Council offers a program to assist member libraries make systematic changes in their culture, collections, or programs by developing strategies to assess Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Having done that, they can plan for a path forward. The program includes two workshops in February 2023, followed by the opportunity to have individual consulting time with Dr. Bright. The purpose of these consulting hours is to receive assistance from the expert instructor following the workshops. This can help you with your library’s EDI assessment and planning. Southeastern is covering the cost of the webinars and the consulting sessions.


Monday, February 13th | 1:30-3:00 pm | Online

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Concepts & Cultural Competency: The Integration of EDI practices into Library Work

This workshop will give participants a foundation for understanding EDI in libraries, relevant definitions, and related concepts, as well as time to reflect on these ideas. You will learn about cultural awareness, the cultural competence continuum, and how this is applied to libraries.


Friday, February 24th 1:30-3:00 pm | Online

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Implications and Applications for Library & Information Organizations

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) assessments offer library and information organizations a strategic method for assessing their EDI efforts. This workshop is designed to introduce participants to tools that can be used to evaluate EDI at their library and determine a plan for an assessment process. The goal of this workshop is for attendees to understand the process, tools, and steps necessary to conduct EDI assessments and for future EDI planning.


EDI consulting with Dr. Kawanna Bright

Southeastern members are invited to apply for 2-6 hours consulting time with Dr. Kawanna Bright. This time can be used to receive expert assistance for your library to make systematic changes related to EDI, including but not limited to the following:

  • Assessing where you are with EDI and your library plans
  • Creating and conducting EDI assessments
  • Determining a plan following an assessment


Access registration for the webinars, the application for consulting and more information about this program. 

Administration & Management

The FCC has announced that the window for filing form 471 is now open. FCC Form 471 "Description of Services Ordered and Certification Form" is the second form that must be filed by a school or library in the E-rate application process. The Funding Year (FY) 2023 FCC Form 471 application filing window opened on Wednesday, January 18 and will close on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Critical dates for FY2023:


  • FY2023 FCC Form 470 (The First Form): Tuesday, February 28, 2023 is the last date that you can submit and certify an FCC Form 470 and still wait the required minimum 28-day period before submitting and certifying your FCC Form 471 by March 28, 2023, the last date of the FY2023 application filing window.


  • FY2023 FCC Form 471 (The Second Form): March 28, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET is the last date that you can submit your FCC Form 471 before the application filing window closes.


The FCC Forms 470 and 471 must be filed in the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC). The dates and times above apply to the time the form is certified in EPC. If you complete all of the required information on the form before the deadline but certify it after the deadline, the form will not be considered as timely filed. For more information visit https://www.usac.org/e-rate/

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